Whether it’s your association/member management system (AMS/MMS), learning management system (LMS), or other solutions, tapping into your platforms’ abilities can help you turn everyday administrative duties into smooth background processes.

To help you get started, we’ve rounded up 10 simple tasks (and the best tools for the job!) that you may be able to automate right now. Give your teams back their time; grant them the freedom to focus on growing and nurturing your community.

1. Member Onboarding

You want your new members to be here for the long haul, so first impressions matter. Handling every new sign-up manually is just not very scalable. What’s possible with 200 members becomes extremely difficult with 2,000 and impossible with 20,000! Instead, skip the administrative stress by streamlining your onboarding process through:

• A “Welcome!” series of emails

Tools: AMS and marketing automation solutions (e.g. Mailchimp or Constant Contact); all-in-one platforms

Instead of sending out a single message, set up multiple touchpoints with a drip campaign that rolls out over the course of several weeks. This gradual rollout avoids overwhelming newcomers and helps build momentum.

The first note may provide the necessary login information, while subsequent communications can highlight key benefits, introduce staff, and suggest easy professional ”wins”.

• Single Sign-on: one login, all of the options

Tools: AMS, LMS, Content Management Systems (CMS) (e.g. WordPress), and other select tools; natively all-in-one platforms. (Note: for all but natively all-in-one platforms, connectivity depends on each system’s API settings.)

With single sign-on integrations, you can automatically allow your members to access your organization’s digital spaces (such as your LMS or events platforms) the moment they sign up. A single set of login credentials will allow them to switch between systems with ease, ensuring they don’t miss core benefits and encouraging immediate engagement.

Alternatively, if you have a natively all-in-one platform (designed from the ground up to house modules for each of these functions), you’re even more in luck: you may need no integrations at all! Built as a single system, this type of all-in-one platform allows members to go between “systems” with even less effort, since they’re all pieces of a greater whole.

• Schedule follow-ups to keep in touch

Tools: Marketing automation solutions; all-in-one platforms

To keep the momentum going, schedule a series of follow-ups via email during the first month. Simple check-ins or invitations to virtual meet-and-greets are great for helping your members feel seen and supported.

2. Membership Renewals and Reminders

Say goodbye to manual spreadsheets and to chasing expiring (and expired) memberships! Automating this process keeps your revenue steady and your hands off the keyboard…for this task, at least. Reclaim your hours by using:

• Scheduled reminders

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

Set up a series of alerts leading up to an expiration date (such as 30, 15, and 7 days prior). You can be specific with these reminders and add details like the member’s name, their current status, and a direct payment link to boost retention.

• Automated payment reminders

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

Rather than preparing billing reminders manually, use your platform to generate and distribute them as renewal dates approach. These can include clear payment instructions and due dates, as well as scheduled follow-ups for unpaid balances.

• Renewal acknowledgements

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

Once a transaction is processed, show appreciation by triggering a thank-you note! You can personalize this however you like and use this touchpoint to share community updates or invite members to upcoming gatherings.

Note: this is a separate email from payment receipts (which can also go out automatically). It’s best practice to keep receipts as receipts and any additional check-ins as their own dedicated communications.

3. Event Registration and Follow-Ups

From coordinating countless forms to tracking post-event evaluations, you’ll need all the elbow grease you can muster to coordinate your organization’s events. Or…not! Make life simpler with:

• Online registration

Tools: Event management systems, some AMS and LMS; all-in-one platforms

Whether you’re using a dedicated event management system integrated with your system or creating registrations directly on your AMS (or even on a highly capable LMS), automated registration workflows have you covered. As soon as someone registers for an event, their details are captured and categorized, saving you from a few potential hours of data entry!

Depending on your setup, you can even have event details displayed on members’ profiles. And, if the event is online, they may even be able to start the session directly from their dashboard!

• Calendar details and confirmations

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

Once your member signs up for an event, trigger a confirmation containing key details and access links. Scheduling a quick reminder shortly before the session also reduces the likelihood of no-shows.

• Post-event surveys

Tools: AMS and online survey platforms (e.g. SurveyMonkey); all-in-one platforms

After wrapping up, schedule an automatic thank-you note that includes a brief questionnaire. Gathering feedback on speakers or content feeds directly into your reporting dashboards, helping improve future offerings. Some platforms include survey and feedback functionality, while others may require a separate tool to create the form.

4. Email Campaigns and Newsletters

Email campaigns and newsletters are fantastic marketing strategies to keep your community thriving. But did you know you can put parts of the process on autopilot, too? You can:

• Segment your audience

Tools: AMS, marketing automation solutions, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems; all-in-one platforms

You can create dynamic groups (such as member tiers, course registrants, or event attendees) to tailor communications and make them feel personal and relevant.

• Schedule announcements

Tools: AMS, CRM, and marketing automation solutions; all-in-one platforms

Plan content in advance and queue newsletters or promotions to deploy on a recurring schedule of your choosing. This lets your team batch-create and maintain a consistent rhythm without having to press send manually.

• Send behavior-based emails

Tools: Integrated marketing automation solutions; all-in-one platforms

Triggers help you respond to what members are doing when it matters most. If someone completes a credit, capture that momentum by following it up with an email advertising the rest of your course catalogue! If they cancelled their registration for an event, automate a friendly check-in to ask why.

5. Data Entry and Updates

Typing information by hand can take up a lot of time, and we’re all only human; sometimes, minor typos can slip past even the most detail-oriented of teams. Skip the hassle with:

• Platform-based forms

Tools: AMS, CRM, LMS, and integrated survey platforms; all-in-one platforms

Whether it’s a new member registration, an event sign-up, a course evaluation, or a quick feedback survey, member data can live directly on the platform where it’s collected. That means easy upload, retrieval, and reporting.

Plus, with integrations (or natively all-in-one platforms), you can even generate reports from multiple sources!

• Syncing records in real time

Tools: integrated AMS and LMS; all-in-one platform

Whenever a person updates their credits or completes a course in your LMS, your integrated systems (AMS) can update their record right away! Want to go a step further? With a natively all-in-one platform, your AMS and LMS are the same system, meaning no integrations are needed to update both simultaneously. It’s a single, modular platform!

This keeps data current and makes reporting simple.

6. Social Media Posting

Tools: Dedicated social media scheduling tools 

Maintaining a steady online presence is important for consistent engagement, but it can become difficult when your other tasks are interrupted by constantly thinking about the next post! A little planning goes a long way with:

• Weekly or monthly content calendars

Build a simple schedule and queue your posts for your organization’s social media channels. You can draft everything for several weeks (or even several months!) in a couple of sittings, then set it to publish on the days you choose.

This way, you keep your organization’s feed active and balanced while also giving yourself the mental space to focus on other projects.

• Cross-platform sharing

Use social media tools that adapt a single core post for Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram, then tweak the format and tone to fit each environment! We find Hootsuite to be quite useful for this.

