Are You Charging Extra for Certain Membership Features

This is an interesting statement. Remember, if you've met one chamber, you've met one chamber.

But for discussion purposes, how many chambers are in the ribbon cutting business?

Every chamber executive I talk to that has a robust ribbon cutting program talk about how their members love it.

Well, that's a great opportunity to charge a premium for that feature. That's a special member feature that they should pay a premium for.  It's not a member benefit.  The benefit is awareness of the business to the community from the press received at the event.

Let's take a minute to have a discussion on the difference between a member feature and a member benefit.  And by the way, I've been guilty of using the two words interchangeably.

But, let's be clear, the difference can be illustrated in the following examples:

Member Feature vs Member Benefit

  • 4 tires, two doors on a car vs transportation to the airport
  • Educational program vs knowledge to comply with a new regulation
  • Ribbon cutting ceremony vs public awareness and new business
  • Tissue vs germ free

Talk about the benefits of joining your organization not the features you provide.

Specialize in something!