The idea of membership is not new. Churches, social clubs, professional associations, insurance companies and book clubs have long used membership as a means of building loyalty and connection among the people affiliated with their organizations. The membership model makes sense to both to organizations and individuals. Executives and investors like the model because it reduces uncertainty in their revenue streams. When done correctly, memberships appeal to customers too. They appreciate the stability and convenience of the relationship, and are also able to fulfill the human need to belong and to connect with others.
The advent of the consumer internet, social networks and mobile devices have dramatically enhanced the ability of a broad range of industries to rethink their business models, introducing ideas of sharing, subscribing and connecting in surprising new ways. Join Membership guru Robbie Kellman Baxter to explore how companies like Airbnb, RelayRides and Bag, Borrow or Steal as well as blue chips like Netflix, Facebook and Apple are moving from ownership to access and from customer transactions to member relationships.
We’ll dig into the technology behind the apps, industries most affective and opportunities for entrepreneurs to ride this wave into the future. Don’t miss this exciting interview!
Robbie Kellman Baxter is a sought after consultant and speaker with over fifteen years of experience advising fast growth companies in Silicon Valley—from Netflix, Oracle, and Yahoo!, to dozens of successful venture-backed startups. She has been advising businesses with subscription-based business models and driving substantial and consistent results for over a decade. Robbie frequently appears in major media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the San Francisco Chronical and CNN.com. An expert on subscriptions, sharing and loyalty, as well as innovative business models in general, Robbie is currently working on a book for McGraw-Hill, entitled The Membership Economy.
IMI TechTalk 