What is Digital Engagement?

Having a community and being a community guide are two totally separate things. 

Having a community is having the property, having the people, having the connections, and all the other tactical pieces of a community. 

Being a community guide is a mindset, a process, a vision drive to see people guided to something more.

My challenge to you here is to fully embrace the role of a guide (and not just a host or admin).  The most successful communities are the ones where the leader(s) take on the role of a guide and work to steward their community down a path and toward a goal that betters the member.  Let’s look at some ingredients to what makes someone a great community guide.

• Personal Commitment - it starts with a commitment to adopting this role and making it part of who you are and all that you do.

• Define a Path - guides have a path for where they are taking people and they share that guide with their community to rally around.

• Create Resources - you need resources that help show people the path you are guiding them down so it’s not abstract.

• Build Steps - you guide people to their next step and don’t overwhelm them with the full picture and the big end goal.

• Equip Others - strong communities that guide people have equipped others in the community to become guides to others (it should not be all on you).  

• Demand Simplicity - guides help make things simple… again, you don’t want to overwhelm people with the big end goal… just guide them one simple step at a time.

• Measure the Journey - there are so many things you can measure today and our tendency is to focus on things like revenue… guides also focus on guidance progress.

• Keep it Fresh - there’s no silver bullet for guiding members - keep a constant rhythm of challenging what you have and how could do things better/differently.

• Listen Well - strong community guides have a knack to listen well to their community (and their needs) to architect new solutions to the deeper needs.  

• Stay Innovative - the needs drive the innovation - guidance should be an innovative response to the needs of your community.  

• Automate - you can’t automate everything but many things you can - find the things (like drip campaigns) to help guide your community.  

I could spend a ton of time here talking about your role as a guide and ways to bring that to life.  This is a journey for you and you never really achieve the end… but that’s good.  You’re constantly working to create a better experience for your community.  Guiding people takes time but the results are significant.  

The big challenge… think less about what you are trying to “sell” or deliver and focus on how to guide your community to the shared end goal.  The rest will fall into place.

Cause Machine Solutions

You are the guide… but Cause Machine is here to set you up for success.  The Cause Machine platform is designed to help guide members through various experiences and continue guiding them into greater community engagement.  We believe the journey is far greater than the single touch point.  Our goal is to see your members have a great experience at every turn and throughout their entire journey.   Schedule a demo today!

So first off… what’s a digital funnel?  Basically, it’s the same concept of a marketing funnel just focusing on the context of digital resources.  This is how you are leveraging digital resources to guide people into a specific experience or towards a certain goal.  

And yes… you need a digital funnel!  Digital funnels take time to map out and configure but these can work very hard for you as you engage more members and potential members.  Let’s spend some time talking about pieces of your digital funnel and then explore how to order these in a sequence that’s beneficial.  

Goal #1 - Give more people exposure to you and the great things you are doing.

Goal #2 - Guide people into a deeper relationship with your community.

DIGITAL FUNNEL POTENTIAL COMPONENTS

• Social Media - being present in the world of social media for people to learn about you and make some first steps of connections.  

• Paid Social Advertising - similar to general social media but this ads the dynamic of paying for ads so more people have visibility on your community.

• Website - your online storefront to help people get to know you and what you have to offer - a simple place to cast your vision.

• Lead Generators - key assets that people can explore, download, and get to know you better as they explore your unique value proposition.

• Calendaring Tools - means for people to schedule a time to meet with you and learn more about what you have to offer.  

• Webinars and Videos - events or evergreen content available for people to gain a better understanding of you and your community.  

• Drip Email Campaigns - automations that help guide new people into a better experience with you by slowly “dripping” them content and value.  

Remember the most basic map for how you are guiding people: Public > Free > Paid.  This is your most basic funnel or pathway and digital assets are designed to help facilitate that at every step.  Digital tools help move this process forward and automate certain stages.  Of course, our end goal is always to bring people into relationships and personal connections with each other but these digital tools help us archive a greater scale of meaningful connections.  

BUILDING YOUR DIGITAL FUNNEL

• Assessment - assess what you currently have and what you need

• Brainstorm - dream about what you could potentially do

• Research - explore the tools that can help you make this happen

• Recruit - find the right people to help make things happen

• Create - build your content and digital resources

• Configure - get things set up on the various tools

• Launch - press the “on” button and let things start working

• Review - track what’s happening, working, or not

• Adjust - refine your process as you learn about what’s working or not

You will be amazed at how well these simple ideas and steps will work for you.  The most difficult part is the discipline and time to get these created… but you’ll be thankful once it’s all done.  And don’t forget to have fun while you build all of this!

