Did you know your members fit one or several of 10 different types of personas? These personas help define their preferences and drive how they make their decisions. It’s likely the reason they became a member of your association is due to their persona archetype. So, the question is, how can you utilize these personas to best serve your members? What’s a persona? A persona is a fictional representation of a person built on common traits. You can use this information to help understand and predict your member’s behaviors and empathetically speak to those you don’t know personally. Understanding personas helps you build interactions that different individuals can relate to. Personas allow you to segment members and provide benefits for each member in your association. Who are your members? The first step in creating a unique experience for each persona is identifying the personas within your association. We’ve put together a quick and easy quiz to discover your own persona, share it with your association and ask them about their results. Knowing your members will allow you to utilize our tips and tricks for creating new member benefits and experiences for each of the 10 personas. H2: What are the 10 association personas? We’ve included a short preview of each persona here. To see how you can create an experience for a specific persona and dive deeper into their preferences, click on the persona to jump to that part of the blog. The Researcher: Ever-curious members who pride themselves on having the most updated and meaningful knowledge. They know where to go for the best information and are lovers of data. The Connector: They love meeting people and making meaningful connections with others. Typically, this is the member who will bring others together and introduce a new person to the group. The Scholar: They know knowledge is power and are constantly taking courses and gaining new certifications. This is a member who is always learning. The Advocate: The heartbeat of your association. These members are true believers in your cause and are very involved in your mission. The Entertainer: The social champion in your association. They bring the party no matter the occasion and enjoy sharing experiences with fellow members. The Influencer: Members who love to make an impact. They will happily speak at events, share their experiences and are thought leaders in your industry. The Giver: They find their purpose in helping others. You will always find these members at your volunteer opportunities and fundraisers. The Curious: Passive, but inquisitive members of your associations. This member tends to sit on the sidelines when it comes to engaging in events; watching and listening. The Climber: Professional development is vital for these members. They utilize the offerings of your association to grow their careers and build connections. The Mentor: Members who are constantly taking new members under their wing. They are passionate about sharing their knowledge with others. What do I need to create a unique experience? Looking at all of those different personas can be a lot, we know. It’s important to know your audience before implementing strategies to give new members benefits. Once you’ve identified prominent personas, we recommend looking at your tech package. What technology are you utilizing to give your members a better experience? A robust AMS An online community Learning management system Event management tools Online job board A robust AMS The basis for any association when it comes to technology should be association management software, or AMS. An AMS allows you to manage association needs, tasks, data, and communications. This software will also be your hub for your integrated AMS systems. It will contain your membership database, an online member engagement community, event management software, eCommerce software, marketing software, and more. Keep in mind that an AMS that can integrate easily with other tech will save you in the long run as your association grows. If you’re asking yourself, “what is an AMS?” or “should I invest in an AMS?” we’ve linked some great resources for you to check out. Once you’ve obtained a robust AMS to handle the day-to-day activities of your association, the next step is to look at software to benefit your members. This tech provides space for your members to embrace their persona and participate in your association in a way that fills their cup. An online community Online communities are the easiest way for your members to have a place to call their own. Your members will have space to network, collaborate and be social in one online space. Essentially, it’s a digital platform or online space for a group of people with a common interest, passion or goal to connect and communicate with each other. One of the biggest management benefits of having your own online community is that you own it. It’s a private, branded space where you and your members can feel confident that your data is secure. As the community manager, you’ll be able to access this data, track engagement and create reports on your organization’s progress. Member engagement is where the online community is championed. With the ability to set up forums, discussions and groups, you can tailor to specific topics or needs within your organization. You can gamify the experience with badges, leaderboards and contests to increase engagement and reward your most active contributors. If you’re curious about getting an online community, check out our software that integrates perfectly with MemberClicks, it’s called CommUnity. Learning management software (LMS) Many of your members joined your association to learn and gain continuing education units, or CEUs. If you already have educational digital assets for your members, an LMS is the solution. Seamlessly house and access these assets in one secure location. Plus, you can make this content easily searchable for your members. Who doesn’t love being able to find something when you want it with ease? When looking at the benefits of an LMS, a key thing associations love is the ability to create a space for members-only content. You can gain valuable information about your members as they navigate through your educational content. Tracking their preferences will allow you to curate future topics and programs you know your members will love. Our LMS is called Classroom. It makes learning easy for your members with seamless AMS integration. Plus, managing Classroom is easy with insightful analytics, automated learning paths and easy-to-build assessments. Event management tools Conferences, expos, trade