• Evergreen content

Pin top-performing material like popular blogs or important content like FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) to the top of your social media pages to drive traffic. Alternatively, you can employ a rotating schedule to highlight different content at different times (themed months, anyone?).

Plus, don’t be afraid of a little self-promotion. If you published something you found particularly helpful, it’s okay to repost it periodically to help it reach a wider audience. You may even catch the eye of someone who’s looking to join your organization!

Using these high-interest pieces strategically will continue to offer peak value and help fill your feed without the constant brainstorming.

7. Member Support and FAQs

Tools Needed: Dedicated helpdesks or chatbot add-ons

When it comes to technical support, your team likely receives many of the same questions on repeat. Question like:

• How do I reset my password?
• Where do I find my certificate?
• How do I get the member discount?

Let a digital assistant handle the repetition by:

• Providing 24/7 answers

Add a chatbot or virtual assistant to your website so visitors can get instant help anytime! Train it using your knowledge base so it can handle common queries about billing or courses.

• Routing specific issues

Use your helpdesk’s ticketing logic to direct delicate or detailed problems straight to the right staff member. For example, a financial concern automatically opens a ticket with accounting, while sponsorship questions go to the partnerships team.

• Collecting insights on trending concerns

Over time, these tools highlight which pain points appear most often. You can then use this data to refresh onboarding materials or shape future programs for better member support!

8. Surveys and Feedback

Surveys and feedback collection are key to better decision-making for your organization, but if you still handle them manually, the task can feel a bit tedious. Streamline your workflow by making the process faster and more consistent by:

• Implementing surveys after key course interactions

Tools: LMS; all-in-one platforms

At the end of a course, you can opt to add a quick course evaluation survey for them to complete. Since the experience is still fresh, you’re more likely to receive honest, thoughtful responses!

• Periodically gauging satisfaction

Tools: AMS, marketing automation solutions, and survey platforms; all-in-one platforms

Automate member satisfaction questionnaires to go out on a consistent schedule, whether that’s quarterly or annually. These detailed surveys can help you assess key metrics like overall contentment, perceived value, engagement levels, and future needs.

• Dashboard compilations

Tools: some AMS and survey platforms; all-in-one platforms

Skip the manual data crunching! Once your surveys are complete, an AMS equipped with robust reporting capabilities helps you turn results into clear, visual insights, making it easy to brief your team or leadership on trends and progress over time.

9. Financial Tracking and Invoicing

If creating bills by hand is causing you stress, your AMS can take a massive weight off your shoulders! You can:

• Generate invoices/order details instantly

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

Let your system handle documentation the moment a transaction occurs; branded receipts are created and sent automatically.

• Send payment reminders

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

Does a member have an unpaid invoice pending? That’s ok! You can configure your system to automatically notify members. These notifications help everyone stay on track and save your team time.

• Sync with accounting software

Tools: AMS and integrations with accounting software (e.g. Quickbooks); all-in-one platforms

With the right integrations, transaction records can flow directly from your AMS into your accounting tools. This makes reconciliation smoother and provides real-time financial visibility.

10. Reporting and Analytics

Keep your finger on the pulse of performance without trying to reconcile raw data. Use the analytics provided by your tools to make stronger decisions by reviewing your:

• Performance dashboards

Tools: AMS and LMS; all-in-one platforms

Some solutions offer configurable admin dashboards that let you curate the widgets you see when you log into the platform. You can set them up to show live metrics that create a clear performance snapshot. Or, if you’re using an all-in-one platform, you can set up your dashboard to provide a holistic view of your organization. Track important parameters (such as new sign-ups, course enrollments, event registrations, and much, much more) at a glance so your team can focus on making informed decisions.

• Reports on renewals and revenue

Tools: AMS; all-in-one platforms

With the power of system automation, you no longer have to compile reports manually. Automated reports can deliver insights straight to your screen (or your inbox). Track member renewals, churn, dues revenue, and more. This makes it easier to spot patterns and course correct as needed.

Conclusion

When you get down to it, we all jump at the chance to save time. By taking repetitive tasks off your plate, you free up more time and energy to focus on the human side of member-based organizations: interacting, engaging, and delivering value to those in your community.

If you want to take things slow and just dip your toes in the automated workflow pool, that’s fine, too! You can start small: choose one or two processes from this list that burden your staff the most, and then try out simple tools that fit well with your existing systems.

Take an iterative approach; you don’t have to overhaul everything in one go. Each small step toward efficiency starts building momentum and helps you create greater impact over time!

REFERENCES 

Amazon Web Services. (2025). What is an API (Application Programming Interface)? Amazon Web Services, Inc. https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/api/

Kustomer. (2026, February 12). 16 best ai-powered helpdesk software on the market right now. Kustomer. https://www.kustomer.com/resources/blog/ai-powered-help-desk-software/

Volodina, K. (2024, January 4). Plan & schedule social media posts for free. Planable. https://planable.io/blog/schedule-social-media-posts/

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To explore this question, we conducted an internal review of 2025 registration data from a group of Vocalmeet’s legal clients. Our aim was simple: identify which broad CLE categories and course topics attracted the most registrations in this sample, then translate those observations into practical planning ideas for the year ahead.

Note: This overview is based on aggregated data from a limited set of Vocalmeet clients and is intended for informational purposes only; it should not be relied on as legal advice or as a definitive market study.

Our Method

With Vocalmeet’s platform, clients can choose the names and number of taxonomies applied to a product (including online courses). As a result, each organization structures its catalogue differently, creating tags and categories tailored to its needs.

When it comes to broad analysis, however, we would need a consistent way to compare continuing legal education (CLE) topics across multiple clients.

Here’s the method we used to standardize and analyze the data:

1. Collected 2025 enrollment data

We reviewed CLE enrollment data from participating Vocalmeet legal clients for the 2025 calendar year.

2. Standardized course categories

We created a shared list of 20 broad categories to use across all participating clients (for example, Administrative Law, Family Law, Practice Management).

This step allowed us to compare “like with like” across organizations that use their own internal taxonomies. After all, you can’t compare apples to oranges!

3. Mapped client catalogues to the shared taxonomy

We reviewed course titles and descriptions and assigned each course to one primary category from the standardized list.

When a course could fit into more than one category, we used the primary learning objective to determine its place.

4. Ranked categories by enrollment

We calculated the total number of completed registrations for each standardized category and ranked them from highest to lowest within this sample.

5. Identified high-enrollment course themes

Separately, we looked at the individual courses with the highest total registrations.

We noted the main topic and standardized category for each to pinpoint which themes appeared most often among high-enrollment offerings; this allowed us to determine whether a popular topic did not match a top 10 category.

Please note: As this was an internal analysis, the results provide only a snapshot of a subset of clients and do not reflect a comprehensive view of the legal profession as a whole.

