In association land, we do not always get what we pay for. Free or low-cost solutions are not always bad. At the same time, high-cost solutions are not always good. This is true for associations and also true in many industries.
In healthcare, many medical advancements are associated with considerable expense but, not this one! A few pioneering hospitals have adopted the pre-flight checklist idea from aviation. Before surgery, the team runs through a checklist. Data shows this new intervention prevents medical errors and under this system patient outcomes have considerably improved.
In some cases, low-cost solutions work just as well as high-cost solutions, and this is good news for cash-strapped associations.
For example, some associations are holding off on implementing a member engagement scoring process until they can contract with a better AMS, but there’s at least one association successfully tracking engagement scores with an excel spreadsheet.
Some associations are spending more and more on conference entertainment hoping to engage attendees, but a huge smile at registration works too.
Why spend tons of money on new member swag when a series of short, targeted emails can do the trick better?
Help your board, volunteers, and staff understand that the high-cost solutions do not always yield a better return. Sometimes the thoughtfully implemented low-cost or free solution works perfectly well too!
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