How to hack it? The Auto Care Association has thousands of members who are constantly on the go, which means they don’t have time to sit down in front of a computer for an hour-long webinar. Instead, members phone in for less structured conversations, called teleforums.

“We started this in 2014, and it has grown to become a value-added outreach program,” says Lia Zegeye, director of member relations. “While our members travel in the car or fly in the air, they can listen to a live or recorded conversation that feels more like talk radio than a slideshow presentation.” Each discussion has a moderator, a handful of panelists, and dial-in listeners, who can submit questions before or during the call.

Why does it work? The teleforum series is kind of like a fireside chat that requires only a phone number. Zegeye tries to focus on hot topics that might be controversial but are issues on every members’ mind. “What’s also important is your panel. You want to have a pre-call to structure the conversation and make sure they feel comfortable to discuss and engage with each other,” Zegeye says.

What’s the bonus? After four years, these teleforums are a proven way to engage members. In the last few months, Zegeye has seen record-high attendance—more than 400 participants joined her last call. “Instead of avoiding the tough topics or conversations, we address them head-on,” she says. “This allows us to continue to be a leader in the industry.”

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