"Well, there is a technique available—albeit cutting edge—that could save 6% more lives a year if understood and used properly … but we just can’t afford to send you to the conference to learn about it.”
Suze Orman probably doesn’t need to be around to remind you that this would be a “good debt” to incur.
Never before have there been so many reasons to make an investment in opportunities and technologies that will streamline effort and cost required to stay connected, educated, and ahead of the competition. Demand for education has certainly not declined proportionally with market financial trends: ACCME reports that CME-related activities are up 20%, participant volume is up 5%, and credit issuance is up 4% in 2008 (outdated material -- anything for 2009?). These trends certainly don’t describe a recession. Nevertheless, Las Vegas has seen 402 conferences cancelled from October, 2008 to mid-March, 2009 (at a cost of $166 million to the local economy) and the city has suffered a loss of an equivalent 95,000 hotel rooms. Now, these trends certainly do describe a recession. What is the gap? Where is this demand going? (Hint: It’s probably not to Atlantic City, just because it’s a little less chic.)
The fact is that the demand for knowledge and education will never change. However, the way in which people approach getting this information will change in a highly reactive fashion. Technology has enabled many advances in the ability to not only conduct research, to network and to attend “virtually,” but also to reduce costs like print and travel. Sounds like a solution, right? However, how many association events can you name that are suddenly taking place on Facebook with a overwhelming success? The proof is in the reality: it is much easier to identify ideas that feel like slick wins than to actually execute and deliver.
“You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.”
– Warren Buffett, 2001
Proven technology is hard-to-come-by since technology is always changing. The organization that I work with, OASIS, has been the leading provider of abstract submission, invitation, and event content planning software for over twelve years. That is a long time! Although the initial benefits that are apparent from using OASIS include gained efficiencies, such as reduced staff involvement and travel cost from an online abstract submission and review process, the visible member benefits are clear as well. OASIS offers tools such as Digital Posters, which offers the ability to have access to multimedia presentation content without ever leaving home. Remember the Facebook example? In comparison, associations are using and loving Digital Posters today. In fact, the European Congress of Radiology is not only using it to allow attendees to participate from home, but also to show their poster long after the congress. This is a concept that works immediately.
Another consideration when making a reactive change in a volatile economy is choosing your battles wisely. If the strength of your organization is not running complex technology, why bother to start now? OASIS is delivered as a service, meaning that your already stretched-thin team will not have the burden or overhead of additional IT infrastructure and cost. It seems smarter to focus energy on delivering the best programming content possible, which is what your members need now, more than ever.
In a chaotic world, being idealistic about how to stay afloat simply will not work. Your organization and members require substance that is proven and allows your organization to retain the essence of what an association stands for: access to community and collective knowledge. OASIS can help you save cost and gain efficiency to survive the storm. Send me a note or a comment today. I’m excited to share all the different ways in which OASIS is preparing to help your association stay not just afloat—but ahead—in these trying times.
No comments:
Post a Comment