How to Form a Business Association
Business associations work to upgrade and improve the work and professionalism of its membership. Associations offer a means for business owners and working professionals to actively network among colleagues, facilitate cooperation, learn new skills and make contacts. Associations tackle current and future industry issues, provide formal training and insight through workshops and seminars and may even formally lobby in Washington, D.C. on legislation benefiting the industry. Forming a business association can be accomplished rather easily through the dedication of its founding member. Often the challenge is to find a balance between working and working to organize an association that benefits members.
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Instructions
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Meet informally with several existing business contacts in your industry sector to enlist their support and assistance in forming a formal business organization. Invite other individuals who are viewed as industry movers and shakers to participate in this meeting. Discuss the challenges of the industry, companies in the sector and individuals who work in the business. Also talk about how an organized body could improve, identify or mediate industry challenges. Bring paper and pens so everyone present can take notes or write action next steps.
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Focus on what the overarching mission of the new business association might be. Is it to upgrade skills through training? Is it to attract and recruit new candidates? Or is it merely a means to network and socialize with people working in the same industry?
Come to the meeting armed with several mission statements and bylaws of similar organized bodies and discuss whether the new organization could adopt or modify them for its use. You might even want to take a stab at writing a draft mission statement for comment and review. Discuss a number of possible names for the new organization.
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Discuss possible fees for membership and what those fees might be for companies and for individuals. Determine how you might collect the initial funds needed for startup expenses, such an attorney filing for nonprofit 501 status. Consider approaching an existing industry trade organization or a large corporation for assistance.
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Determine where and how often the group should meet. A larger corporation might be willing to host periodic meetings of a new group with a manageable size membership if it believes it might benefit in some way.
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Strategize on how new members will be recruited. Perhaps you can approach potential members at industry workshops, by cold calling or by creating a press release. Be prepared for growth in size and influence to take time. To be successful, you'll want to ensure that the initial founding members are fully committed to the ideas, philosophy and mission of the organization.
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