K e y s t o G e t A p p r o v a l t o

A t t e n d C o n f e r e n c e s

M e m b e r V a l u e I n A s s o c i a t i o n s

Instructor: James P. Mullan, CMDSM, EMCM, MDC, MDA, LSSGB, MCOM

Williams Lea TagAccount Manager II

Although this article was written specifically to get approval to attend specific conferences these steps are geared to any and all conferences, seminars, and out of office meetings. Getting the approval to attend important conferences like MAILCOM and National Postal Forum has always been challenging – even more so under the current economic conditions.

But actively participating in conferences is a key to success for you as a professional in the mail industry, and is important to the success of your organization.

Approval often comes down to the ROI to your organization – are the benefits worth the costs? Before discussing benefits, let’s start with the costs. There are ways to lower the cost to attend.

First, if you are a Mail Systems Management Association (MSMA) member you qualify for a MSMA discount for the MailCom conference. Both MAILCOM and National Postal Forum offer a discount for early registration. Secondly, you can shop around for the least expensive transportation method. Attendees will often double up on rooms to cut that cost. We know of a number of attendees that will offer to pay some or all of the travel costs out of their pockets.

Last but not least, become a Presenter!

People that do that look at it as an investment in their careers – and it shows your management chain how committed you are to developing yourself and adding value to your organization. The biggest key to getting approval is to explain the return (benefits) to you and your organization. Here are some benefits that you can tailor to your own situation:

Learning ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

You will learn updated information on how to minimize postage and shipping costs, and learn ideas to improve the efficiency of your operations.

We have seen our organizations and others save thousands and even millions of dollars via learning and implementing work share postal discounts, shape based pricing, targeted mailing, cleaner addressing and reduction of undeliverable mail, intelligent / selective inserting, full-service intelligent mail discounts, applying QR 2D bar codes, implementing six sigma and lean principles – the list goes on and on. 

Learning Best Practices and ideas for Process Improvements.

You will learn from the industry’s top experts, peers and vendors in the exhibit hall the Best Practices of the country’s leading high performance organizations.

You will also hear ideas about process improvements that can drive improved efficiency, effectiveness and quality.

You will learn how to improve quality and have more sustainable operations and eliminate waste.

Included can be practical tips related to work flow, job design, process analysis and ergonomics.

Learn about the latest technology and automation and other tools.

MAILCOM and National Postal Forum are great sources to hear about the latest relevant technology from the speakers, peers and vendors.

We have seen for ourselves and others significant costs savings and improved operations from wise investments in equipment and software.

Here is the chance to see what might be of value to your organization.

You can visit the exhibit hall and expand your list of vendor and supplier contacts for current and future reference.

Build a strong network and support group. MAILCOM and National Postal Forum provide an opportunity to meet the industry’s top leaders and experts first hand. One of the great features of this conference is how approachable the speakers are. Also, there are many opportunities to network with peers from around the country – and then to build your own professional support group. Become inspired to succeed. The keynote and seminar speakers will inspire you to push even harder to help your organization to be more successful. MAILCOM and National Postal Forum are noted for their wide selection of seminars including those aimed at our personal and leadership development. Add more value to your key stakeholders. The investors of your organization will benefit from the cost savings and efficiencies that you adopt. In addition, you can learn ways to add more value to your customers and improve customer satisfaction and favorability. MAILCOM and National Postal Forum also offer a number of sessions geared to leadership and management best practices, and proven ways to provide more positive work environments for your employees that will drive improved morale, motivation and performance.

Improve your credibility within the industry and your organization. You will learn important information that will benefit you personally – and your organization. As you go home and apply what you know you will gain greater respect and recognition. In addition, you can earn one or two professional certificates while at MAILCOM and National Postal Forum. And, at MailCom you can take advantage of the opportunity to earn the professional certifications sponsored by MSMA, including the MDC: Mail piece Design Consultant; CMDSM: Certified Mail Distribution System Manager or CMDSS: Certified Mail Distribution Systems Suppliers.  Become a teacher, inspire others and build a stronger team. With all the learning, networking and inspiration you receive, you will be equipped to go back home and inspire and teach others. This will be rewarding to you – and your team! 

