Note: AMADC is the Washington, DC chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) , which is a membership organization with chapters around the country. I am not a member of AMADC.

Earlier today, the AMADC tweeted out about their upcoming happy hour (or AMA Networking Events as they call them) at a DC restaurant. I clicked on the link and found out that to attend the happy hour, non-members must pay $45 while members can attend free. According to what I saw, the happy hour/networking event is a chance to mingle with other people. This is a description from the AMADC website:
<blockquote>AMADC Networking Events are the place to get dialed into the DC marketing community. Make alliances for your business, find your next great employee, get active in the AMA, get career advice or maybe get your next job. Be sure to bring a ton of business cards, you are going to need them</blockquote>
There is no program, no speaker and at least from what I can see, no food or drink included in the price of admission. Just a chance to meet people (maybe).

Here's my response:

<a href="http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/amadc.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2776 size-full" src="http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/amadc.jpg" alt="amadc" width="1296" height="864" /></a>

According to the @AMADC response above, the free happy hour for members is a "main benefit of membership." This however, is not even mentioned in the <a href="http://www.amadc.org/membership/local-benefits" target="_blank">AMADC's website membership benefits page</a>.

(Annual membership in AMADC is $285, of which $220 is for national dues and $65 for chapter dues.)

If I am understanding this correctly, members get to feel as though they are "saving" $45 for each "networking event. "They don't have to pay extra to attend. And while this may be a benefit of membership, just how valuable is it? <strong>Remember cost is not equivalent to value. </strong>

Perhaps a better question is what is the reason or goal for the AMADC happy hours? Are they simply membership perks? If so, fine. But, if these happy hours/networking events are also a chance to reach out to non-members and perhaps even to recruit new members, then charging $45 is not accomplishing that goal. I can tell you that from experience, specifically with the AMADC.

When I first moved to DC nearly ten years ago, I attended one of the AMADC happy hours at a bar downtown. The cost then was $25 (why the nearly 100% increase is another question, considering that AMADC is not providing anything).  I got to the bar, where I knew nobody.  There was a section reserved for the AMA (not in a private room, but right off the main bar, and not even clearly marked off). They offered no snacks, or drinks (or even discount drinks other than the regular happy hour stuff ). There were no name tags or e. Nobody offered to act as an AMA ambassador. I talked to a couple of folks, but trying to have a conversation over the game blaring on the TV sets was near impossible. In short, it was a colossal waste of time and money. I could've just gone to the bar, ordered a beer, sat right next to the AMA DC section, and saved myself $25.

Meanwhile, the other membership organizations in town also host monthly happy hours. For the record, this charge of $45 for a happy hour is the highest I have seen for this type of event. For example, IABCDC does not charge for its happy hours. Various communications meetups such as DC Flacks don't charge either. Some do charge admission (like the PRSA), but include a drink and/or appetizers.

Other organizations charge between $35 and $65 for nonmembers to attend chapter meetings, professional development events or luncheons/dinners. In fact, AMADC charges $50 to nonmembers and $30 for members for its professional development events. At a professional development event or meal, people are getting a tangible benefit. People pay for the chance to learn something or to eat something all the time.

Why would networking be considered a more important benefit than professional development? Why not make professional development the perk of membership?

Obviously, when there is a cost involved for the organization (the meal, the room rental, etc.), there is a reason to charge both members and non-members. Many organizations use sponsorships to defray the overhead charges, and so that they can offer discounts to their members. For the upcoming AMADC happy hour, there is a organization sponsoring the event. In fact, I would venture that the organization is not paying anything for the happy hour, and will in fact be making money from any non-members who attend. Perhaps then, the cost is to make money for the organization.

Still, I would like to know what a non-member is getting for his/her $45 investment. Yes, I understand there is a networking opportunity. But as mentioned above, there are many other free and lower cost opportunities in town. Plus going to a happy hour at a loud bar is not necessarily the best way to network.

AMADC should decide whether it is trying to attract new members or not and how to best do it. In my opinion, charging $45 for

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