It's all relative...
Over the course of my 22 years of consulting, I've consulted with well over 250 associations. And in that same time, I've probably spoken with an additional 1,000 or more. And one thing that still makes me chuckle is when someone says something along the lines of "We're a small association" or "We have a small budget" or "We can't afford anything too expensive."
And the reason I chuckle is that all of these things are relative. I've had associations with 50 staff say they are a "small association" (trying telling an association of four staff that that is "small") and I've had clients tell me that their "small budget" was "only" $200,000.
So my point is very simple: When describing your organization, your budget, or your project, don't use general terms like "small" or "large." Be specific. Because what's "large" or "small" to you may mean just the opposite to the person you're talking with.
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Pennywise and pound foolish
Pennywise and pound foolish One definition of the phrase “pennywise and pound foolish” is to […]
How you respond matters
How you respond matters Very recently I wrote that I measure customer service by how […]
Your one non-renewable resource
Your one non-renewable resource For any project, the three primary resources are time, money, and […]
No system is perfect
No system is perfect When working with my clients on the selection of a new […]
Ask your members to update their info
Ask your members to update their info One of the greatest data management challenges any association […]
Customer vs. staff
Customer vs. staff In a properly designed AMS, when the customer goes online to your […]
Measuring customer service
Measuring customer service When I work with clients on AMS selection, one question that often […]
Iterate or innovate?
Iterate or innovate? When moving to a new association management system, there is often an implicit […]
Who is in control?
Who is in control? Speaking with a client once about their database project, the client […]
Sometimes Staff Has to do the Work
Sometimes staff has to do the work… As a child, I was attracted to computers […]
