Ed Gilligan, American Express Company's vice-chairman, offered three hints that apply to associations as much as they do the corporate audience he wrote to in How To Keep B2B Customers in a Downturn.You have to read about his Sunday midnight call from a client ... its clear American Express has earned its rights to brag that its members have privileges.

Another take on membership picked by ever-observant Kevin Holland -- this one does for magazines what Netflix did for movies. All of which gives us food for thought for associations. Hmmm. More here.

Maddie Grant continues the debate on membership pricing models in her posting More on Free is the Future with a strong 'yes' to Scott Oser's question "Would mission be as important if anyone could join just by signing up for free" posed in response to Maddie's other posting on the subject (see a pattern here?).