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by
Jen Alexander
pr o f ess i ona l
o r gan i za t i ons &
assoc i a t i ons
Professional Aspirations
Trade and professional
associations present plenty
of promotional possibilities.
B
efore “white collar” jobs
existed, trades and tradesmen
were the professionals of the
world. Early trade organizations
were guilds, which morphed into
today’s trade unions and trade
associations. With the evolution of
the workforce and the expansion of
education across Europe came new
groups to foster and encourage
professionalism and continuing
education—professional societies.
Among the earliest is The Royal
Society of London, a national
scientific academy founded in 1662
and still active today.
Association membership
continues to grow; nearly half the
828 associations that participated
in a 2016 Marketing General
Incorporated (MGI) benchmarking
survey reported an increase
in member numbers over the
previous year. Additionally, fewer
associations reported membership
declines from 2015 to 2016.
What drives professionals to join
such organizations? Networking.
The MGI survey notes that members
want to network with industry
peers; secondarily, they seek to
learn and share best practices
as well as pursue continuing
education opportunities.
“Promotional products for an
industry are always an opportunity
for raising awareness,” says Dena
Hirschberg, executive vice president
for Chicago, Illinois-based supplier
HHP/Helping Hand Partners.
“They are a great way to leverage
a brand. When members use
branded products, they are sending
a message that the organization is
something worth being part of.”
Michael Silverman of distributor
SmithBucklin Promo in Chicago,
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APRIL 2017
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