Thanks for your comment! I agree that association and supplier leaders are generally more patient and better understand the benefits of relationship building (than, say, furniture salespeople). I think your assessment that “associations may realize better results by first welcoming people into the community and selling them stuff later, when they are likely to be more committed and once they have begun developing loyalty to the group” is spot-on. The key during that courting period is to cultivate trust, deliver positive experiences, ensure quality customer service, demonstrate value and leverage curated content (a point I made last week). Ultimately, these good faith efforts to develop meaningful relationships will promote member, vendor and client loyalty (and, if we’re lucky, trigger a phenomenon whereby our supporters become our best advocates).

Sales people often think they are building relationships but they are really rushing the process. They try to be your friend (and bore you with their life story) when you don’t even know them. They want to make the sale first (often because they are paid to do that) and worry about the relationship later, if at all. I’ve found business owners are more patient and better understand the benefits of relationship building.

Associations, where possible, may realize better results by first welcoming people into the community and selling them stuff later, when they are likely to be more committed and once they have begun developing loyalty to the group.