shows, fundraisers, annual meetings and more. Events tend to be the favorite of many members. A place to connect with peers who shares the same passion for your association, what could be better? Perhaps an easy way to manage these events? We’ve got you covered. Many associations (you may be one of them) are managed by a small, powerhouse team; sometimes made up of volunteers. This is why having an easy way to manage your events is crucial. Whether your goal is to provide a stellar experience for your attendees, tracking attendance for your exhibitors or sponsorships for non-dues revenue, there’s a software solution to pair with your AMS. Conference App will be your go-to for putting your events in the hands of your attendees. You’ll be able to update attendees in real-time with event changes. Provide discussion forums for sessions and include venue maps as well. Not only does this integrate easily with your AMS, but Conference App can be branded uniquely for your association. Don’t forget about leveraging sponsorship opportunities to boost revenue! GTR has all of the attendee tracking you need from event registration to follow-ups. Your attendee’s experience with registration and event check-in is simplified with touchless badge printing. No more staffing registration and riffling through badge bins! You can create customized reports through attendee tracking during the event – exhibitors love this feature. Offering CEUs? You’ll be able to track this as well with timed badge scanning to easily automate those credentials. Online job board Members who value their professional development absolutely benefit from an online job board. This will be the space where members can look for jobs that fit their passions or list open opportunities to find the perfect candidate. The value your members derive from an online job board also comes from exhibiting a long-term commitment to their career growth. Nurturing this relationship with your members is vital for retention and establishing your organization as a member advocate. Job boards also provide networking and volunteer opportunities for members, allowing them to build their professional relationships. Our online job board, aptly named Job Board, is a key asset for associations, plus we offer it 100% free. Many associations utilize this to create non-dues revenue. Generate this revenue from employers with no extra work by charging a premium to have their posts featured. How each member utilizes technology We’ve given an overview of each type of technology your association needs to create a unique experience for your members. The question is, how does each persona utilize this tech? How can all the unique types of members see value in the software your association provides? The Researcher Who are they? Researchers are ever-curious and pride themselves on having the most updated and meaningful knowledge and knowing where to go for the best information. While they love a good stat and the latest data, they’re not always your Type A personality. Research member types come from various backgrounds, and at the heart, they know knowledge is power and a precursor to action. Their most loved tech? Researchers adore the learning management system (LMS). In an LMS like Classroom, they’re able to dive deep into your association’s industry by taking courses and certifications. This is also where they can access many documents that contain data that you want. Utilizing online communities A dislike of Researchers is old information and limited access to knowledge. Implementing an online community, like CommUnity, allows for information to flow freely. These members can share their experiences, data and other knowledge they’re gained on an easy-to-access platform. Utilizing event management tools When researchers attend events, they want to attend the sessions with the knowledge they’re seeking. Utilizing an event app like Conference App is where they’ll receive this information. They have access to all sessions, speakers and schedules with real-time updates. Utilizing online job boards Researchers love to be the first to know something, so having access to Job Board is important to them. Whenever they are looking for a new job or volunteer opportunity, this platform gives them the information they need. They’ll be able to see what’s on the market as soon as it’s been posted, allowing them to act on opportunities earlier. The Connector Who are they? Connectors are the people who are always saying, “I know someone you should meet!” And it could be after you’ve mentioned something as casual as your new baking hobby or as meaningful as your struggle as a new parent. Some connectors are your typical networkers, others are consummate hosts. Either way, they love meeting new people and making new connections. Their most loved tech? Connectors are the heartbeat of your CommUnity and are the types to take the most advantage of what your online community has to offer. They’re active across your newsfeed and your discussion threads. They relish opportunities to meet and connect with others whether it’s via a webinar or an event. Utilizing event management tools Connectors will be one of your first members to sign up for an event. They need to have an easy way to register through software like GTR and an app to inform them of where to go to meet their peers, like Conference App. They’ll be the first to download an event app and register for their sessions. They’ll likely reach out to others who have registered and make connections in pre-event discussion forums. Utilizing online job boards Creating new relationships with others and bonding over shared interests is what drives a connector. Job Board provides a platform where these members access volunteer opportunities. Here, connectors thrive. They’ll build those relationships while donating their time to their association's mission. Utilizing LMS Making connections is vital to making connectors feel fulfilled. Many connectors make these connections through teaching or learning from others. Tech like Classroom provides the platform they need to provide or take on these courses. Plus, they can bond over the courses they’re taking together and study with one another. The Scholar Who are they? Similar to researchers, scholars know that knowledge is power. They really enjoy those formalized, official learning opportunities like courses and modules. They like expanding their skills and measuring what they’ve learned. Their most loved tech? Scholars thrive with a learning management system (LMS) like Classroom. Utilizing your association’s Classroom provides them with