In the era of COVID-19, many associations are hurting. The annual membership conference, traditionally a cornerstone of in-person member engagement, has become impossible. Smart associations see this disruption as opportunity. That’s why we invited Amy Thomasson, Executive Director / Vice President of Marketing and Membership at Affinity Strategies, to share her expertise with us. 

She shared best practices around keeping members engaged with valuable content and online experiences as part of our Conversation Series, a live webinar series where we gather insights from industry experts and thought leaders. You can get free access to watch the full replay of our conversation with Amy Thomasson on-demand here.

Here are a few actionable insights from the conversation:

1. Engagement for Virtual Events 

It’s important to do work before the virtual event takes place. Making content ahead of time helps foster connections to create that moment of serendipity attendees get at in-person events. Your members don’t need you to tell them everything, they expect information that’s relevant to them. Amy Thomasson talks about quality over quantity and more: 

2. The Future of Associations 

All of the adjustments associations have made through the pandemic will not just go away when everything begins to open back up. Although it has not all been smooth sailing, people have seen the value of virtual events. Amy Thomasson talks about how we’re not going to throw away the knowledge we’re learning now, later:

3. Volunteering Through the Pandemic‍

Some organizations are struggling to make deeper connections with their members at this time. To create more empathy within your organization and stay connected, Amy Thomasson recommends setting up ways members can volunteer together. Learn more on micro-volunteering and how to do this virtually: