Comments on: What’s Your Place [Association Or Conference] In The Brave New [Economy] World?

By: associationjam.org

associationjam.org — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:30:15 +0000

What’s Your Place [Association Or Conference] In The Brave New [Economy] World?…

Jeff Hurt asks, “Can we learn anything from those successful in today’s new economy? Do the music industry’s innovative disruptions have any application to conference revenue models or association membership?”
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By: Jeff Hurt

Jeff Hurt — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:30:03 +0000

@Samuel
Excellent observation and lots of wisdome there. The challenge is that many associations and conference organizers have depended upon conference revenue as the largest non-dues source of revenue for thier budgets. So, they’re having to rethink the entire budget scenario. That’s the best time to consider reframing the challenge for sure. Thanks for adding to the discussion.

By: Sam Smith

Sam Smith — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:14:19 +0000

Hi Jeff,

That was a lot of questions. I don’t have the answers to your questions – but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express recently. Does that count for anything?

To me the answers to your questions lie in the way that you frame the problem.

For example, Coke and the soft drink industry used to fight over market share of soda (or whatever you call it in Texas). Then, Coke reframed the problem as share of throat – because people don’t drink just soda – they drink water, fruit drinks, sports drinks, etc. Once they did that – they realized that there were many, many opportunities for them to grow and expand.

I think reframing the problem would help here, too.

Instead of asking how much would someone pay? or should we give the content away? why not ask these questions:

> What do we need to do to “grow” lifetime members?
> What are the unmet needs of our community (“members” and “non-members”) that we can or should serve?

- Sam

By: Jeff Hurt

Jeff Hurt — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:04:10 +0000

@Justin
I think your illustration of the classical music business applies very well. And, you’re right, who thinks of classical musicians or orchestras thinking about what their customers want. Thanks for adding that to the discussion.

By: Justin Locke

Justin Locke — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:28:46 +0000

well jeff maybe this isn’t quite what you’re looking for but i couldn’t help but mirror back a comment on the music industry’s business approaches.

while most pop music groups understand and jump on new technology, the classical music biz, for the most part, has not. musicians’ union fees and regulations make it virtually impossible money-wise for an orchestra to appear even on local cable TV. as a result, kids do not see orchestras on their cultural landscape. being a high-minded enterprise, most orchs stay in their old mode and just become more and more dependent upon subsidy. when i was a player i felt more like a curator than a performer. and they endlessly blame someone else– “audiences are changing” they say.

i’ve said this so many times but i will say it again, a concert is not a sonic product, it is an experience of connection; very few classical musicians understand what it is they are selling.

it took a major rethink from all of my training to go from “what service do i want to get paid for providing” to “what do my customers (a word you never hear in music school, btw) want?”

becoming disloyal to tradition is hard for some folks . . . encouraging people to do that has become my (our?) primary task these days it seems. i could tell you stories of resistance to change . . . orchestras are scuffling all over . . . . except for andre rieu, who understands marketing and sells out live shows everywhere.

–jl