How an Online Social Network Could Steal Association Members

How associations could learn from the social media tools offered at Biznik and other online+in-person communities - and you may be a guide to the association of your peers - while still enjoying this community.

Written Apr 18, 2008, read 1459 times since then.

Upstart online communities like our Biznik, physicians' Sermo, Ladies Who Launch and Downtown Womens Club may be attracting the people who'd otherwise join traditional, older professional associations.

We are drawn to the "high touch / high tech" mix of meeting online and in-person, supported by systems that enable us to find each other online and in-person, to cross-consult, lead seminars, host events, rate and reward member contributions.

Traditional associations are slowly adopting these social media tools, yet it may not happen in time. As a speaker at many association conferences, I am eager to see adoption happen faster - for the camaderie, efficiency and community they make possible, even if it could reduce my "job" opportunities ... as a speaker.

In writing about this, I hope to spur more innovation in the association world and to reflect my enthusiasm for the opportunities that happen here at Biznik and at other well-moderated, well-designed communities with off and online features.

One of the biggest status-quo traps for associations is their cautious, iterative moves towards the use of the new social media tools. Instead, association leaders might consider crossing the chasm before a college drop-out does.

In brief, many associations are vulnerable. They can be co-opted by a member(s), exhibitor(s) or a complete outsider who chooses to launch an online social network to serve their kind of members. One might even launch one for free via Ning.

It might include a tagged directory of members of member-generated tips, tag clouds, forums and group and individual (also tagged) blogs, captioned photos, vlogs and podcasts. It could attract smart content with monthly prizes for the "Top Ten" best tips/content provided by registered members who joined the free network (as voted by the registered members) - with prizes provided by a big company in the form of e-gift coupons.

Once the network attracts 25,000 members minimum, according to Seattle-based, social media expert, Bart Barden, it can hunt for underwriters/ advertisers to not only underwrite the cost of serving a true member-based community but make a profit in such service.

Then the owner of the online social network could hire or sub-contract out professional meeting planning staff to plan the annual conferences (with, of course, yearlong follow-up via the blogs, etc. to keep the community converations going.) Alternatively, perhaps Federated Media Publishing might sell ads for it and turn this membership service into a revenue generator for the association.

Love to see more of these social media gurus (mashable, TechCrunch, PaidContent, Federated Media Publishing, etc.) in a MC-led panel at MPI, PCMA, ASAE and/or SGMP - (or maybe sponsored by Primedia’s Betsy Bair?) where each panelist gets 10 minutes to rock our world with their best two pieces of advice re success scenarios that associations could adopt for "the Power of Us" to flourish - then take questions from the "audience."

Vlog, blog and podcast it all of course. As a non-geek who speaks at conferences I am eager to see ways that more organizations can support and deepen the community-building that starts at them. Let's involve the social media experts as partnersto see how we can multiply the times, ways and places that members, vendors and others in the group can connect and collaborate.

Learn more about the author, Kare Anderson.

Posted by Maria ODonovan, Fredericia Denmark | Apr 25, 2008

Kare, I did enjoy this article. I especially liked your suggestion for having communities with tagged members and tag clouds. These are facilities that are gaining much popularity and especially because of the associative and random nature member conversations or member postings can have, tag clouds are particularly useful.

Tagging in fact, as a kind of search engine topology ( a search topology is a categoriisation system used for searching and displaying results and systems can have different kinds) seems, i think to capture a very accurate picture of our interests and thus we can connect to others with similar interests.

I believe deeply that value is created through connecting to others and that computers are an enabling tool. Look forward to hearing more of your views.

Kind regards

Maria ;)
Posted by Pamela Ziemann, Bellevue, Washington | Apr 25, 2008

Hi Kare, I'll be re-reading this one and passing it along to a few friends/colleagues who may be interested. Love the way you think! Pamela
Posted by Kathie Nelson, Beaverton, Oregon | Apr 25, 2008

Kare,

Hi there! Kathie, here. I am finally getting up to speed and carving time to show up online consistently. This article really strikes home. I work with several local business resource organizations and they've been trying to maintain that value added edge with only nominal online presence. I know at least one of the organizations I work with will take this to heart at our upcoming strategic planning session. Thanks for making us think!
Posted by Tshombe Brown, Portland, Oregon | Apr 25, 2008

This is a brilliant article, Kare. My mind it whirling with the possibilities.

Thank you. This article is a keeper.

