| For membership organisations to succeed, it is vital | | | | may already have a Facebook account and update |
| that they are able to effectively communicate with | | | | them on a regular basis. For membership mangers, |
| their membership base. Traditional forms of | | | | this provides them with a powerful communication |
| communication such as letters, telephone and email | | | | tool - one which can be used to share all kinds of |
| are all still valid methods; however, people are now | | | | different information and which can be tailored to |
| moving online and are utilising social networking to | | | | meet the personal needs of individual members. |
| communicate with family and friends. Membership | | | | Managing a membership Facebook account is made |
| organisations need to understand that becoming | | | | extremely simple through using an integrated |
| involved with Facebook and using it to communicate | | | | membership management software solution. These |
| with members is an effective way of growing a | | | | solutions enable membership managers to update and |
| vibrant, online community. | | | | manage their Facebook account without having to |
| However, finding ways to effectively communicate | | | | leave the membership management solution platform. |
| with your membership base is not always an easy | | | | The platform will also integrate into other soc |
| task - frequent contact is vital to ensuring members | | | | Social media is described as being any kind of |
| are retained year in, year out. If membership | | | | website that includes user generated content. Social |
| organisations can find a reliable way to communicate | | | | media is one of the most popular activities online. |
| with their members, they will be able to provide | | | | More and more people are logging onto social |
| important information that will not only improve the | | | | networks, creating and commenting on blogs and |
| members' experience, but help build a productive | | | | creating user reviews for products. |
| membership base also. | | | | Organisations that are built upon memberships are |
| Facebook's social networking can help build the sort | | | | starting to understand the true value that lies in |
| of communication structure that enables membership | | | | these tools. There are many different social |
| managers to communicate with members on a | | | | networking sites available, and one of the leading |
| regular basis. Because most people are comfortable | | | | sites is Facebook. Founded in February 2004, |
| using Facebook to communication, utilising the | | | | Facebook is a social utility that helps people |
| following applications can help to improve | | | | communicate more efficiently. Originally created for |
| member-related communication: | | | | students within Harvard University, it has evolved into |
| · Group Feature: Creating targeted communication | | | | a communication platform for all, and is now being |
| groups for different member types, allows member | | | | used by millions of people throughout the globe: |
| managers to easily share information in a way that is | | | | · More than 400 million active users |
| specifically tailored for that member | | | | · 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any |
| · Event Feature: Because most membership | | | | given day |
| organisations need to communicate information | | | | · More than 35 million users update their status each |
| related to numerous events, Facebook's event | | | | day |
| feature can facilitate excellent communication. | | | | · More than 5 billion pieces of content (web links, |
| Scheduling an event is very simply and its broadcast | | | | news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) |
| feature allows membership managers to not only | | | | shared each week |
| reach a large audience, but easily reminds members | | | | · More than 3.5 million events created each month |
| of important events | | | | · More than 3 million active Pages on Facebook |
| · Send Message Feature: This feature enables | | | | · More than 1.5 million local businesses have active |
| membership managers to send messages directly to | | | | Pages on Facebook |
| members. Managers can create a variety of groups | | | | · More than 20 million people become fans of Pages |
| based on communication needs. What makes this | | | | each day |
| application so useful, is that much like email, managers | | | | · Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans |
| can pinpoint communication to specific members | | | | · The media age of a Facebook user is 26 |
| · Multimedia Feature: Membership managers can | | | | - Yet the fastest growing segment on Facebook is |
| share multimedia with their members. The ability to | | | | 55-65 year-old females |
| easily share videos and images with members can | | | | The fact that so many people are now using |
| add a vast amount of value to members. Images of | | | | Facebook means that it makes sense for |
| past events, video interviews with key members and | | | | membership organisations to utilise it to improve |
| other multimedia communications can be shared | | | | communication and to create an interactive |
| instantly with other members. If designed properly, | | | | experience for their community. |
| these snapshots can provide powerful insight into the | | | | Many membership organisations are still using Web 1.0 |
| membership organisation and their membership | | | | technologies to communicate with their member base |
| community. By emphasising certain aspects of the | | | | - a static website providing announcements and |
| membership community, membership managers can | | | | information, but with no way for the website user to |
| have a powerful hand in shaping it | | | | add information or communicate back to the website |
| · Announcement Feature: Membership managers can | | | | owner. For some membership organisations, they will |
| easily broadcast announcements and reminders to | | | | have an excellent designed website which provides a |
| help members stay on top of important | | | | wealth of information to their members. However, |
| member-related events | | | | people are now becoming accustomed to using social |
| · Blogging Feature: By using the 'Notes' feature, | | | | media to gather important information. From a |
| membership managers can provide regular updates, | | | | membership organisation's perspective, it seems what |
| blog about important events and issues and provide | | | | makes these technologies appealing, is the various |
| valuable information to members | | | | social media tools that enable users to easily publish |
| · Discussion Feature: By using the discussion feature, | | | | ideas and broadcast them to a wide audience. Unlike |
| membership managers can create an effective way | | | | the one way communication associated with Web |
| for members to share ideas and thoughts with the | | | | 1.0, today's technology enables users to create a sort |
| organisation and with other members. As long as the | | | | of digital identity by sharing personal thoughts and |
| discussions items are properly designed and well | | | | relevant ideas. |
| managed, they can present an excellent way for | | | | More and more membership organisations are taking |
| members to participate in the organisations decision | | | | advantage of the different tools Facebook offers to |
| making process | | | | improve how they communicate with their members. |
| · Member-to-Member: One of the most popular | | | | Managing a membership organisation can be difficult; |
| ways membership managers can use Facebook is to | | | | with all the aspects of running a business, effective |
| help other members communicate and build | | | | communication with members is particularly |
| relationships with each other | | | | importantial media sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn. |
| Facebook is a powerful tool for membership | | | | Good quality membership management solutions also |
| organisations because its social networking structure | | | | integrate with CRM systems and other back end |
| can be used to facilitate communication and build a | | | | office solutions, providing membership organisations |
| dynamic online community. Depending on the | | | | with a way of managing their membership base with |
| membership organisation, the majority of members | | | | ease. |