Our Top 10 CLE Categories of 2025

From most to least popular by registration:

1. Administrative Law
2. Professional Responsibility
3. Equity, Diversity & Well-Being
4. Litigation
5. Ethics & Professionalism
6. Bankruptcy/Insolvency Law
7. Technology & Innovation
8. Practice Management
9. Real Estate Law
10. Wills, Estates, and Trusts
11. Family Law
12. Criminal Law
13. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
14. Government Law
15. Elder Law
16. Constitutional Law
17. Business / Corporate Law
18. Employment / Labor Law
19. Immigration Law
20. Federal Practice

Our Top 10 CLE Topics of 2025*

From our list of most-enrolled courses, several recurring themes emerged. Below is a generalized snapshot of the kinds of topics that appeared most frequently, along with their standardized category:

1. Bankruptcy Law: Considerations – Bankruptcy/Insolvency Law
2. Social Security: Considerations – Administrative Law
3. Social Security: Managing Overpayments – Administrative Law
4. Social Security: An Introduction – Administrative Law
5. Legal Considerations that Arise from Disasters – Government Law
6. Social Security: Family Benefits – Administrative Law
7. Social Security: Disability – Administrative Law
8. Negotiation and Mediation Strategies in Family Disputes – Family Law
9. Legal Considerations Affecting Military Service Members and Veterans – Litigation
10. Time-Saving Techniques for Crafting Documents in Word – Practice Management

*Topics have been generalized for confidentiality.

What This Tells Us

1. Social security featured prominently

Five of our top ten courses focused on social security, from introduction to specifics. This suggests an interest in practical guides on this topic, whether in an introductory course or a deep dive into a specific section or issue.

This also highlights the value of practical, “how-to” CLE series that help practitioners navigate complex topics and regulatory frameworks. An added benefit of hosting themed CLEs is that they can be grouped into course bundles with a tidy discount to encourage members to buy.

2. Ethics, inclusion, and well-being were key considerations

At the category level, Professional Responsibility, Ethics & Professionalism, and Equity, Diversity & Well-Being all appeared in our top five.

For bar associations and regulators, this underscores the importance of keeping ethics, professionalism, bias, and wellness programming current and practical.

3. Practical technology and time-savers attracted steady interest

While many high-enrollment courses in our sample dealt with complex legal subjects, we also saw strong interest in practical “how-to” courses focused on:

• Effective use of everyday tools (such as word-processing software)
• Practice management efficiencies
• Broader Technology & Innovation topics

For bar associations, these indicate a desire for CLE that helps members leverage their existing tools, improve their hard skills, and stay up to date with technology advancements and trends.

4. Administrative Law sat at the top of our list

In our dataset, Administrative Law ranked first among the standardized categories.

While this is just one sample, it’s broadly consistent with commentary highlighting in-demand fields. For instance, Donna Campbell of The National Jurist noted that labour and employment law were highly popular fields in 2025, while compliance and risk management were hard to ignore (2025).

5. Specialized topics still mattered

Only ten categories can occupy the “top 10,” but that doesn’t mean the rest are unimportant. Areas like Family Law, Criminal Law, ADR, Government Law, Elder Law, and Immigration Law continued to attract registrations.

These topics support areas of practice that are often described as “evergreen” (Campbell, 2025) and offer variety for members who have already met the core requirements. The key is balance: a strong CLE portfolio often mixes broad, high-demand topics with more specialized, high-value offerings.

Key Technology Takeaways

Regardless of your specific course mix, how you organize and analyze your online catalogue has a significant impact on how members find content and how your team learns from the data.

1. Use Clear, Consistent Categories

A helpful rule of thumb: avoid having more categories than you have courses in a given area.

• Keep category labels clear, intuitive, and descriptive; the clearer your catalogue navigation, the easier it will be for members to find the courses that suit them best.
• Standardize your internal taxonomy as much as possible (especially if you manage multiple programs, sections, or jurisdictions).
• Review your categories periodically to remove duplicates and merge overlapping terms.

Best-practice guidance from content and taxonomy experts consistently emphasizes that well-designed taxonomies improve searchability, navigation, and reporting (Nav Thethi, 2024).

If your catalogue is cluttered with unclear or redundant categories, it becomes harder for both members and staff to see what’s working.

2. Tag Courses Thoughtfully

Categories are only one layer of wayfinding; tags help you add precision.

• Apply consistent tags for more specific themes (such as social security, attorney wellness, bias and inclusion, or artificial intelligence (AI)) as needed.
• You can then use these tags to cross-sell related programs and create niche store bundles.

This is also how you can reflect member search terms (e.g., by problem, audience, or scenario) without overexpanding your main category list.

3. Let Your LMS Reports Inform Your CLE Roadmap

You don’t need to wait for a yearly review to learn from your data. With a capable learning management system (LMS), you can:

• Generate reports by category, course, date range, and more.
• See which courses are gaining or losing traction.
• Spot patterns (such as high registration but low completion rates, which may signal a need to revise areas of course content).

Because every member base is different, your own data should guide your decisions. You can reuse our method of analysis to test which topics, formats, and series work best for your audience.

4. Turn Insights Into Action

Once you’ve identified your own high-interest areas, you might consider:

• Developing a short series around topics that attract sustained interest
• Creating course bundles that connect related themes (like wellness, professionalism, practice management, or technology)
• Featuring high-performing categories more prominently in your CLE storefront, newsletter, or social media
  • Some LMSs even allow you to promote “featured courses”; you can take advantage of this capability to further boost your most popular courses.

The goal here is to use the data you collect to make your upcoming catalogue more strategic, relevant, and easy to navigate.

Conclusion

While our top 10s of 2025 provide an interesting snapshot, the real story is written in your own data. Consider:

• Which categories and topics attracted the most enrollments last year?
  • Which had the most completions?
• Which formats (single course, series, bundle) performed best for your members?

By pairing these insights with clear categories, thoughtful tagging, and regular reporting, you can build a data-driven CLE roadmap that reflects the needs of your members.

So…what were your top 10 CLEs this year?

Works Cited

Campbell, D. (2025, June 9). Fastest-growing and most in-demand legal specialties in 2025. National Jurist. https://nationaljurist.com/fastest-growing-and-most-in-demand-legal-specialties-in-2025/

Nav Thethi. (2024, September 26). Master Taxonomy Management for Digital Success. CMSWire.com. https://www.cmswire.com/digital-experience/master-taxonomy-management-for-digital-success/

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It’s unbelievable that despite the hours you spend in the office, you’re still overwhelmed by tasks that never seem to end! With urgent responsibilities waiting for you on all sides, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of to-do lists where a typical workday just doesn’t feel like enough.

But what if the issue isn’t how much you work, but how you work? What gets done first comes down to approach, not just effort.

The internet is full of flashy productivity hacks, but a few classics stand the test of time. In this article, we’re exploring Time Chunking, Work Chunking, and the Pomodoro Technique, as well as how these can help you build a workflow that feels less like swimming against the current and more like actually getting things done.

