Part 1 | CLARITY FIRST

You’ve got a CRM. 

You’ve got data.

You’re sending emails, tracking clicks, maybe even running some journeys.

So why does it still feel like you’re guessing?

This is something we see all the time with membership organisations:
You’ve got the tools but not the clarity.

The real issue isn’t the system. It’s what’s behind it.

Before you build journeys, segments, or dashboards, you have to ask a harder question:
What do our members actually come to us for?

Not just what we give them, like events, CPD, or a magazine.
But what they actually value.

What they’re hoping to get from being a member.

Because if you’re not clear on that, your CRM can’t help you.

You’ll end up:

• Targeting everyone the same way
• Sending emails that feel a bit off
• Spending hours building campaigns that don’t move the needle

And no tool, no matter how good, can fix that.

We call this your value proposition.

A value proposition is a clear statement of how you help your members and why it matters to them.

It’s the reason someone joins, stays, or recommends you.

When it’s strong, everything else becomes easier, from content planning to CRM structure.

When it’s vague, everything else becomes guesswork.

A CRM can only reflect what you already know

Think about how your CRM is set up right now.

Does it show:

• Who your key member types really are?
• What they’re trying to achieve?
• What makes them renew or leave?

Or does it mostly show transactions, email opens, and a few job titles?

That’s the problem. Most CRMs are technically fine. But they’re filled with data that doesn’t help you make decisions, because it was never built on clarity in the first place.

What does this look like in practice?

Let’s take two examples:

Example 1:

“We help professionals stay up to date.”
Sounds good, but it’s too vague.

 - What kind of professionals?

 - What does “up to date” actually mean to them?

 - Is it CPD?

 - Networking?

 - Policy changes?

 - Salary benchmarking?

You can’t build good journeys or segment your comms if this isn’t nailed down.

Example 2:

“We support newly qualified members with career guidance so they feel confident stepping into the profession.”
Now we’re getting somewhere.

This kind of clarity helps you decide:

• What content to show
• What journeys to automate
• What signs to track in your CRM

It gives the data a job to do.

The best CRM strategies are built on purpose

When you’re clear on who your members are, what they need, and what you actually offer, the CRM becomes a tool to deliver that.

Not a system you’re constantly trying to “make work.”

What next?

In Part 2 of this series, How to Define Your Member Value Proposition, we share how to define a value proposition that works in practice.
It’s not a branding exercise. 
It’s a tool to help you segment, plan content, and build smarter CRM journeys.

Then, in Part 3, Build CRM Journeys That Support Members Beyond Joining, we explore how to apply that clarity across your CRM and CMS, so every member gets an experience that actually fits.

If you're struggling to get your CRM strategy off the ground, the issue probably isn’t technical.

It’s clarity.

And you’re not alone.