Create a Process for Member Engagement

Diets don’t tend to work. Budgeting is hard, hard, hard. Sticking to an exercise regimen is tough, too. Why is it so hard to do things that will make our lives better in the long term? Adherence. Adherence is a problem for us humans. It’s easy to make the short-term decision to eat that donut, skip the gym, or buy those shoes.

What’s the antidote to nonadherence? Process. Developing a process to automatically invest a fixed percentage of each paycheck in a retirement account works! Here are a few more real-life examples for you:

One friend allows holiday junk food in her house for just 3 days. Another friend allocates a set amount of actual cash each month for frivolous, fun purchases to cut down on her spending. Each of these processes helps adherence. And processes don’t have to be complicated.

So many engagement strategies need adherence to work. Someone needs to remember to do the warm welcomes, thank volunteers, or connect like-minded people. When things land on people’s mental to-do lists, they risk being forgotten.

Instead, create a process to support the outcome you want to see.

Develop a meeting checklist to help hosts remember to invite welcomers to welcome. Add recurring reminders to your calendar to thank volunteers. Create a post-new-member onboarding call email template that includes an introduction to another member.

Want to try a new engagement tactic? What process will help support your efforts?