I think that even though it was half-baked your post makes a great point. Now is the time for associations to really support their members and do what they can to provide even more targeted value.

I was at a Brown Bag in Old Town last week and an interesting idea came out that I wanted to throw out there. Sponsors, industry partners, corporate members, donors, etc. are always looking for ways to help an industry. Wouldn’t it be great if an association could reach out to these types of entities and ask them to give funds to support members who are unable to pay their dues because of economic hardship? Obviously some parameters would need to be set around who could receive assistance but I think it could be a win-win-win for the recipient, the supplier of the funds and the association.

To me, ideas like this, and the ability to put the right parties together to make an idea like this happen, are what make associations unique and even more valuable in times like today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Now I will say that the measure of one’s character is that at the same time we make logical economic decisions, it is wonderful and good that we can mold and shape those decisions by “loving our neighbor as ourself”.

The goal is to live with “and” instead of “or”. Tony

My sister is a member of the association I work for, and being with her and a bunch of her friends (also members) at our Convention last week totally underscored what you’re saying. It’s one thing if, as an association member, your employer pays your dues (although in this financial climate I’m sure professional group memberships will be something easily cut from budgets), but another if your dues come out of your own pocket. My sister and her friends talked about how much their memberships cost them, and then how much attending the convention set them back. They came with high hopes that were, unfortunately, dashed in several cases, and there was a lot of grumbling about how they’d never come to another meeting. Sure, this was just a handful of members, but what happens when it becomes more than a handful?

In the context of a situation like this, the economy definitely plays a big part. Whereas maybe some years members won’t have the best experience at a meeting, for instance, by the time the next year rolls around they may have forgiven and forgotten. But if money is an issue, negative impressions from past meetings might stick longer and have more of an impact on their decision attend.

If nothing else, we need to make sure that what we do offer members is the best it can be—now more than ever.

I agree with you, but I think the point Ben is trying to make is that association leaders shouldn’t be buying into the mainstream hype. Instead they should be looking to serve their members which is the true meaning of their existence.

Ben I agree with you, at this point in our economy organizations (for profit or not) should be looking to improve the value of their core offerings. The things that are not essential, should be scaled back and the organizations strengths should be leveraged. I think this economic downturn is really serving as a reset of sorts, making organizations see their inefficiencies and forcing them to innovate in their core focuses.

Great post!

No smart “corporate world” manager wants to see his or her company benefit at the expense of others. Good managers look for relationships that benefit both parties. For-profit organizations that have lasted for more than a century (think of pharmaceutical, for example) have always taken the position that they help themselves by helping their clients and customers. You’re saying that associations should do the same thing, and you’re right. But to imply that somehow this is unique to associations is simply wrong.