The Fix: Your Website on Wheels

ASSOCIATIONS NOW, November 2012 , Money & Business

How should associations adapt their email marketing efforts to keep members engaged online? Amid ever-changing technology platforms and services, email has remained a stalwart among marketing tools, and it's here to stay—with a few tweaks and upgrades—says Ron McGrath, chief technology officer at HighRoad Solution, a provider of web-based communication tools for associations.

Where does email marketing typically rank in an association's marketing mix?

Definitely high. I would say it would be top two, with the website as number one.

The thing to remember about email is its whole purpose is to drive a constituent back to the website. Email is basically your website on wheels. Every day a member may not wake up and think about the value that your organization brings into their lives, but email is a way to push that value out to them.

Where do you see email marketing going in the future?

You're going to see recipients read more and more of their email over mobile devices. Associations should be building out messages that render well on the desktop but also on smaller screens.

What are some of the biggest challenges that go along with email marketing?

A lot of associations have purchased different technology platforms [an AMS, an email platform, social tools, etc.], and one of the biggest challenges is making sure all those tools work together. Integration across those technology platforms is really critical today.

Katie Bascuas is associate editor at Associations Now in Washington, DC. Email: kbascuas@asaecenter.org