The difference between being a subscriber and being a member of an organisation

The Times (of London) runs a very broad scheme offering a range of benefits and rewards to its readers who subscribe, Times+.  Interestingly I received a survey from them this morning asking a number of questions, including "the difference between being a subscriber and being a member of an organisation".  They then go on to ask the more direct "To what extent do you consider yourself a member of Times+?".  This presages the launch of an "Introduce-a-Friend" scheme, but raises an interesting challenge for any organisation offering benefits and rewards.

There is a plethora of rewards, benefits, discounts, and vouchers to be had. You can't open your inbox without being offered 10% discounts on something. A myriad of websites exist to exchange information on available discount codes. How to stand out in this, less than appealing, crowd?  The answer is membership. Significantly, The Times' website is call www.mytimesplus.co.uk/.

We don't want to collect vouchers and coupons but we all want to save money. There is a special satisfaction in knowing we have really saved money. If everyone can do it, then it's just a price cut. We don't feel that we have saved anything. We want to feel exclusive, special.

Around three-quarters of British adults are members of at least one organisation or subscribe to a service.[Source: ComRes]. So what is the difference?  I think of my subscriptions as regular payments in exchange for a particular service. So this includes my Sky TV, my mobile phone, my gym, my insurance policies, my banking, and my newspaper. The iMember website confirms that nearly all of these offer some fringe benefits above and beyond the service I am paying for.  So what does membership offer that a subscription doesn't?  Do The AA's members feel any different from Green Flag's customers?

The membership we have of clubs, societies, unions, and professional bodies is different because, in addition to the services they provide, membership offers less tangible benefits: a sense of shared interest, a common purpose with a community of like-minded people, and more than anything, a feeling of belonging and recognition. We carry our membership cards with pride. This comes back to feeling special. It's being part of a club that not everyone else is in. I can enjoy the fringe benefits that membership brings because of who I am, rather than simply because I can afford to subscribe to something.  Membership is part of my identity,it reflects my interests, my concerns, my passions, whereas subscription is just shopping.

Going to University? Which ones offer the best benefits?

If you're applying to get into university it may seem as if you have to do everything you can to impress them. But they are keen to impress you too. So keen in fact, that many British universities offer a host of benefits simply by being a student there.   These can range from discounts on books (clearly useful), to cheap wine (clearly essential).  Here's a list of the top twenty universities in the UK offering the most benefits.  

 

Southampton University

Gloucestershire University

University of Oxford

University of Wolverhampton

Hertfordshire University

Heriot-Watt University

Robert Gordon University

University of East Anglia

Anglia Ruskin University

Lincoln University

University College London

University of The Arts London

University of Cambridge

Central Lancashire University

Aberdeen University

East London University

Bath University

Kingston University

Sheffield Hallam University

Coventry University

iMember helps to light up lives of children with life-threatening illnesses

At iMember we understand that the state of the economy means that every penny matters to the UK consumer. With a greater number of people in need and fewer donations coming in, charities also struggle to make ends meet as a result. That is why, in addition to saving the average UK consumer over £100 a year, iMember.co.uk has pledged to donate money that would usually be spent on promotional activities to children’s charity, Lifelites.

Not content with simply saving UK consumers over £100 each a year through offers they are usually unaware of or forget about, iMember is now giving away 5p per new sign up – with a minimum donation set at £250 - to provide education and entertainment technologies to children with short life expectancies.

iMember (http://imember.co.uk/) is a revolutionary new website and app that alerts and reminds UK consumers about money off deals to which they are entitled as members of clubs and organisations – all completely free of charge. To sign up and trigger a donation to Lifelites simply follow this link: http://imember.co.uk?promo=lifelites .

“Helping charities is a natural progression for iMember” said Richard Brown, Founder of the organisation. “As a company, we offer help to people; saving them money and helping them get the most out of their memberships and I am very proud that we are branching out to supporting the incredible work carried out by Lifelites.”

 

In order to start saving money and make the most of your memberships, visit iMember.co.uk via http://imember.co.uk?promo=lifelites and 5p will go towards giving children with limited life unlimited possibilities.