Members are the lifeblood of any membership-based organization, from nonprofits to trade associations. They participate in lively discussions at events, provide personal and professional support to other members, and pay their dues. Thus, it’s important to develop an appreciation strategy to retain their involvement.
Fortunately, there are many ways to show your members just how much you value them. In this guide, we’ll discuss top member appreciation ideas, tips for success, and more:
- Why You Need a Member Appreciation Strategy
- 20 Proven Member Appreciation Ideas
- Tips for Hosting a Member Appreciation Day
- How eCard Software Can Enhance the Member Experience
By implementing these appreciation ideas, you’ll be able to increase member loyalty and even enhance your recruitment efforts. First, let’s explore exactly why member appreciation should be a priority at your organization.
Why You Need a Member Appreciation Strategy
Do you thank your members for attending an event or suggesting webinar topics? If so, you’re off to a good start. Establishing a structured plan for appreciating members in thoughtful and meaningful ways can boost your:
- Retention rate. Members are more likely to renew their membership if they feel recognized and valued. Thanking individual members ensures that they understand just how important they are to your organization.
- Engagement levels. By frequently reaching out with a personalized thank-you note or gift, you can keep your organization at the top of members’ minds and encourage further engagement over time.
- Fundraising results. Consistent appreciation can strengthen your relationships with members and make them feel more invested in your organization’s success. As a result, they may be more willing to support your fundraising efforts with a donation.
- Recruitment success. Satisfied members will often spread the word about their experiences and recommend your organization to their personal networks. Plus, you can highlight especially engaged members in your marketing materials to inspire prospective members to join.
You can reap all of these benefits by investing more time into communicating with your members. A dedicated member appreciation strategy is a necessary step toward building a culture of gratitude at your organization and a tight-knit community around your mission.
20 Proven Member Appreciation Ideas
When crafting your strategy, employ a combination of member appreciation tactics. Not every idea will resonate with all of your members, so take note of individual preferences and record them in your member database. When an idea makes a big splash with most of your community—lean into it!
Explore these top member appreciation ideas to jumpstart your efforts:
1. Member Appreciation eCards
You can’t go wrong with a classic thank-you card, but you can take it a step further by going digital. Online greeting cards, or eCards, make thanking your members quick and easy without sacrificing any personalization.
With eCardWidget’s intuitive platform, you can design your own set of branded eCards and send them to members. There are countless ways you can leverage eCards to engage with your members, including:
- Welcoming new members
- Thanking event, webinar, or conference attendees
- Congratulating members for their achievements
- Celebrating member milestones, such as five years of membership
- Expressing gratitude after a member donates
- Sending holiday wishes
You can even turn eCards into a community-building tool by allowing members to access and send them to their peers. All you need to do is add a sending widget to your website or member portal. Then, members can choose from your pre-made nonprofit eCards to encourage one another, send congratulations, or even just say Merry Christmas.
To get a better sense of how your organization can apply eCards to its member appreciation strategy, check out our short video overview:
As the video demonstrates, your organization has complete creative freedom over its eCard designs. This means you can add your logo, incorporate your colors, and tailor your messaging to resonate with your audience.
Need a little inspiration? Take a look at how Harbor, an online community of veterinary professionals and students, celebrates its members:
Harbor’s eCards are specific to its members and visually appealing. Plus, to encourage more members to participate in these appreciation opportunities, Harbor adds that, for every eCard sent, it will donate to organizations supporting veterinary mental health. By allowing your members to send eCards like these, you’ll plant the seeds for lasting, peer-to-peer appreciation that lifts up everyone in your community.
2. Welcome Packages
Effective member appreciation starts on day one. Surprise members with a welcome package when they join to set the stage for strong, enduring relationships. While 42% of associations email a welcome kit, 23% of associations send one via direct mail.
Consider including these items in a mailed welcome kit:
- A heartfelt welcome letter
- A membership card
- An event calendar
- Discount cards
- A handbook
- Branded merchandise, such as a t-shirt or mug
- Gift cards
To make these welcome packages virtual, send new members a personalized email, a welcome eCard, relevant member information, and virtual gift cards.
3. An Online Community
While participation in members-only online communities increases engagement by 45%, only 28% of trade and individual membership organizations invite new members to join an online community.
Creating a strong online community offers members additional value beyond traditional benefits. A vibrant digital community allows for meaningful interactions and provides members with access to exclusive resources. Plus, it’s a place where you can post appreciation methods and celebrate member milestones.