Time Chunking: What Is It?

Time chunking (also called time blocking) is a time-management technique in which you divide your day into blocks of time, each reserved for a specific task or activity. It helps you manage your day more intentionally by deciding what you’ll focus on each hour.

The point of time chunking is that it prepares your brain to focus on uninterrupted work for a period you set.

Let’s say you’re preparing to launch a new continuing education webinar for members, and you’ve set aside a five-hour block to start it. Time chunking here means breaking that block into smaller, focused segments. You get to decide how long each block is and what task you assign to it!

You can chop up your time into, say, five one-hour chunks. Here’s what that can look like:

• Hour 1: Review member feedback to choose a relevant topic
• Hour 2: Define the goal and key takeaways for the session
• Hour 3: Draft a basic agenda and content outline
• Hour 4: Create a basic storyboard of your slides
• Hour 5: Begin fleshing out your outline to create a script

Notice how approaching your task this way creates a clear path for your brain to follow. This makes it easier for you to accomplish each time block while eliminating the overwhelming pressure of deciding which task to tackle next.

Time chunking doesn’t just come in handy for when you need to power through a hectic workday. As Waggoner (2025) further explains, “Time blocking relies on not just blocking off time to study or work, but proactively blocking off recurring time in advance of a due date and intentionally stating what you will be working on during that time block.”

In other words, while time chunking helps you organize the hours of a single productive day, it shines even more when you plan your time blocks over an extended period.

This strategy works best for large-scale, long-term projects that require repeated tasks. It allows you to establish a clear timeline for completing your goal (potentially even ahead of time!).

Time chunking provides the structure and clarity needed to move your tasks forward with consistency and confidence, no matter how big they are. By outlining your priorities in advance, you create a workflow that supports steady progress and ensures your work actually gets done.

Work Chunking: The Same Strategy From a Different Lens

Work chunking follows the same principle as time chunking, but shifts the attention to the workload rather than duration. Time chunking and working chunking are actually two sides of the same coin: when time is chunked, work is chunked, too!

Work chunking is breaking a large task into smaller ones to make it more manageable. In Agile, this is called deconstruction. 

Let’s go back to our earlier example. Notice how we took one big task like “launching a new webinar” and broke it down into actionable goals, divided by hours? Here, time chunking lets you manage your time by being intentional about when and for how long you work. Work chunking, on the other hand, helps you break one big task into small, specific, and actionable goals.

The Pomodoro Technique: Time Chunking’s Cooler Cousin

You’ve probably come across the Pomodoro Technique if you’ve spent any time in the productivity space. It was created by developer and entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo in the early 1900s, when he used to track his focused work time by 25-minute intervals. The word Pomodoro (the Italian word for tomato) was attributed to the fact that Cirillo would use a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to conduct these quick productivity sessions (Tan, 2025).

Now popular among students and workers, the Pomodoro Technique shines for those who struggle to focus for long periods. After all, concentrating on a task for hours on end can be daunting—especially for the easily distracted.

You don’t have to power through marathon work sessions, either; short 25-minute sessions offer just enough time to keep your attention engaged. Pair this with a 5-minute break at the end of each session, and you’ve got the perfect setup for productivity to flow (even when you don’t feel like working!).

The Pomodoro Technique, while originally designed in a 25-minute work/5-minute break schedule, can be tailored to your time-management needs. Play around with the time that works best for you. If a 25-minute work session is too short, feel free to extend it to 45 minutes or even an hour, then allow yourself longer breaks in between.​

During your pauses, reward yourself for completing a session. You get to decide how to use your rest period: take a coffee break, spend time with your pet, or do something else you enjoy. The world is your oyster, as long as you stay productive!

Why Time Chunking, Work Chunking, and the Pomodoro Technique Work

Just as eating in small spoonfuls makes food easier to digest, your brain processes information better when it’s broken into smaller pieces. When tasks are divided into little segments, they become less overwhelming and far more approachable! Both time chunking and work chunking rely on this fundamental principle.

Imagine you have a single, sprawling project that demands your attention all at once. The thought of it can easily trigger stress or decision paralysis. Smaller chunks, on the other hand, give your brain a defined entry point: one clear, doable step to complete before moving on to the next.

Each piece becomes an intentional moment of focus. Instead of wrestling with an entire project at once, you’re tackling it through a sequence of manageable wins. Over time, these steps compound, creating steady momentum and reducing the sense of overwhelm that often accompanies long-term or high-stakes tasks. Before you know it, you’ve reached the end of your to-do list!

​Multitasking: The Enemy of Time Chunking

Contrary to time chunking, where you dedicate a time block to a single task, multitasking involves handling several tasks simultaneously (as much as your attention and energy allow!). The goal of multitasking is to accomplish as much work as possible with as little time as you can afford.

As it turns out, multitasking (also known as thrashing in Agile, wherein you quickly move from one task to another without having time to adjust) does more harm than good. According to Nevin (2024), “The brain cannot effectively do different complex cognitive tasks at the exact same time. Instead, evidence overwhelmingly shows that when our brains ‘task-switch,’ we gain errors and lose time.” His reports even showed that multitasking reduces productivity by about 40%, taking about 15 minutes to reorient yourself after a distraction—yikes!

Based on these conclusions, it’s no wonder we’ve now gradually moved away from chaotic, all-over-the-place multitasking to focused, single-task strategies like time chunking. These strategies are not only more straightforward but are also far more effective, helping you confidently check off your task list one step at a time.

5 Ways to Implement Time Chunking Into Your Daily Operations

The results are clear: time chunking just works. Your team must define how long each chunk is and how it fits into the workday. This can vary, so it’s essential to communicate goals as they fit into your strategy.

To boost efficiency and keep your team productive, here are five ways to implement time chunking into your daily operations:

1. Create Organizational Focus Blocks

Establish shared quiet hours in the workplace where teams can work uninterrupted in chunks. During these windows, set a rule to minimize meetings, calls, and non-urgent messages. This helps entire departments focus simultaneously, reducing interruptions and creating a rhythm of deep focus throughout the day.

2. Practice a Task Deconstruction Process

Encourage your team to break down their responsibilities into smaller, manageable components before the day begins. For example, instead of writing a single to-do list like “Prepare continuing education course launch”, the task gets broken down:

1. Draft outline
2. Write and review script
3. Record voiceover
4. Create slides
5. Sync slides to voiceover
6. Upload video to Learning Management System (LMS)

Smaller chunks make it easier to get started, as well as allow you to track progress and maintain momentum across longer projects.

3. Track Chunk Usage

Have teams track the number of blocks a task or project requires. Over time, this generates valuable data to support future estimation and planning. If writing a course description consistently takes four chunks, for example, your team can forecast timelines more accurately and allocate resources more effectively.

