Whether it's a local or national association, membership adds more than just distinction and professionalism to your r?sum?. While some people believe paying dues and attending meetings isn't worth it, others cannot imagine doing without the benefits their specific industry group affords. Although a group mentality does not suit everyone, the question is: Should a planner join industry organizations?
Belonging to something, whether it's the local community board, a planning committee, or a professional group will often offer members-only opportunities including networking functions, and numerous resources such as new suppliers, products, venues, and educational programs. Associations aren't just for vendors and suppliers. Planners, both corporate and independent, are dispelling that myth. Savvy planners view getting involved as a smart and strategic business decision, as well as a way to further their involvement in the industry.
"People who are serious about the craft of event planning join associations because you get to network with the best," says Phyllis Cambria, who has been an event planner and producer for the Special Events Group for seven years. A member of the International Special Events Society (ISES) for the past 15 years, Cambria is able to meet vendors and learn about their work firsthand. Usually, she hires those vendors to work on events, and they in turn recommend her company to others.
Many planners agree that the networking opportunities are the biggest draw to joining an association. Monthly meetings allow members to connect with industry suppliers and peers. Members can create and then build relationships that will help them in the future. For instance, Chris Weinberg, president and C.E.O. of East Coast Events Inc., a special event design management and consulting firm, joined ISES in October and is already taking advantage of the networking possibilities. "I usually never work directly with an audiovisual company. During one of the meetings, I met one company who will be working closely with me on an upcoming event," Weinberg. "I feel comfortable knowing that they are reputable and it will be a good partnership."
"A majority of my clients are a direct or indirect result of my participation in Meeting Professionals International (MPI)," says Vickie Corder, a meeting planner and national accounts manager at HelmsBriscoe. She uses the resources provided by MPI to develop client and supplier relationships.
Besides providing members with the ability to meet and work with new vendors, associations also offer the chance to network with people in the same industry who understand the pressures of the event business.
When working on an event, members can brainstorm with their peers to get new ideas or learn how to do things better. When Holly Harris, general manager of XcellentEvents feels challenged, she calls fellow MPI members for feedback. "They become a great resource for ideas," she says.
Additionally, associations are an excellent source of education. MPI, for instance, offers two major national educational conferences each year. At the Professional Educational Conference North America and the World Education Conference, members of all chapters meet at ever-changing destinations to attend seminars to further their knowledge on trends, finances, insurance and permitting, laws, and many other.phpects of the business, as well as for breakfasts, lunches, and evening networking events. There are also regional and global events.
Associations also offer wide and varied learning programs at monthly meetings. Interactive workshops, guest speakers, panel discussions, and teambuilding exercises covering various topics are common. Online tools are also available to members.
"You learn what's going on in the industry and how to work with the newest products," Cambria says. Avis Peterson, event manager at Siemens Communications Inc., a Boca Raton-based company that offers communication products and services, agrees: "You learn new things that you can't learn anywhere else."
The learning process doesn't end at the local level of an association—members can tap into the resources of their association on a national and even international level via the associations' Web sites. Many associations have "members only" links that connect them to their counterparts across the country. Dahlton Bennington, senior manager of business meeting services at Spherion, a staffing and recruiting company in Fort Lauderdale, looks forward to MPI's annual global conference where she can interact with more than 3,000 meeting professionals from around the world—a valuable experience she feels that only an MPI membership can give her.
Learning all that you can means rolling up your sleeves and getting involved—a plan of action that isn't always easy but necessary to get the most out of any membership. Participation gives members the chance not only to give back to the industry but also to go further in the organization. They can appear on panel discussions, join a committee, volunteer at a fund-raiser, take a leadership role in the association—in other words, more than just write a check for the monthly membership fees.
"Members miss out on a huge opportunity for personal and professional growth by not participating beyond paying their dues," Corder says. "By joining an association and not participating, a member can't expect to get certain results," adds Cambria.
Peterson advises members to make time for what they want to do. "I can't make it to all the meetings, but I make sure I attend any conferences or functions," she says. Lauren Halpern, program manager of event marketing at Office Depot, stresses the importance of getting involved: "You get to see and do things that will advance you in the industry. What you put into it is what you get out of it."
The mention of membership fees makes many uneasy—a reason why some people don't join in the first place. Some companies don't support associations, and planners are left to foot the bill themselves, but there are ways around it. Many associations offer scholarships for those who can't afford it or a vendor or supplier joint membership that can temper the cost.
