Managing an association isn’t for the faint of heart. Between juggling events, tracking renewals, rallying volunteers, and trying to keep members engaged year round, it is a perpetual flurry of activity. While your association management system (AMS) may handle the logistics behind those operations, it’s your community platform that can keep members connected, informed, and active along the way.
That’s where a dedicated community platform can be a game changer.
It won’t replace your AMS for renewals or member management, but it will give your members a space to engage, collaborate, and stay updated on what’s happening all year long. And when integrated with your AMS, your community can reflect the latest updates in membership or committees, creating a smoother experience for everyone.
1. Year Round Member Engagement (Not Just During Events)
We’ve all seen it. Engagement spikes around the annual conference, then drops off a cliff. A community platform gives your members a reason to stay connected between events. From ongoing discussions to resource sharing, it becomes a space where engagement is sustained, not just spiked.
On Breezio for example, members can coauthor articles, leave inline comments, and jump into real time chats around topics they care about. That level of ongoing collaboration fosters a true sense of community.
2. Centralized Communication with No More Lost Emails
Best of luck trying to get your members to communicate through email groups. A community platform pulls those conversations into one central, searchable location. Committees, working groups, and chapters can each have their own dedicated spaces for communication and collaboration.
Plus, with notification settings that are customizable (like Breezio’s new group specific email digests), members can choose how often they want to hear from you without missing important updates.
3. Better Onboarding for New Members
When someone joins your association, what’s their first experience like? Is it clear where to go, what to do, or who to connect with?
A good community platform makes onboarding easier by curating welcome content, highlighting active groups, and giving newcomers a place to introduce themselves. You can even create onboarding “collections” of content. That’s something Breezio clients often use to group must reads, training videos, and policy documents in one place.
4. Peer to Peer Learning and Social Learning
Sometimes the best learning happens when members teach each other. Maybe it’s a best practice shared in a forum thread or a lesson learned during a committee project.
Platforms that support social learning such as allowing members to annotate documents, comment on videos, or build shared resource libraries create an ecosystem where knowledge grows organically. You’re no longer just delivering education to members. You’re facilitating learning among them.
5. Empowered Committees and Working Groups
Your committees are the engine of your association. But if they’re working in silos or relying on external tools (hello, Google Docs), collaboration becomes fragmented.
Platforms like Breezio give committees tools to post updates, share resources, and even coauthor resources right within the community. It’s easier for members to contribute asynchronously and stay aligned without constant Zoom calls.
6. Deeper Member Insights and Analytics
Ever wondered which topics your members care about most? Or which content formats drive the most engagement?
Community platforms provide data you can actually use such as tracking which posts spark the most discussion or which groups see the most activity. That kind of insight helps you tailor future programming, inform your content strategy, and spot potential leaders in your membership.
7. Increased Member Retention
Members are more likely to renew when they feel connected. It’s not just about benefits on paper. It’s about relationships, relevance, and a sense of belonging.
A strong online community helps members find their people, get involved in meaningful conversations, and stay visible. And when renewal time comes around, they’re not asking, “What have I gotten from this membership?” They already know.
8. More Opportunities for Non Dues Revenue
Want to offer sponsorship space? Host virtual learning sessions? Sell on demand access to exclusive content?
A community platform makes it easier to diversify your revenue streams especially if it integrates with your LMS or AMS/CRM. On Breezio, some associations use content collections for premium resources or highlight sponsor content within relevant discussion threads (without it feeling like an ad).
9. Simplified Tech Stack and Staff Workflows
It’s easy to end up with a Frankenstein’s monster of tools: email marketing, file sharing, events, forums, and analytics, all cobbled together.
A good platform streamlines that mess. Look for one that integrates with your AMS, offers built in collaboration tools, and reduces the need to bounce between six tabs. When your team spends less time wrangling tech, they can spend more time building community.
10. Stronger Organizational Culture
At the end of the day, your platform isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about culture. A strong community space reinforces your mission, values, and purpose.
It becomes the digital front porch of your association. A place where members connect, contribute, and belong. That’s not just good for business. It’s good for your community’s soul.
There’s no one size fits all approach to community management. But if you’ve been feeling the friction of scattered tools, disengaged members, or a lack of collaboration, it might be time to explore what a purpose built community platform can do for you.
If you’re curious how other associations are using Breezio to support committees, streamline communication, and facilitate social learning, we’d be happy to show you.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about technology, it’s about creating spaces where your members want to show up.
Want to learn more about how Breezio supports association communities? Contact our team.