The Member Engagement Show

In this episode of The Member Engagement Show, we explore educational trends and best practices for associations, as well as Learning Management Systems (LMS) with two fantastic guests from Blue Sky eLearn: Chief Revenue Officer Mark L. Jones, CAE, and VP Association Solutions Liam O’Malley CAE, PMP. We cover all things related to empowering associations to create powerful learning opportunities for members, including topics such as:
What a Learning Management System (LMS) is.
Education as a huge driver for Non-Dues Revenue.
Education for membership expansion.
Bringing data management and technologies like AI into association education.
How to diversify your educational experiences.
How the right platform can create a coherent and efficient learning ecosystem.
Why a learning program doesn’t need to be a heavy administrative lift.
Tips for adopting and launching learning programs and an LMS.
The biggest gap in most association learning programs.
Higher Logic partnered with Blue Sky eLearn to launch our newest offering, Higher Logic Thrive Learn.
Helpful Links:
Higher Logic Thrive Learn.
Blog post with Blue Sky on AI-powered learning.
The 2024 Association Member Experience Report.

In this episode of The Member Engagement Show, we talk with Angela Costa, TD SYNNEX Marketing Strategist, and Kendrick Johnson, TD SYNNEX Digital Marketing Specialist about how to strategize and set up your community to attract sponsors and generate content and value for members. It’s a great listen for any association interested in monetization and non-dues revenue. Topics covered on this episode include:
Creating an environment where members, content, and sponsors can come together in mutually beneficial ways.
Strategizing to drive traffic to your community: "If you build it they won’t necessarily come."
Ways to monetize your platform.
How to effectively use gated content.
The importance of keeping fresh content in your community.
Sponsorable newsletters as revenue and traffic drivers.
Using editorial calendars to avoid “random acts of marketing.”
Leveraging sponsors for thought-leadership content that helps your community users.
The importance of having a dialogue and sharing tips with your sponsors.
Being patient and testing things out.
TD SYNNEX is a leader in IT solutions orchestration and global technology distribution. They connect the technology ecosystem and manage relationships with major technology partners for organizations.
Helpful Links:
Higher Logic's Community Content Calendar Template
Higher Logic's Community Manager Toolkit
The TD Synnex Level Up Community
 

In this episode of The Member Engagement Show, we speak with Higher Logic’s Senior Privacy Analyst Amanda DeLuke about much-talked-about concerns around AI, privacy, security, and data protection. Topics covered include:
What is ISO and SOC2, and why are they important security standards?
The latest AI and privacy trends.
How to approach AI at your organization with your eyes wide open.
Considerations when approaching different use cases for AI in associations.
Free resources on privacy and security.
How to not be overwhelmed by the AI revolution.
How data classification factors into privacy and security.
What the legislators are doing (or not) to help.
 
Some Helpful Links:
Podcast on AI with Conor Sibley, Higher Logic's CTO
Higher Logic Blog Posts on AI (including tips for prompts, things associations should know, and Higher Logic's partnership with IBM to harness the power of community and AI)
Messaging, Malware, and Mobile Antiabuse Working Group (M3AAWG)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)
 
 

Our guest this episode is Michael Jones, VP of Mobile Technologies at Results Direct. Results Direct helps associations leverage mobile apps and engagement trends to enhance member communication, engagement, and retention and improve the member experience. Results Direct is a longtime partner of Higher Logic and partnered with us to create Higher Logic Thrive Mobile 365. During this episode, we explore:
Current tech and engagement challenges facing associations.
Learnings from The State of Mobile in Associations Benchmark Report.
How mobile apps help associations address some of their biggest priorities.
The three places associations interface most with their members.
How overall mobile use is trending across all demographics.
How mobile opens a new communication channel for going beyond email.
Why a mobile responsive website doesn’t tap the full advantages of a mobile app.
How to get members to download your app.
Tips for making your association app a success.
 
Helpful links:
Higher Logic Thrive Mobile 365
Results Direct
 

In this episode of The Member Engagement Show, we cover Higher Logic's recently released 2024 Association Community Benchmark Report, which collects community performance and engagement data specifically for associations and non-profits.
Not only do we discuss key metrics from the report, but expert community advisors Tiffany Moule and Kimmie Harrington share tips for improving your community performance and member engagement. Topics include:
What the report is and how associations can best use it.
Highlights from the report including:
Which months have the highest community engagement.
Average open rates for community digests.
Average discussion activity.
The impact of size and age on community engagement.
How to engage different types of community users.
The positive impact of tying mentoring, volunteering, and job board opportunities to your online community to increase engagement with your programs and community.
Just how big a difference personalization makes.
Why onboarding is a critical time for community engagement.
The percentage of community members you can expect to contribute content.
The impact of having resource libraries in a community.
Helpful Links:
Register and join us for our free upcoming webinar on the 2024 Association Community Benchmark Report, taking place September 25 at 2 PM ET.
Download the 2024 Community Benchmark Report
Explore the Community Manager Toolkit
More Higher Logic podcast episodes and resources
 