When choosing an online community management platform, look for features such as:
- Branded Member Portal: Create a portal tailored to reflect your association’s brand. Members can log in to access exclusive resources, sign up for events, and manage their member profiles.
- Discussion Forums: Facilitate ongoing member conversations by creating topic-specific discussion threads where they can exchange ideas, ask questions, and share knowledge.
- Polls and Surveys: Encourage engagement by giving members a voice in decision-making processes and future initiatives.
- Live Chat and Messaging: Real-time communication tools for quick interactions allow members to feel instantly connected and engaged within the community.
- Member Directory: Offer a searchable directory that enables members to connect based on common interests, professional backgrounds, and location.
- Gamification Features: Boost member engagement with game-like elements such as points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges.
- Event Calendars: Highlight upcoming events, webinars, and meetups to keep members engaged and informed about opportunities to connect virtually or in person.
- Resource Library: Provide access to downloadable files, educational materials, and exclusive content that enhance the value of membership.
Our preferred online community platform is Tradewing. This powerful online community management platform is designed to help associations foster engagement through key features like social media-like posting capabilities, member directories, and real-time messaging. Its intuitive interface allows members to connect and stay informed with event calendars.
By enabling seamless communication and personalized interactions, Tradewing ensures associations deliver continuous value that strengthens member connections and boosts retention.
4. Gifts
Make your most committed, long-term members feel especially valued by sending a gift! The possibilities are endless when it comes to compelling gift ideas, so consider the specific interests and preferences of your member base to determine which gifts will work best.
A few tried-and-true gift ideas are:
- Branded t-shirts, water bottles, or notebooks
- Gift cards
- Magazine subscriptions
- Gift baskets
When in doubt, choose gifts that align with your sector or area of focus. For example, if your members are veterinary professionals like Harbor, they’re bound to appreciate animal-themed scrubs or a set of pet accessories.
5. Discounted Services or Products
Relationships are the backbone of your organization’s success. By partnering with local businesses, you can provide your members with coupons and discounts in exchange for promoting their services or products.
Determine which discounts will appeal most to your members by focusing on their needs and interests. If they travel often because of their career or to attend conferences, consider securing hotel or rental car deals. If many of them are interested in the arts, you could partner with a local theater to provide discounted ticket prices.
6. Members-Only Resources
Providing members-only content fosters a sense of exclusivity and value, making your members feel like they’re part of an exclusive community. Add a gated section to your association’s website or upload resources directly to your online community platform.
Popular types of association resources include:
- Webinars: Offer live and on-demand sessions featuring industry experts.
- Certification Opportunities: Provide access to training programs that help members develop professionally.
- Job Listings: Curate exclusive career opportunities relevant to your field.
- Online Community Access: Create spaces for members to connect, share insights, and build professional relationships.
A members-only section makes it easy for members to stay informed and actively participate in your organization’s initiatives. Plus, password-protected content keeps out spam bots, ensuring member privacy.
7. Handwritten Notes
While eCards are a cost-effective, efficient, and engaging tool for member appreciation, there are occasions when a handwritten thank-you note can have a major impact on a member’s decision to renew their membership.
For example, you could compose sincere, personalized appreciation letters to members on their tenth anniversary with your organization. Or, if a member makes an especially large gift, take the time to handwrite a thank-you card to acknowledge the significant impact of their contribution. Remember to include the recipient’s preferred name and reference specific details of their involvement to make them feel individually valued by your organization.
8. Member Appreciation Events
Bring your members closer together by hosting dedicated member appreciation events. Consider these popular event ideas to inspire your planning:
- Appreciation dinner
- Holiday party
- Award ceremony
- Happy hour
If many of your members reside outside of your local area, you can organize these events in a virtual or hybrid format.
9. Member Appreciation Day or Week
Ensure that no member goes unappreciated by establishing a member appreciation day or week at your organization. During this day or week, you can celebrate your members by:
- Providing one-day or one-week discounts
- Hosting raffles or giveaways
- Sending treats and branded merchandise
- Holding Q&A and networking sessions
Maximize participation during your appreciation day or week by sending out eye-catching eCards and creating a series of social media posts ahead of time. We’ll get into more tips on hosting a successful member appreciation day later in this article.
10. Social Media Shoutouts
For many people, social media has become a preferred way to stay connected, interact with organizations, and share opinions. In fact, users spend a daily average of 2 hours and 24 minutes on these platforms. Meet your members where they are by spotlighting them on your social media accounts and within your association’s online community.
