Dec 19, 2024
According to the 2024 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, the top four reasons members join an association are as follows:
To network with others in their field
To access continuing education and professional certification opportunities
To access specialized and/or current information
To learn best practices in their profession
While meeting these needs attracts new members to your association, it also helps retain existing members and encourages them to upgrade their membership. However, you must implement strategic marketing tactics to ensure prospective and existing members recognize the value your association offers.
This guide explores how to market eLearning content to generate excitement about your association’s offerings.
1. Conduct Audience Research
Successful marketing strategies are built upon a deep understanding of your audience. Knowing your audience’s preferences and motivations is the gateway to determining what content resonates most. In fact, the same report cited earlier revealed that associations reporting membership growth over the past year also tailored their messaging to specific segments among their member base.
Member data can reveal everything you need to know about your audience’s interests and motivations. This data should be accessible through your association’s existing tech stack, like its member database and learning management system (LMS). Here are a few must-have features you’ll need to perform audience research:
Comprehensive member profiles: Your member database should provide basic data about each member, including demographic information, professional details, and membership history.
Reporting and analytics: Choose an association LMS that tracks learner activity and metrics associated with course performance so you can monitor engagement levels and determine what content members are most interested in.
Survey and feedback integration: Association software should allow members to provide feedback on learning content, programs, events, and more. Consider asking questions like, “How do our courses further your learning goals?” or “What would you change about the learning experience when engaging with our content?” to learn more about your audience’s preferences.
Using these tools, collect data to gain a holistic view of members’ learning interests and goals. Group members according to their shared characteristics, then create targeted campaigns that appeal to each group. For example, an association might provide beginner-friendly resources for new professionals and advanced courses for seasoned experts.
Key takeaway: Tailoring your marketing content to your audience's needs increases its relevance, making members more likely to engage with your offerings.
2. Create a Compelling Value Proposition
To incentivize engagement with your eLearning content, you must position your association’s offerings as valuable and essential to members’ priorities. In other words, members should understand that participating is the best way to achieve their professional and personal development goals.
Here are some tips for demonstrating the value of your eLearning content:
Emphasize the benefit. In the same report cited earlier, associations reporting membership growth over the past year also used compelling “What’s in it for me” language in their marketing materials. Draw a direct link between your eLearning content and members’ goals, such as earning a promotion or raise, to emphasize what they’ll gain from engaging with your association.
Differentiate your content. What makes your eLearning content different? Perhaps a well-respected industry leader helped create it, or your association is the only organization that offers a relevant certification. Highlight these differentiators to help your eLearning content stand out from other associations’ offerings. Also, emphasize the perks that are only available to your members, such as exclusive courses, discounts on certifications, or high-level networking events.
Share testimonials and success stories. Real-life examples of members who have benefited from your association’s eLearning content demonstrate the tangible impact of your offerings. For example, share quotes or video testimonials from members about how your association supported their professional and personal growth.
You can also summarize these benefits in a formal value proposition, which can be shared across marketing channels to concisely convey the benefits members can expect to receive. For example, “Unlock your full potential to succeed in a competitive industry with our tailored eLearning programs.”
Where possible, back up your value proposition with data. This could include course completion rates or the number of certificates or certifications awarded to demonstrate your members’ successes. For example, “Join the 5,000+ members who earned industry-recognized certifications after completing our course.”
Key takeaway: A compelling value proposition showcases the benefits that resonate with members’ goals and pain points.
3. Collaborate with Industry Partners
Collaborating with trusted industry figures can amplify your marketing campaign’s reach and credibility. Endorsements from these professionals lend authority to your offerings and enable you to reach audiences outside your existing network.
Follow these steps to initiate a collaboration:
Identify respected organizations or individuals within your field. For example, a healthcare association might partner with a telemedicine software provider to promote a course on implementing telehealth in practice.
Offer cross-promotions or other incentives for your partner. Using the example above, the software provider promotes your eLearning content to its clients, while your association highlights the provider’s tools in your course.
Invite industry experts to promote your eLearning content. Well-known researchers, keynote speakers, and other professionals may use their personal channels and networks to advocate for your eLearning content.
Collaborate on interactive learning opportunities. The association from our earlier example could use a healthcare-specific LMS to offer Q&A sessions or workshops demonstrating how to use telehealth software and answering members’ questions about the tool.
Just as you’d evaluate the progress of any other marketing activity, track the responses to your partner’s endorsements. By tracking relevant metrics, such as course enrollment numbers or webinar attendance, you can determine if there are any correlations between your partner’s promotional efforts and content engagement.
Key takeaway: Strategic collaborations can amplify your reach and lend credibility to your association’s offerings.
4. Implement a Multi-Channel Approach
Your marketing materials must reach members where they are to maximize visibility. A multi-channel approach ensures you reach your audience across various platforms and leverage each channel's unique strengths to capture attention.
While you’ll need to prioritize the channels your members are most active on, these are some of the most popular and effective channels:
Your newsletters
Social media platforms
Paid and organic digital ads
Your member portal
In addition to any industry partners you’re working with, consider pursuing corporate sponsorships from companies or businesses with similar values, interests, and visions.
These sponsors often have larger audiences and marketing budgets, and your association can drive higher enrollment when you tap into these resources. Corporate sponsors also provide financial support annually or for specific events, allowing your association to focus its resources on developing and promoting eLearning content.
Key takeaway: Using multiple channels to promote your eLearning content ensures your marketing reaches your audience effectively.
As you implement the tips outlined in this guide, continually track the performance of your marketing campaigns and refine your strategies. Allowing data to drive your campaigns will make your marketing efforts more impactful. As a result, you’ll effectively capture attention, build interest, and drive participation.