Debby Cole wrote:
Debby; Presently the AIS charges $10 for the Iris Register whether you are a member or not. Current forms of memberships do not cover their expenses with their membership fees, primarily because the printing of the bulletin takes almost all those fees. If we gave away these additional services; the bulletin digitally and Iris register to all members we would destroy one more revenue stream. By creating an e-membership we are able to offer a lower cost membership to those who are willing to have their bulletin digitally and not in print. This low cost membership may attract web-surfers who would not commit to a $25 print membership but would try a $15 membership. If we look at Daves Garden we see they have 500,000 non-paying members. Before it became so commercial they had 8,000 paid subscribers. Since they became more commercial being bought by a corporation they have lost about 2,000 of those subscribers. Those that I have talked with purchased their subscriptions because they felt the service to the horticultural community was needed and there subscription was a form of micro-philanthropy. One could call this the public television or public radio model. If we do this well we can expect that this type of micro-philanthropy will help us with e-memberships.
The Iris Encyclopedia is a noble project that many support. If it is made clear that it is always free, but one can support its work by taking out an e-membership, I have believe we could gain many new members. I believe it has potential for increasing the membership of all Iris groups that have been helping. But a key to that working, is that an e-membership be an uncomplicated choice. It should be a simple decision for the web surfer. I would like to be an e-member, YES or NO. If they would like to have it continue they should have the choice of its automatic renewal. But it should not have single verses dual, Three year verses one year, or life, or student verses adult, and combination verses non combination. One of the reasons people do not do things is because they are presented with too many choices. The e-membership is low enough that it is not a hardship for those that would want bothprint and e and really utilize these services. But many members who do not feel the need to help the organization and may use the electronic services rarely and have no interest in them. We live in a new age and I would suggest that the new reality is that many people who are not members now would prefer this type of option. Members who desire both types of service can have both but the cost should not change so we do not create another form of membership (combined) that costs less and does not pay for its expense.
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The Strategic Planning committee is proposing a change to the AIS Bylaws for addition of an electronic membership class to Article III, Section 2 of the bylaws. The proposed amendment of the bylaws change is to add class f as follows:
(f) electronic membership, which shall include the Bulletin available electronically, and other electronic services as they become available. Electronic membership shall include full membership privileges in the AIS, but does not duplicate privileges for those choosing to have both electronic membership and another class of membership.
Gary White, Chairman Strategic Planning Committee |