Understanding and meeting the needs of members is crucial for the success of any member organization. It’s not just about the numbers; it’s about making members feel valued and providing things they truly appreciate, such as educational resources, networking opportunities, exclusive events, or access to unique services.

In addition to an effective membership engagement strategy, every membership organization requires a robust system to manage its members and deliver the desired experience. In this article, we will explore five common challenges faced by member organizations and introduce a solution that effectively addresses them all.

Salesforce for associations: a versatile and user-friendly solution to manage memberships

Many member associations and organizations have embraced CRM systems to efficiently manage their members, with a notable migration trend towards Salesforce CRM. There are several compelling reasons for this shift, and one prominent factor is Salesforce’s unique ability to empower organizations to create Experience Cloud sites effortlessly, without the need for coding. Through an intuitive drag-and-drop logic, Salesforce enables membership organizations to design and customize online platforms easily and fast and centralize all membership management in one platform. 

One of the most effective ways to improve community management is by implementing a robust system capable of handling various organizational aspects, including member registrations, subscription management, event coordination, networking, communications, resource sharing, and fundraising – all within a single, centralized platform. This is precisely where the AC MemberSmart application shines. It serves as the ultimate membership solution for Experience Cloud sites on Salesforce, designed to provide a powerful platform that streamlines member management and facilitates member engagement, ultimately delivering exceptional member experiences.

5 Challenges Faced by Member Organizations and How AC MemberSmart Can Help

Challenge #1 – Event organization & management

Member organizations love hosting networking dinners, charity auctions, workshops and seminars, conferences, and annual meetings to educate, develop their members, and fundraise. However, managing and organizing events manually using disparate registration systems, lacking data tracking and analysis, and relying on generic mass communications instead of personalized experiences can lead to chaos and disengaged members of the association. 

AC MemberSmart members management software, with its event management features for Experience Cloud, makes the process of event organization and management efficient and easy. With AC MemberSmart, you can create event pages, set up registration forms, manage ticket sales, track attendance, and much more. 

Key AC MemberSmart event management features include:

• Free and paid, virtual, hybrid, or in-person events of any size
• Events with different behaviors for different purposes
• Event packages with a variety of pricing options
• Integration with UTM sources via URL for seamless tracking
• Real-time KPI management
• Donation capabilities
• Recurring events
• QR codes for tracking
• No restrictions on the number of events or attendees
• Event microsites with unlimited subpages

Challenge #2 – Member management & data organization

Nonprofits and member organizations often have a large number of members, each with their own set of data, including contact details, membership status, preferences, and engagement history. Managing and organizing this data manually or using disparate systems can lead to inefficiencies, data duplication, and inaccuracies. It becomes challenging to maintain up-to-date and accurate member records without a centralized system.

AC MemberSmart association membership management software provides a comprehensive member management system that makes the data organization process a breeze, allowing nonprofits and associations to improve the organization of member data by storing, tracking, and updating member information easily in a centralized database.

AC MemberSmart Member Directory features & capabilities:

• Member/committee management & tracking
• Member zones
• Flexible member sorting
• Advanced filtering
• Textual or visual content personalization
• Member profile management

Challenge #3 – Subscription management

Nonprofits and member organizations often offer various membership levels, each with its own set of benefits and pricing. Managing and implementing complex subscription models, including different renewal dates, pricing tiers, and member access levels, can be challenging without a robust system in place.

Packed with numerous subscription management features, AC MemberSmart simplifies it all with automated renewals, self-service options, secure payments, and valuable insights into subscription metrics, enhancing member experience and engagement.

AC MemberSmart subscription management features & capabilities:

• Manage members, track activities & establish membership processes/structures
• Automated membership processes
• Secure payments with Stripe integration
• Auto-complete info for logged-in users
• Customizable subscription plans and terms
• Flexible payment frequencies
• Grace period option
• Self-registration feature

Challenge #4 – Secure payments & donations

Nonprofits and member organizations often lack access to advanced payment processing technologies, making it harder to integrate multiple payment channels into the donation process and offer convenient and secure donation options to donors.

AC MemberSmart, with its donor relationship management features, robust data security measures, multiple payment options, and other advanced technology resources, helps nonprofits and member organizations optimize their financial management processes and enhance the overall donation experience for supporters.

AC MemberSmart payments & donations capabilities:

• Multi-currency support
• Secure card processing
• NPSP integration
• Stripe API integration
• Responsive design
• Online donations right from the Experience Cloud site
• Auto-complete payment info for logged users

Challenge #5 – Limited capacity for program execution

Nonprofits and member organizations often run various programs, events, and activities to engage their communities or members. Without enough people to plan, manage, and execute these initiatives, they might struggle to create meaningful experiences or fulfill their intended outcomes.

AC MemberSmart, with its Job Board feature, helps nonprofit and member organizations establish volunteer recruitment and engagement on their Experience Cloud site by connecting members/donors with open positions and volunteer opportunities, thus implementing efficient processes to maximize their limited resources.

AC MemberSmart Job Board feature capabilities:

• Flexible customizable filters
• Jobs & volunteer opportunities posting on the site
• Job search by title, location, and relevance
• Easy and transparent flow
• User-friendly interface
• Job applications with CV and cover letters
• File attachments supported

Managing a Member-Based Organization with AC MemberSmart: Best Practices for 2025

In this article, we introduce you to AC MemberSmart – a comprehensive technology accelerator for the Salesforce Experience Cloud sites designed to simplify the member management of membership organizations and associations using Salesforce.

Conclusion

The key to success for member-based organizations lies in their ability to strike a harmonious balance between efficient data organization and enriching member experiences. With the Salesforce for associations and AC MemberSmart software, these organizations gain a powerful tool for seamless member management, allowing them to focus more on innovative membership engagement ideas and experience they deliver. With Experience Cloud empowered by AC MemberSmart, they can foster a sense of belonging, encourage active participation, and create vibrant communities that thrive and evolve over time. 

Please share your member engagement ideas with us, and we will work together to identify the best ways to implement them using Experience Cloud and AC MemberSmart.

Feel free to contact us for more information or any assistance you may require.