 

Our guests on this week’s episode are Higher Logic Senior Advisor of Customer Success, Kristen Parody, and Higher Logic Customer Success Manager, Cate Sauer. Kristen and Cate are both regulars on the Higher Logic Users Group (HUG) and former association management professionals. Their work at Higher Logic revolves around helping associations succeed by sharing high-level strategies, best practices, and support.
During the episode, we share tips for how associations can manage and engage groups, chapters, and events by using dedicated microsites. 
Hear about some common association use-cases for microsites. 
Learn why microsites are great for offering personalized branding and experiences for different member segments or events.
Learn how chapter and other microsites can be used to empower volunteers and chapter leaders.
Understand the best practices for setting up microsites, including the benefits of testing and starting small.
Learn what Higher Logic's Component Management add-on is and how it can help.
Helpful Links:
Kristen Parody on LinkedInCate Sauer on LinkedIn
FloridaMakes Webinar on how they use microsites.
Microsite Resources in the HUG Education Library
Info on Higher Logic's Component Management Add-On
Higher Logic Success Team Contacts:successteam@higherlogic.comrealmagnetsuccessteam@higherlogic.cominformzsuccessteam@higherlogic.com
 
 

Our guest this episode is Heather McNair, CEO of Cloud Generation. Heather has had a long career working on association communities and credentialing programs. Heather also shares how Higher Logic Thrive Credentialing can help associations administer their certification, certificate, and credential programs. In one example. Heather shares how an association more than doubled the number of new certificate participants in just one year, while cutting staff time spent on the program in half.
Throughout the episode, we discuss:
The different types of credentialing programs: certifications, certificates, micro-credentials, and stacked credentials.
How Higher Logic Thrive Credentialing makes managing complex certification programs.
Opportunities associations are missing when it comes to certification and credentialing.
How to ensure members understand the importance of certification, the process of getting their credentials, and how to approach re-certification.
Strategies for nurturing members toward certification.
How to revitalize a certification program that may be stalling out.
Repurposing existing content for certification programs.
Using technology to scale and improve certification programs.
 
Helpful Links:
Higher Logic Thrive Credentialing
Heather McNair on LinkedIn
higherlogic.com/podcasts

Our guest this episode is Higher Logic's Chief Technology Officer, Conor Sibley, who has spent three decades at influential companies designing and managing Internet scale platforms. He has intimate knowledge of emerging technologies and is part of the team leading the development of Higher Logic’s own AI toolset.
We talk about the ways AI applications for associations are evolving, and Conor highlights Higher Logic's new AI tools. Topics covered include:
The types of AI that go way beyond just generative AI.
How associations can use AI for highly personalized experiences.
The power of AI in automated marketing.
Definitions for Multi-Modal Large Language Model, AI hallucinations, and results augmented generation (RAG).
AI applications that can help associations externally and internally.
The ways AI can be applied to improve translation and multi-lingual experiences
Helpful Links:June 11 Webinar: Available Now - See Higher Logic's New AI Tools In ActionAdditional resources at higherlogic.com/podcasts.

Our guest on this episode of The Member Engagement Show is Diana Mertz, Sr. Director of Membership and Engagement with the American Staffing Association. Diana has over 15 years' experience in association management, primarily on the membership side. Topics covered include:
Building and maintaining special interest groups in communities.
Nurturing volunteers as leaders.
Tips for communities keeping long-time communities fresh and engaged.
How members’ perception and use of communities changes over time.
Learning what YOUR members want and how to tap into that for success.
Teaching members how to use and get the most out of the community.
Recognition for your most valuable contributors.
Helpful Links
Visit higherlogic.com/podcasts for resources.
Learn more about ASA's Women in Leadership program (video).
Diana Mertz on LinkedIn
American Staffing Association

In this episode, we talk with Amber Worthen, CEO of Email Maven, which provides comprehensive email platform support primarily for associations. Email Maven helps staff get the email work done, pitching in on both projects and overall strategy. Prior to Email Maven, Amber was in the trade association space for seven years. The episode explores:
How to accomplish a lot with a small email marketing team.
How to effectively introduce automation into the email marketing picture.
Why email benchmarks are important and how they can help associations.
What kind of email metrics you should be tracking.
How to provide a better, more targeted experience for your members through automation. 
How to spot helpful vs. unhelpful email data.
The most underestimated Higher Logic email tool: web tracking.
Emerging trends in email marketing
Links:
Visit higherlogic.com/podcasts to download the Association Email Benchmark Report and check out other resources referenced on the show.
Register for our April 30 webinar, Benchmarks for Success, to learn more about association marketing, community, and experience benchmarks.
Learn more about Email Maven.