Bridging the Gap: How Mobile Apps Can Revolutionize Association and Union Member Communication and Engagement

If you are in charge of member engagement at an association or union, you are likely always seeking new and innovative ways to connect and engage with your members. More and more organizations like yours are choosing to have a mobile app developed as a way to increase engagement and make communication with their members easier.

There are unique challenges faced by associations and developed a mobile app platform specifically with the needs of an association in mind.

If you haven’t invested in a mobile app for your association yet, you might wonder if it’s worth the investment and how it could benefit your organization and members.

How Do I Know if My Association Needs a Mobile App?

You can assess your need for a mobile app by evaluating your current communication and engagement strategies. Asking yourself the following questions can help identify the potential benefits of a mobile app for your association.

• Does our website effectively convey information to members the way we need it to and are they actively using it?
• How important is connecting with members wherever they are?
• Are emails getting through and being read by our members?
• What is providing “always-available” access to association offerings to our members worth?

If you find gaps in your existing strategies, a mobile app could be the ideal solution to bridge those gaps and elevate your engagement efforts.

While every association is different, there are several ways that a mobile app has helped many of the associations we work with that you might also find valuable.

Why Mobile Apps for Associations?

With mobile apps, associations can effortlessly overcome the limitations of traditional communication channels and embrace the convenience and accessibility offered by mobile technology. Depending on the demographics of your membership, many if not most of them may already be using their phones all day and carrying out dozens of daily activities using apps. Having a mobile app allows you to meet them where they are.

While your association can expect to experience improved communication, streamlined information sharing, and increased member engagement, the benefits also impact your members. They gain constant access to valuable association resources, enhanced event participation, and access to benefits. Mobile apps empower associations to cultivate a stronger sense of community and ensure that members feel connected, supported, and valued.

A Challenge Associations and Unions Want Help With:

An important challenge that associations face is effective communication and information sharing with their members, regardless of their location. Mobile apps provide a comprehensive solution to this challenge by offering real-time updates and notifications. Associations can utilize push notifications to keep members informed about events, conferences, courses, benefits, and other important news. You can also use your mobile app to collect feedback and get input from your members. Using a mobile app, you can bridge the communication gap, ensuring that members stay engaged and well-informed.

What Should I Look For When Having a Mobile App Developed?

Avoid the pitfall of overloading your mobile apps with unnecessary functionalities. Instead, focus on integrating features that truly enhance your member engagement.

Here are some mobile app features for associations that provide the most value for your investment:

• Push Notifications: Associations can leverage push notifications to deliver timely updates and announcements directly to members’ mobile devices. This feature ensures that your members stay informed about events, conferences, courses, benefits, news, and other essential information.
• List of Contacts/Members: This feature provides a convenient way to share contact details of key staff members. In some cases, some associations opt to include a list of all members and their contact information within the app, fostering a tighter-knit community.
• Digital Membership Card: By offering a digital member’s card customized for each association, this feature streamlines the membership identification process. QR and barcode support enables easy scanning and usage at conferences or for accessing exclusive benefits. It enhances convenience for members while reinforcing their association affiliation.
• Campaign Feature: This feature would enable associations to share critical discussions and topics that require your membership’s support. It empowers members to actively participate in important initiatives, strengthening their connection to the association’s goals.

Mobile apps have the potential to revolutionize the way you connect, engage, and empower your members.

If you’re interested in learning more about our platform, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We would love to learn more about your association and see how the Info Grove platform could help you find solutions to some of your challenges and achieve some of your member engagement goals. At the time of this writing, we count over 28 North American unions/associations as clients. We’re sure we can help you.

Karim Mansour is an Inside Sales Representative at 14 Oranges, the creators of the Info Grove platform.