Embracing AI—The Right Way

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its meteoric rise in the business world, associations could view it a boon for their busy staffs—and they should, particularly if they’re looking to gain efficiencies with a small staff. But buyers beware: AI is best used shrewdly.

So, how can associations thoughtfully implement AI in their communications strategy? Methodically and with patience.

Start Simple

Associations have a constant pressing need to engage with members through social media, email communications, event promotions—you name it. If you’re looking for new members, reaching prospects through these avenues may be just as important. Regardless, it all starts with creating content that resonates with your intended audience.

We all know AI can write fast (unless you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t yet heard of this fancy new tool called ChatGPT) and design, in some cases, pretty stunning artwork. Harnessing that power of speed can cut your communications team’s time down considerably. This is one of the simplest ways to begin your AI journey, but keep in mind, AI is far from perfect.

Although you’ve saved potentially hours writing a week’s worth of social posts and designing branded images for them, you’ll have to spend some time refining all of it. Be mindful of your messaging and design; ensure it’s on brand and tailored to the audience you intend to engage and that it’s appropriate for the communications vehicle for which you intend to use it. Investing some additional time upfront learning how to prompt an AI text or image generator and getting it used to your association’s voice and brand can go a long way toward exponentially gaining efficiencies with it. Remember, you still hold power over the machines!

Diving Deeper

So, now that you’ve got your content generation down to a science, let’s take it a step further. Say your association has a group of members who are total research junkies (you probably do). By using AI for data analysis on your website or content hub, you can identify that group quickly and begin to personalize their member experiences. Perhaps there’s research material you noticed these members haven’t accessed or an industry report they might find highly relevant to their jobs. You can now adjust your strategy to deliver specific communications promoting such materials, which not only gives them more of what they need to succeed in their roles but, in turn, demonstrates your association’s undeniable value to them.

Now, it’s important to stress caution here. You don’t want a member feeling as though their privacy is being invaded in any way. Be upfront with your membership that you’re intending to provide personalized experiences, and they’ll be far more likely to embrace it.

Member Renewal

It’s not always apparent which members are on the verge of lapsing their memberships, but AI prediction models can help you get out in front of that challenge. You might consider developing a predictive model that takes into account your hopefully well-organized data and member behavior—engagement with your communications, website, education offerings, etc.—to uncover why a member is veering away. From there, you can adjust your strategy in what you’re offering them, target those members more intentionally with member renewal communications, and remind them of your value to them.

Associations have opportunities to take advantage of AI in ways that increase efficiency and allow for a stronger member experience. It’s worth getting comfortable with AI—it’s only going to become more prevalent. Embrace it. Just be sure you go into it with a clear strategy and thoughtful approach. At the end of the day, you’re in control of your marketing and communications, and if you need help, we’re at the ready.

Not sure how to take your communications strategy to the next level? Need a partner to help you realize efficiencies? Hit us up.