Benjamin Fajen

How the Organic Trade Association Transformed Its Digital Presence with a Future-Ready Website and Salesforce-Integrated Member Ecosystem

overview

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) represents the growers, processors, distributors, and retailers who power the organic industry across North America. OTA partnered with Aero Design to rethink its entire digital presence from the ground up. The result is a completely redesigned and rebuilt ota.com—one that supports advocacy, industry leadership, and member engagement through a powerful new Drupal 10 platform.

A Web Developer’s Guide to Creating Scalable, Secure, and Impactful Credentialing Experiences

As the owner of a web development company that partners with associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many clients on one of the most impactful member offerings they can build: a professional certification or credentialing program.

Building a Scalable, Inclusive Mentorship Experience for Associations

As the owner of a web development company that partners with associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’m often asked for more than just websites—we’re brought into conversations about how to create digital infrastructure that supports deeper, lasting member engagement. One of the most promising—and underutilized—strategies I’ve seen is the launch of a structured mentorship program.

A Web Developer’s Perspective on Building Sustainable, Digital-First Volunteer Engagement

As the owner of a web development company that serves associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’ve seen how vital volunteer programs are to both daily operations and long-term mission delivery. Volunteers can extend your team’s reach, amplify impact in the community, and create a deeply loyal member base. But as organizations grow, what often becomes clear is that the volunteer program doesn’t scale well without thoughtful structure—and smart technology.

A Developer’s Perspective on Creating Engaging, Scalable, and Data-Driven Learning Experiences

As the owner of a web development company serving associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’ve seen how a well-designed member education program can become a game-changer. Not only does it provide tangible value to your members, but it also becomes a powerful driver of retention, renewal, and reputation.

How to Create a Seamless Digital Ecosystem That Enhances Member Engagement

As the owner of a web development company that supports associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’ve had the opportunity to help many clients tackle one of the most valuable—and often overlooked—digital upgrades: integrating their website, CRM, and email platform.

Better Data Means Better Decisions, Better Engagement, and a Better Member Experience

As the owner of a web development company that works exclusively with associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’ve seen the same scenario play out more times than I can count:

A client invests in a brand-new CRM or launches a beautifully designed member portal—but the engagement numbers don’t improve. Emails bounce. Event promotions fall flat. Reports show inconsistent member counts. The problem? The underlying member data is a mess.

Protecting Your Members, Your Mission, and Your Reputation

As the owner of a web development company that supports associations and nonprofit membership organizations, cybersecurity is no longer an optional concern—it's a top priority.

You might not think your organization is a likely target, but in reality, nonprofits and membership associations are especially vulnerable. Why? Because you store exactly the kind of data that attackers want: member names, email addresses, credit card details, donation records, and even health or demographic information in some cases.

How Smart Technology Can Boost Engagement Without Overwhelming Your Staff

As the owner of a web development company that supports associations and nonprofit membership organizations, one of the most common concerns I hear is:
“We want to communicate better with members, but we don’t have the time.”

The truth is, your staff shouldn’t have to manually send reminders, welcome messages, or content updates one by one. With the right tools in place, you can automate a huge portion of your communications—without losing the human touch.

What to Look for, What to Avoid, and How to Future-Proof Your Tech Investment

As the owner of a web development company that supports associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’m often brought into conversations right after a tech crisis: “Our current system can’t do what we need,” or “We’re stuck with a platform we’ve outgrown.”

These conversations almost always trace back to one thing: the wrong membership management software (MMS) was chosen—or the right one wasn’t implemented properly.