How to use your CRM to map the engagement level of each member

Today, personalized experiences are almost an expectation people have for the services they use. It’s crucial that you understand how engaged each member is so you can communicate with them on their terms.

Engagement is of course not easily categorized – it exists on a spectrum, from passive observers to enthusiastic ambassadors. But by mapping the level of engagement of each member, you can at least group them into groups and tailor your communications to each “level of engagement”. This makes it easier to offer them relevant benefits, and thus build stronger relationships. In this article, we will look at how you can use your CRM, using HubSpot’s lead scoring functionality as an example, to map and understand the level of engagement of your members.

First: What is lead scoring, and how does it relate to member engagement?

Lead scoring is a method for ranking potential clients (or in this case, members) based on what they do, specifically on your website. The idea is to award points for specific actions or characteristics, allowing you to identify how engaged a person is.

You’ve probably come across the sales funnel: Lead scoring is a method for adding a third dimension to it – how “hot” each lead is. Generally, warm leads – leads with a lot of points – will be further down the funnel. But there can be a big difference between people at the same level in the funnel! By using lead scoring, you can spend time on the warmest ones first, i.e. those who are closest to converting.

In addition, this approach is also used to measure the engagement of existing members. Here too, there are big differences: as mentioned, a member can be anything from passive observers to engaged ambassadors. By using CRM tools like HubSpot, you can automate this process and get a clear overview of where each member is on the engagement ladder.

Step 1: Define what constitutes engagement

Before you start awarding points, you need to define what constitutes engagement in your organization. This will vary based on your industry, your members’ needs, and your organization’s goals. Some examples of engagement might include:

• Website visits: How often does the member visit your website?
• Event participation: Do they attend events, either physically or digitally?
• Content interaction: Are they downloading resources, reading blog posts, or watching videos?
• Communication: Do they respond to emails, click on links, or participate in surveys?
• SoMe activity: Are they engaging with your organization on social media? (this one is quite tricky to track).
• Payment history: Are they active paying members, have they paused their membership, or perhaps have they canceled their membership but are still receiving emails from you?

“Fit score” is a point allocation based on demographic criteria such as:

• Age
• Job title
• Company size
• Operating income

In HubSpot, you can define these criteria as “fit score” or “engagement score” that trigger point assignment.

Read HubSpot's guide to setting up an engagement score here

Read the guide on how to set up fit score here

Step 2: Assign points based on engagement or fit score

Once you've defined what constitutes engagement, the next step is to assign points to each action or attribute. Here are some examples of how you might weight different activities. I'm not including SoMe activity here, even though it can be an important indicator. The reason is that HubSpot doesn't let you track this out of the box yet:

• Website visits: +5 points per visit
• Resource download: +10 points
• Event participation: +20 points
• Email interaction: +5 points per click
• Membership upgrade: +30 points

In HubSpot, you can easily set up these rules in the lead scoring module. You can also assign negative points for inactivity, for example:

• No activity for 30 days: -10 points
• Cancelled membership: -50 points

Step 3: Segment members based on engagement level

Once you've collected enough data, you can start segmenting your members based on their engagement level. HubSpot makes this easy by automatically updating members' profiles based on their score. Here's an example of how you might break down your segments:

1. Low Engagement (0-50 points): These members are new or inactive. They need extra attention to get engaged.
2. Medium Engagement (51-150 points): These members are interested but not yet fully engaged. They may need more value or incentives to increase engagement.
3. High Engagement (151+ points): These members are loyal and active. They are candidates for ambassador programs or exclusive benefits.

Read more: How to get members to actually use their membership benefits

Read more: How to build trust with members

Step 4: Customize communications and offers

With a clear understanding of where each member is on the engagement ladder, you can tailor your communications and offerings to their needs.

• Low engagement: Send welcome packs, introductory videos, or special offers to pique interest.
• Medium engagement: Offer exclusive resources, invitations to events, or opportunities to participate in surveys.
• High engagement: Engage these members as ambassadors, offer exclusive benefits, or invite them to contribute input to your organization's strategy.

To achieve this, you need to create workflows in your CRM. Here's how to do it in HubSpot.

Read more: Use these messages to reach every stage of the member journey .

Step 5: Measure and optimize

One of the biggest benefits of using a CRM is the ability to measure the effectiveness of your strategy. Use reports and analytics to see how your members’ engagement levels change over time.

• Which actions generate the most engagement?
• Where do members fall off in the journey?
• How can you adjust the points system to better reflect engagement?

From data to action

Mapping the engagement level of each member is a strategic approach that can lead to both increased engagement and retention. By using your CRM, especially with automated lead scoring tools, you can automate this process and create a more personalized and effective member journey. Engagement is the key to loyalty, and loyalty is the key to growth!

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