If your organization is using Wild Apricot, chances are you already have what you need to grow engagement—you’re just not using it to its full potential.
Most membership sites struggle with the same issue:
A solid member base, but low participation.
Low event turnout
Declining email engagement
Members who signed up… and disappeared
The good news? You don’t need a new platform to fix this.
You need smarter use of automation and segmentation.
Why Members Become Passive
Before fixing the problem, it’s worth understanding it.
Members disengage when:
- Communication feels generic
- They don’t see immediate value after joining
- There’s no consistent follow-up
- Content isn’t relevant to their interests
When every member gets the same message, most will ignore it.
Step 1: Segment Your Members (Start Simple)
Segmentation is the foundation of everything.
Instead of treating your database as one big list, break it into meaningful groups.
Start with these three:
- New Members (joined in the last 30–60 days)
- Active Members (attended an event or opened emails recently)
- Inactive Members (no engagement in 6–12 months)
In Wild Apricot, you can do this using saved searches based on join date and activity.
This alone changes how your communication feels to your audience.
Step 2: Build Simple Automation That Runs in the Background
Once your segments are defined, automation does the heavy lifting.
Here are three high-impact automations every organization should have:
1. New Member Onboarding Sequence
Instead of a single welcome email, create a short sequence:
- Day 1: Welcome + how to get started
- Day 3: Highlight key benefits
- Day 7: Invite to an event or community
This builds early engagement while interest is highest.
2. Event Promotion Based on Behavior
Don’t blast every event to everyone.
- Send event invites to active members first
- Follow up with those who clicked but didn’t register
- Send targeted reminders to members who attended similar events
This increases conversions without increasing email volume.
3. Re-Engagement Campaign for Inactive Members
Inactive members aren’t lost—they’ve just been overlooked.
Create a simple campaign:
- “We miss you” message
- Highlight what’s new
- Offer an easy way to re-engage (event, content, or update profile)
Even a small reactivation rate can significantly impact retention.
Step 3: Make Your Emails Feel Personal (Without Extra Work)
Segmentation allows you to send emails that feel tailored—even when automated.
Simple improvements:
- Reference membership type or interests
- Send relevant events only
- Adjust tone based on engagement level
This creates the feeling of a one-to-one experience at scale.
Why This Works
According to Mailchimp Email Marketing Benchmarks, segmented campaigns consistently outperform non-segmented campaigns in open rates and click-through rates.
That’s because relevance drives engagement.
When members receive content that matches their behavior and interests, they’re far more likely to respond.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need more members—you need more engaged members.
By combining simple segmentation with lightweight automation, you can:
- Increase event attendance
- Improve email performance
- Boost member retention
- Create a better overall experience
And the best part?
Most of this can be set up once and run in the background.
Want Help Implementing This?
If your Wild Apricot site isn’t driving the engagement it should, Nicasio Design can help you optimize your setup, automation, and member experience.
Explore our services:
Nicasio Design Wild Apricot Services
Or schedule a free consultation to identify quick wins.