Associations: sending effective emails for periodic activities

Nov 3, 2025

For an association, staying connected with your members all year long is essential. Association email is a powerful lever to nurture relationships, share project updates, and mobilize people around key events. When you’re running a recurring activity, the consistency and quality of your sends become strategic. That’s where your association communication, a well-managed association newsletter, and rigorous email scheduling come into play. Done right, an association emailing campaign can not only boost member engagement but also strengthen loyalty and participation.

Table of contents

Why regular communication matters for a recurring activity

Aligned internal communication and external communication help you maintain a strong connection with members, volunteers, and the public. Regularity isn’t just about organization — it’s a key factor for building trust and ensuring strong email deliverability. Well-paced campaigns make member retention easier and help you anticipate needs and reactions.

How to set up an effective email send calendar

A structured email send calendar is essential for associations running a recurring activity. It helps you plan your big moments, space out messages, and avoid inbox fatigue. Targeting, engagement, and performance — the benefits of precise scheduling show up fast. How should you organize this specific plan?

  • Identify the key periods of your recurring activity
  • Align your messages with your events and goals
  • Vary formats and content to keep attention high
  • Plan targeted follow-ups to maximize member engagement

Email best practices for associations

A successful email marketing strategy for associations rests on several pillars:

  • Personalize messages for each audience segment
  • Automate certain sends with email automation tools
  • Measure and analyze each campaign’s performance
  • Respect privacy rules and GDPR compliance
  • Keep a tone consistent with your association’s identity

Summary table of key actions

ActionGoalBenefit
Create an email send calendarStructure campaigns across the yearImprove consistency and relevance
Segmentation and personalizationAdapt content to each profileStrengthen member engagement
Email automationSave time on recurring sendsOptimize reactivity and consistency
Performance trackingAnalyze open and click-through ratesAdjust the email marketing strategy for associations


No time to read it all? Here’s the recap

In brief: Associations — how to send emails for a recurring activity?

  • Use association email to keep a steady connection with members and the public.
  • Set up an email sending calendar to organize communications and avoid inbox overload.
  • Adopt email best practices like personalization and automated sends.
  • Coordinate internal association communication and external association communication for greater consistency.
  • Measure performance to refine your association email marketing strategy and improve member engagement.




How do you send effective emails for a recurring activity in an association?

Plan your sends, tailor content to each period, and segment your members to maintain engagement throughout the year.

20 reviews