What do associations and great products have in common?

Written by Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE

(Photo: Adobe Stock)

Great products solve problems.

As any working parent can tell you, making dinner after a long day of work is never an easy task, even if dinner is just a simple pasta dish. You need to wait for the water to boil in one pot, warm some marinara sauce in another pan, and sauté or heat some vegetables in a third dish or pan. Once dinner is ready, you have a stack of pots, pans, dishes and a strainer to clean.

One company, however, has changed the way people will think about cooking pasta. Barilla® Pronto offers an easy-to-prepare pasta that is ready in minutes. The pasta is prepared in one pot or pan – no need to wait for water to boil, and no draining required. Just toss in your sauce and vegetables after the water disappears, and mealtime prep is faster and easier.

Pasta is a commodity, and the process for making a pasta dinner has not changed in the decades since it became a staple for many families…until now.

Education and information, like pasta, is often viewed as a commodity. Although the quality of some programs and speakers may differ, next best alternatives offered by publishers, competing associations or employers might be free or less expensive. If a member is seeking to fulfill a continuing education requirement or wishes to stay up-to-date on changes in the profession, there are many options to choose from. To differentiate your organization, you need to rethink how your programs and products can solve problems. How can your organization change the way members think about staying up-to-date?

Posted on October 6, 2015