Debbie Hawkins is the glue that keeps us all together. She helps run several Southern Californian associations and has always been there for AOO Events when we’ve needed help navigating the waters of directories, meetings and educational opportunities. She is on the money in her guest blog today that community is more important than ever during these hard times. To this I’d like to add that we need to continue to practice the lessons learned today when tomorrow comes bringing good times!
David Merrell
Where the love begins...an ISES event that brings event pros together.
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Professional Associations Provide the Lifeline
Businesses Need in a Down Economy
By Debbie Hawkins, CAE, CMP
With everything going on today, professional “communities” are more active than ever and each supports specific needs to the event industry. Along with traditional professional alliances such as ISES and MPI, new groups are being formed through Linked-in, Facebook and Twitter. Being part of one or all of these communities is one of the best ways to grow a business today.
You are probably asking, yes, but what’s love got to do with it? A lot. Each of these groups provides resources, information and support. This is the “love” that comes with being part of a community. If you’re not a member of one of the leading professional associations in Southern California you are missing a world of opportunity for your business.
How does one find trustworthy experts in a wide variety of fields when producing events? When budgets are down and meetings are being booked with infinitesimal lead-times, who will come through for us and make us look like heroes? A resource community filled with companies who have invested time in partnering with others through industry associations, that’s who.
An MPI event
It is critical to see, and be seen, in today’s dawg eat dawg economy (pardon the pun DesignDawgs). Belonging to any one of the top planning organizations in Southern California gives a company a huge advantage over the competition. At programs and educational workshops throughout the year, member planners and producers experience first-hand the latest offerings in every aspect of production. They are highly likely to buy a product or service they’ve seen in action.
Brave and generous members who provide their services as a marketing “showcase” for events are long remembered by planners when the rubber meets the road. They may not be contracted at that same event, but just like everything in life, it will pay off to invest the time developing relationships.
The first question Association Management Specialists (AMS)asks when approached by new vendors is “Are you a member of a Southern Californian planning organization?” We rarely take a chance on an unknown commodity when we have a world of proven talent in our organization’s membership directories.
When we find vendors through memberships, it’s as if they have already been vetted. We trust that they are ethical, high quality producers and we know that they are not vendors simply looking for the next “gig.” They respect their product and service enough to invest a few hundred dollars in a professional membership organization and invest their time to get involved with experts in their field.
No need to ask what's love got to do with it anymore. It's all about teamwork...Pictured here, the MPI team
Staying ahead of the economy today and producing or providing a quality product or service is challenging. That is why the professional associations that support our industries are working hard to accommodate their members throughout this tough time. They are a great resource to businesses, and one that can make your company powerful in the long run.
Debbie Hawkins, CAE, CMP Debbie Hawkins and her husband Don own Association Management Specialists (AMS), a multi-association management company, located in Thousand Oaks. AMS is the management company for numerous active non-profit and professional organizations including Meeting Professionals International Southern California Chapter and the International Special Events Society, Greater Los Angeles Chapter.
Debbie herself has served on numerous Boards of Directors and has been an instructor for association and meeting management classes. Her industry awards include Meeting Professional International Southern California Chapter's Manager of the Year and Leader of the Year and The International Special Events Society, Greater Los Angeles' President's Award.
