Professional associations defend their members% interests through producing standards, organising networking and much more
Trade and professional associations are not new. In the middle ages in the UK, the interests of merchants and craftsmen were protected with the formation of guilds. Now, there are 110 guilds in London alone, and more in other parts of the country.
For anyone looking, there are myriad of trade bodies, associations and organisations that can help their member firms prosper. Each seeks collaboration between companies while defending their members% interests by advertising, producing standards, lobbying, holding exhibitions and conferences, enabling networking, aiding the finding of new customers or potential suppliers through trips and meetings and by offering educational materials or courses.
Linda Cavender, chief executive of the Trade Association Forum, believes that all businesses should join an association because, ‘in the long term, it is in their financial interests to do so’. She says that associations ‘sit at the heart of their industry and offer many benefits to members, including money-saving activities, such as free advice on many issues, access to special rates through affinity services and regulatory cost avoidance, which can often cost a significant sum of money on the open market’.
While there are associations that specifically serve the profession that specialist clinics ought to be aware of, others outside of aesthetic medicine can help too. It is important to remember that business information is as valuable as clinical backup.
Hannah Essex, co-executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), considers BCC to be ‘the voice of their communities, helping firms, places and people to grow and thrive’.
BCC offers a variety of services, including support. It also offers a range of business resources to members. Essex explains that the BCC ‘works with a small number of partner organisations with the expertise to deliver services nationally and has exclusive deals that can only be accessed by members’.
Matthew Walker, business development manager at the Forum of Private Business (FPB), notes that while the FPB offers much of what other organisations do, it can help with general business advice and can signpost towards business information, including legislation and regulation. That said, the FPB aims to back members. It, says Walker, ‘steps in when a business does not have a health and safety or HR department. We are a voice for small businesses within Government’.
Specially, the FPB offers legal expenses insurance cover. Walker says that, for some, ‘this cover makes membership worthwhile in its own right’—it covers employment disputes, health and safety prosecutions, tax protection, debt recovery help, data protection and even offers a jury service allowance.
Another body to consider is the Institute of Directors (IoD). Euan Holmes, press officer, asserts that, aside from the advice services the IoD provides, ‘our market intelligence is worth the annual subscription alone’. Here, members can search sources, undertake research and seek out expert help to gather information that can take a business forward. Members also gain discount on the IoD's professional development courses.
It is also worth pointing out that trade associations can be of significant help to start-up businesses. This is something that the FPB expressly recognises—it offers a discount of up to 25% across membership levels. Walker says: ‘We believe that the first 3 years of starting a business is when you most need help, support and advice’.
Looking at the bigger picture
Grass roots work is one thing, but how do organisations interact with officialdom?
For the IoD, Holmes says that it runs monthly policy voice surveys, where they listen to the views of members and use them to help shape campaign priorities. Wins include the temporary increase in the Annual Investment Allowance (to the end of 2021) and action on late payments.
»While the physical element is important, it is also worth looking at the digital offering that the bodies offer«
The wins of the bodies should be taken with a slight pinch of salt, because others claim the same victories, the BCC included. For example, Essex says that the BCC network (also) gained past policy wins, including the temporary rise in the Annual Investment Allowance, business rates relief for the high street and lower the cost of apprentices for small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ‘These [wins] help businesses to grow and recruit’.
Interestingly, regarding Brexit, Essex says that the BCC has been focusing on offering practical support and guidance, running events and seeking answers from the Government on the answers that matter most to them.
Functionally, each chamber has a different offering, often with a range of membership options available to suit the size and needs of the business.
Audience participation
As with anything in life, those who participate gain the most.
The BCC has 53 accredited chambers, ‘so that businesses in every part of the country can join their local chamber … [they are] at the heart of a network of chambers in every region’. She continues, ‘our network exists to support and connect companies … to bring firms together’.
Essex says that the BCC ‘hosts everything from networking events to seminars and award ceremonies’. She says that businesses can participate in the policy work of the network through roundtables, feeding into surveys and sharing their views on the issues affecting their business environment. Members are encouraged to participate.
The FPB, according to Walker, also encourages participation, and it too holds events regularly in local areas. His view is that, as a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation, ‘the FPB does not expect anyone to pay to network’. For those unable to attend an event, they can see everything online, as all events are filmed and a synopsis is published.
While the physical element is important, it is also worth looking at the digital offering that the bodies offer. Holmes says that the IoD has, as well as memberships, ‘our IoD Advance community, which offers extra benefits and facilitated networking, including through our app’. The IoD Academy app allows online learning on the go.
In comparison, the FPB's app offers direct access to forums and business calculators, and features a mileage tracker, a receipt manager and more. The BCC has no app. Of course, Coronavirus has temporarily changed how networking is done and how support is offered.
To finish
At the end of the day, apart from networking and information exchange, having the backup of services is rather like having insurance—it is nice to know that it is there, but you really do not want to have to use it.
Membership of the FPB starts at £99; the IoD starts at £99; BCC from free.
There are other organisations to consider, including the Federation of Small Business, The Supper Club, The Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Business Networking International and 4Networking. Each of these offers those in business something different.