If there’s one strategy I came up with, tried, and STILL use to this day, it’s the ERG DM Campaign. This method has been a game-changer in how we engage ERG members, ensuring that people feel seen, valued, and—most importantly—engaged in a way that works for them.

Rule #2: Personalize the Experience of Your Members

This might sound obvious, but you have to engage people the way they want to be engaged, not just how you want to engage them. Too many ERG leaders assume that if members aren’t attending events, they’re not engaged. That’s simply not true. Some people may never show up to an ERG event, but they still want to be involved.

That means we have to provide options for engagement, allowing members to self-select how they want to participate. Once people have those options, reaching out directly is key.

The Power of Direct Outreach

When you allow people to choose how they want to be involved and then personally reach out based on those preferences, the response rate is significantly higher. Most people don’t say no unless they genuinely can’t participate—and even then, they often express disappointment that they can’t join.

Now, this may sound simple, but here’s where most ERG leaders go wrong: they rely too much on passive engagement methods. They drop a form in a Slack channel or an email, then wait for responses. And guess what? That almost never works.

Enter: The ERG DM Campaign

I believe I coined the term DM campaign in the ERG space because I’ve been a huge advocate for one-on-one outreach. Instead of waiting for people to fill out forms or engage in channels, I encourage ERG leaders to personally message members. This small shift makes all the difference.

Here’s the exact word-for-word template I’ve used across multiple companies:

Hey 👋🏿,

I’m an ERG leader here at [Company], and I noticed you’re a member of [ERG Name]. We really want to make sure we’re creating the best possible experience for you. If you could take 60 seconds to fill out this quick form, it would make all the difference. Here’s the link: [Insert Form Link]

Thanks so much!

Even though this is a copy-paste message, it feels personal when it’s sent directly. I’ve literally had people respond, “Thank you for asking!”—when, technically, the form had already been posted in the ERG’s Slack channel. But that’s the magic of direct outreach—it feels personal and makes people feel valued.

Scaling the DM Campaign

Now, I know what some of you are thinking: Our ERG is way too big for this. But here’s how you can scale it:

1. Divide and Conquer: If you have 500 ERG members and 5 ERG leads, each lead can message 100 people. It’s a simple copy-paste task that can be done in 20-30 minutes.
2. Batch Outreach: You don’t have to message everyone at once. Set a goal—like reaching out to 300 members per quarter—so the workload stays manageable.
3. Make it Part of ERG Leadership Meetings: Instead of spending meeting time on updates that could’ve been emailed, dedicate part of the meeting to sending out these DMs.

The Bottom Line

The ERG DM Campaign is one of the simplest yet most effective engagement strategies you can implement. It takes minimal effort, ensures that members feel personally valued, and leads to significantly higher engagement rates.

So, if you’re not using it yet—what are you waiting for?