Cause Machine Solutions

Cause Machine can be a critical part of your digital funnel - both in early introductions to new people and the place to hang out once they join your community.  Cause Machine has tools to help you build your website, create and host lead generators, customize sales landing pages, automate email sequences, welcome people well into a new community, and more.  Schedule a demo today!

Maybe you’ve heard about the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to launching membership sites. I want to talk about the things people forget about when it comes to launching a membership site. 

In many cases, we skip right through all of the work that goes into launching a membership site. These are the things folks often forget. The things that make membership sites successful. Hear that? I said “successful”. I didn’t say easy. Doing all of these things won’t be easy. But, doing them will set you up for success. 

Here are 10 things people forget about launching a membership site:

#1 Forgetting to have a plan.

Most people I talk with about membership sites start at the wrong place. They buy domains and spend all kinds of money. Listen, don’t start working on building out your site. If you are doing that now—stop! 

Where should you start? Whatever type of community leader you're looking to be online, start with pen and paper and design your plan. You must start with a plan before you make too many other steps. What should be part of your plan? I’m glad you asked. In creating a plan for your membership site, think through and list out your goals, your audience—who you’ll want to attract to your site, revenue structure, messaging, onboarding, and so on.

#2 Forgetting to clarify membership offerings.

Here’s what I often see: people are in love with what they do. Great, it’s your passion. I appreciate that. But, we often get too cute. Don’t make things too cute. People won’t understand.

For example, title your membership tiers as something people would identify themselves and not something that you understand for backend office terminology. I see this way too much. Err on the side of descriptive when you can’t decide. Be LESS creative if you need to! 

Also, be sure, somewhere on your site, show a list of everything they get for that membership tier. Use a bulleted list if you have to. But, be clear and take time to clarify your offer to followers. 

#3 Forgetting to welcome followers well.

Once you have a customer, it’s easy to think you’re done. But, you can’t think this way. Getting a customer is just the start! Seriously, just go ahead and assume buyers' remorse and your great effort to combat that remorse. 

Want to know a few things worth remembering once someone becomes a paying customer? Welcome the new customer quickly to say thanks for joining. You’d be amazed at how often communication stops for customers. Show your new customer right away the value and the next steps they should take. Try and focus on two or three key next steps. Don’t overcomplicate this process. Make it as simple as possible for your buyer. Remember, they are new and they don’t know their way around yet. It’s your job to teach them and order their steps so they get the most from your site. This is a great way to get more followers on your site.

#4 Forgetting to explain the value of the membership. 

Here’s what I mean by this: tell folks what they get when they sign up! Create a list to show people the value of your membership. Spell everything out! Make a dedicated page to explain the value of membership. Too many details are a good thing here. 

Protip: add member testimonials. Make them short and sweet. But, show them on your site! This step is one many people often forget. You can’t forget it. Do it!

#5 Forgetting to share testimonials from members. 

Now that I mentioned testimonials. This, if remembered, is often done incorrectly. Be sure you capture testimonies from people in your community. I know, that should be standard. You’d be surprised! Here’s what you need to remember: show the testimony with a photo to make it more personal and real. 

Use testimonies both for selling memberships but also for reinforcing the purchase people have made. Recall step three of this list—or have you already forgotten?! 

#6 Forgetting to make it simple. 

I can’t stress this enough. Make the process simple. Direct visitors to the “Join Now” button all over your site and in your navigation. Yes, it’ll feel salesy. But, it’s not. It’s helpful for interested visitors. It's literally how you can make money with your site. They need to know where to go to join. Also, try not to ask too many questions when inviting them in to join. We want this to be a simple process. Protip: Make sure you’ve walked through the process yourself with a different email. Test. Test. Test.  

#7 Forgetting to repeat the offer often.

Make the offer early and often. Make it look consistent through your website and emails. Don’t assume people see or catch the idea the first time around. It’s said you need to see something or hear something seven times before it sinks in. Let that sink in!

#8 Forgetting to offer gifting options.

If your site is done well. Customers will want to give it to others as a gift. Plan for that! Allow people to give membership to your community as a gift. Make sure your members know they can gift it to others. Run promotional campaigns to customers at key times of the year about your gifting options. 

#9 Forgetting to pick the right platform.

The right platform is the one that fits your needs. Choose the online membership management software that can help manage and automate as much of the steps in the post as possible. Consider all the things you want to offer your members when selecting a platform. Make a list. It’s much easier to have it all in one place. For example, member content, courses, events, groups, email automation, you get the idea. Keep the list of your priorities handy. 