Shoutouts, whether on social media or your community platform, resonate with members who appreciate public recognition and feel valued when their contributions are acknowledged. These moments of appreciation not only strengthen member engagement but also serve as powerful recruitment tools by showcasing what makes your organization special.
Just be sure to ask for permission before sharing a member’s name, photo, or other personal details to maintain trust and respect.
11. Newsletter Spotlights
A recent survey found that 95% of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X in the U.S. are subscribed to email newsletters. Member spotlights in your newsletter provide opportunities to create more in-depth profiles, allowing you to:
- Share long-standing members’ histories with your organization.
- Celebrate member accomplishments, such as winning an award or speaking at a conference.
- Recognize major commitments and service to your member community.
If you send out printed newsletters, these spotlights can become a physical token of your organization’s appreciation that members can cherish for years to come.
12. Appreciation Videos
Make a lasting impression on your members by recording appreciation videos, either as an individual thank-you or a message to send out to everyone on special occasions, like the anniversary of your organization’s founding.
In your video, remember to emphasize the impact of your members’ involvement. For example, a hunger relief nonprofit might specify the number of meals it was able to provide thanks to member support. A professional association might share how many of its members were able to find new employment thanks to member participation in networking events and job boards.
According to Wyzowl, video is the most “shareable” type of online content, with 51% of people more likely to share videos with their friends than any other type of content. Therefore, a well-produced video has the potential to both appreciate your members and increase your organization’s online reach.
13. Milestone Awards
Recognizing members when they reach key milestones—such as anniversaries with the organization—or significant achievements demonstrates that the association values their loyalty and contributions. This recognition boosts morale and helps members feel appreciated for their dedication, leading to improved retention.
At an annual or member appreciation event, hand out certificates or plaques to celebrate members who have:
- Reached membership anniversaries (e.g., 5 or 10 years)
- Earned advanced certifications, degrees, or other significant learning milestones
- Shown exceptional leadership in committees or special projects
- Introduced new ideas or processes that benefit your association or industry
Milestone awards not only foster loyalty but also inspire other members by showing that sustained involvement is valued and celebrated by your association.
14. Improved Perks
58% of associations describe their value proposition as compelling. These associations experience strong renewal rates and member satisfaction.
Meanwhile, associations without compelling value propositions are significantly less likely to have renewal rates above 80% and first-year renewal rates above 60%. In fact, two-thirds of association executives indicate that prospects do not join in the first place because they do not see value in the membership.
That’s why your association needs to offer perks that provide sufficient value to members. Perks members might appreciate include:
- Discounts on events, conferences, or merchandise
- Access to exclusive content such as webinars, eBooks, or courses
- Opportunities for professional development through mentorships or job boards
- Priority registration for popular events or programs
Survey members to see which perks they’d appreciate. Send out a survey or post a poll on your online community platform to gather ideas directly from members.
15. Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Behind-the-scenes tours give members exclusive access to areas of operations they wouldn’t normally experience, making them feel like VIPs. These tours foster member connections by showcasing how your association operates, which builds transparency.
Offer private tours of facilities or sneak peeks of upcoming projects, initiatives, and events to build excitement. Behind-the-scenes experiences can also serve as networking opportunities, encouraging meaningful engagement between members and staff.
16. Birthday Celebrations
Birthdays are perfect opportunities to reach out to your members and make them feel special. Plus, by reaching out every year, you can maintain a close, meaningful connection with each individual. Several ways you can brighten up your members’ birthdays include:
- Sending a personalized eCard that references specific details of their relationship with your organization.
- Providing a birthday discount tailored to their interests.
- Celebrating them in a social media post, with their permission.
For those of your members who are interested in creating more impact with their special day, invite them to start a birthday fundraiser on your behalf. This way, their friends and family can celebrate them while supporting a community that they care deeply about.
17. Mentorship Programs
Member appreciation is all about acknowledging your members’ important contributions and providing them with value in return. A mentorship program is a highly impactful and appealing member benefit that your organization can offer, whether you’re connecting members with career professionals or skill-based mentors.
Additionally, these types of programs are wonderful opportunities for your more established members to deepen their involvement and give back to their community in a highly personal way.
18. Flexible Engagement Options
Many of your members may want to engage in more of your activities and events, but they may have time or budget constraints. Make these members feel seen and included by adding more flexibility to your engagement opportunities.
Your organization can increase accessibility by:
- Planning a variety of in-person, hybrid, and virtual events.
