Celebrating Our Members: Building Engagement Through Strategic Recognition Programs

Project Type

Member Recognition & Engagement Strategy

Years Completed

2023-2024

Project Type

Member Recognition & Engagement Strategy

Dates

2023 - 2024

Campaign Overview & Organizational Challenges

As the Marketing & Events Manager at the Covington Business Council (CBC), I recognized a key opportunity to strengthen member engagement and differentiate the organization from larger competitors like the NKY Chamber of Commerce. While CBC had a loyal base, member recognition efforts were minimal and lacked a cohesive strategy. To address this, I developed and implemented a comprehensive member recognition program that celebrated both new and long-standing members.

Through a mix of strategic social media campaigns, milestone celebrations, and spotlight features, this initiative aimed to build community, highlight member achievements, and showcase the value of belonging to CBC. By elevating members’ stories and creating regular touchpoints of appreciation, the program helped reinforce CBC’s identity as a relationship-driven, member-focused organization.


CBC needed a way to differentiate itself from competitors, make members feel valued, and maintain visibility between major events. Recognition efforts were previously ad hoc and inconsistent.



Strategy & Execution

New Member Welcomes


To warmly welcome new members and increase visibility, I developed a New Member Spotlight series across CBC’s social media channels. Each post introduced the member business, included a brief description of their services, and linked directly to their website. These posts not only made new members feel immediately included but also drove traffic and engagement between existing members and newcomers.



  • Goal: Foster immediate connection and visibility for new members.
  • Channels: Primarily LinkedIn and Facebook.
  • Impact: Consistently high engagement rates and strong positive feedback from featured members.

Membership Milestones Program


I created the Membership Milestones Program to formally recognize businesses for their longevity with CBC, highlighting anniversaries at 5, 10, 20+ years of membership. Custom milestone graphics were designed to align with CBC’s branding, and posts were shared publicly to honor the members’ commitment.


  • Goal: Strengthen loyalty and pride among long-term members.
  • Execution: Quarterly milestone announcements with branded graphics.
  • Impact: Helped reinforce a sense of community and tradition, while increasing organic reach through member shares.


Member of the Week Blog + Social Media Features



To spotlight current members more deeply, I introduced the Member of the Week series. Each week, one member was featured on CBC’s blog through a short interview or narrative piece. These stories were then shared across social media, giving members a platform to tell their story and gain exposure.


  • Goal: Highlight diverse businesses and encourage networking.
  • Execution: Weekly blog posts paired with social media promotion.
  • Impact: Consistently strong engagement, increased web traffic to member profiles, and strengthened CBC’s reputation as a connector within the community.


Impact & Results

  • Increased engagement on social media posts (e.g., milestone posts received strong reactions and shares).


  • Positive feedback from members who felt more valued and connected.


  • Provided CBC with a steady stream of branded content, supporting visibility between major campaigns.