itSMF global members/sponsors: dropping your pants is not a good business model

This article has been podcast

One correction to my recent itSMF revenue guesstimates. There are currently six global members (read: sponsors) not eight [and now this article is corrected again: there are SIX not five. Will the global sponsors please stand still... no my error this time].

I had a woo woo moment when I saw this - I could have sworn there were eight there when I looked the other day. It could be that it was updated very recently or it could be we see what we expect to see.

Thank heavens for Google cache: I'm not going potty. [Well I probably am, but this is not yet another symptom]. If you are quick before Google updates you will see that as at 21st May 2007 there were still eight on the list. Now there are six. How about Microsoft and BMC eh?

That's pretty easy to figure. Read the signs. Fees go from £5000(40000/8) to £20000 per year. The value of the sponsorship is pumped up with a "special price for you my friend" deal on V3 subscriptions and a top-of-the-page promotional campaign.

Microsoft march to their own drummer - who knows why they do anything - but BMC dropping out is, I think, significant in the perceived value of itSMFI. I hope itSMFI can attract a few more global members, and I hope they can do it without selling out the local chapters any further. Continually dropping your pants is not a good business model: if we can't attract sponsors without deep discounts, something more fundamental is amiss.

Comments

And then there were 5 global members

I note that itSMFI are now down to five global members
HP - Member since January 2002
IBM - Member since January 2002
Computer Associates - Member since January 2002
Sun Microsystems - Member since January 2002
Dimension Data - Member since 2006

What was the quid pro quo?

If they "dropped their pants" and gave a big discount, then there must have been some (not yet visible) quid pro quo.

Or, perhaps, despite the fact you've pointed out several times - that itSMF exists for the sole purpose of promoting ITIL - the vendors that are the sponsors have re-evaluated their ROI and found the return less than desired.

itSMF-USA does little to help promote other than Vendors.

Or, perhaps another explanation?

Where's the Value?

itSMF-USA, the best association money can buy!

Too late - they've been bought

Too late - they have been bought...

Syndicate content