- Adding captions to all the videos in your resource library.
- Providing transcripts alongside your webinars.
- Including a field on your event registration page for special accommodations.
Remind your busy members that there are still plenty of ways they can stay involved without having to set aside several hours to attend an event, such as participating in your discussion boards or subscribing to your newsletter.
19. Feedback Surveys
Another clear way to appreciate members and demonstrate your organization’s commitment to their membership experience is to ask for their feedback. Send out regular surveys related to your programs, resources, events, and communications. For example, you might include questions such as:
- Which types of events or activities do you most enjoy participating in?
- Which member benefits do you value the most?
- How often do you prefer to receive messages and updates from us?
- What improvements, if any, can we make to improve your membership experience?
Use their responses to identify improvements that you can make to your member program and appreciation strategy, then communicate these changes so members know that you’re actually listening to their input.
20. Member-to-Member Appreciation Opportunities
Research indicates that practicing gratitude can increase mood and improve relationships. Make it easy for your members to promote their mental well-being and strengthen their connections by providing them with opportunities to show their appreciation.
As mentioned earlier, eCards are a particularly useful tool for peer-to-peer recognition, since members can fill in pre-existing templates on your website and send personal messages with just a few clicks. In addition to eCards, encourage members to recognize one another in discussion groups and consider creating member-nominated awards to bring your community closer together.
Tips for Hosting a Member Appreciation Day
Member appreciation days are an incredibly popular way to celebrate your members and remind them of the value of being a part of your organization’s community. Throughout this special day, you can host various engaging activities such as member award ceremonies, trivia competitions, and meet and greets.
Before you start planning your own member appreciation day, evaluate whether in-person or virtual events would be a better fit for your community. Then, follow these basic steps to prepare for an exceptional turnout:
- Plan your appreciation day’s schedule of events. Choose a date, time, and location for the day, then look back at our list of member appreciation ideas to start building out a robust and engaging schedule.
- Send invitations to all members. Generate excitement by creating special eCard invitations for your member appreciation day. Send your eCards to all members and encourage them to spread the word by sharing their invitations on their social media pages.
- Promote the event across multiple channels. Start marketing early to give members plenty of time to make any necessary travel plans. Share content about the day via social media, email, direct mail, and your website to widen your reach. Make sure to include the online registration link in all promotional materials so members can sign up with ease.
- Host your member appreciation day! Focus on celebrating your members and building relationships. At the event, consider presenting small appreciation gifts or member recognition awards to make a larger impact on members.
- Thank everyone for attending the event. Keeping up with the spirit of your member appreciation day, don’t forget to thank your attendees after the event. Send thank-you eCards to all the members who participated and add personalized notes for those who won awards.
After your member appreciation day, take stock of what went well. Which marketing channels led to the most registrations? Which activities were members most excited to participate in? Discuss these questions with your team so you can identify how to make each year’s member appreciation day even better than the last.
How eCard Software Can Enhance the Member Experience
While member engagement and appreciation are important, your staff members still have to juggle many other responsibilities vying for their attention. Anything you can do to streamline the member appreciation process will take some of the weight off their shoulders and make your members feel more valued in the long run.
eCards are a versatile tool that you can leverage at your organization to thank members and so much more. For example, you can design eCards for:
- Celebrating holidays and birthdays
- Acknowledging donations
- Inviting members to events, webinars, and conferences
- Encouraging members to interact with one another online
- Appreciating your staff members and volunteers
These use cases just scratch the surface. Explore more real examples to find more creative ways to incorporate eCards into your day-to-day operations and member appreciation strategy.
Wrapping Up: Making Your Member Appreciation Ideas Count
By implementing various member appreciation ideas into your strategy, you’ll be able to boost member engagement and commitment to your organization’s success. Remember to track key metrics such as your member retention rate and event attendance to assess the efficacy of your efforts and refine your approach as needed. Doing so ensures that you continue to stay tuned into your members’ specific interests and preferences throughout their engagement.
For more tips and ideas on how to cultivate a culture of gratitude at your organization, check out these additional resources:
- 18 Best Corporate Gifting Companies To Impress Constituents. Looking for member appreciation gifts that stand out? Explore the unique kinds of gifts these top gifting companies have to offer.
- Remote Employee Recognition: Why it Matters and 13 Ideas. Take inspiration from these popular ways companies show appreciation to their remote employees.
- Volunteer Appreciation: The Ultimate Guide +15 Ideas. Learn how to retain your volunteers with these impactful appreciation ideas.
