As someone who leads an association, I recently tried joining two other membership organisations here in New Zealand. One was 20 days ago, the other 9. I filled out the online forms, hit submit, and waited. And I’m still waiting.

No confirmation email. No welcome message. No follow-up. Just radio silence.

It made me stop and think — when was the last time you tried to experience your own member journey?

We talk a lot about member engagement, retention, onboarding, and value. But how often do we actually walk in the shoes of a new member? Not from behind the scenes, but genuinely — as a stranger filling in your form and hoping to feel welcomed.

It’s not about blame. Life is busy, systems can be clunky, and emails get missed. But in 2025, there’s no excuse for a new member to feel invisible.

• That first touchpoint matters.
• People want to feel seen.
• They want to belong.
• They want to know they’ve joined something worth their time and trust.

So here’s a challenge: test your own process. Try joining anonymously. Ask a friend to do it and report back. Look at your welcome emails. Is there warmth? Is there clarity? Does it feel like an open door or a locked gate?

Because in this sector, our greatest strength is our ability to build relationships. Let’s make sure the first impression reflects that.

If you discover that your joining process isn’t as welcoming or seamless as it should be, don’t panic — but do act. Here are some simple ways to improve it:

• Join your own association anonymously and see what happens.

• Review your website and forms — are they clear, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate?

• Set up an automatic email that instantly confirms receipt and outlines what happens next.

• Assign responsibility for new member follow-up — even a quick personal note goes a long way.

• Make it human — your first message should feel like a handshake, not a system alert.

It doesn’t need to be complex, but it does need to be intentional. Because every new member is forming an impression from the first click — and it’s up to us to make sure that impression says: Welcome, we’re glad you’re here.

Brett Jeffery, CAE – 27  June 2025