4. Use Your Tools

Encourage the use of calendar blocking or project management tools to structure time chunks. These visual schedules help your team commit to their work blocks, avoid overbooking, and stay aligned with your organization’s expectations.

5. Experiment with Different Chunking Patterns

Each of your team members has a different rhythm of focus throughout the day. Encourage them to experiment with various chunk lengths and time windows to see what suits their work style best. Some tasks benefit from shorter, high-energy blocks, while others require longer, uninterrupted stretches of concentration.

Testing different combinations helps teams identify when they work most effectively and which chunking patterns support their workflow.

Conclusion

At the end of the (work) day, real productivity is about giving your mind the structure that it needs to focus, rather than trying to do everything at once. The goal is to get work done, not just keep yourself busy!

As you tackle increasingly complex and urgent projects, these chunking strategies become more than just productivity tools; they serve as the foundation for healthier, more consistent habits that help the entire office stay focused and energized.

So, the next time your to-do list looks too long, try chunking your time and breaking the work ahead into smaller pieces. You might be surprised by how much lighter everything feels—when Monday comes, your shoulders won’t be drooping first thing in the morning!

REFERENCES

Beaton, C. (2017, January 29). The Millennial Workforce: How multitasking is changing our brains. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinebeaton/2017/01/27/the-millennial-workforce-how-multitasking-is-changing-our-brains/

Elon Musk’s “Time Blocking” Method: How to Manage Time Effectively Even If Your Schedule Is Hectic. – Mayo Oshin. (2018, May 1). Mayo Oshin. https://www.mayooshin.com/time-blocking-elon-musk-manage-time

Here’s how you can optimize your productivity with time blocking techniques as an entrepreneur. (2024, June 22). https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/heres-how-you-can-optimize-your-productivity-time-fuv0c

Nevin, A. (2024). Brainomics of Single-Tasking. In The BrainHealth Project. Brainomics Bulletin. Retrieved November 26, 2025, from https://centerforbrainhealth.org/article/single-tasking

Scroggs, L. (n.d.). The pomodoro technique — why it works & how to do it. Todoist. https://www.todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique

Tan, F. (2025). Stay on schedule with the Pomodoro technique. Doodle.com; Doodle. https://doodle.com/en/stay-on-schedule-with-the-pomodoro-technique/

The Pomodoro technique for time management. (2019, October 7). Colorado State University Global. Retrieved November 26, 2025, from https://csuglobal.edu/blog/pomodoro-technique-time-management

Waggoner, E. (2025, February 14). Struggling with time management? Try Time blocking! University of Colorado Denver. Retrieved November 24, 2025, from https://www.ucdenver.edu/student/stories/library/lynx-tales/struggling-with-time-management-try-time-blocking

George, S. (2025). Time blocking for cognitive control: Reclaiming mental space in the era of meeting overload. Partners Universal International Innovation Journal, 03(03). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392978188_Time_Blocking_for_Cognitive_Control_Reclaiming_Mental_Space_in_the_Era_of_Meeting_Overload

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So, it’s no wonder that member-based organizations and businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need to stay connected through mobile devices. After all, it’s the most direct and effortless way to reach people—the phone-in-your-hand-first-thing-in-the-morning kind of way!

In 2026, being mobile isn’t just about having a responsive website or a flashy dashboard; it’s about building fully mobile-powered ecosystems that keep organizations and businesses connected, agile, and, above all, competitively alive. In 2026, your members expect everything at their fingertips (literally!). In this article, we’ll explore five ways to stay competitive by going mobile.

Going Mobile Still Matters, Now More Than Ever

Duarte (2025) reported that over 64% of website traffic came from mobile devices in 2025, and that 96.3% of internet users accessed the internet through their mobile phones. Additionally, around 4.32 billion people currently use their phones to access the internet—that’s more than half of the world’s population!

Mobile connectivity isn’t just about member convenience: it’s about accessibility and affordability for the majority. Because mobile traffic now dominates the online ecosystem, everything from site design and optimization to user experience and performance must adapt.

The New Mobile Landscape (and What’s Changed Over the Years)

You’ve probably noticed (and even felt!) the wave of changes in the mobile experience over the last decade. Users now enjoy smarter navigation and a more seamless experience, powered by the rapidly advancing capabilities of our evolving technology. Not to mention, we’re looking at newer, wackier mobile designs flooding the market, creating a diverse ecosystem of devices in all shapes and sizes.

Let’s cover a couple of changes we’ve been seeing so far:

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and Mobile-First Design

PWAs are web applications that provide native app-like experiences on mobile devices and desktops (Extended, 2023). They act like apps for smoother, faster, and more reliable browsing—without requiring a download from the app store!

This setup can also provide several benefits, including better load times, offline functionality, and timely push notifications. Overall, PWAs can create a more engaging and immersive user experience that is fast, intuitive, and well-suited for mobile use.

Mobile-first platforms, on the other hand, are built—you guessed it—for mobile devices first! The goal of mobile-first design is to ensure that a platform’s interface is both responsive and easy to navigate on a small screen. From here, designs can easily scale up to larger devices, such as tablets and laptops.

What makes mobile-first design platforms appealing is that their layouts remain clean, clear, and intuitive, so user navigation doesn’t get bogged down by strange layouts, poor sizing, and other undesirable elements. This design starts with the layout’s space limitations as a strength, forcing designers to focus only on what truly matters.

Since most website traffic comes from mobile devices, a mobile-first approach just makes sense! The result? A user-friendly experience that works seamlessly across all other devices. Both PWAs and mobile-first design prioritize straightforward, no-nonsense navigation so that users can move through content effortlessly, even on their phones.

Hardware Design

While many recent upgrades have been software-focused, one often overlooked (but arguably equally important) consideration is the devices themselves—specifically, their hardware! These changes are shaping how users interact and experience digital content on mobile platforms.

Newer devices introduce a novel approach to configuration and functionality. Modern phones come in various shapes and sizes. Foldable and wearable technologies are becoming increasingly popular, and these flexible hardware designs can heavily influence design choices for mobile interfaces.

Developers and designers must now also account for features like multiple screen orientations and split displays, ensuring a seamless experience no matter how or where users interact.

The Five Pillars of Mobile Strategy for Staying Competitive in 2026

For member-based organizations, staying ahead of the curve drives engagement and supports long-term growth, which is why a well-defined mobile strategy is essential for staying relevant, responsive, and cutting-edge!

Let’s take a look at the five essential pillars for strengthening your mobile presence in the year ahead:

1. Embrace Evolving Technology

Some of our greatest technological advances are dominating much of the digital ecosystem today. If you want to stay competitive, you’ve got to up your game: embrace evolving technology and implement the tools that help you adapt faster, work smarter, and better serve your members in the mobile space.

For example, AI has become versed in handling almost everything software-related, from chatbots to voice assistants to even recommendation algorithms! You can now have your platform analyze member behavior and automatically suggest relevant content, making it easier than ever for your members to find the right offerings.

