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Lie #3 - “We are too focused on big strategic initiatives right now.”
The Belief
Many association leaders think: “We have a clear strategy and big priorities — that’s where our focus should be.”
It makes sense. Strategic initiatives like advocacy campaigns, long-term membership growth plans, or major event launches feel high-impact and essential. So, tactical engagement tools — micro-campaigns, quick member check-ins, or automated feedback requests — often get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list.
The belief is that these small interactions aren’t worth the time. But skipping them comes at a cost.
Why This Belief Is So Common
Associations naturally prioritize high-level goals because they’re measurable and visible to boards and stakeholders. Tactical engagement can feel invisible: one-off emails or short surveys don’t look “strategic” on a dashboard.
Teams think, “We’ll circle back to member engagement later — it’s just not urgent right now.” Meanwhile, members notice the silence, and the lack of ongoing touchpoints slowly erodes interest and loyalty.
Why It Doesn’t Work Anymore
Strategic initiatives can only succeed if your members are actively involved and informed along the way. Without consistent micro-engagements:
- Members may miss important updates about initiatives they care about.
- Renewals, event attendance, and advocacy participation decline.
- Your big strategy can’t land, because the member experience isn’t aligned.
In short: ignoring day-to-day engagement is like building a skyscraper without a foundation. No matter how ambitious your plan, it won’t stick without regular, meaningful member interactions.
How to Think Differently
Shift the mindset from “strategy vs. tactics” to “strategy through engagement.”
Small, regular touchpoints can actually amplify your big initiatives:
- Send a short survey to gather opinions before a new policy vote.
- Follow up with members about progress on a campaign.
- Celebrate small wins to keep energy and attention high.
These micro-engagements ensure your strategy isn’t just on paper — it’s experienced and supported by your members.
How PropFuel Helps
PropFuel bridges the gap between strategic goals and the member experience.
With quick, conversational campaigns, you can:
- Keep members informed and involved without extra manual work.
- Collect feedback that guides strategy in real time.
- Strengthen the connection between your initiatives and the people they impact.
👉 Download the full guide: “10 Lies Associations Tell Themselves About Member Engagement”
👉 See how PropFuel works — book a demo here
Dave Will
While working for SAP, a multi-billion dollar software company, nearly 20 years ago, Dave Will was advised to "Walk faster and smile less, because perception is reality." Dave took this feedback to heart and started a business based on the antithesis of this advice. Fourteen years later, Dave successfully sold Peach New Media, a Learning Management System for associations, which is now part of Community Brands.
Since then, Dave and his leadership team from Peach built an engagement platform called PropFuel, the first Conversational Engagement platform designed specifically for member based organizations to improve member engagement using the Ask, Capture, Act methodology.
Dave lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with his 3 boys, 3 boy dogs and his formidable wife, Nicole. He's an endurance runner and pretends to work from his boat in Buzzards Bay, MA as much as possible all summer long.