Why Belong To An Association?

One of the most frequently asked questions with regard to Trade Association membership is: “What can the Association do for me?” The answer_, quite frankly, depends on you. What do you want from an Association? What you get out of any Association is directly proportional to what you put in. The greatest benefit of any Association is the networking and camaraderie that takes place between members. But to gain from this you must participate ... an investment of time and effort in Association activities.

There are many benefits that accrue simply from belonging - a low cost training program for your employees; group insurance; direct assistance with business problems and “City Hall”; the privilege of meeting with your peers, educational programs, and much more. Your greatest benefit, again, is your networking and association with your peers, coming only from your direct personal involvement.

The reason is simple, and it involves the same principles that apply to one's business. A businessperson invests money, time and energy to make the business successful. The same holds true for Association membership, which will reflect on your business. There are certain functions and services that the Association can perform, but to be most successful in its efforts, the Association requires the physical, as well as the fiscal, support and involvement of its members. It needs the collective thinking of all concerned to formulate plans; and it requires the physical effort of its members to put those plans into operation.

Business consultants say eighty five percent (85%) of all business failures occur in firms who are not members of their Trade Association.

The problems facing our industry today affect every dealer, no matter how large or small. And, since no one individual could possibly begin to solve these problems alone, it remains that each should join in a collective effort to protect his business investment.