Bundling and unbundling
I am in Hartford, CT, right now at the Heritage Region Conference. I flew here on U.S. Airways.
This is the first time in awhile that I have flown on U.S. Airways, which means it is the first time I have flown on an airline that charged me for water, coke and coffee.
I understand the business reason that they did this, but I confess, it really annoyed me. In fact, it annoyed me so much that on my layover, I bought water in the airport, which cost me more, just so I would not have to buy a beverage from U.S. airways. I think providing water, soft drinks and coffee should be part of the price of the ticket.
Now, I realize that some people may think that IABC charges for too many of its programs. They want the conference or the manuals to be part of the price of membership. They want it all bundled together. I wonder, though, whether they would like to pay the membership fee that we would need to charge to cover ALL our programs.
Other members would like us to do some unbundling, for example, offering an internet only membership.
There are examples of associations pricing membership both ways. IABC is trying to walk a middle ground. We include some programs for all members–CW, CW Bulletin, the website with the online library, eXchange, MyComm, the Job Centre. Then there are others that only some members use–the World Conference, Small Conferences, Web Seminars and Teleseminars, and Knowledge Products–that have an additional price tag. Our rationale is walking the middle ground allows us to maintain affordable dues.
We are not going to become the U.S. Airways of associations. Instead, we are going to try to add as much as we can to the bundle.
And I am going to be sure that I have my own bottle of water when I step on the plane tomorrow.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:31 am
Julie,
Unless I’m mistaken (and I hope I’m not; amazed that you would be able to “score” something like that from the flight menu), might want to capitalize Coke(R) and put a registration mark on it, unless you want the feds and the copyright police coming down on you.
But to address the meat of your post, I’d have to say that I’m happy with how the association currently bundles. Perhaps offering, as some consultation companies like Forrester and HFI, the option of purchasing or adding to your membership one small conference, webinar, or teleconference (to be chosen by the individual or organization at some point during their year’s membership) could help satisfy that desire and have the added benefit of encouraging more participation in those events.
michael clendenin