I recently was invited to speak at the FMDS National Client Conference, held March 26-28 in Orlando, Fla. FMDS is the abbreviation for Forms Management Data Systems Inc., a management software and e-commerce supplier in Reno, Nev. My topic was "The New DMIA." I must confess, I didn't create the title for the speech; it was assigned. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by it. What is the "New DMIA"?
Much that has happened recently in the association can be called "new." A significant bylaw change in 2002 embraced all members as equal voting members. And earlier this year, The International Association for Document Technologies (IADT, formerly IBFI) dissolved, and DMIA welcomed former IADT members into its group. With that change, the former IBFI Education Foundation came under DMIA management. But the real "newness" of DMIA goes much deeper than any one event.
So, is there a "New DMIA"? Absolutely!
When did it begin and the "Old DMIA" end? At the start of business this morning. And tomorrow, it will happen all over again.
A good trade association (and make no mistake about it--DMIA is a great trade association) has two major responsibilities. The first is to constantly paint a realistic picture of the marketplace for members: Who is buying what? Who is making what? How do products get from the start of the supply chain to the hands of end users?
The printing marketplace has an evolving landscape. Some days, industry changes are evident (the Moore/ Wallace deal), and other days they're small (a print distributorship in Montana adds fulfillment services to its offering). But not a day passes without some change.
If DMIA is a clear reflection of that landscape, it opens the door as a "new" association each morning. A great deal of effort and talent goes into making sure that reflection is clear and accurate. You and I might not have the time each day to research the lay of the land, but DMIA staff makes the time to do so.
The second major responsibility of a trade association is to offer tools and strategies to help members compete in today's marketplace. DMIA continues to research, analyze and innovate to make sure those tools and strategies are appropriate and effective.
As the needs of the marketplace shift, so do the necessary tools and strategies. As an association, DMIA embraced web technology several years ago, and has spent a considerable amount of time and money building systems that give members immediate access to excellent information.
If you haven't been there recently, go to www.DMIA.org and click on the link to the members-only Solution Center. Each of us should access this benefit regularly. It's where you'll find the "New DMIA" daily, with real-time tips on marketing, management and much more. This collection of knowledge, which the association acquired through research and members' input, can be likened to the storehouse for the "wheel" blueprints. DMIA membership allows you to access the market-appropriate blueprints for your organization's current needs, so you can spend your time selling instead of reinventing.
Gail O'Roke, CDC, is CEO of distributorship Independent Business Group, based in Hayward, Calif., and president of DMIA.