opportunities to take relevant courses and complete certifications. They benefit from the flexibility Classroom offers. They love being able to take courses and certifications at their leisure from their computer. Utilizing online communities Your scholar members are looking for opportunities to learn from your leadership and their fellow community members. Even if your association doesn’t offer training courses, they know they can be directed to opportunities by people they trust. Having a space like CommUnity gives scholars access to these other members and discussions that have the information they need. Utilizing event management tools Scholars are driven by certifications and highly value CEUs. They need the information that event apps like Conference App give them. They can easily log on to see which sessions offer these courses, as well as when and where to be so they never miss a learning opportunity. Utilizing online job boards Scholars highly value professional development and adding more certifications to their resumes. When it comes time for a scholar to find a new job, they want a platform where they can showcase their resume and easily update it as they gain new accreditations. Job Board allows members to post their resumes for consideration, giving them visibility and recognition from potential employers. The Advocate Who are they? Advocates are people of action and true believers in their association. They’re cheerleaders for your team and their fellow members, and they’re crusaders for your cause to the outside world. They are the first people to share information and raise awareness about your organization's mission. Advocates are the type of members to come up with ideas for fundraising, plan events, and assist in management. Their most loved tech? Advocates are big believers in event management tools. Here they can create and manage their association’s events. Conference App allows them to connect people virtually and face-to-face for your organization’s mission. Utilizing online communities Advocates will most likely be super users of your online community. In CommUnity they see features — like the newsfeed, discussion thread, donation portals, etc. — as opportunities to learn more about your mission, act on that information and share new things about your association. Utilizing online job boards Being huge advocates of your association’s mission means advocates will always jump at the chance to volunteer. Having a Job Board provides a single platform where they have the visibility of what volunteer opportunities are available as well as a place to promote new opportunities on behalf of their association. Utilizing LMS It’s common for the advocates in your association to assist in management, which is why they love Classroom. They need technology that’s easy to use and integrates seamlessly with your AMS. Plus, Classroom is branded to your unique organization, which aligns with their desire to raise awareness. The Entertainer Who are they? Entertainers forge connections by bringing light and laughter to your community. We know that sounds a little cheesy, but entertainers enjoy finding and sharing the positive and humorous side of life within their communities and like to bring joy to their fellow members. They’re social and live to be a part of every event, whether it’s digital or in person Their most loved tech? Entertainers really enjoy the safe and protected aspect that CommUnity offers. They like that they can be themselves, find people who enjoy socializing and having fun together and share a few laughs, even as they make serious moves to further your organization’s mission. Utilizing event management tools The life of the party can be found in entertainers, no surprise there. They highly value events and appreciate the benefits found in Conference App and GTR. Easy registration? Check. A way to connect with other attendees? Check. An up-to-date schedule of events or happy hour? Check and Check. Utilizing online job boards Entertainers who enjoy volunteering appreciate the value of Job Board. Through browsing the volunteer opportunities on your online job board, entertainers have access to social opportunities that align with their philanthropic mission. Utilizing LMS Entertainers value the social aspect of any and everything they do. In Classroom, they can connect with others by either teaching or becoming the student. Being able to have fun with their education and connecting with others makes an entertainer happiest. The Influencer Who are they? Influencers love to make an impact. They’ll gladly jump on any opportunity to speak at an event, submit a selection of writing, or share their thoughts on social media. As thought leaders, they’re passionate about their organization and want to share their expertise with others. Their most loved tech? Influencers will be most active in CommUnity where they can bring their expertise to others. They enjoy posting and participating in the groups functionality CommUnity provides. This is also where influencers will be up to date on what events are happening and the speaking opportunities that come with them. Utilizing event management tools During your next conference, it’s likely that your influencers will be speaking. Event apps like Conference App are how attendees will look up sessions and speakers to see what they want to attend. As a speaker, influencers appreciate that this platform has all their information in an easy-to-access place for attendees. Utilizing online job boards Job Board is the place where influencers will be looking for their next job. They value the resume bank feature where they can highlight their achievements to future employers. Being seen as a thought leader to potential employers is vital for these members. Utilizing LMS Influencers are considered thought leaders of their mission, thus they’ll frequently teach others and lead courses. They’ll be super users of Classroom and love the easy-to-build assessments seen on the online platform. Plus, their lessons can be banked in secure content storage to share with others in the association at any time. The Giver Who are they? Givers are the ultimate helpers. They find purpose in assisting others through volunteering, fundraising, and donating. Influencers are passionate about their association’s mission and often engage in philanthropic activities. Their most loved tech? Givers are huge advocates of online communities. Using CommUnity they can spearhead their organization’s fundraising efforts and volunteer opportunities. They enjoy being up to date on everything that can help their association. Using