5 Features Of Membership Management Software You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

If you are thinking about implementing membership management software to assist in running your club or association better, you’re probably doing a lot of research into your options. You’ve probably already heard all about the big useful features of management software. You’re likely already familiar with automated renewal systems, member portals, and member databases. 

So, today we will talk about the less well-known but equally valuable parts of membership management software. This will help you understand these features, why they are helpful, and why you should want them in whichever membership management software you choose.

So without further ado, here are the top five features of membership management that you probably haven’t heard of but definitely need: 

1. Event Management System 
2. Data Reporting
3. Business Directory
4. Integrated Member App
5. Digital Membership Cards
    

 

Event Management System For Your Club

Basically, every club, no matter what it is about, runs club events. Whether it’s a knitting club’s weekly meetup, a car club’s monthly cruise, or a mountaineering club’s yearly expedition, running a club event is most likely something you will need to do. So, ensuring your chosen membership management software has an event management system is very important. 

An event management system allows you to do all the following: 

• Digitally create an event
• Plan out all the details of your event
• Organise tickets
• Choose ticket prices and amount
• Promote your event via:
  • Emails
  • Marketing emails
  • Push notifications
  • News posts on your website 
• Take payment for tickets online
• Track how many people are attending your event
• Simplify taking event attendance 
• Event data reporting

A good event management system will take a lot of the time and stress out of running your club events, leading to better, more enjoyable events for both you and your members. Most membership management software will have a version of an event management system, so it will be hard to go too wrong here. Just do your due diligence, read reviews on the system and test it out in a free trial if the company offers those. 

If you want to know more about how the Member Jungle event management system works, read this: How To Run An Event With Member Jungle - A Guide.

Data Reporting For Your Club 

Data reporting is a valuable and powerful tool when used correctly, and it is something you definitely want your management software to have. Most Membership management systems keep track of your members and how they interact with your club. They can then present you with detailed reports on your members and what is and isn’t popular within your club. 

These custom dashboard reports include the following: 

• Membership Statistics 
• Engagement Levels 
• Financials 
• Communication Tracking 
• Member Retention 
• Event Attendance 
• And a lot more

As the club administrator, you can choose what your dashboard reports look like and what information they show you. 

All this aims to provide you with valuable insights into your members and your club. These reports can be incredibly useful for decision-making, evaluating initiatives, and monitoring the membership’s health and growth.

If you want to know more about how data reports work and why they are so useful, you can read: Why Your Social Club Needs Data Reporting. 

Business Directory For Your Club

A business directory is a centralised database or listing that includes a list and contact information of any business associated with the club. These businesses are usually sponsors of the club, local businesses you are trying to support, or other clubs and associations you work with. 

The business directory plays several roles within a club or association:

• Networking: It facilitates networking and collaboration amongst members by making it easy to find and connect with other businesses within the membership.
   
• Referrals and Business Opportunities: The directory enables members to promote their businesses and generate potential referrals or business opportunities within the membership network.
   
• Sponsor Visibility: It enhances the visibility and exposure of Sponsors’ businesses by making their information easily accessible to members and external parties who may access the directory.
   
• Adds Revenue: Most clubs and associations charge for businesses to be listed on their business directory. I know you didn’t start running a club to get rich, but having some extra money coming to your club can help improve the overall experience for your members.

Overall, business directories can be a great way to add value to your club for both your members and your sponsors. If you want to know more about them and to best use them, please read 5 Reasons Every Club Needs a Member Directory. 

Integrated Member App For Your Club

I’m sure you already know how useful a great-looking club website and member portal can be. They function as landing pages for your members, allow members to add and edit their details, interact with your club and can be a great first impression for potential new members. Some membership management software also includes an integrated member app. 

An integrated member app can have all the same features as your website and member portal but on a mobile app. This can take all the amazing features of your membership management system and put them right in the palm of your hand.  

As a club admin, you can use the integrated member app to:

• Promote new events
• Promote news and blog updates 
• Check member details on the fly 
• Send out push notifications to members
• Take event attendance 
• Communicate with your members via:
  • Push notifications
  • Group Chats

Overall having an integrated mobile app can make running your club quicker and easier, getting you back to doing what you love faster. If you want to know more about why your club should be using an integrated app, read: Does Member Jungle Have a Membership App. 

Digital Membership Cards For Your Club

Having membership cards is a great way to make your members feel a sense of community, check them in at events, and for them to get discounts at sponsors’ businesses. A digital membership card does all of that with the benefit of being much harder to lose and a lot better for the environment. Plus, it has added features that physical cards don’t.  

Admittedly there is something to be said for the feel of holding a physical membership card as opposed to a digital one. Personally, I think the benefits outweigh the negative of no longer having a physical card, but you should make up your own mind on this.

If you want to know more about digital membership cards, read: Does My Club Need Digital Membership Cards?  

What Else Do You Need To Know About Membership Management Software

You might be thinking, “Well, I’ve heard so many good things about membership management software, but I’m sure there’s got to be problems with it.” Good news! You’re right. Membership management software isn’t perfect; it has flaws, just like everything else. If you want to know more about its problems and the solutions, read: The Top 5 Most Common Problems With Membership Management Systems.