While it may feel easier (and safer) to stick to the good, old traditional systems and measures, embracing evolving technology becomes increasingly important in a world that doesn’t stop growing. Modern tools aren’t meant to replace an organization’s values or established processes; instead, they enhance them by improving accuracy, consistency, and scalability.

By adopting the right technologies at a measured pace, your organization can future-proof your operations, meet rising member expectations, and remain relevant without losing your identity.

2. Enhance the Mobile Experience & Design

In our previous articles, we discussed why your organization should focus on going mobile while keeping your platform smooth and responsive. One of the most critical ways to execute the transition properly is to focus on enhancing the experience—on making it enjoyable!

This trend isn’t going away anytime soon, and it’s more relevant than ever in 2026. So, why not add a little something extra by highlighting your platform’s appeal?

Here are some of the ways you can do it:

• Visual storytelling: Use progress indicators, icons, and visual cues to guide members along your platform. You can highlight key actions to convey information at a glance without resorting to dense text.
• Thoughtful Microinteractions: Add a simple, light animation when your member interacts with a button (e.g., having the color of a button change when hovered over or clicked) or tweak the sound of your notifications to make them more engaging.
• Subtle Personalization: Recommend relevant content, send reminders, or allow customizable dashboard elements based on members’ activities or preferences.

Integrate elements that reflect your brand and your members’ needs. Your interface shouldn’t just be easy to navigate; it should be interactive and feel tailored to your members, too!

3. Aim for Mobile Accessibility

When deciding how your organization’s website should look on the average smartphone, prioritize a consistent user experience. Compare your desktop to mobile: do they offer the same level of accessibility?

What your website offers should also be what the mobile version delivers. Too often, users run into interface issues, such as being unable to access certain features or sections simply because they aren’t available in the mobile interface.

If your organization doesn’t have a dedicated phone app, have no fear! You don’t have to miss out. Instead, you can choose a platform that’s built–right again!–mobile-first to ensure your interface looks organized on both your phone and your desktop. This way, you make it easy and intuitive for your members to access their dashboards on their phones (without needing your own dedicated app!).

4. Track Your Growth

Behind every website is a monitoring system that records every digital footprint a user makes. This is where data analytics come in. With the right platform, our ever-evolving technology now enables us to track interaction and usage, providing valuable information that empowers better decision-making in your organization.

Data analytics can be instrumental when analyzing performance and tracking your statistics. You can start by asking questions like:

• Where does user engagement fall short? Analytics can show you which pages have unusually high bounce rates, short session durations, or minimal interactions from mobile users. This may indicate issues like slow page load times or poor mobile responsiveness.

• What areas of improvement can we underscore to boost mobile traffic? These areas become visible when comparing mobile and desktop performance metrics, such as conversion rates, scroll depth, and exit points. Identifying where mobile users drop off enables organizations to prioritize fixes, such as optimizing layouts for smaller screens, simplifying navigation, or improving page speed.

Your analytics should provide the insights you need for strategic, targeted solutions so that you can feel confident in your decisions, knowing every move is backed by real data.

5. Prioritize Your Security

We saved the most important consideration for last: cybersecurity.

Going mobile doesn’t just mean seamless interfaces, clean dashboards, and integrated systems. Behind all the bells and whistles, there should be an impenetrable system that protects your organization from a wide range of cyber threats.

With all the movement and growth in your organization, it’s easy to forget that cybersecurity remains the number one priority, especially when deciding on major technological shifts. With your data constantly under attack, the need for strong, reliable digital security measures is a no-brainer!

Rahmonbek (2023) reported that smaller organizations (1–250 members) experience the highest rate of targeted malicious emails, with 1 in 323 messages being malicious. Larger organizations are not spared, however, where 1 in 823 emails are equally dangerous (Smith, 2024)!

So, for member-based organizations seeking to go mobile, be sure to choose a vendor that follows robust cybersecurity protocols and uses reliable tools like antivirus software, encryption, and firewalls to keep your data safe.

You may also like: Your First Line of Defence: Tips for Smarter, Safer Passwords

Conclusion

As we transition into 2026 and beyond, one thing is clear: mobile accessibility is no longer just a convenience. It’s the lifeblood of how organizations connect, communicate, and thrive.

With so much digital traffic now coming from phones, there’s no question you should prioritize a smartphone-forward approach. The world’s not gonna stop scrolling anytime soon, so might as well move along with it and keep it mobile!

References

Curry, D. (2025, December 2). AI App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025). Business of Apps. Retrieved December 13, 2025, from https://www.businessofapps.com/data/ai-app-market/

Duarte, F. (2025, July 10). Internet Traffic from Mobile Devices (July 2025). Exploding Topics. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/mobile-internet-traffic

Extended. (2023, May 31). Why Are Progressive Web Apps Becoming the Future of Web Development? Extended Web. https://www.extwebtech.com/blog/progressive-web-apps-becoming-the-future-of-web-development

Rahmonbek, K. (2023, February 22). 35 Alarming Small Business Cybersecurity Statistics in 2022 | StrongDM. Discover.strongdm.com. https://www.strongdm.com/blog/small-business-cyber-security-statistics

Smith, G. (2024, December 10). Top Phishing Statistics for 2023: Latest Figures and Trends. StationX. https://www.stationx.net/phishing-statistics/

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Many member-based organizations are eager to explore the technology’s potential, but getting started safely requires a thoughtful and intentional approach.

Now, while specific usage guidelines vary from one organization to another, we come to you today with recommendations to help you build a strong, secure, and practical foundation for integrating AI tools.

1. Define Clear Goals

Know what you’re setting out to solve or improve.

• How do you want to use AI in your organization?
• What problems can it help you overcome?

2. Build a Shared Understanding

Before taking the plunge, you’ll want to familiarize yourself (and your team) with the basics of AI. Be open and transparent about your goals.

We suggest creating an AI Code of Conduct to guide your team’s adoption and use of AI-enabled tools.

3. Choose the Right Tools

Select platforms that genuinely meet your team’s needs. Don’t be fooled by buzzwords–a lot of companies like to boast about their AI, but you’ll want to take a minute to look into what they actually mean.

This also means reading the legalese in the terms and conditions. Look for answers to questions like:

• Who owns the data you feed it?
• Who owns the results?
• Can you delete your data from the system?

Wherever possible, you will likely want to use the paid version of these tools. Whichever tool you adopt, it should have a solid framework in place for protecting your Personally Identifiable Information (PII), as well as your company information (lparsons, 2025).

Keep in mind: When there’s no cost listed, the price is you. If a tool appears to be free, it may be collecting or using your data as compensation.

4. Start Small

Test new AI tools on low-risk projects before scaling them up. Even with thorough research, there’s always a chance that something is missed, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

5. Watch for Bias

Stay aware of how datasets influence results and review them carefully. AI is excellent at spotting patterns, but there are often underlying factors that can influence its direction (Coffin, 2024). The more familiar you become with these influences, the easier it is to spot their effects and adjust.

