If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Now, if you are a traveler at heart like us, with more sights you want to see than time to see them, your first step would be to narrow down your options to pick the one that you cannot imagine missing out on. You might know right away, or you may have to do research, weighing the pros and cons of each location's offering. Once you make your choice, then comes packing and planning.
These steps put you in the best position possible to make the most of your experience. The time and energy you invest in researching and planning help you choose the perfect vacation spot, determine what you want to see, where you want to go, and all the other details that map out your journey. You believe the articles, websites, and reviews that inspired you to select this location are accurate. If your trip does not live up to your expectations, the likelihood you will ever go back is slim. The excitement of going somewhere new can quickly fade if the experience does not measure up.
Associations, we are the dream destination for our members.
Think about it. Before joining, they've studied the many other options out there and deemed you the one they had to experience. They researched your offerings, thought about how your mission aligns with their own and considered how they would benefit from joining your community. After spending the time and energy to decide that you were the right fit for them, they pulled the trigger and became members.
At the start of their membership journey, they arrive passionate, determined, and prepared. New members look to association employees and the community to guide them and show them the ropes. As excited as they are to be a part of your association, they are even more excited to experience it.
They have their association bucket list that they created before signing up, and they are eager to start checking it off.
Networking events—sign me up.
Exclusive social media groups—let me in.
Opportunities to showcase our expertise—when can I start?
When members begin their guided journey with you, they are full of expectations about the opportunities to come and connections they can form. They expect that the enthusiasm they feel upon arrival will be elevated further by the engaging journey that awaits them. If the opposite happens and members feel mislead, they will often either cut their journey with you short or not continue their membership down the road.
While it is important to attract members, retaining them is essential and often more challenging. As every traveler knows, the best destinations are the ones that exceed your expectations and continue to draw you back with new opportunities to explore. If you want your association to be more than a one-stop visit for your members, then you need to offer and provide a journey that keeps them coming back for more.