It was another invoice in the pile, asking for $700...and I ignored it. I've been a member for more than 20 years, as a restaurateur and then an Associate Member. Associate membership is meant to give access to restaurant, cafe and catering owners, but one by one the ways to connect with them have disappeared (email contacts), are ineffective (online directories) or come at an additional cost (magazine advertising).
The reason a business joins as Associate Member of a trade organisation is to sell stuff to the regular members: services, membership or products. The high-minded ideals of these associations are important for regular members, but don't hold much interest for Associates if sales leads don't follow. The local organisation is in flux, and while the 'renovations' are underway, the customers have been neglected and are quietly slipping away. Not good.
I hear that! I just sent in my renewal to ours as well. Probably for the last time unless they decide to do more than offer me a newsletter of articles aggregated from other sources I already receive. Most industry associations are headed for irrelevance.
Posted by: Jeffrey Summers | July 28, 2010 at 10:27 PM