Membership Renewal: 11 Ways to Inspire More Renewals

Ideally, when every member of your organization gets an “It’s membership renewal time!” notification, they’ll choose to stick around. And, while your renewal rates may never be 100%, there are a few steps you can take to get as many members to renew as possible.

In this article, we’ll cover how to streamline your process and inspire more renewals. Let’s get into it!

Driving Membership Renewals and Supporting Retention

When it comes to membership renewals, you don’t want to phone it in and just hope members choose to renew. You can be proactive and engage members well before their membership renewal deadline.

Your membership retention rate will be much better when you take an active role in encouraging members to renew. A thoughtful renewal process that includes personalized communications and reasons to renew will facilitate retention and increase loyalty and engagement among your member base. 

Designing a membership renewal process that supports your broader member retention strategy is essential to strengthening your community and your impact.

Membership Renewal Best Practices

When you create an intentional, member-centered renewal process, you can maintain (or rebuild) a strong connection with members. Here are three things you can do to improve your membership renewal practices:

1. Start Early with Personalized Reminders

Several months before their membership is set to expire, send your members personalized reminders. Be sure to highlight specific benefits they’ve enjoyed, recent accomplishments, benefits they haven’t taken advantage of yet, or new benefits you’ve added.

Personalizing these membership renewal reminders includes using multiple channels that correspond with a member’s preferences—some messages may be best for email, while others will be most effective through direct mail or even a phone call.

2. Simplify the Renewal Process

Whether someone wants to donate, volunteer, or renew their membership, our advice is the same: make it quick and easy! Minimize unnecessary steps, offer online membership renewal options, ensure your renewal forms are mobile-friendly, and allow one-click or auto-renewals. 

The more friction and barriers you can remove, the better—and the more likely people are to complete the renewal process.

3. Engage Lapsed Members

Did you lose a few people before your new and improved membership renewal process was in place? Did some members wait too long to renew? This is where a targeted re-engagement campaign—and even more of that personalized messaging—comes in.

Reach out to lapsed members for feedback and to discover whether they faced challenges in renewing their membership. Remind them of your organization’s mission and their part in it. 

Your targeted outreach might result in a few more renewals, or the member may not wish to renew for one reason or another. Still, you’ll walk away with valuable information to help you improve your membership program.

By providing a seamless renewal process and maintaining clear, consistent communication, you can ensure your members feel valued and motivated to stay connected.

11 Ways to Inspire Membership Renewal

Inspiring your members to renew goes beyond a simple reminder email—it involves getting personal and showing members the value they gain by staying connected.

This section explores eleven practical ways to inspire membership renewal and keep members excited about what’s next.

1. Showcase Impact Stories

This approach will vary based on the type of organization, but sharing real stories is always a good idea. 

During the membership renewal process, highlight stories of the people, communities, or causes that your organization and members have helped. 

Here’s an example: 

As an Agloe Nature Center member, you attended the 2024 Spring Gala and helped raise enough funds to enroll 200 children in our programs next year. Thanks to your commitment, kids like 9-year-old Sarah, who has a budding passion for nature, will now learn more about how to care for the Earth.

2. Express Appreciation

Of course, the best time to express gratitude is all the time. 

During renewal periods and throughout the year, consistently recognize and thank your members for their support and involvement. You can send personalized thank-you notes, feature members in your member newsletters, send exclusive updates periodically with notes of appreciation, or host member appreciation events.

3. Tailor Your Messaging

If you utilize membership management software, you have data that will help you tailor your messages to individual members. 

You can highlight their favorite benefits, acknowledge and honor their years of membership, or point out ways they’ve used their membership to impact others. 

Genuine, personalized communication makes it clear that you’re not just after renewal revenue and reinforces your appreciation for each member’s contributions.

4. Communicate Urgency

Your organization needs members to accomplish significant things in your community, the world, or the industry you represent. It’s okay to be honest about that.

When it’s time for your member to consider renewing, reinforce how their membership directly supports your mission and the urgency of renewing to prevent disruptions to that work. Share specific goals or initiatives that are coming up and need their support to succeed.

5. Share Progress Toward Goals

Your members need to know that their presence makes a difference. 

Regularly update them on your organization’s progress toward specific goals or campaigns—and bonus points if you mention their specific involvement or donations. 

When members can see the ongoing positive impact of their contributions, they’re more likely to stay involved.

6. Create a Renewal Countdown Campaign

This idea is another one that will make you extra thankful for your association management software. 

As the renewal period approaches, send automated reminders at key intervals (two months before, one month before, two weeks before, etc.) leading up to the deadline. 

You can get creative with the channels and content, but include compelling visuals, impact stories, and other elements that illustrate the importance of their renewal.

7. Offer Renewal Bonuses or Perks

Timely renewals are a big deal—treat them as such! 

When members renew by a certain day, provide a special bonus, limited-time perks, or other incentives. These renewal bonuses could include free event tickets, early access to popular content or events, unique gifts, or discounts for sought-after local spots.

Perks that are only available during renewal time add a sense of urgency and a sense of appreciation, encouraging members to take action while making them feel valued.

8. Highlight Membership Value

In addition to highlighting the current membership benefits (AKA the benefits a member would lose by not renewing), you can also emphasize perks they haven’t used yet and upcoming benefits they’d miss out on. 

The key is to showcase the value of membership, remind them how membership enhances their lives, and highlight ways being a member aligns with their personal or professional values and goals.

9. Offer a Preview of Next Year

Are we just trying to create a feeling of FOMO here? Well, yes. We’re also trying to reinforce members’ connection to the organization and remind them of the unique value of their membership in their lives or careers!

In your membership renewal communications, invite members to preview special insider information. Share an exclusive preview of upcoming projects, initiatives, or events they’d miss out on if they’re no longer a member. 

Feeling like an “insider” again reminds members why they joined the organization and why they should stick around.

10. Send a Personalized Video Message

This doesn’t have to be an award-worthy production. Even the simplest video can make a big impact. 

Consider sending a short, personalized video from one of your organization’s leaders or a well-known member. 

This video can add a personal touch that demonstrates how vital each member is to the organization.

11. Provide Involvement and Leadership Opportunities

Many members likely don’t renew because they’re not deeply involved or truly using their membership to do anything. 

Encourage them to get more involved by joining committees, connecting with other members, volunteering, or taking on leadership roles. 

Increased involvement often leads to higher commitment, as members feel a greater sense of belonging and a greater stake in the organization.

Expert Resources for a Thriving Membership Program

There are many moving pieces involved in managing a membership-driven organization. The Membership Management Resource Hub has a helpful resource for it all!

In the hub, you’ll find tips, templates, webinars, research reports, and even a Membership Lifetime Value Calculator you can use to build a successful membership program. Check out the resource hub today!