Boost Your Association’s Engagement with AMS & MarTech
Summary: Is your AMS creating friction and frustration for members? Maintaining a healthy platform is essential, but replacing it can be cost-prohibitive for many associations. Not to worry—with the right MarTech integrations, you can harness best-of-breed tools to supplement capabilities and close gaps.
Your association offers expertise and best practices to guide your industry. Members rely on you for educational resources, professional development, networking opportunities, and community support. They also expect seamless, self-service websites and smooth user experiences (UX), similar to what they enjoy in retail and financial services.
The Role of Your Association Management System (AMS)
The AMS is the backbone of your operations. It manages dues, subscriptions, events, and transactions. It controls content, provides resources at members’ fingertips, and hosts certification programs. The potential is significant, but not every AMS is a perfect fit. While replacing it can be costly, associations don’t have to settle for friction-filled sites—especially when the AMS is effectively integrated with the MarTech stack.
Improving Association Website Performance with AMS and MarTech
Understanding your AMS’s capabilities is crucial. The goal is to modernize your system, streamline operations, and create a cohesive online experience. Begin by evaluating your AMS to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
When we start working with an association, an AMS is usually already in place. We assess its digital features, focusing on user expectations, navigation, and search functionality. While we may suggest new platforms, our priority is to optimize the existing AMS.
Equally important is recognizing disconnects between your AMS and other systems that may hinder performance. One common issue is a lack of integration with the MarTech stack—a suite of tools used by digital marketers across multiple channels.
Improving Association Website Performance with AMS and MarTech
Once you’ve assessed your AMS, refine your platform strategy and create a change roadmap. Familiarize yourself with current solutions to utilize new features for your website. Objectively test the user experience, allocate a budget for necessary updates, and develop a rollout plan that minimizes disruption.
Key focus areas include:
Features: Identify missing features and new must-haves. Determine if your platform can accommodate updates or if it’s too outdated.
Integrations: A well-functioning AMS should integrate smoothly with other technologies like digital asset management (DAM) and content management systems (CMS). Leverage best-of-breed tools for content management, automation, CRM, email marketing, analytics, and social media.
User Experience: Prioritize consistent, branded, user-friendly experiences. Ensure members can easily find resources, download content, and access information without delays. This is especially crucial for healthcare associations committed to public education and advocacy.
Personalization: Tailored communications and services boost member engagement. While personalization can be resource-intensive, your AMS should streamline these efforts to improve satisfaction.
Future-proofing: Ensure your AMS can support emerging technologies like AI-driven personalization engines. These tools interpret user behavior and dynamically tailor content, enhancing member satisfaction while saving time.
In some cases, a full AMS replacement is the best option.This involves implementing a new system, resolving integrations, and connecting various platforms. While challenging, the effort pays off.
For instance, we helped CREW Network overhaul their main site and 55 integrated chapter sites, resulting in faster load times, improved accessibility, and streamlined event registration.
Talk to an Association Integrations Expert
Is your association struggling with fragmented user experiences and poor integrations? An expert assessment of your AMS is a low-risk, high-reward step that can help you navigate change, gain stakeholder buy-in, and maximize ROI. Let's connect and enhance your member experience.
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