Several years ago I ran across Simon Sinek's book and Ted Talk, "Start with Why".

It's a business book that completely uproots your perspective of how to represent your value proposition. Most organizations tell you about WHAT they do. For instance, Dell sells computers. Kellogg sells cereal.

The philosophy in "Start with Why" suggests that the best customers don't buy WHAT your selling, but more WHY your selling it. It's the meaning behind the value proposition that becomes context for everything you do.

It's that meaning, that purpose, that connects you with your constituents. And then the WHAT you do and the HOW you do it falls in place better. Without a WHY, you're selling features and benefits.

If you're an association, are your members really invested in your organization? Do they really identify as a member of your organization? Or are they there for the discounts? Or the cheaper conference registration?

At PropFuel we've been exploring our WHY.

WHY: We believe that everyone is unique. Everyone is an individual. Every single person is on their own journey. And everyone deserves to be treated as an individual. Everything we do, starts there.

HOW: We use our "intelligent engagement" process of asking questions and following through with automated actions to personalize engagement at scale.

WHAT: We've designed a "Voice of the Member" platform to help associations identify what each member needs and give it to them when they need it.

Here's a 'splainer video that speaks to some of that: