Industry Group Membership Benefits

Your participation in industry groups should go beyond sponsoring a hole at the local golf outing!
There’s a trade group or professional organization for virtually every business and job. You know which ones are most important in your industry or career field. But are you making full use of the opportunity they offer?

Most people skimp on participation in these groups. They may take a foursome to a golf outing, or buy a ticket or a table for the annual awards dinner. They may even sponsor a luncheon or buy an advertisement in a program booklet. But that level of engagement doesn’t begin to tap into the benefits that are available to someone who is willing to become actively involved.

Every group represents a power structure. You can ignore that power structure, or you can take advantage of it. Participation in a group can generate three advantages:

1. It is an opportunity to collect favors. When you volunteer to work for a group, people in that group appreciate it. However unspoken that gratitude may be, it is a “deposit in your account” if and when you choose to take advantage of it. [Think about it: who are you more likely to help-- someone who comes to you out of the blue, or someone who has done you a service in the past?]

2. It provides access to powerful people you might otherwise have trouble meeting. And it typically provides that access under very favorable conditions.

3. It is a chance to showcase how intelligent and hard working you are, and how easy you are to work with (assuming all these things describe you, which I’m sure they do!). Demonstrating these virtues can lead to direct business, referrals, and even the occasional job offer.

4. The right kinds of participation (such as being a speaker or panel member at a convention) can enhance your credibility. People think “If he/she was considered smart/knowledgeable enough to be invited to speak, they must be pretty good. Maybe I should be talking with them!”

Newcomers have to work their way up in organizations—it is unlikely you’ll be immediately asked to run for president of a group. But just letting people know you are interested and willing to volunteer for “whatever needs to be done” will open the door. I’ve found that such participation pays significant rewards for surprisingly little work, and that advancement (and commensurate rewards and opportunities) can come quickly if you’re sincere and enthusiastic!