Listen to the NEW Selling With Spirit Radio Hour
Posted by Barbara Saunders, Portland, Oregon | Apr 28, 2008

Hi Kare, This is a great and timely article that hits home with me. I've been running the self-employed creative professionals for about 8 years in Portland and am totally on board with all that you're saying. What we've found a huge barrier is funding and resources. We've got about 600 local members who all on board. I'd love a little more practical how-tos. Can you share some resources? We've been whacking away at it for a couple of years now and keep running into the 'money' barrier. Any one else out there got any ideas?
Posted by Barry Hurd, Everett, Washington | Apr 29, 2008

Barbara- the resources of setting up an online community have become amazingly cheap... and any group (more than 10?) should be able to monetize a properly setup network from many different angles.

I agree with the idea that associations need to convert faster, but most will fail to do so as the "entrenched membership" is usually controlled by a slightly older demographic that is not as tech savvy as its newer members.

A good case example is the National Association of Realtors- at 1.5 million strong, it doesn't have a good online community. Last year ActiveRain came along and recruiting 100k members in twelve months with a minimal start-up budget funded by two northwest souls.

However the 25k number in this article is way too high, association sites make sense at much smaller levels ranging from 5-500 strong. I drafted several different chamber of commerce, Letip, BNI, and industry conference models over the past two years- all which make sense from a financial standpoint.

For community sites to focus on an ad revenue model is almost a guaranteed path to suicide, even after 25,000 members. It is far more lucrative and sustainable to monetize users by providing members tools and additional channels for growth.
Posted by Banu Sekendur, Seattle, Washington | Apr 30, 2008

It's hard to follow Barry's comment but I really enjoyed your article Kare. Very informing...
Posted by Keith Gormezano, Seattle, Washington | May 04, 2008

Barry is right on target about why in person only networking groups need to be more savvy about adding online social networking to their offerings.

I recently had a chance to visit a local BNI (networking group) web site and found it very lacking in terms of describing what each member could do versus what they were doing. Only one person had a description about what they could do for a potential client.

Sometimes when you go to an event, all you get is a business card. Yet if you can look someone up on your network group's web site, it can awaken a reason to refer someone to them because now you know what they can do.

In comparison, when you look at many Biznik profiles, you can see what people can do for you or your referrals and what these groups could be doing for their members online presence but aren't which is why they can lose members to an online competitor.

Dr QuickBooks & Quicken: I make house calls to help you
Posted by Kare Anderson, Sausalito, California | May 05, 2008

Maria ..I agree. tagging is one of the most valuable social media tools for us to find topics and people.. . provides the same power of our relational databases - enabling us to find key words
Posted by Kare Anderson, Sausalito, California | May 05, 2008

Barbara, I've been on the road speaking for 15 days so this will be brief for now. Take a high-tech / high-touch approach: * online community provided with meaningful ways to connect, collaborate and buy and sell and rate each other's advice (as we do here at wonderful Biznik) * in-person conference and mini-meetings where the speakers are the top-rated members (and others). Source of money: 1. sponsors of specific parts of the online and in-person "events" and services 2. gift/prize providers (aka another way to sponsor + provide products/services) to award to highest-rated advice providers and speakers.

Also, negotiate with the most respected vendors that your kind of members needs. Ask for a special member price you can offer your members. Why? Because. as you attract more and more active members, you become increasingly attractive to sponsors + advertisers + gift/prize providers... so you can change them more.

I'll be savvy Dan, our esteemed Biznik founder has some announcements up his sleeve as he is growing this avid community.

Emulate some of those for your community.

See more ideas for making money via your community in my other articles here on partnering and at movingfrommetowe
Posted by Kare Anderson, Sausalito, California | May 05, 2008

Barry I respectfully disagree. It is from a Seattle-based monetizing expert (Bart Barden) that I learned about advertising/sponsorship levels.....more later cordially Kare
Posted by Kare Anderson, Sausalito, California | May 06, 2008

Here's a great (really!) step-by-step idea from "association inc." blog on how to involve members in creating content for a session.
http://www.associationinc.com/333

Those hosting Biznik events might incorporate it into their planning and post the results on "our" site here at Biznik...
Posted by Kare Anderson, Sausalito, California | May 29, 2008

Barbara Re funding for your 600-member org., involving social media: yes there are ways to attract sponsorship/advertising while providing more ways for members to collaborate, cross-consult, meet in person... Dan is doing many of them here. Yet with your group of peers you have even more opportunity. I am traveling alot right now yet it dawned on me that telebriefings, led by Biznik folks for each other might be valuable. .. say 30 minutes or 60 minute max. The "leader" speak for 10 minutes - 15 max then Q & A...are we doing that here yet?

It would be a helpful mode for many of us (I am down here in Sausalito)... including on this topic