Membership Memo: Adding Value to Your Membership

Organizations join trade associations for different reasons. Some want to belong to the “club,” some want discounted rates on products and services, some want to expand their network within an industry, and some want to be able to reach larger audiences than they could on their own. Whatever the reason, it’s your association’s responsibility to ensure that in exchange for your annual dues, your company has access to valuable resources that you wouldn’t necessarily have otherwise. For this reason, The Powder Coating Institute (PCI®) has gone above and beyond to enhance our member services. Not to toot my own horn, but a lot has evolved around membership services since 2013.

Last year, PCI® partnered with UNA Purchasing Solutions (one of the largest group purchasing organizations in the United States) to offer members discounted programs through Grainger, FedEx and Staples. In some cases, members can save up to 30 percent on products/ services used every day. This year, we added archived webinars to our online store. Members get one free webinar download per quarter (that’s four free training programs a year— valued at $236 to $500!).

And, if that isn’t enough, PCI® members are now invited to attend the exhibit floor at the Powder Coating Show (this year’s show is slated for May 6-7 in Louisville; visit www.powdercoatingshow.com) free of charge and with no limit to the number of employees you send!

I guess what I’m getting at here is that if you’re looking for value, PCI® keeps getting better. Membership certainly has its rewards.

Tamara Hancock is membership and marketing director for the Powder Coating Institute. She can be reached at <a href="mailto: thancock@ powdercoating.org"> thancock@ powdercoating.org .