{"id":1508,"date":"2022-07-08T06:58:29","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T06:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildapricot.wpengine.com\/?p=1508"},"modified":"2025-05-12T05:29:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T05:29:40","slug":"member-onboarding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/member-onboarding","title":{"rendered":"Designing an Effective New Member Onboarding Process: 7 Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve designed a value-packed membership program that offers amazing benefits and gives your members access to highly sought-after resources<\/a>. So how is it possible that your renewal rates keep declining? Why are members dropping off when they should be thrilled to continue receiving the benefits you worked so hard to create for them?<\/p>\n

The answer may lie in your onboarding process \u2014 an ineffective process (or lack of one altogether) is one of the most common culprits behind low retention rates. Without onboarding, most new members never get introduced to all that your organization can do for them, so when the time comes to renew, they don\u2019t see the value in continuing their membership.<\/p>\n

In this post, we\u2019ll be talking about designing an onboarding process that empowers and inspires your members to get involved and get the most out of their membership. In turn, this will improve your organization\u2019s retention<\/a> rates and help you grow your community.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re creating an onboarding process from scratch or updating an existing one, we\u2019ll share seven tips that will help you properly welcome new members to your organization and make sure they stick around for years to come.<\/p>\n

Why Does New Member Onboarding Matter?<\/h2>\n

Every membership organization should have an onboarding process for new members. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n

1. It introduces members to all the benefits and services available to them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

An onboarding process helps new members understand how your organization can solve their problems and how they can take advantage of your benefits. It\u2019s not enough to simply list your member benefits on your website \u2014 you need to give clear instructions for how, when, and where they can access each of these benefits. Without this, members will be left to their own devices, wondering when you\u2019ll step in to guide them. More often than not, they\u2019ll leave the membership feeling like it wasn\u2019t worth their money.<\/p>\n

2. It gives members an idea of what to expect.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Members are happiest when their membership experience meets their expectations. You can help make this happen by letting them know what to expect \u2014 how often you\u2019ll send communications, how many events you\u2019ll be inviting them to, what kinds of networking opportunities will be available to them, etc. Setting these expectations during the onboarding process will also get new members excited about what\u2019s to come, so they\u2019ll be much more likely to participate and use their membership to its full extent.<\/p>\n

3. It offers an easy way for newcomers to start connecting with other members.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A big reason why members join membership organizations is because it provides them with networking opportunities and allows them to connect with like-minded people. However, making connections as a new member can be hard, especially for introverts or people who are joining the membership virtually. You can make new members feel more comfortable by facilitating new connections as part of the onboarding process. Include a brief networking component, invite members to do something as a team, or match new members with existing ones to facilitate peer-to-peer support.<\/p>\n

Read More:<\/strong><\/em> How To Welcome New Members To An Organization<\/em><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

When new members are familiar with the benefits available to them, know what to expect, and can form friendships with other members, they are much more likely to have a positive experience and renew their membership when the time comes. Thus, by implementing an effective onboarding process, you can directly impact your member retention rate and grow your organization.<\/p>\n

Creating an onboarding process is not a one-off task \u2014 it requires a bit of trial and error, gathering feedback from members, and regularly updating the process to make sure it meets your members\u2019 and your organization\u2019s needs. So, get ready to put in some work as you slowly make your onboarding process the best that it can be.<\/p>\n

Now, without further ado, let\u2019s get into the seven things you should keep in mind as you\u2019re creating or updating your new member onboarding process.<\/p>\n

1. Create a New Member Welcome Email Series<\/h2>\n

A welcome email series is a set of emails that new members will automatically receive<\/a> upon joining your membership. New members will expect to receive the first email within minutes of joining. It should confirm that their payment went through, their membership is active, and their login information is ready to use.<\/p>\n

Once the first email is sent, you can use the rest of the emails to officially welcome the new members to the organization and communicate important information they\u2019ll need to know to make the most of their membership (for example, upcoming events, where to find useful resources, how to use the online community platform, etc).<\/p>\n

Sending all of this in one email would be far too overwhelming, so be sure to split it up between 4-5 welcome emails. It\u2019s up to you to decide how often you\u2019ll send them, but once a week is typically a great cadence. This will also get the new members used to hearing from you on a regular basis, while gently reminding them that you\u2019re there and always ready to serve them.<\/p>\n

When preparing your welcome emails, be sure to personalize them as much as possible \u2014 for example, use merge fields to include each member\u2019s first name in the salutation \u2014 and vary the content of each message to keep members engaged and interested in learning more.<\/p>\n

2. Create New Member Onboarding Materials<\/h2>\n

Your welcome emails can be short and sweet \u2014 most people won\u2019t spend more than a few minutes reading them. However, you still need to put together more detailed materials to help new members get acquainted with your organization and learn how to make the most of their membership. These can be web articles, digital booklets, or videos.<\/p>\n

A great option is to send welcome emails that include a brief summary of the onboarding material, but then link to a more in-depth version.<\/p>\n

If your members prefer physical materials over digital ones, consider sending welcome packages in the mail<\/a> or handing them out at your first in-person meeting. These can include things like informational booklets, membership certificates, a calendar of upcoming events, your contact information, and anything else you think they might need to know.<\/p>\n

3. Get New Members Acquainted with Your Community<\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve already talked about how new member onboarding is a great opportunity to help newcomers form connections with other members. Here are few ideas for how you can introduce new members to the rest of the community:<\/p>\n