Kristen recently watched a Wild Apricot Webinar on building memberships at every step in your organization’s life cycle. The instructor broke down the various stages and indicated what the focus should be on for each step.
1. Emerging. When your organization is getting started, it is in the “emerging” stage. This is when early adopters will join looking for something to fill the gap that your organization fills. You should spend your effort focusing on getting the word out, the benefits of being a small organization, and pushing your mission out.
2. Catching on. The next phase of your organization is “catching on.” In this phase, more people are finding out about the organization and joining. The focus during this stage should be creating processes, reducing fiction, and ensuring an easy time for new members.
3. Getting the Hang of It. Once your organization is more established, you branding and staffing should have improved. The “getting the hang of it” phase is when people start to care more about the brand rather than just what you are offering. Your attention should be on efficiency and transparency.
4. Time to Shift. At this point, you are fully set up and known in your industry. You have a broader audience and should be more responsive as well as putting in effort to stay relevant.
With each step of your organization, it is important to keep members happy and returning. This is what will ultimately keep the organization afloat.