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Why Join an Association? By Bruce Grankowski
You may ask yourself, why should I join an association such as the EMCA? You probably don’t have time to bother with that sort of thing. Our lives are hectic enough already, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time.
The reality of it is, time spent bettering yourself or your company is time well spent, and membership dues are but a drop in the bucket for what you get out of association membership. Whether you are a mom and pop operation or a large enterprise, association membership benefits everyone. There’s no discrimination, the doors are open to everyone. To see what our meetings are about click on Meeting Topics - - - - ->
The Key is Networking
The key to belonging to an association is networking with your peers. Not only does it provide the opportunity to meet individuals who share a common interest; it can also spark the beginning of a new friendship. After all, one can never have too many contacts in the construction industry.
Newsletters provide Useful Information
Most associations (at least most successful ones) provide a newsletter, whether it’s weekly, monthly or quarterly. Within the pages are priceless information touching on all the topics that affect the industry – equipment, new trends, background history, environmental, managerial, legal and financial issues as well as technical and mechanical information. You can find news on upcoming meetings, new standards, employment opportunities and industry trivia. The EMCA newsletter keeps its members informed on the latest developments among association members.
Promoting Services through Membership Directories
Being listed in an association directory can be beneficial to your firm in more ways than one. Not only does it promote the services of fellow members within the association, in many cases it is distributed outside of the network, increasing the chances for work both inside and outside of the association.
Take Advantage of Free Publicity
Publicity can be nothing but helpful to your organization. This is one of the more prevalent benefits of being affiliated with an association. In a sense, the publicity your company can get through an association can be as beneficial as a $10,000 brochure.
Isn’t publicity what contractors, architects, project managers, sales people and the like are trying to achieve for their businesses? Isn’t the same true of manufacturers, dealers, and contractors service people, who plaster their names across the doors of company trucks, or on a piece of heavy equipment or automobiles? These tactics are definitely great for getting your name and products out there. There’s only one problem though, the people seeing your name as they drive past are not always the ones you need to see it. This is when the benefits of the associations become evident. The association has the ability to promote you and your company to the right people.
The fact is; construction work requires much effort and skill. Through a concerted effort, all facets of the industry are taking part in building the future. There have always been and will always be specific jobs or projects that you designed, developed or contributed to. Why not take a little credit for your effort and get some free publicity?
Special Events Offer Many Benefits
Many associations have frequent meetings to discuss topics of concern to their memberships. Meetings are but one of the many events held. Also the EMCA has some have family outings, award ceremonies, workshops, management seminars and more. A massive amount of information, company promotion and networking takes place thru each of these outlets.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not guaranteeing that membership in the EMCA or any other association is a step in the right direction, but it sure helps. I have been a member for the past 16 years, and it sure helped me to advance in my career. The contacts I have made and the information I got out of the meetings is priceless. Don’t be left out of the loop. Attend a few meetings and meet some of your peers face to face. What do you have to lose? No matter what your industry, supporting an industry association is a smart move.
Bruce
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