#10 Forgetting to launch with a marketing campaign.

Launch a marketing campaign around your membership. Plan to run that campaign more than once, think of doing it seasonally. You’ll be tired of hearing your campaign before others are tired of hearing it—hopefully! Consider what’s new. You’re working on your site all of the time. Get everyone excited about what’s new in your membership offering for your next campaign. 

Bonus: Forgetting to make a checklist. You have to have a checklist. Or, you’ll get lost on the newest, most expensive platform with all of the promises. We have you covered here. Grab your pre-launch checklist. Happy launching!

Need more help taking your community digital?

You want to have a dynamic and multi-dimensional community that thrives. In order to do that, you need a strategy of both online and offline engagement. This guide will help you think through your approach to engaging a virtual community. Download the free eBook: How to Take Your Community Digital.

About the author: Will Rogers is the Founder and CEO of CauseMachine. Will’s career has been spent leading organizations and helping to mobilize communities to a shared vision. He has served in various leadership roles to build community engagement and movements teaching him valuable hands-on skills and experience. Will has developed business and community engagement strategies for dozens of organizations in nearly 50 countries. He and his wife have two sons and now live in Kentucky after two decades in Colorado.

The vast majority of associations are run by fewer than ten people – small teams who already rely on, or could benefit from, association management software. The truth is that each one of those associations requires a lot of hands-on administration, even if it's small. That administration is expensive and time-consuming and is basically a time suck for the few employees a small association has. 

Despite that, it's still vital work – and association management software aims to help.

What Makes Association Management Software Different from Other Software?

A quality association management software platform can do everything from building a website to running a member database. They can automate email communications, payment collections, donations, event management, and make sure all the financial requirements of running an association are met. In short, they can free your team up to do the things that associations are really meant to do. 

The problem lies in choosing the right association management software for your association, but we can help. Culled from hundreds of association management software options, here are five of the best.

The Five Best Association Management Software Platforms Right Now 

1. Cause Machine

Up until now, we've introduced association management software options that are useful in a variety of situations – but Cause Machine is something different. The most versatile option by far, Cause Machine is an infinitely customizable platform that can meet all the needs of an association – large, small, or in between. 

Building a cost-effective and practical web platform to manage your association is key for scalability and experience. You can even create members-only areas with added benefits too. Cause Machine can supercharge communications, help maintain the day-to-day, and even streamline association events. Cause Machine starts by defining your objectives and helps you build the platform to meet your organizational needs. 

Great features include:

• Tailored software for specific association needs
• Drag and drop web builder 
• Free trial and dedicated support
• Event management
• Email marketing tools
• eCommerce, membership billing, managed tiers, and more
• Dynamic CMS
• Job Board
• Launch Mobile Apps
• Free trial available
   

Especially for the thousands of small associations that need a practical association management tool, getting off the treadmill of hands-on administration is as easy as trying out the right association management software.

Get a tailored solution to your organization's needs. Schedule a free demo with Cause Machine to get back to doing what your association is really meant to do.

2. WildApricot

\WildApricot has steadily become one of the most visible association management software platforms, and that's because it comes with many of the features associations need. From a (basic) website builder to a built-in email system and a mobile app, it can be helpful to organizations of all sizes – and comes with a free trial period.

Great features include:

• Build websites and member directories
• Event Management
• Automate payments and renewals
• Free 60-day trial

3. GrowthZone

GrowthZone is an association management software option that is focused on what its name implies – growth! The basic plan includes everything that others do as well – including member management tools, financial tools, and the like – but it can be scaled up with marketing solutions and added "modules" as your organization grows, which is ultimately the whole point, right?

Great features include:

• Website builder with member and event management tools
• Marketing tools and sales funnel 
• Payment processing
• Free demos and monthly payment plans

4. MemberLeap

MemberLeap is an example of powerful association management software that is tailored for one specific segment of the association landscape. Along with all the basic functions of member and financial management, it features a convenient integration with QuickBooks. With 26.5 million businesses using QuickBooks in the US, that could be very useful!

Great features include:

• Member database with plans
• Integrates with QuickBooks for accounting 
• CRM system
• Starts at $50/month, plus website setup packages from $1,800+

5.SilkStart

With SilkStart, small associations can get everything they need – and the "smooth" transition they hope for. This software is designed to be simple and easy to use for administrators, and its features are designed to get the job done. Features include job boards, donation pages, chapter integration, and mobile-friendly websites.