6. Invest in Learning

As AI constantly evolves, so should your team. Empower them to improve and grow as much as possible.

As your team learns more, you can adjust your Code of Conduct to match (lparsons, 2025). AI is evolving quickly, so you want to be aware of how this will affect your rules.

7. Track Performance

Monitor performance, measure real outcomes, and optimize your processes as needed. If you find a tool isn’t working out, that’s ok–it just means you’re one step closer to finding the one that does!

Conclusion

Start small, stay curious, and keep refining your approach as the technology evolves. Using these guidelines, you’re now well on your way—so here’s to a smarter, more empowered AI journey ahead!

Works Cited

Coffin, B. (2024, February 21). Six Ethical Artificial Intelligence Principles for Your Code of Conduct. Ethisphere Magazine Website. https://magazine.ethisphere.com/six-ethical-artificial-intelligence-principles-for-your-code-of-conduct/

lparsons. (2025, June 26). Building a Responsible AI Framework: 5 Key Principles for Organizations – Professional & Executive Development | Harvard DCE. Professional & Executive Development | Harvard DCE. https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/building-a-responsible-ai-framework-5-key-principles-for-organizations/#What-Are-the-5-Key-Principles-of-Ethical-AI-for-Organizations

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Cyberattacks are on the rise (Mclean, 2023) regardless of industry (Check Point Research, 2025), with weak/stolen passwords being one of the leading causes of data breaches (Coggins, 2019).

Thankfully, you aren’t alone, and there are plenty of ways to protect your members, data, and staff with a few practical password management strategies. Let’s dive in!

Our Top Tips for Secure Password Management

1. Use a Password Manager

Storing passwords in spreadsheets or sticky notes is a thing of the past.

Instead, look to password manager programs (like KeePass or 1Password), which generate and store strong, unique passwords for every account. This way, you can keep your passwords safe and accessible (but only to you!).

If your organization isn’t already using one, now’s the time to start!

2. Create Strong, Unique Passwords

A strong password should be at least 12 characters and include a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.

Be sure to avoid:

• Dictionary words
• Personal details
• Common patterns

Even worse, the most common passwords are still “123456”, “111111”, “qwerty”, “admin”, and “password” (Gunnar, 2023)! Under no circumstances should you use passwords like these, whether you’re at work or at home.

Now, if you’re having trouble coming up with a good, unique password, that’s understandable. Thankfully, many password managers (see above) have already considered this and have the ability to generate new, secure passwords for you.

3. DO NOT Reuse Passwords Across Platforms

In a study of breached passwords, of the 19 billion cases examined, 94% of the stolen passwords had been recycled across various platforms (Perez, 2025). Yikes!

If a site becomes compromised, any reused passwords will put all accounts at risk. Every system you access—especially those that handle member data or continuing education (CE) records—requires its own unique password.

4. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)/Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Wherever possible, turn on MFA/2FA. This setup adds a second step to logging in (such as a texted/emailed code or specialized authentication app), which can help you block most attacks—even if your password is stolen.

Google Authenticator is a nice, easy option that you can find on the Google Play Store or iPhone App Store.

5. Stay Alert to Phishing

No matter how strong your password is, it’ll still be vulnerable if you enter it into a fake site. Always double-check URLs, and never click links in suspicious emails.

And, because phishing emails are becoming more convincing, it’s best to create a specific password-sharing process for when you need to distribute passwords amongst staff.

Ensure passwords are never sent through email or regular chat; instead, look into safe password sharing tools like 1Password’s “Password Share” feature or OneTimeSecret, which creates a one-time link that self-destructs after opening.

6. Regularly Update Passwords

Set reminders to update passwords for critical systems every 6 to 12 months. However, if you suspect a breach, update your passwords immediately—don’t hesitate!

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and a little inconvenience is a small price to pay for keeping your organization secure.

Bonus Resources

If this article has made you feel increasingly nervous, firstly—sorry!

Secondly, there are plenty of resources out there to double-check your security and maintain your peace of mind.

You can try:

• Testing the strength of your passwords with How Secure Is My Password?
• Checking for data breaches with Have I Been Pwned?

Stay cybersafe, everyone!

References

Check Point Research. (2025, April 16). Q1 2025 Global Cyber Attack Report from Check Point Software: An Almost 50% Surge in Cyber Threats Worldwi … Check Point Blog; Check Point Software. https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/q1-2025-global-cyber-attack-report-from-check-point-software-an-almost-50-surge-in-cyber-threats-worldwide-with-a-rise-of-126-in-ransomware-attacks/

Coggins, J. (2019, November 18). Six Common Causes of Data Breaches. Lepide Blog: A Guide to IT Security, Compliance and IT Operations. https://www.lepide.com/blog/six-common-causes-of-data-breaches/

Mclean, M. (2023, August 9). 2021 Must-Know Cyber Attack Statistics and Trends – Embroker. Embroker. https://www.embroker.com/blog/cyber-attack-statistics/

The post Your First Line of Defence: Tips for Smarter, Safer Passwords appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

When it comes to member-based organizations, a strong onboarding process sets the foundation for long-term engagement and retention. However, many organizations face challenges in their orientation processes, including suboptimal structures, inconsistent communication, and impersonal procedures.

Thankfully, there’s an easy (and effective!) way to provide engaging introductory journeys for new members: the creation of your own onboarding plan. Without further ado, let’s explore the five simple steps to designing an orientation experience that’s right for your organization!

Step 1: Outline a 30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan

A 30-60-90-day plan offers a phased approach that helps pique members’ interest and keep them coming back for more. This sets proper expectations for new members and consistently provides them with something to look forward to. By gradually introducing your organization’s benefits and opportunities over time, you create a natural progression that builds excitement and commitment.

Here’s how best to structure your organization’s onboarding process:

Day 1-30: Welcome and Orientation

• Send a personalized welcome email that includes a message from leadership and a clear roadmap of the onboarding process.
• Provide a welcome packet that includes essential resources (including helpful items like benefit overviews, event calendars, and contact information).
• Invite new members to an orientation webinar where they can learn about your association and ask questions.
  • To avoid continuously running orientation webinars, schedule them at set times throughout the year (e.g. every three months); make sure to include these dates in your welcome package!

Days 31-60: Promoting Participation

• Send out invitations to join special interest groups, committees, or mentorship programs. This advertises additional benefits (like networking!) and offers value.
• Provide educational resources (such as exclusive articles, case studies, or videos) to deepen engagement; remember, content creation doesn’t have to be difficult!
• Host opportunities for collaboration through discussion forums or social media groups.

