WAS - KFactor Now "Members"

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

--On Sunday, November 03, 2002 10:36 AM -0500 Rick Sweeney <rswee at carolina.rr.com> wrote:

> It has been my experience that whenever you give away anything for 
> free, it is never considered valuable or fully appreciated. 

That is a well-established principle in psychology and in
Marketing 101.  People value what they pay for.

> My recommendation would be to increase the dues, 
> and lock down this list and the NSRCA website 
> to paying members only. 

The dues are going down for next year: $30 for
U.S. members.

I think we want part of the website open to all
visitors so that they can get some sense of what
pattern is all about--especially beginners who
want to test the waters.

I'm not sure we want to close this list to
newcomers.  We might want a separate, closed
list for making NSRCA policy decisions.  Or
have polls that are for NSRCA members only.
But we have an image problem.  We're perceived
as self-centered, stuck-up, and cold-hearted 
perfectionists, even though we know that we
are not like that at all.  :o)  I think it might
be good to leave this list open to all comers
and to accomplish other goals using other
techniques on the web site.

> With the increase in dues you can start paying the 
> volunteers which will motivate them to keep things more 
> up to date and fresh, which will create a better overall 
> experience for everyone.........IMHO 

I've been part of the web team since the beginning
as a pure volunteer.  I wouldn't mind getting a small
honorarium for the work I've done--say, free dues,
as the AMA seems to be doing with CDs. (Hmm, I just
opened my renewal notice and it looks like I'm only
getting a 50% reduction this year ... anyway, it's
something.)  But I volunteered to work for nothing,
and I'll continue to do so even if the membership
doesn't think my time is worth anything.  :-O

				Marty #2874 (AMA CD 5760)
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