What’s Old Is New Again: Membership Growth Trends and Strategies for the Year Ahead

By Jana Darling, President

As we close out another year of membership marketing insights, one thing is clear: What’s old is new again. Direct mail and telemarketing, once brushed off as outdated, are not only proving their staying power but are becoming increasingly effective. At the same time, email and paid digital continue to be essential channels. Success now hinges on smart targeting, strategic channel orchestration, and messages that feel personal and relevant.

Smart Direct Mail

Direct mail is back, but it’s not about sending more mail; it’s about sending smarter mail. The organizations seeing the strongest ROI are pairing direct mail with data analytics and modeling to ensure every dollar is spent on prospects most likely to take action.

With rising postage and production costs, mailing 50,000 records when only half have real conversion potential no longer makes sense. Prioritizing the top performers leads to:

• Higher conversion rates
• Lower cost per acquisition
• Better use of campaign budgets

And when you spend smarter, you free up budget to strengthen supporting channels like paid media, email, retargeting, or ringless voicemail–turning one tactic into a truly multi-channel program.

The Value of a Phone Call

Telemarketing is also experiencing a meaningful resurgence. When outreach is conversational, value-driven, and tied to a clear purpose, such as re-engaging lapsed members, it consistently boosts engagement and renewals. Beyond the numbers, it delivers something digital alone can’t: human connection and real-time feedback. Even when members don’t renew, the “why” behind their decision is invaluable.

Digital Amplification

Email continues to play a critical role, but it can’t succeed on its own in today’s noisy landscape. That’s where paid digital comes in. Search, display, retargeting, and paid social remain some of the most effective ways to get your message in front of the right people at the right time.

Paid media doesn’t replace other channels; it amplifies them. When integrated thoughtfully:

• Your audience sees consistent messaging across platforms
• You stay top-of-mind before, during, and after outreach
• You recapture prospects who browse but don’t convert
• You increase conversions by meeting people where they already are

Personalization Is No Longer Optional

One thing the last few years have made clear: Personalization works.

Members and prospects expect to be talked with, not talked at. That shift is especially clear in email performance. Conversational emails, in tandem with more traditional emails, continues to drive high engagement. They give people an outlet to respond, ask questions, and connect. And that connection moves them further along the journey. This isn’t new advice, but it’s more relevant than ever: personalization drives engagement.

Revisit Your Value Proposition

This isn’t a new trend, but it’s an area where we continue to see organizations struggle: poorly articulated value propositions.

It’s easy to list benefits. It’s harder to clearly communicate the value those benefits deliver.

Remember:

• Prospects join for perceived value.
• Members renew for received value.

Your messaging should focus on what they gain, not what you provide. Speak their language, frame benefits in terms of outcomes, and make sure every touchpoint reinforces that value.

Looking Ahead to 2026

This year made one thing clear: the organizations winning aren’t chasing shiny objects, they’re optimizing what works and layering smart innovation on top.

Expect to see continued momentum in:

• Direct mail guided by data modeling
• Telemarketing as a strategic engagement tool
• Multi-channel orchestration driven by performance
• Deeper personalization across all communications
• Clear, outcome-focused value propositions

Membership growth doesn’t come from any single tactic. It comes from aligning channels, using data intelligently, and creating meaningful touchpoints throughout the member journey.

Have questions? Reach out to the experts at MGI! Contact Jana Darling, President at jdarling@marketinggeneral.com or 703-706-0346.