There are a ton of organizations, clubs, groups, societies, and associations out there competing for your membership. Choosing which ones in which to invest your time and money is an important strategic decision that should not be taken lightly. Participation in the right organization can yield tremendous results. Participation in the wrong one can distract from your focus and consume your valuable time.

There are only three compelling business reasons to join any organization: Access to potential leads or clients, opportunity to enhance your presence in a certain field or industry, and the furtherance of your profession. Of course, there may be non-business reasons for joining a club, such as hobbies or charitible causes, but we’ll leave these for another discussion. In order for you to get the most out of your membership, you need to determine which organizations provide a real business value and which are a waste of time.

For several years, I was an active member of CELSOC/ACEC, an organization focused on the business of engineering. As president of one of the local chapters, I was able to make a positive contribution to the club, the community, and the profession. At the same time, the benefits to my professional reputation in the marketplace were tremendous. The American Society of Civil Engineers is another great organization. However, after being a member of ASCE for 12 years, I recently decided to discontinue my membership. When I took a close look, I found that my membership was providing limited value for me and my particular field of practice. The group tends to be focused on structural engineering and transportation (i.e. the sexy side of civil engineering) and very limited focus on land development or the business of engineering. I concluded that there are other organizations from which I recieve more value for my investment of time.

In the current market, where money is tight and business development is paramount, I seldom attend any club meeting where there is little chance of interacting with potential clients. Right now, association dollars are marketing dollars. A regular coaching client of mine retails water gardening: ponds, pumps, koi fish, fish food, aquatic plants, etc. He was recently asked if he would serve as the local koi club’s Vice President. He was reluctant at first - too many other things on his plate. “Are you nuts?” I asked him. Such an opportunity gave him direct exposure to his target customer. Don’t miss a chance to get in front of prospects. Holding an office within your prospect’s industry group gives you instant credibility and recognition as a doer.

Finally, don’t join an organization unless you are going to actively participate in it. Being in a club just for the sake of being in a club is ridiculous. I know a guy who has been a member of ASCE going on something like 40 years, yet I have never seen him at a monthly meeting. What’s the point? Treat your membership in an organization as you would any other business investment -first, evaluate the ROI. Then, if you decide to invest, commit yourself to it and give it the attention that it deserves.