The results are in...
Last week we asked members a few questions about what it was like being in the Bureau Community and what could make it better. I'm excited to share their responses and what the next chapter of the Bureau will look like. Spoiler Alert: We've got growing pains! Read on to learn more about the symptoms and our plans to treat them.
To Get Bigger We Have to Get Smaller
The Bureau started with 24 people getting together for a few days to share what was working and what wasn't at their shops. It was a big enough group to have a variety of perspectives and insights, but small enough that we really got to know each other.
In the 10 years since that first meeting, the Bureau has grown steadily. Then in 2020, things launched like a rocket. Bureau membership has grown by over 1,000% in the last two years. And with that kind of growth things can get a little shaky. But when asked, Bureau members responded that the value of being a member was a 4.3 out of 5. Whew!
Oh yeah? What's so great about it?
It turns out the top benefit of being a member is conversations in the Bureau Slack. This was far and away the top-ranked benefit. Here's the complete list ranked in terms of most value to least.
Slack conversations
Connecting with peers
In-person events
Online events
Resources
New business leads
Hmm... And what could be better?
Well, mostly things that used to work but seem to be a challenge as we get bigger. Most notably, smaller consistent groups to connect with. We tried a few things in this vein but could never find the right formula. But it's at the top of the list so challenge accepted! Here are the most requested changes/additions to the current Bureau offering.
Dedicated, smaller groups of peers to meet with
A directory that shows more about who’s here and what they’re looking for
Weekly roundup of Slack conversations
More free webinars
Formalized lead sharing
Local meetups
Upgraded resource library
Member swag
Better segmentation of information and communication
So now what?
All of the above ideas are great and will be on the road map. But there's something deeper at play here. Many of you have heard me talk about the challenge of scaling intimacy over the past few years. As I was reading through all of the responses something struck me: To get bigger we have to get smaller.
It's an idea we've played around with before. Breaking into baby Bureaus based on the context of who we are. Do you work for a digital shop, in-house team, dev agency, marketing firm, or maybe you provide services to the others I just listed. Well, then you have unique needs and shared ones.
And that's what the next chapter of the Bureau will be. Splitting into smaller groups where we can regain the intimacy of the early days but still connecting with everyone to leverage the collective knowledge of us all.
Stay tuned for more in the days, weeks, and months ahead.