Responding to Members
Words of Wisdom
You don’t need the perfect response.
You just need to make members feel welcome be being
- Friendly
- Clear
- Available
What Success Looks Like
- Members receive timely responses
- Conversations feel welcoming
- Questions are answered or routed appropriately
- Members feel heard and respected
- Members know their next step
Best Practices
- Respond promptly when practical
- Match the member's tone and level of engagement
- Answer the question asked
- Keep next steps simple
- Be warm and concise
Common Pitfalls
- Sending long, information-heavy messages
- Too many links or options
- Pressuring attendance
- Taking silence personally
Purpose
Provide guidance for responding to member questions, comments, and outreach in a welcoming and helpful way.
The goal is to make responses feel natural, conversational, and supportive—not scripted or overwhelming.
The Basic Structure
A good response usually includes:
- Acknowledge what they said
- Respond or answer their question
- Offer a simple next step (optional)
Not every message needs all three.
Tone Tips
- Write like you speak
- Use complete but simple sentences
- Avoid overly formal language
- Be warm, but not intense
Common Outreach Scenarios
Use these examples as starting points. Adapt them to your own voice and the specific situation.
| style="width:30%;"Situation | style="width:30%;"Goal | style="width:40%;"Example Response |
|---|---|---|
| No Response | One follow-up, then stop | Just checking in in case my previous message got buried. No need to respond—just wanted to make sure you knew there's someone local if you ever want to connect. |
| Short Reply ("Thanks") | Keep the conversation open without pressure. | Glad to hear from you! If you ever feel like connecting locally or coming to something, just let me know. |
| Interested in Meeting People | Offer a simple next step. | That's great — there are a few members in your area. We sometimes do casual meetups. Would something like that interest you? |
| Asking About Events | Keep it simple and clear. Avoid sending too much information at once. | We have a few upcoming events. [Event] is often a good first event, and I'd be happy to meet you there. |
| Nervous About Attending | Reduce uncertainty. | Totally understandable — a lot of people feel that way at first. I'd be happy to meet you outside and introduce you around. |
| Too Busy | Respect their situation and leave the door open | That makes sense — schedules can get busy. If things ever open up, feel free to reach out anytime. |
| Not Interested in Events | Explore other ways to connect. | That's completely fine. If you'd like information about newsletters, online groups, or webinars, I'm happy to help. |
| Asking About Nearby Members | Facilitate connections while protecting privacy. You can direct members to the Membership Directory on the National website. | There are a few members in your area. If you're interested, I can help coordinate a connection or small meetup. |
| You Don't Know the Answer | Be honest and follow up. | That's a good question. I'm not sure, but I'll find out and get back to you. |
| Offering a First Meetup | Make it easy to say yes. | I'll be at [location] on [day/time]. If you'd like, we could meet there and attend together. |
When to Escalate
Most member questions can be handled by the Membership Officer.
However, some situations are better handled by another volunteer or officer.
Learn more: Membership Officer - When to Escalate or Hand Off Communication