You will only gain more members if you are perceived by potential members as being an attractive and valuable group. They react emotionally against everything that has a connection to being deaf. Therefore, I suggest that those organisations who are combined both for the deaf and for the hearing impaired either separate into two organisations with some structure for co-operation or at least create two distinctly different divisions, each with their identity and management. They want to see themselves as consumers. That is why they are not inclined to join an organisation which acts like a patients' organisation.
Nobody is ashamed of being a consumer.
Their profile in the community should reflect that fact, and the activities that they perform should be presented in the consumer context. Professionals are essential, but they should serve in a supporting role. However, I have been invited to share with you what I would do if I were in your shoes. I hope that you will see this as an inspiration and not as an official statement, neither on behalf of European Manufacturers of Hearing Aids or on behalf of Oticon. I speak in my own right.