Pub. 1 2021 Issue 1

7 https://business.mtada.com/ membership-application JOIN MTADA TODAY which are a valuable resource that can give you timely information that has been written with your specific interests and needs in mind. It is wise to stay current in your field, whether you are involved in formal training or not. An association can help you keep your competitive edge sharp. Pooled Resources Many associations want to make sure they understand their specific indus- tries. As a result, they research and analyze subjects and create white papers and reports to tell association members what they found out. By yourself, it’s unlikely you have the resources to pay for the kind, and quality, of research that most associ- ations can commission. As part of an association, however, you do have the combined resources to make research possible. That’s a large benefit. When the people in an association decide they need information on a particu- lar subject and use their combined resources to get and share that infor - mation with everyone in the group, everyone benefits. Pooled resources can also mean ac- cess to enhanced benefits programs, certification and licensing programs, and discounts. Advocacy The U.S. is a complex society with many competing interests and needs. An association is an excellent way to work together as a group and to advocate for your industry. Can you imagine trying to hire a lobbyist to represent just your business? It would be expensive, and (worse) it would probably be ineffective, because one business by itself doesn’t seem all that important to politicians. Get an association involved, though, and the situation changes at once. What is expensive for one person is reason- able for a group of businesses. And when politicians understand that your association represents, say, an entire industry filled with members who are also likely to vote in upcoming elections, suddenly you have the poli - ticians’ respect and potential support. Never underestimate the power of acting as a political group. Relationships We’ve gotten used to thinking of net- working as a good way to advance a career, but what many people forget is that networking is nothing more than the power of good relationships being put to work. The unspoken foundation is that a network is made up of people who are actually friends. It starts with directories of other association members, but who knows where those relationships might end? An association gives you plenty of excuses to get together with others in the association and, while benefiting from other membership benefits, also becoming friends. You can learn from these association friends. You can create partnerships and alliances. You can help each other. Even if it turns out that some of the friends you make are business competitors, an association can help your relationship to be more collaborative and less adversarial. Understanding other people is an important part of doing business with them. Associations are the place where you can gain that understanding. Keep in mind, too, that networking is not necessarily just for your person - al benefit. Associations give you an opportunity to do something for your community that you couldn’t accom- plish on your own. They offer a way to repay some of the kind efforts others have made to help you.