Great features include:

• Simple tools for website, members-boards, donations, and more 
• Event management
• Job board
• Email Marketing

Get Started With Cause Machine

Starting with a community engagement strategy is the secret to building a successful organization in the long term. Cause Machine helps organizations build the plan of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We're certain that you'll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your community. Learn how it can work for you here.

As anyone who plans and coordinates events can tell you, a lot of work goes into making a memorable moment seem effortless.

Event management is a time-consuming endeavor, with countless moving parts, conflicting deadlines, and communication obstacles to master. In some cases, you almost need to be a magician to pull things off – but with the right event management tools, you can do what seems impossible.

The Impact of Events

According to Statista, the total size of the "party and event planner sector" in the United States was $4.08 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, and it's still recovering from the major shock of the pandemic. That's a sizable growing market, and with relatively low barriers to entry, it can be a promising industry for entrepreneurs to break into – especially if you have a knack for spectacular brunches or over-the-top birthdays even adults leave smiling. 

One of the major challenges to entering event management has always been juggling all the components of the business – but there's help for that. 

What Needs Do Event Management Tools Fulfill?

Event management tools come in two basic forms, all-in-one or purpose specific. And basically, they can be anything that helps streamline the work of creating and running an event of any scale. 

Some things to consider when choosing event management tools include:

• Do you need an event website or mobile app?
• How will you promote the event?
• Do attendees need to register or get tickets?
• Will you need to create and update schedules?
• Will there be exhibitors or vendors? 
• Will the event be in person, virtual, or a hybrid event?

Once you know what you need, choosing the correct tool or platform will be a cinch. 

The Best Event Management Software
 

1. Cause Machine

Cause Machine is different from other event management tools. It's an all-in-one platform, allowing you to do everything from managing complex hybrid/virtual events and email marketing to restricted membership content. Cause Machine allows planners to start with a blank slate and build the event management solution that's right for them – all in one place. No need to juggle five different apps or pay for five different services. 

Pros

• Drag & Drop Website Builder.
• eCommerce Store.
• Virtual or Hybrid events are easy to run and manage.
• All-in-one solution for scalability.
• Online Course Builder.
• Dynamic event management from registration, email communications, event tickets, and more.
• Custom membership options.
   

Cons

• Limited front-end design customization.
• Setup can take time, depending on the needs.

It's not easy to create and run the perfect event, but with event management tools like Cause Machine, it can go a little smoother. Set up a free demo on Cause Machine.

2. Eventbrite

Eventbrite is one of the best-known event management tools out there. If you've gone to an event that you needed to RSVP for in the last few years, chances are you've used it. The platform makes setting up registration or e-tickets easy, and with automated e-mail confirmations, it can give your small-to-medium-sized event a sense of professionalism. But it's important to note: Eventbrite doesn't do everything.

Pros

• Ease of use and familiarity.
• Create custom tickets and registration pages.
• Email reminders for attendees.

Cons

• Eventbrite only helps get plan the event – it's not designed to help with day-of needs. 
• Relatively high fees.
   

3. Cvent

Cvent is an easy-to-use event management software that helps manage event registration and engagement. The platform can automate tasks like data analytics, event marketing, event registration, etc. to save time. You can manage attendees and build event reports to navigate every aspect of the event process.

Pros

• Plan and promote your event.
• Engage attendees.
• Capture leads and track ROI.

Cons

• Features can be time-consuming during setup.
• Clunky reporting.

4. A2Z Events

As its name implies, A2Z Events can help you handle almost every aspect of behind-the-scenes event management, from floorplan design and staff coordination to creating exhibitor and vendor portals. Its scale makes it ideal for large events like trade conferences or big weddings, but it's not as useful for smaller events, and does not include any public-facing features. 

Pros

• Create the perfect event layout.
• Great for larger teams.
• Good for conferences and other big events.

Cons

• Lacks attendee-facing tools like a registration portal, event map.
• Overkill for most events.

5. Zoom Events

Zoom Events is a great video-conferencing tool that has taken Zoom's original purpose of virtual meetings to the next level with the ability to run dynamic events. With Zoom Events, you can host virtual/hybrid events, webinars, digital panel discussions, online courses, and more. Most people find it easy to navigate, and e-mail confirmations keep everyone on the same page.

Pros

• Easy and familiar to use.
• Host multiple virtual sessions at once.
• Connect your audience.

Cons

• Free version comes with time limits.
• Limited screen-sharing functionality.

Start Cause Machine

Starting with a community engagement strategy is the secret to building a successful organization in the long term. Cause Machine helps organizations build the plan of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We're certain that you'll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your community. Learn how it can work for you here.