In the end, some may continue to balk at associations, but there are those, both in and outside of corporate environments, that do believe in them. Corder sums it up when she says: "It's the best investment a meeting planner can make to ensure their professional and personal success."
—Vanessa Goyanes
Belonging to something, whether it's the local community board, a planning committee, or a professional group will often offer members-only opportunities including networking functions, and numerous resources such as new suppliers, products, venues, and educational programs. Associations aren't just for vendors and suppliers. Planners, both corporate and independent, are dispelling that myth. Savvy planners view getting involved as a smart and strategic business decision, as well as a way to further their involvement in the industry.
"People who are serious about the craft of event planning join associations because you get to network with the best," says Phyllis Cambria, who has been an event planner and producer for the Special Events Group for seven years. A member of the International Special Events Society (ISES) for the past 15 years, Cambria is able to meet vendors and learn about their work firsthand. Usually, she hires those vendors to work on events, and they in turn recommend her company to others.
Many planners agree that the networking opportunities are the biggest draw to joining an association. Monthly meetings allow members to connect with industry suppliers and peers. Members can create and then build relationships that will help them in the future. For instance, Chris Weinberg, president and C.E.O. of East Coast Events Inc., a special event design management and consulting firm, joined ISES in October and is already taking advantage of the networking possibilities. "I usually never work directly with an audiovisual company. During one of the meetings, I met one company who will be working closely with me on an upcoming event," Weinberg. "I feel comfortable knowing that they are reputable and it will be a good partnership."
"A majority of my clients are a direct or indirect result of my participation in Meeting Professionals International (MPI)," says Vickie Corder, a meeting planner and national accounts manager at HelmsBriscoe. She uses the resources provided by MPI to develop client and supplier relationships.
Besides providing members with the ability to meet and work with new vendors, associations also offer the chance to network with people in the same industry who understand the pressures of the event business.
When working on an event, members can brainstorm with their peers to get new ideas or learn how to do things better. When Holly Harris, general manager of XcellentEvents feels challenged, she calls fellow MPI members for feedback. "They become a great resource for ideas," she says.
Additionally, associations are an excellent source of education. MPI, for instance, offers two major national educational conferences each year. At the Professional Educational Conference North America and the World Education Conference, members of all chapters meet at ever-changing destinations to attend seminars to further their knowledge on trends, finances, insurance and permitting, laws, and many other.phpects of the business, as well as for breakfasts, lunches, and evening networking events. There are also regional and global events.
Associations also offer wide and varied learning programs at monthly meetings. Interactive workshops, guest speakers, panel discussions, and teambuilding exercises covering various topics are common. Online tools are also available to members.
"You learn what's going on in the industry and how to work with the newest products," Cambria says. Avis Peterson, event manager at Siemens Communications Inc., a Boca Raton-based company that offers communication products and services, agrees: "You learn new things that you can't learn anywhere else."
The learning process doesn't end at the local level of an association—members can tap into the resources of their association on a national and even international level via the associations' Web sites. Many associations have "members only" links that connect them to their counterparts across the country. Dahlton Bennington, senior manager of business meeting services at Spherion, a staffing and recruiting company in Fort Lauderdale, looks forward to MPI's annual global conference where she can interact with more than 3,000 meeting professionals from around the world—a valuable experience she feels that only an MPI membership can give her.
Learning all that you can means rolling up your sleeves and getting involved—a plan of action that isn't always easy but necessary to get the most out of any membership. Participation gives members the chance not only to give back to the industry but also to go further in the organization. They can appear on panel discussions, join a committee, volunteer at a fund-raiser, take a leadership role in the association—in other words, more than just write a check for the monthly membership fees.
"Members miss out on a huge opportunity for personal and professional growth by not participating beyond paying their dues," Corder says. "By joining an association and not participating, a member can't expect to get certain results," adds Cambria.
Peterson advises members to make time for what they want to do. "I can't make it to all the meetings, but I make sure I attend any conferences or functions," she says. Lauren Halpern, program manager of event marketing at Office Depot, stresses the importance of getting involved: "You get to see and do things that will advance you in the industry. What you put into it is what you get out of it."
The mention of membership fees makes many uneasy—a reason why some people don't join in the first place. Some companies don't support associations, and planners are left to foot the bill themselves, but there are ways around it. Many associations offer scholarships for those who can't afford it or a vendor or supplier joint membership that can temper the cost.
In the end, some may continue to balk at associations, but there are those, both in and outside of corporate environments, that do believe in them. Corder sums it up when she says: "It's the best investment a meeting planner can make to ensure their professional and personal success."
—Vanessa Goyanes
