Click here to see a copy of the letter sent to Victorian Newsagents on Monday announcing The Futures Project, the new business management and marketing group established by VANA. As I blogged last week, this group is not the work an association should engage in, especially not VANA when their record on member representation has not been good.
The Futures Project cuts across what some marketing groups already do. It also cuts across some of what newsagent GNS does for newsagents. Curiously, VANA has developed this new commercial activity without involving either group.
The then VANA Chairman, CEO and another Director presented this project to the ANF six months ago. My understanding is that the ANF passed on supporting the project.
I approached the VANA CEO when I heard about this project two months ago. I expressed concerns that VANA was ignoring association work in pursuit of commercial activity. He assured me it was not what I thought. The announcement this week suggests otherwise. For the record, I note that I have had no other discussion with VANA about the project nor have I been I invited to any such discussion by VANA.
Newsagent Associations have an appalling track record on commercial activity. They would we well advised to focus on association services.
Have members asked the association to construct a marketing group or are they going off on a tangent?
I would be interested on what VANA member think of this.
My only comment is I am very relieved that I am not a member of VANA or any other Association.
As a Vana member, I’m mystified why they would choose this direction – especially when they had a chance to redefine their position. It must be the wish of a few select members and I certainly won’t be financing their commercial endeavours. I can’t see any representative benefit to the majority of members from this proposal.
Tim,
I have received emails and calls from at least 25 VANA members who would agree with you 100%.
Mark
VANA has lost me with this new project. I asked them for advice on bill express last week and they could not help. They are too busy trying to take over the world with a project which will fail. I am not going to pay them $500 a month when they cannot provide basic advice I need as a small newsagent.
Newsagents
I was thinking about $1200.00-$1500.00 a year to be a member of an Association.
Frank says he pays $500.00 a month which adds up to about $6000.00 a year to belong to an Association.
Please put me in my place because I currently cannot see value for money, I am sure it was in the past when we did not have the world at our fingertips. I can only assume people are happy to pay this money.
Derek,
I think Frank meaning the $500 a month VANA wants for its new Futures Project.
My membership is $1,800 a year. If was receiving value for money on association services I would be happy. Instead I see my money spent on poor advice, poor service, failing commercial projects and protection for a mates club.
VANA should be by and for all newsagents.
Mark
Mark- Ta
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink it. Their is so much open and transparent information on this Blog that some decisions to do with one’s business should be easier to make.
I cannot justify paying any Association except a United National one.
I have revised my own thinking with the knowledge of other business people’s accumen, A Newsagent needs to be associated with a Newsagent Marketing group.