Make member onboarding count from day one.
When someone joins an association, they will usually receive a welcome message and some practical information by email, on the website or in the app. However it is delivered, it should point to one place where they can find the association’s people, information and history, and return whenever they need it. In the member platform, someone new can find fellow members in the directory, see who sits on the board, understand what each committee does and learn whom to contact. Alongside that are published updates, documents and committee news that help them catch up on what happened before they joined.
Understanding how we got here
Our founder has seen the value of this in his own pilot association. In a fast-growing airline, an association once made up largely of experienced pilots can soon have a much larger proportion of newer members, who will increasingly shape its decisions. Those members inherit agreements and benefits without necessarily knowing what it took to secure them. A provision that looks minor on paper may represent years of negotiation or a concession made in exchange for something else. Access to that background helps members understand what is at stake when changes are discussed.
Experienced members carry much of this knowledge, but it also needs to be available beyond conversations with those who were there. Past updates, committee explanations and negotiation material help newer members understand how the association reached its current position. With that history available, they can form their own views without relying entirely on someone else to explain the background.
Available when members have time
A crew member might catch up at home, on the crew bus or during a rest break on a long-haul flight. Mobile and web access let members use whichever suits the moment, while offline access in the member mobile app lets them continue reading without a connection. In one searchable member platform, they can read the latest update, look up an unfamiliar topic and find earlier material that explains it. The association’s everyday publishing becomes a resource for the next person who joins. Having the documents and history is only part of the job; members need to be able to find and use them.
From catching up to taking part
That is the approach behind 2Way. A simple welcome message points new members towards the people, information and history already available in their member platform. They can get familiar with the association at their own pace, with less need for the office to explain everything individually. As they catch up, they can also join the conversation through chat, asking questions and taking part in discussions within their association’s member-only platform.
The upcoming forum will add discussions organised around topics, making it easier to follow a subject and contribute over time. For a new member, this creates a natural path from finding information to understanding the background and taking part. They arrive with something to learn, but also with experience and ideas of their own to contribute.