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IPMA – Is it a good investment?

By Tammy Golden posted 02-22-2018 14:34

  

We all have limited budgets with which to manage our organization. If we’re smart, we do our due diligence in deciding how we spend our money. So how do we make sure IPMA membership is a good investment? It’s really the same as any other purchase. If you buy a piece of equipment, for instance, you consider its utilization. You wouldn’t buy a piece of expensive equipment if you weren’t planning to use it. Likewise, you shouldn’t just purchase a membership with IPMA and not be connected to the organization. Just like a great equipment purchase, the more you use your IPMA connection, the more valuable it becomes. There are many opportunities for you to get the most out of your IPMA investment.

The IPMA Community is a resource that’s available to you at all times. You have the industry’s top experts ready to assist and advise you at any time. All you have to do is post your question.

The IPMA Annual Conference is the top industry conference for in-plant professionals. It is first and foremost an educational conference. The agenda is packed with educational sessions by national speakers, vendors, and the top in-plant managers in the country. It’s also another great opportunity to build relationships with your peers as well as vendors.

Roadshows are a great way to stay connected in between conferences. Roadshows are one or two day mini-conferences located around the country each year. This is an opportunity for you to get together with other in-plants in your region. It’s also a great way to get new in-plants involved with IPMA, since it is less expensive and less of a time commitment than the full conference.

We recently hosted our first Roadshow at the State of Tennessee. Here are a couple of comments from participants:

“My colleague and I attended our first IPMA event recently at the Roadshow in Nashville. It was a very positive experience! For a one day meeting, the agenda was stocked with a nice variety of discussions and we had multiple opportunities to network with others in a variety of settings. As we are currently in a stage of growth and exploring new territory, it was very helpful that everyone we met was eager to share experiences and information. We look forward to the next time we can attend an IPMA event!”
Jill Fair and Fred Conley, East Tennessee State University, Biomedical Communications Department

“The IPMA Showcase in Nashville was the first professional event I’ve attended. I’ve been employed at Skyhawk Printing and Mail Services for almost 3 years. The networking and brainstorming opportunity with In-Plant managers was invaluable to our facility, because I was able to learn how other In-Plants grow their business and solve problems that we are now facing since we’ve expanded our services.
I believe that everyone should attend an IPMA event. I came back with 3 pages of notes and ideas to implement in our shop. Buy most importantly, I feel like I’ve become part of a talented group of colleagues and friends that can support each other as the printing industry changes with the evolution of technology and customers’ needs.

Elizabeth Lackey, Graphic Designer - Skyhawk Printing and Mail Services, The University of Tennessee at Martin

In some areas of the country, IPMA has Local Chapters. Each chapter usually meets several times per year and offers educational opportunities as well as service opportunities.

Also, by being a member of IPMA you are showing your administration that you are in touch with the industry, incorporating best practices, and doing what you can to stay relevant and current with the print and mail industry.

Only you can decide what IPMA membership is worth to you. I would challenge you to think about all these opportunities and what you would be willing to pay for them individually. IPMA membership is currently just $225 per year. For me, it’s one of the best investments I can make for myself and my staff.

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