Creating a Compelling Online Member Experience for a Major Social Services and Wellness Organization
Problem
A major DC social services and wellness organization needed to improve existing member retention and increase new member enrollment. Operating in today’s difficult economy with resources thinly allocated to minimize costs, the organization continued to face financial difficulties and turned to Synteractive for a cost-effective solution designed to increase member engagement, fundraising, volunteerism, retention, and recruiting. The initial scope of the project was to provide an enhanced web experience to users.
Approach
After an initial analysis, the Synteractive team realized that the organization not only needed to provide members with an "enhanced web experience"; it needed a website that would provide the same membership experience that, until previously, was only provide by a seasoned Membership Director.
With that in mind, the team designed a Content Management System integrated with backend membership data that could provide users with an online "Membership Director" experience. The governance plan ensured that content would be provided by front line staff, making it more relevant and up-to-date. Based on user habits, the system provides suggestions for classes, training schedules, nutrition, and wellness. The website also provides online collaboration spaces for child care, camps, classes, clubs, and other social networks.
Results
The organization saw a marked improvement in many metrics, including search engine rankings and web traffic. A new "Donate Now" feature allowed members to give even more to the organization, which improved fundraising. Since content is now coming from those that interact with members most, the fundamental message of building communities comes across on the site now more than ever.