No matter what business you're in, you'll find a trade association for that industry with a presence on the Web. Often times, trade associations offer the support you need in your business. At their websites, you can read the latest industry news, learn how to join, and discover the goals of each association.
An excellent place to begin our search is Yahoo! Business and Economy: Organizations: Trade Associations, where you'll find a comprehensive listing of trade associations on the Web. Major categories include Agriculture, Fabric and Textile, and Packaging, or you can scan through over 150 individual listings.
If you're a building owner or manager, you'll want to visit the website of the Building Owners and Managers Association. The site features free downloadable files, such as a Year 2000 project management checklist or a copy of the United States and Canada Income and Expense Analysis. The site also features information on their Skylines Magazine, which is a source of information about the commercial real estate industry.
Anyone involved in the business product industry will want to stop by the Business Products Industry Association. BPIA is composed of the Business Products Wholesalers Alliance, the Furniture Manufacturers Alliance, the Office Furniture Dealers Alliance, the Office Products Dealers Alliance, and more. At the website, you can learn about news and events in the industry or find a multitude of industry links.
The Credit Union National Association, the trade association for America's credit unions, offers Year 2000 program help at their website. Or, learn of their training programs for credit union professionals and members. CUNA's 10-year calendar features a listing of annual meetings, conferences, league annual meetings, and more.
Electronic industry folks will want to consider the Electronic Industries Alliance, which represents various groups such as the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association; the Electronic Components, Assemblies, Equipment & Supplies Association; the Telecommunications Industry Association, the Electronic Information Group, and the Government Electronics & Information Technology Association.
Did you know that Net traffic is doubling every hundred days, and electronic commerce should reach $300 billion by 2002? The Information Technology Industry Councilrepresents the leading U.S. providers of information technology products and services.
If you're involved in the purchasing and supply management industry, be sure to visit the National Association of Purchasing Management. Learn about their educational seminars, certification and accreditation programs, and the Center for Advanced Purchasing Studies, which provides research to support strategic purchasing and supply management.
The goal of the National Mail Order Associationis to help small- to medium-sized businesses that are involved in the area of mail order marketing. The site features industry contacts, a library where you can find rare resource information, and even a classified ad section.
Sales & Marketing Executives International is a worldwide association of sales and marketing management administrators. At their website, you'll find over 12,000 articles on sales and marketing management, the latest compensation and trend studies in sales and marketing, and a listing of their upcoming conferences.
Professionals in business-to-business marketing and communications will want to visit the Business Marketers Association. Their goal is to be the primary repository for the best business-to-business marketing information and well as to promote the best practices in the industry. Find out which chapter is closest to you, or sign up to receive the free B2B Direct e-mail newsletter that offers the latest news about e-commerce.
The Software & Information Industry Association is the leading trade association for the software industry. Their impressive website offers information on anti-piracy, on their Certified Software Manager Seminars, and on government and international issues that affect the software industry.
Previously published in InfoAlert, a publication for business people.
