More engagement equals more renewals, right? Maybe not. It turns out that some members don’t want to become more engaged, but if you understand what those members do want, you can keep them satisfied and renewing year after year.
Knowing that engagement leads to retention, we exert a great amount of energy into getting members more engaged so they become more likely to renew. This works to get some members more involved, but others remain frustratingly aloof. Yet, we see some of those members continue to renew anyway, little engaged as they are. (“Mailbox members,” as they’re called.) Why? Well, because it’s not engagement that leads to renewal; it’s satisfaction. Mailbox members are satisfied because all they want is to get a magazine, or to put “member of” on their resumes, or to qualify for a discount on insurance, and they keep renewing.If your members who are most likely to renew are those who are actively engaged, then the real issue that needs to be solved is identifying ways to deliver more value to unengaged members.
If your members who are most likely to renew are those who are actively engaged, then the real issue that needs to be solved is identifying ways to deliver more value to unengaged members.
So, our engagement mantra needs an edit: “Highly satisfied members are more likely to renew.”
A thriving community should boast engagement and satisfaction, but they are not created equal. Does engagement necessarily equate to satisfaction, and should you highly engage everyone?
The short answer: no, but aim for both. Engagement often correlates with satisfaction. Those engaged members can be seen as happier and more likely to recommend the community to peers, which helps it grow organically.
But there are different levels of community engagement, and it’s not always an accurate portrayal of member or product satisfaction. That’s where tracking interactions and feedback come in handy.
There are myriad ways to quantify your community, so make sure you’ve defined what an engaged, versus satisfied, member means for your organization.
Celebrate and encourage engagement. Focus on collecting and tracking customer feedback. Measure both to see satisfaction trends.
MVP
Megan Van Petten
CEO & President
Van Petten Group, Inc.