theNIRD just starts the conversation: your recent comments

I love hearing from readers. Comments are always welcome, and you can even share your thoughts with me anonymously. Here are some of the comments posted to theNIRD in the past week:

Wild Apricot’s founder, Dmitry Buterin, chimed in on my analysis of Personify’s acquisition of his company:

Ben, your analysis is right on point – and that’s why we decided to go with it. BTW, WA has over 10,000 paying clients and also a bunch on free plans.

Kevin Ordonez, one of the founders of Avectra, and now with .orgSource in Chicago, on my analysis of the spate of recent down-market acquisitions:

Another possible reason is that there were trillions of dollars on the sideline right now and investors need to get that off their books…this also might mean some of these companies are getting inflated valuations. Just saying…

Meredith Low, a consultant from Toronto, also chimed in on the down-market consolidation:

Thanks for the summary. I’d add an implication to your list. Typically there are challenges with post-acquisition integration go much broader than what is visible to customers. There may be both voluntary and involuntary moves among staff, including some excellent folks who for whatever reason don’t find themselves a home in the new, bigger entity.

This means that if anyone in the association technology space is looking to staff up, they should keep an eye on the staff from both recently-acquired companies, and their purchasers.

And finally, Paul Keogan, a nonprofit technology consultant in West Chester, PA, on my analysis of Higher Logic’s acquisition of Informz and Real Magnet.

Clients that use Higher Logic most often integrate with an AMS/CRM (Salesforce, iMIS, etc.) Most of these AMS/CRMs have build-in or tightly integrated mass mailing platforms and some have advanced marketing automation platforms as well.

Higher Logic must think bundling the email marketing platforms with Higher Logic’s engagement platform and improving automation rules platform will help them win more business because they offer a more complete solution. This should be true in the iMIS world, or less sophisticated organizations not using some of Salesforce’s higher end marketing tools or integrations.

Author: Ben Martin, CAE

Chief Engagement Officer at Online Community Results, and Founder of theNIRD.org.