Days 61-90: Fostering Long-Term Commitment

• Highlight member success stories to build inspiration–and showcase industry role models!
• Send out surveys to evaluate the onboarding experience and gather insights for future improvements.
• Provide periodic updates to mark a clear path for further involvement–leadership opportunities, volunteering roles, and advanced learning programs are all great ways to keep members interested in what you offer.

Step 2: Leverage Multiple Communication Channels

Different members connect in different ways, so meeting them where they’re most comfortable makes all the difference! A multi-channel approach ensures no one falls through the cracks while also creating multiple touchpoints, reinforcing your organization’s continued (and future) success.

Social Media & Community Groups

• Create exclusive LinkedIn or Facebook groups for new members to foster connections; be sure to post regularly to keep up the engagement!
• Assign community ambassadors or veteran members to engage with newcomers and answer questions–sometimes it’s easier to ask a fellow peer than it is to approach the organization itself.
• Encourage members to introduce themselves and share their goals within the group. The more members can network amongst themselves, the more bonds are formed, the more value your organization offers.

Webinars & Live Sessions

• Host live Q&A sessions to address common concerns and provide real-time support. Be sure to schedule these regularly and in advance so that they can be included in your event calendar. The purpose is to have members attend, after all, so you want to ensure everyone is well aware before the registration cutoff!
• Feature guest speakers or senior members to discuss the value of active participation. These talks can be combined with “Speaker of the Month” or industry veteran “Ask Me Anything” sessions–which can then be repurposed into future educational content.
• Record sessions and provide on-demand access for those who are unable to attend the original live session; these on-demand offerings could be included as a member benefit or used to generate non-dues revenue through sales. You could even combine these options–allow anyone to buy access to your recordings, but provide members a hefty discount. Everybody wins!

Step 3: Foster a Sense of Belonging

True engagement happens when members feel that they’ve found a place within your community. Creating meaningful connections from day one transforms newcomers from passive observers to active participants who genuinely want to contribute!

Interactive Welcome Events

• Organize virtual meet-and-greet sessions where new members can introduce themselves and connect with one another. Keep things light and welcoming–think of it as a “coffee chat” rather than a formal meeting.
• Conduct speed networking activities to facilitate quick connections. Even just 5 minutes can spark lasting conversations!
• Use icebreaker activities that align with your organization’s mission and values; this helps your members feel connected to each other and to the community.

Create a Check-In Strategy

• Send periodic emails to members with information on upcoming programs and explain how to register. Be sure to add friendly tips (like “Don’t miss our quarterly get-togethers–they’re great for making new connections!”) to make it feel more personal.
• Review new member activity (such as engagement scores) within your organization every couple of months to identify re-engagement opportunities. If someone hasn’t joined any events yet, reach out with a tailored invitation: this shows you’re paying attention–and, more importantly, that you care.

Add a Personal Touch

• Send handwritten or digital welcome notes from organization leaders. Individualized interactions go a long way in making people feel valued from the very beginning.
• Feature new members in newsletters or social media shoutouts to help them feel recognized in the community while also celebrating their arrival.

Step 4: Encourage Two-Way Engagement

The most successful onboarding experiences recognize that new members bring valuable perspectives alongside their fresh enthusiasm. Rather than simply delivering information, create opportunities that benefit both sides.

Gathering Early Feedback

• Use quick surveys or polls to assess member expectations and preferences. Keep them short and engaging, as members are more likely to respond when it takes less than a minute to do so.
• Ask open-ended questions in welcome emails to encourage direct responses.
  • For example, you could ask questions like, “What are you most excited to explore?” to push for a more genuine conversation.
    • Be sure to offer them an outlet to share their answers, too; a designated staff email or social media account can provide just the solution.
• Monitor engagement levels through analytics like email open rates, event attendance, and engagement scores. Data is the most accurate fortune-teller of all!

Make it Interactive

• Encourage new members to participate in forum and social media discussions by posing questions or sharing their experiences. For instance, you could ask, “What’s the best career tip you’ve received so far?”
• Offer incentives for engagement, such as small prizes (like coupon codes, raffle entries, or even physical merchandise) for completing onboarding milestones. Gamifying the process keeps things fun and motivating!
• Implement a buddy system where existing members are paired with newcomers. Designated peer-to-peer connections can help your members feel more at ease.

Step 5: Monitor & Adapt the Process

Even the best-designed processes need regular fine-tuning to remain effective; what works for one generation of members may require adjustments for the next. Thankfully, being responsive to change can ensure that your onboarding process continues to deliver results, regardless of how your audience evolves.

Track Key Metrics

• Engagement rates: Pay attention to the number of members attending events, opening/clicking emails, and participating in discussions; this will show you how popular your offerings are over time.
  • Robust Association Management Systems can also provide you with engagement scores–actual point values assigned to members based on their engagement with your platform.
• Retention rates: One of the easiest ways to judge the efficacy of your onboarding process is by tracking the percentage of members who renew their membership after the first year. The higher the retention, the better your organization is at catching the attention of new members.
• Survey feedback: Surveys, polls, and other direct forms of feedback collection will provide clear insight into what worked well and what needs improvement. You’ll be hearing it straight from the source!
• Drop-off points: On the other side of the retention coin, it’s crucial to identify when members have disengaged so that you can swiftly address any potential pain points.

Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

Improvement is a constant state, and even a small step forward is still a step.

• Regularly review onboarding reports to identify trends and areas for further improvement. Make this part of your quarterly routine to stay ahead of the curve!
• Experiment with different approaches by promoting more interaction through gamification tools. Try points, badges, or challenges that reward progress.
• Keep onboarding content fresh through a steady stream of member success stories and other resources. This demonstrates that your community is continually evolving and offering new, exciting things.

Conclusion

Creating an exceptional onboarding experience isn’t just about checking boxes–it’s about transforming how new members connect with your organization from the very first interaction. When newcomers feel welcomed and supported right away, they’re more likely to become active participants instead of passive observers.

While tailoring messages to individual member activity may require more effort (though less than you would think if your organization takes advantage of automation!), it demonstrates that you value them, while also making your services feel directly relevant. You’re building a personalized roadmap: the more you guide them toward opportunities that match their interests, the more they’ll invest in your community.

Take a moment to evaluate your current onboarding strategy and ask yourself: What steps can your organization take today to enhance the experience for new members? 

Start small, gather feedback, and refine your approach for lasting success!

References

Fischer, K. (2025). Tetherform. Tetherform. https://tetherform.com/blog/designing-an-effective-new-member-onboarding-process-90-day-guide?

Julianne Fitzpatrick. (2024). Top 10 Tips for Effective Member Onboarding from Association Experts. ASAE. https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2024/02-february/top-10-tips-for-effective-member-onboarding-from-association-experts

Kerri L. McGovern, MPP, CAE and Meagan Roloff, CAE. (2025). Start Strong: Five Onboarding Strategies to Set Your New Members Up for Success. ASAE. https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2025/06-june/start-strong-five-onboarding-strategies-to-set-your-new-members-up-for-success?

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