Trade Associations

Yes; Trade Associations. You know the meetings many of us attend and then return to our own businesses. With all that is going on in the world, why would I select Trade Associations? The answer is simple. I have attended two of these meetings in the past few weeks and came to some interesting conclusions. They are:

1. The meetings never come at a good time and it is never very hard to convince myself that there are more pressing issues in my schedule than attending the meeting.

2. I am always pleased that I don’t “wimp” out and fall for my rationalizations and miss the meeting.

3. I always learn something new when I attend a meeting.

4. The interaction with other business owners and executive in the same Industry is invaluable.

5. Interaction with vendors allows us to keep abreast of changes and advances in the Industry.

6. Our Associations are made up of the best of the best in the Industry that are working hard for the betterment of the work environment we all compete in.
It’s just plain wrong to reap the benefits of these organizations without giving back.

My focus for the rest of this topic will be on the Midwest Sign Association (MSA). The MSA is the regional association affiliated with the International Sign Association (ISA). The coverage area is Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. However, most of the participating companies are from Ohio and Michigan. Note that I said “Participating”. It is my view that just paying your dues does not make you a participating member and I am always surprised at the lack of participation by prominent companies.

I understand the reasons for not participating. I just don’t buy them. The combination of the MSA and the ISA does so much for all companies in the industry regardless of membership and participation. Our industry, as most others, is going through a very rapid transformation. Major issues include the move from neon to LED’s, message centers and their regulation, mercury legislation, licensing, sign codes and many, many other topics. Participation in the MSA allows us to stay abreast of these topics and if necessary, band together for the benefit of our industry and our constituents.

Participating in a trade organization reminds me of a group project. There are those that do the work and those that ride the coat tails and reap the benefits. Companies must decide if they are going to lead or sneak a free ride. It is simple to write a check and put the logo on the web site. It is much more difficult to dedicate yourself and your company to these organizations that work so hard for all of us. The bottom line is that these organizations are only as strong as the membership participation allows them to be.

I would urge any company that is a member of MSA to attend the meetings. Sign Craft has been a member since 2001 and I have attended most of the meetings. In this time, I have benefited from the updates on the ISA committees regarding legislation, education, safety and many other topics. I have gained valuable insights from the educational seminars and most importantly, the interaction with other experts that participate in our industry. For those companies that do not belong, I would urge you to consider membership for the betterment of the industry. Finally, I would urge our customers to inquire about the Company’s involvement in trade associations when making a decision. Companies that participate in Trade Associations are committing to the industry with their time, money and expertise. In my view this is the definition of Professional.

Please find the link to the MSA web site below

MSA Website