One Final Tip: if you do attend a conference, make sure you prepare a thorough, written report and share with your boss and team.

Also do a verbal presentation of the key highlights from your report and let your excitement show through at what you gained at the conference.  

M e m b e r V a l u e I n A s s o c i a t i o n s

Associations are created to establish strength and unity in working toward common goals in virtually every profession.

When I was first asked to submit an article on the value of associations today I immediately thought “this will be really personal because my membership in many career associations - MSMA, PCC, ARMA, AIIM – have brought value through networking and educational benefits, which have boosted my career! I can honestly say that without my association memberships I would not be where I am today. When I was first hired I did not know the recruiter personally. He told me that he became aware of me through my association with the MSMA.

To know that I “practice what I preach” you only need to check my LinkedIn profile and to the list of my “Honors & Awards,” “Certifications,” “Projects” and “Publications” – all of which resulted from my heavy involvement and participation in multiple associations. Do understand that associations do not just hand out these awards and certifications. You must earn them by completing courses as well as by participating and networking, volunteering and serving on committees.

I am a strong believer in “getting out what you put in.” I have served on multiple boards in various capacities on numerous associations and still do so today. I was the past President of the Metro NJ NY MSMA Chapter while also serving on the MSMA National Board as Director of Marketing. I also served as the Industry Co-Chair for the Greater New Jersey Postal Customer Council and on the PCCAC Membership Committee.

Becoming a member of a professional association has many advantages. They are found in just about every industry. One question often asked is, "Is it worth the yearly fees to join these groups?" The short answer to that question is a resounding "YES". The advantages of joining an industry group are many and can help any individual advance their careers and improve their skills.

What are members looking for?

I feel that people join professional associations for a variety of reasons. However, there are two major reasons for a person to join a group today:

•To give back to their industry or

•To obtain value from their membership

Fortunately, for most people, their desire to become a member lies somewhere in between and they want to give and receive from the association. Most associations give members the opportunity to do both. 

Some examples of the value associations provide:

In no particular order, below are some examples of how being a part of an association can provide value.

In today's tough economy money is not readily available so you need a good reason to give your time and investment.

Also, you must justify this expense to your company, which will want to know the ROI, the corporate value and benefit you are going to bring back to your organization.

•Professional Development – I am living proof that one of the biggest benefits of any association is giving its members the chance for further development in the industry. Through certifications, courses, seminars, workshops, publications and many other avenues, members can take advantage of the collective knowledge of their entire association.

•Networking – To me, the most valuable benefit one can get out of association memberships is the ability to stay in contact with other members. You can forge valuable relationships with other members that can benefit you when looking for a new job or needing referrals or recommendations for many things. These professional meetings and gatherings can provide you with the opportunity to meet and mingle with your peers. Members are generally willing to help other members. Networking is a wonderful to get to know association members and interact with them socially and professionally.

•Industry Advancement – Most association members will have a goal of helping to advance their industry. This can provide value for the entire group by raising awareness of industry standards and best practices. The association can be shown in a positive light when its members showcase what the association has to offer.

•Membership Access – Membership access can pay off in numerous ways. First and foremost, you can call on members to assist you to serve on committees or boards. Members are often experts in certain fields that you may need assistance in. Membership also allows you to engage people for their experience, expertise and knowledge.

•Mentoring – This is another important area where value can be both given and received. Members with vast experience will see the value and benefit to the association and industry in assisting the younger members gain experience and knowledge in the industry.

It is often hard to justify spending your hard-earned money on dues and fees for professional associations. Yet that money can provide great value to you and to the association.

Member value can be viewed as working two ways - getting value and giving your time, but in the end it is the member who generally reaps the greatest value. My suggestion is to get involved in your professional association and enjoy the benefits of membership.

Simply stated, associations provide value to members through networking, education and sharing of success and failure. Knowing that others have incurred some of the same challenges and hearing their stories and solutions can build your confidence, provide you with a new perspective and affirm your ideas and direction.

All too often we obtain knowledge though a small window reflecting our specific industry. Associations serving all major industries, from mail to legal to records, include members with a vast array of experience and who are often willing to share what they know.

Tapping that knowledge is virtually priceless.