Jump to content

Accordance Referral Program Feedback


Dr. Nathan Parker

Recommended Posts

Before I came to work for Accordance, I gave some feedback suggesting that Accordance users could attend some of the smaller meetings that Accordance staff may not be able to send a rep to attend and feature an Accordance sale in exchange for some module credits.

 

Accordance staff does attend many major meetings throughout the year (ETS/SBL is a biggie). I realized when I attended my local state’s Baptist convention meeting, that there are likely numerous smaller meetings/conferences that Accordance isn’t aware of and likely couldn’t attend all of them, but that Accordance users are attending regularly.

 

Now that I’m working for Accordance, I’d like to bring up my own feedback again and pitch it to customers. If we had some form of “ambassador” referral program where you as an Accordance user could attend a meeting/conference you were planning to attend and be able to feature certain Accordance packages and sales items at the conference in exchange for some book credits, would you be interested?

 

Such a program wouldn’t be what the other guys did with their “ambassador” program where you’d have to make a certain quota of sales each year and be treated as a quasi-sales rep for the company. I’m thinking more of an extension on the referral program where you give out a coupon code of the items on sale during the meeting/conference, and in return, you get some Accordance credit, similar to how current referral programs work with Accordance.

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Nathan, that is likely a good idea. I have not run across information on the referral program. Is there a link describing it?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was last mentioned in 2018 on the blog:

 

https://www.accordancebible.com/Accordance-Referral-Program/

 

I can double-check with sales to see if any changes have been made to it. It used to have a dedicated page on the website, but I can’t find it since we switched to the new website.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would be interested. But one thing I would caution, try to work with the community in regards to roles being played. 

 

I would love to go and see a booth set up but here are several questions:

 

1. Will Accordance pay for the booth? 

2. What if the ones who want to do this are also required to be delegates for our congregation to the meeting itself (I am a delegate) 

3. Would Accordance be willing to handle the initial approval process to get a booth in the first place? 

4. When dealing with denominational collections, will that be put together BEFORE the meetings, or put together as purchases come in? 

5. Will the price point be specific on cost? What about discounts if purchased there at the meetings themselves? 

 

 

These are just a few questions I have. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the questions. I don’t have anything specific to answer them at the moment (since this is just an exploration for user feedback, not an official program we’re offering yet), but we’ll keep your questions in mind if we explore this further.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. I knew it wasn't live, but just musing a little. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What my original feedback pre-my Accordance employment was considering less of a booth (since that would look too much like a non-employed user acting as an official Accordance sales rep) and more of just allowing the Accordance user to “talk up” Accordance to anyone interested at such an event, giving them a flyer with a coupon/referral code on the sales if someone was interested. More of an enhanced referral program than a user trying to function as a quasi-sales rep for the company (which is what the other guys did). They can stand in one area of the event or simply walk around the event and chat with other people. The key would be a “no pressure” talking up of Accordance. We wouldn’t pressure the user to reach a certain quota of sales (unlike the other guys’ program) and the user wouldn’t need to pressure anyone into making any sales. They just casually tell people who are interested they love Accordance, here’s why they love Accordance, and here’s a great event-specific sale on some starter collections and targeted modules for the event. The people interested place the orders directly with Accordance, they get a great sale, the Accordance user gets some store credit, and Accordance makes some additional sales from the event. Everyone wins.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting. Let me ponder that as I may have some ideas there. Thanks. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm kind of interested, depending on how it works. I've got some contacts in fields (physical and occupational) where there are virtually no accordance users. However . . . this would entirely depend on how the program is managed. To be honest, the other app and their ambassadors feels like multilevel marketing. I could say more, but I won't. Suffice it to say, I'm not a fan of their approach and will not be associated with that!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Nathan Parker said:

What my original feedback pre-my Accordance employment was considering less of a booth (since that would look too much like a non-employed user acting as an official Accordance sales rep) and more of just allowing the Accordance user to “talk up” Accordance to anyone interested at such an event, giving them a flyer with a coupon/referral code on the sales if someone was interested. More of an enhanced referral program than a user trying to function as a quasi-sales rep for the company (which is what the other guys did). They can stand in one area of the event or simply walk around the event and chat with other people. The key would be a “no pressure” talking up of Accordance. We wouldn’t pressure the user to reach a certain quota of sales (unlike the other guys’ program) and the user wouldn’t need to pressure anyone into making any sales. They just casually tell people who are interested they love Accordance, here’s why they love Accordance, and here’s a great event-specific sale on some starter collections and targeted modules for the event. The people interested place the orders directly with Accordance, they get a great sale, the Accordance user gets some store credit, and Accordance makes some additional sales from the event. Everyone wins.

 

TBH, I do this already. Both for sales and PR/damage control. But, as I expressed to whomever manages the accordance Facebook page, I feel like doing this well would require some formal communication with the accordance team-marketing and otherwise. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any program we would launch would offer formal communication with the Accordance team, probably me as one point-of-contact, as well as other trainers and staff members. You wouldn’t be completely on your own, and we’d likely offer some form of onboarding webinar.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other Bible software companies have affiliate programs where you get a link to give away and get 10% of sales. I aggressively promote this on my website only to help pay for the cost of running the site. I'd be happy to do the same with Accordance and told Rick so in the past. I think he was met with disinterest from the higher ups. But this would mean we could promote the program and it would be incentivized.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would be interested too. I have a couple events I could set up at.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After thinking of this for a little, here are my thoughts:

 

1. I believe the packages as well as pricing should be set up first and then written down in a small flyer handout. 

2. If ordered at the conferences, or meetings, a discount should be applicable to those at the meeting. 

3. To get into the meeting, I believe it should be Accordance who works the details to get permission to be in the meeting itself and then the users can do some of the work from the inside. This can be done by the marketing to communicate with the different leadership.

4. If an option to run a booth is available, I believe Accordance should do that, or have a booth set up and then the users can run it as possible. I will be going to my first Annual Meeting this year so I will be able to see the layout and the way it is structured. I would have better information with my previous denomination but our church is no longer with them. 

5. If there are going to be questions asked, I believe there should be a debriefing of information to help us better answer questions as we may only know our experience but not beyond that. 

 

These are just my thoughts. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/8/2023 at 3:11 PM, Nathan Parker said:

Before I came to work for Accordance, I gave some feedback suggesting that Accordance users could attend some of the smaller meetings that Accordance staff may not be able to send a rep to attend and feature an Accordance sale in exchange for some module credits.

 

Accordance staff does attend many major meetings throughout the year (ETS/SBL is a biggie). I realized when I attended my local state’s Baptist convention meeting, that there are likely numerous smaller meetings/conferences that Accordance isn’t aware of and likely couldn’t attend all of them, but that Accordance users are attending regularly.

 

Now that I’m working for Accordance, I’d like to bring up my own feedback again and pitch it to customers. If we had some form of “ambassador” referral program where you as an Accordance user could attend a meeting/conference you were planning to attend and be able to feature certain Accordance packages and sales items at the conference in exchange for some book credits, would you be interested?

 

Such a program wouldn’t be what the other guys did with their “ambassador” program where you’d have to make a certain quota of sales each year and be treated as a quasi-sales rep for the company. I’m thinking more of an extension on the referral program where you give out a coupon code of the items on sale during the meeting/conference, and in return, you get some Accordance credit, similar to how current referral programs work with Accordance.

 

Thanks!

With all the problems that beset Accordance 14, you are asking about referral suggestions? Again, using the airplane analogy, the "newest and improved" airliner has just crashed. The technicians are trying to figure out why it crashed, and there are all kinds of promises that the next "update" will prevent the next plane from crashing, but low-and-behold, another plane goes down. Does it seem wise or even rational for company spokespersons to be asking about referrals to get another load of passengers on the next plane, until all the bugs are truly worked out? Right now, I would not refer Accordance 14 to anyone, and I would be hesitant to refer them to Accordance 13 because of what is going on with Accordance 14. Accordance needs to clean up its act before asking for suggestions on how its product can be referred. Otherwise, it is like Accordance does not care about the passengers it wants to board its plane. If it crashes and burns, oh well. Another update is on the way—eventually. As for the passengers, it was their fault. They will just have to wait. Really?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I originally posted some of this feedback before I came to work for Accordance. Now that I’m in an official position at Accordance, I wanted to followup with the feedback I submitted as a customer and generate some discussion/interest on this.

 

If Accordance were to ever consider implementing such a program (right now, this, along with the rest of my recent “marketing feedback” posts on here, are merely brainstorming so I can get a chance to hear from customers firsthand on various topics that have come up in customer feedback over the years), this would be something in the future, after the remaining bugs in Accordance 14 are resolved.

 

As a member of the Accordance family, it’s my job to work on both the current battles (collecting bug reports on Accordance 14 to ensure those get resolved) and make plans for future Accordance projects. To solely focus on the current and not include a focus on the future would be shortsighted. One day in the near future, the remaining bugs in Accordance 14 will be resolved, the page/chapter will have turned on the buggy launch of Accordance 14, then it’ll be time to focus on “what’s next”. At that time, instead of “dropping the ball/momentum”, knowing we’ve had some customer feedback on what to implement next will be important. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Nathan Parker

It's tricky navigating both the now and the after at the same time, but I think you're doing it well.

For future-facing threads, you might want to link to one of your explanation posts up front (like the one just above) so that it's clear you're prepping for the future, not promoting a buggy version.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good feedback. Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...