Building a Better Mousetrap: Eliminating Ineffective Communication Strategies for Better Audience Engagement
Communication is the lifeblood of virtually all organizations, and an inability to effectively and consistently share wins, losses, and big-picture strategies—not to mention urgent rallying cries—can quickly flatline the pulse of any association.
A comprehensive, successfully deployed communications plan shapes member engagement, drives participation, and reinforces the value of membership. Unfortunately, too many associations are wed to outdated habits that waste time and fail to connect with their intended audiences in a meaningful way. Modernizing these practices isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for ensuring relevance in the marketplace and building stronger relationships with members, stakeholders, and industry-related targets.
Creating these plans and addressing what can seem like constantly changing member preferences may feel a bit like alchemy, but there are several proven strategies you can employ today to prevent your association’s next mass email from landing with an embarrassing thud.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Naylor’s annual Benchmarking Report consistently uncovers that communicating effectively with members remains a perennial challenge for associations, regardless of the industry being served or the size of the association.
While increasing non-dues revenue has supplanted communications woes as the top challenge for association executives, without an effective communications plan in place, increasing—or even maintaining—non-dues revenue will quickly become an insurmountable challenge. Operating without an effective communications plan is akin to being lost in the wilderness and whispering “help” in hopes of reaching the rescue team that’s 100 miles away.
Put another way, if your messages aren’t received, opened, and engaged with, you have little hope of rallying support, generating growth, effecting change, and creating a better future for your members.
Fixing What’s Not Working
Even if you’ve been struggling to create engagement with your audience, you likely already have the building blocks in place for a winning strategy that will allow you to reach even the most difficult corners of your membership. A few simple tweaks to your existing efforts can get you back on track. Below are some of the most common communication mistakes and some slump-busting tips.
Mistake #1: Overreliance on mass email blasts.
It can be difficult, though not impossible, for generic, one-size-fits-all messaging to resonate with an audience—unless the messages are packed with valuable content readers want and need. Members expect relevance, and mass eblasts with overly generic and broad content can often end up ignored or banished to spam folders.
Actionable tip: Segment your audience by location, interest, and engagement history. Use email automation tools to tailor content for each group, ensuring all mass emails are as relevant and personalized as possible.
Mistake #2: Information overload.
Long newsletters packed with multiple topics overwhelm readers. When everything but the kitchen sink is included, nothing stands out.
Actionable tip: An audience’s appetite for content, and length, can vary wildly by industry, but you can easily monitor eblast open rates and make tweaks as engagement rises or falls. Limit these vehicles to key items and link to detailed content for those who want more, which can help drive traffic back to your website or content hub.
Mistake #3: Delayed responses.
Slow follow-up signals poor service and erodes trust. As the old saying goes, “You teach people how to treat you,” and not responding quickly sends the message you don’t respect members. What, then, would motivate them to respond quickly to you or act on anything you send them?
Actionable tip: Set internal response time standards (for example, 24 hours) and adhere to them religiously. You can also use automated acknowledgments to confirm receipt and manage expectations, which can be especially useful when staff is offsite for an event.
Mistake #4: One-way communication.
Members don’t want monologues; they want dialogue. No one wants to feel like they’re shouting into a black hole.
Actionable tip: Create mechanisms for two-way conversations, including in-person events and forums for actively soliciting member input. Acknowledge member input as often as possible and show how it influences decisions—for example, sharing survey results or big-picture wins, while outlining any actions taken as a result. Further, if you have an active social media presence, be sure to respond to member comments.
Drive Engagement with Improved Habits
Naylor’s 2025 Association Benchmarking Report found that 90% of association executives rank “traditional conferences, trade shows, and face-to-face events” as one of their most-valued tools to engage members. Knowing this, it’s vital that your communications strategy effectively accounts for, and reaches, all corners of your membership. If you can’t get members to open, let alone read, the email you sent or the social media post you carefully crafted, you have little prayer of getting them to attend those crucial in-person events.
By replacing outdated habits with modern, efficient practices, organizations can save time, strengthen relationships, and create a more engaged membership base. The shift doesn’t require a complete overhaul—just a commitment to smarter, more intentional communication habits.
