Delving into Digital Marketing?: Are Marketing or Public Relations Industry Associations Worth It?

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Are Marketing or Public Relations Industry Associations Worth It?

Marketing PR Associations

As a long time digital marketing and PR practitioner, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved with a diverse mix of marketing and communications industry associations: DMA, PRSA, AMA, MIMA, SEMPO, IABC, BMA, MN Search and while not technically an association, SMBMSP.

Most industry associations provide a core set of benefits to members ranging from education to networking to industry advocacy, relying heavily on a combination of volunteers and sponsorships to make things possible.

Sponsoring and volunteering are means for both individuals and companies to contribute to the greater good of the industry and local business community. Doing so provides benefits in the form of exposure and an investment in raising awareness of the particular industry overall. A rising tide lifts all ships and all that.

While there are numerous opportunities through networking, education, and advocacy, some associations can be very high school with cliques, politics and egos run amok. Even more common is a situation with regional associations where one or a few agencies control the board, educational content and events simply to shill their services. The marketplaces is challenging enough, is spending your time with an industry association worth it?

I’ve been on the board of advisors for a number of associations as well as a guest speaker, attendee, and sponsor. In each role, expectations are different. For most people, their experience with an industry association (marketing, PR or otherwise) is as a member. When deciding whether an association membership is worth your time, I think there are a few fundamental considerations:

1. What do you hope to achieve personally? For your company?

2. What value does the association currently create for members? What could be improved?

3. What opportunities are there to contribute and be involved?

4. Are you already connected to members or leadership?

5. How is the association structured and who are the real players?

For many marketing and PR professionals, membership in an association provides access to learning opportunities and networking events and that’s enough. For others, associations can provide an opportunity to develop and flex your leadership skills amongst peers that can both help the association reach industry objectives and expose your talents to future employers, partners and employees.

As long as you’ve defined goals for yourself and you make an effort to network and contribute, you can get value from any industry association, whether they’re slow moving and cliquish or something more progressive. I’ve received a lot of value from our involvement in the PRSA, MIMA and from sponsoring the SMBMSP. I recently become a member of MN Search and BMA, and am looking forward to seeing how we can mutually benefit.

In the end, association membership success is tied closely to the goals you’ve set and the structure of the organization. If it’s near impossible to break through the legacy leadership, membership isn’t growing and the education/networking opportunities are not impressive you can do one of two things: