The days are longer. The energy lifts. And whether we’re sorting closets or sweeping patios, we find satisfaction in resetting what surrounds us.
The same concept applies to your communications strategy.
“Every organization should treat spring as a checkpoint,” says Kelsey Tweedly, CMA’s VP of Business Integration. “It’s the best time to clear out what’s outdated, realign with what’s working and reintroduce your message with some new energy.”
Whether you’re trying to re-engage members, attract new leads or get more from your outreach, here’s how to approach your communications strategy like a spring-cleaning project—complete with the polish that sets you up for growth.
Declutter Your Database
The first place to clean? Your contact list.
Your email list might be full of duplicates, bounce-backs and disengaged recipients quietly weighing down your results.
Sweep them all out.
Tweedly suggests using this time to update contact records, remove inactive subscribers and segment lists for smarter targeting. Associations can group contacts by membership tier, renewal status or event engagement. B2B companies might segment by industry, sales stage or account size.
“A tidy list is a powerful list,” Tweedly says. “It helps ensure your message reaches the right people with the right content.”
Polish Your Messaging
Even great messaging can collect dust.
Spring is the perfect opportunity to revisit your value proposition, headline language, email copy and calls to action.
What felt timely or strategic in January, just three months ago, might no longer match where your audience is today.
Tweedly says to look for language that feels repetitive or flat. Rewrite intros and subject lines. Reframe your benefits to speak directly to seasonal priorities, whether it’s growth, planning or mid-year momentum.
“Refreshing your messaging doesn’t require reinventing everything,” she adds. “It’s about adding relevance, clarity and a spark of energy that helps people reconnect with your brand.”
Freshen Up Your Visuals and Format
Your email and newsletter templates might be ready for a spring refresh.
If you’re still using outdated layouts or dense blocks of text, your message could be getting lost. Now’s the time to lighten things up—streamline your design, clarify your content flow and create some much-needed breathing room.
Try shorter sections, bolder headlines, seasonal imagery or brighter colors to bring fresh energy to your communications.
Even small design tweaks can make an old newsletter feel new again.
Reorganize Your Engagement Strategy
Next, take a broader view of your communications calendar.
Do your campaigns feel disjointed or overly reactive? Are you sending content simply because it’s scheduled rather than because it serves a purpose?
A spring-cleaning mindset can help you reorganize your approach. Revisit your goals. Reprioritize key messages. Replace filler content with strategic storytelling or member/client spotlights.
“Your calendar should reflect intentionality, not routine,” Tweedly says. “And spring is the perfect time to reset your rhythm.”
Reengage the Audiences You’ve Lost Track Of
One of the most valuable things to unearth during a spring refresh? The people you’ve lost contact with.
There are plenty.
Lapsed members. Inactive clients. Cold leads. They’re all still there, waiting for the right reason to return.
This season, launch a friendly, timely and authentic reactivation campaign. Remind people what they’ve been missing. Show them what’s new. Offer a fresh way to rejoin the conversation, whether through a webinar invite, discount offers or a curated content recap.
“Think of it like a check-in, not a pitch,” Tweedly says. “It’s about reigniting a relationship, not just closing a deal.”
Prepare Now for the Summer Slowdown
Finally, don’t wait until June to realize your content pipeline is running dry.
Use spring’s momentum to prepare for summer’s slower pace. Build and schedule content in advance, plan nurture campaigns, and design a few evergreen resources to keep your audience engaged even when they’re less active.
For associations, this might mean prewriting event teasers or scheduling renewal touchpoints. For B2B, it might be an automated lead-nurture flow tied to a summer offer or content series.
“Spring is when you plant the seeds,” Tweedly says. “If you prep now, you’ll be ready to sustain visibility and connection even during the dog days of summer.”
Ready for a Clean Start?
Refreshing your communication strategies isn’t about throwing everything out. It’s about keeping what’s valuable, cleaning what’s dusty and removing what’s preventing deeper engagement.
If done right, a spring strategy reset can set your organization up for a stronger Q2 and a smoother summer ahead.
Whether you’re managing members or marketing to customers, CMA can help you refine your outreach, sharpen your message and clarify your communications.
In her role, Kelsey ensures our clients and employees transition into CMA seamlessly and are set up for ongoing success. She manages our company’s strategy and works closely with the leadership team to promote CMA. Internally, Kelsey is the champion for our crew and leads all initiatives that align with the CMA culture.
