BD Guild September 26th meeting addressed a topic that goes to the core of most business development strategies: Making the most of your trade association memberships. Most would generally acknowledge the “why” and “how to”, but the panel which consisted of seasoned BD professionals and entrepreneurs peeled away the layers and got to the heart of the subject.
Stephanie Hertzberg of SmithGroup shared how her team communicates the strategy and effectiveness with operations. John Carrigan spoke about how he went from BD to ownership primarily through association involvement. Ted Ritter illustrated the benefit – personal and professional – of taking on leadership positions within associations. Simon Davis, through his smooth British accent, offered a perspective of an association president – the do’s, the don’ts, the pitfalls. The conversation was guided superbly by Kelsey Kirkland.
While investing and participating in associations can be rewarding and profitable, there are risks. The consensus of the panel was that one can lose credibility quite quickly by not being accountable, consistent or genuine. In other words, do what you say you’ll do. Be sincere. Glad handing can backfire. Also, to be effective, committing to more than two groups can be problematic.
The Business Development Guild is grateful for the panel’s time and insights. We will continue to offer unique program topics and knowledgeable presenters. Save The Date for Tuesday, November 28th for the next meeting titled: “Negotiating Compensation, Roles and Responsibilities”. 2501 E Camelback, Suite 50. 3:30 – 6:00 PM.