the social aspect, they’re able to share fundraising and volunteer opportunities with others in your groups. Utilizing event management tools One of the biggest events of the year for your givers will be fundraisers. Whether they’re managing the fundraiser or just participating, givers want there to be high attendance. Offering attendees an easy way to register is one of the highlights of GTR for these members. Plus, managing those registrants and tracking their attendance is a breeze through the lead tracking feature. Utilizing online job boards Givers are extremely passionate about your association and are huge advocates for non-dues revenue. Job Board is the perfect technology to achieve this as there are no up-front costs and your association can charge job posters a fee to be featured on your platform. Utilizing LMS Givers find value in assisting others, so they will likely lead educational sessions through Classroom. As they enjoy volunteering, teaching these courses is a way of giving their time to their association. Givers highly value the ease of Classroom’s management and its accessibility for members. The Curious Who are they? The curious are passive, but inquisitive members of your association. They tend to observe more than actively engage with events and opportunities you see. They’re likely a newer member and still trying to figure out where they fit in with your association or they are a more introverted member, preferring to watch and listen to what others have to say. Their most loved tech? As passive members, CommUnity is where the curious thrive. This is where they can watch and observe everything. As someone who comes and goes as their time and priorities allow, the online community is the easiest way to be as involved as they want to be. Information is always available, but they don’t have to actively participate if they don’t want to. Utilizing event management tools Curious members are picky about what events they go to and always travel on the path of least resistance. Which is why they love the user-friendly nature of GTR. They want easy ways to register and appreciate the printed badges. This allows them to easily meet new people and learn names. Utilizing online job boards Mobile-friendly access is one of the curious member’s favorite ways to access information. An online job board gives them flexibility when perusing new job opportunities or chances to volunteer. Job Board also provides a selection of opportunities that aligns with their goals, unlike a generic job posting site that anyone can post on. Utilizing LMS Easily accessible information is the curious’ jam, which makes Classroom their favorite way to consume educational content. The combination of online courses and a digital library allows curious members to move at their leisure. The Climber Who are they? Climbers are career-driven! They joined their association as a way to grow their career and have access to professional development opportunities. They tend to spend a lot of time browsing company directories and job boards. Climbers likely joined your association to access all of the industry connections and help nurture you’re their professional career. Their most loved tech? Climbers will always utilize Job Board. They want the option to pursue new career opportunities in their industry. This is also where they can discover volunteer positions that align with their professional goals. Utilizing online communities Networking is vital for climbers to feel fulfilled. CommUnity gives these members this space. They can chat with their peers, share ideas and receive feedback on their creations. Climbers will typically join professional development groups in your online community and be a top contributor. Utilizing event management tools Climbers go to events with two goals: to network with peers and participate in CEUs. Having an event app like Conference App provides them with all the information needed to achieve these goals. Having a clear and updated schedule of events with session descriptions is necessary for climbers to have success at events. Utilizing LMS Constantly updating and improving their resume, climbers highly value Classroom. They want to be able to gain certifications and grow professionally with ease. An online learning program gives climbers the flexibility they need. Plus, having access to a content bank is a bonus for brushing up on their skills for a job interview. The Mentor Who are they? Mentors are knowledge sharers, always ready and willing to take the newest members under their wing. They love to share all the information they’ve learned in their association and prefer to do it in a formal way (1 on 1). Mentors will jump at the opportunity to speak at an event, teach a session, write up a section in your weekly newsletter or lead the onboarding process for your association’s newbies. Their most loved tech? Mentors are huge users of CommUnity where they can interact with all your association’s members. They tend to be involved in most groups and probably even lead some of them! In your online community, they’re the first to say hello to a new member and are always there if they have questions or need assistance. Utilizing event management tools As a member type who is likely to speak at an event, mentors highly value event apps. Through Conference App, attendees will be able to look up a mentor’s session and schedule their day around it. This allows mentors to gain the visibility they need for successful attendance during their session. Another bonus is being able to see in real-time when they have free time in their schedule to have some one-on-one time with their mentee during a conference. Utilizing online job boards Mentors utilize job boards when guiding their mentees. They assist their protégées in building successful resumes and love the resume bank Job Board provides. They can use this platform to find jobs that would be a good fit for those they mentor and share them with ease. Utilizing LMS Learning management systems are a great way for mentors to share educational content with their pupils. Classroom has a content library where mentors can pull helpful documents their mentees need at any time, anywhere. Plus, they can brush up on their own knowledge through courses at any time when they feel like they need a refresher. What tech are you bringing to your association? Bringing a complete and unique experience for every member of your association can be a daunting task. But we have the solutions for you. Chat with a Personify expert today and see which of our solutions can benefit your members. BOOK A DEMO