Turning member communications into meaningful engagement: Lessons for trade bodies & associations
When I was at school, my geography teacher made us stand up and do star jumps whenever it looked like we were starting to disengage. I found it a blessed relief – a welcome break from listening to her talk interminably about rock formations.
But just because communicating a particular message is obligatory doesn’t mean it can’t be creative and engaging.
Many trade bodies and industry associations have an obligation to send regular communications to their (often paying) members. Sometimes this is to share ideas, insight or new thinking, delivering value in the form of intellectual capital. Other times, it’s a statutory requirement to inform members about updates, policy changes or new regulations. But many of these messages go unread – simply because they fail to engage.
What the best-performing associations are doing differently
The associations standing out right now are borrowing a page from the consumer world – specifically from brands that run highly effective loyalty programmes.
They’re:
- Treating members like valued audiences, not mailing lists
- Using data and insight to tailor and personalise communications
- Investing in content that informs, supports and involves members
- Designing journeys, not just sending emails
The result is a shift from passive membership to active participation.
Here are a few examples that caught our attention.
Professional Publishers Association (PPA)
In 2025, the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) was named Best Trade Association at the 2025 Memcom Awards, praised for becoming a more future-focused organisation with stronger policy influence and growing membership.
One of its standout campaigns, Make It Fair, placed member voices at the centre of a national debate around AI and copyright. Alongside initiatives such as Action Net Zero and the Next Gen Board, the PPA has shown how involving members in shaping the industry builds relevance, trust and momentum.
The takeaway: engagement grows when members feel represented – not just informed.
British Pest Control Association (BPCA)
BPCA has picked up multiple awards for its approach to member communications, particularly on social media.
As Scott Johnstone, BPCA’s Marketing, Technology and Communications Officer, puts it:
“We can be professional without being boring. Social media is meant to be fun.”
One standout moment? On World Pest Day, BPCA handed control of its social channels to five member technicians, offering an authentic, behind-the-scenes view of their day-to-day work.
The takeaway: the right tone of voice – and genuine member participation – drives credibility and engagement.
Building Engineering Services Association (BESA)
BESA won Best Member Engagement at the Trade Association Forum Awards 2025 for its communications around the Building Safety Act.
Rather than relying on dry updates, BESA’s Play it Safe campaign used football metaphors to clearly explain roles, responsibilities and compliance requirements across the supply chain, helping members clearly understand their roles and responsibilities.
The takeaway: creativity can make even mandatory messages engaging – and far more effective.
“Play it safe. The Building Safety Act has changed the rules. Don’t get caught offside!” Image Credit: BESA
Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
IBMS recently won Best Strategy for Member Engagement at the Memcom Awards, alongside awards for video and innovative technology.
Its campaign focused on simplifying routes to membership and HCPC registration, using segmented messaging, targeted video and even a space-themed virtual reality lab to engage younger audiences.
The takeaway: audience insight and segmentation aren’t just “nice to have” – they’re essential.
So what can other associations learn?
Across all these examples, the same principles keep appearing:
- Personalise communications through segmentation
- Design member journeys, not one-off messages
- Deliver continuous, relevant content across all formats
- Use data to refine and optimise
- Foster community and two-way engagement
These are the same principles that underpin successful loyalty programmes in the retail world.
At INGAGE, some of our most successful work has involved creating “clubs” and developing CRM programmes that deliver ultra-personalised content to maximise engagement and build member lifetime value.
If you’d like to explore how INGAGE can support your content and communications strategy, please get in touch at hello@ingagecontent.com
