Peggy Hoffman is president of Mariner Management & Marketing LLC, an association management company.  She twitters at @peggyhoffman and blogs at the Idea Center.

In 2009, I found myself increasingly tapping my virtual network for ideas, solutions and guidance. It made sense then to seek their help in setting my 2010 agenda. The response was amazing and an affirmation that crowdsourcing – whether in the strictest or loosest sense – produces.

An interesting piece of advice – and really a call to action – came from David Nour who I first met at the ASAE & The Center 2009 Annual Meeting:

When it comes to social networking, consistency is a lot more valuable than creativity.

Really? Being consistent – even if boring – trumps being creative? A mental tug-o-war began in my head. Consistency certainly is important for sharing of information (imagine if we all choose our own way to spell words) and for establishing schedules that support communications.  Creativity however is critical for innovation and change.

Consistency assures that a brand is strong. But it began with a creative thought.

Relationships are however forged as trust is built, which happens through consistency. Many relationships do however start from a spark which if often an offshoot of an interaction – that creative connection.

So don’t we need creativity first? And therefore wouldn’t it trump consistency?

The bottom line for me was that when we forging relationship virtually – as we all are in the membership game – creativity only takes us so far. Our members will renew and invest with us (in money and time) when they are assured we will be there for them. Creativity doesn’t assure that.  Creativity may inspire it members to join and to buy, but it won’t seal the deal. Trying new things all the time, being worried about how dazzling we are, delaying critical changes in our membership (from product offerings to governance models) until we have all the creative elements in line, won’t build a members’ commitment to us. Being there when they need us. Being visible daily. Being accessible. That’s why members stay.

So, I would agree consistency trumps creativity … but we still need creativity. What do you think?

By the way, David’s other 9 items in his Top 10 for 2010 advice to me are equally thought-provoking.