association comments-o-matic

Let's hear it for noncomformists!

Our conforming colleagues, though, should know that even people who don't try to be accepted are often accepted anyway, because they are nice people who possess valuable knowledge.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

Thanks Stefanie, and interesting observation you make about context really mattering for how you fit in.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

Great post Jeffrey! I stopped being concerned about fitting in a few years ago. In reality, I gave up because it was never going to happen. The funny thing is that I felt that way regardless of where I was and who I associated with. Standing out rocks!
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

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Reply at Membership Marketing

See, I knew you'd know!
Reply at Thx 4 Playing

Unfortunately Maddie, I think you may be right. Enough people continue to show up that the bottom line is still met, so there isn't that immediate financial pressure to change.

The thing that frustrates me most is our seeming inability to get the most fundamental things consistent correct. Let's at least be committing higher order sins in terms of conference design instead of still offering mind-numbin general sessions followed by break service with cookies the size of my head.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

I think the problem is we don't put our money where our mouth is. Every year I go to the same mediocre conferences, knowing full well how mediocre they are, and paying big bucks for the privilege (and paying big bucks even when I'm speaking – but that exploitation is a rant for another day) – I keep going even when I tell myself every year "why do I go to this?" But I go because my community goes. I go because my clients go. I go because, at the end of the day, it probably IS worth the money to see not just one but several of my friends who I otherwise only see online.

But if that's the case, I wish I didn't waste so much time in crappy sessions… I don't think we'll every convince ourselves to just not go this year. But maybe we can still vote with our feet and organize our own education in such a "big statement" kind of way that the organizers might turn around and say, "Where is everybody?" Maybe then they will notice.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

Love the pics. Some of the oaks that keep their leaves are red oaks. It'll be spring before they're all gone. But some are dead from last year's very hot and dry July.
Reply at Thx 4 Playing

Hi Wes — As always, I appreciate your comments. Clearly there is a place for benchmarking and industry norms, but I agree there are so many variables from business rules, to price, to specific industry conditions that setting any single number as the correct response rate or renewal rate is not helpful. However, if someone tells me that they have a membership renewal rate of 20% it probably means that they have some serious math issues or there is something wrong going on with the membership. Tony
Reply at Membership Marketing

By the way, the chart on this post is officially know as Ansoff's Product-Market Expansion Grid. I find it an excellent tool for focusing a strategy discussion. Tony
Reply at Membership Marketing