Last month, Limousine Digest launched a series of articles devoted to associations and the integral role they play in our industry.

Our first piece talked about the benefits of joining an association, highlighting the networking and purchasing power these organizations offer.

For this article we’ll look at ways to bring an association back from the dead, making it more noticeable in the community and better prepared for any eventual issues it may face. On a daily basis, limousine operators are out there running their businesses, while balancing customers, employees, vehicles, family, and anything else that comes up. Time is a valuable commodity, and to many, time is an excuse not to participate.

Association involvement is unfortunately often not a priority for operators. We’ve already discussed the major advantages membership brings to businesses, but when there are no significant issues threatening the livelihood of those businesses, then it is tough to get operators—even existing members—to come to meetings or help plan events. Maybe 3 years ago the association you belong to was able to get permitting fees reduced. After that victory, everyone went happily back to the status quo, figuring the association did its job and served no other purpose … until an unlicensed chauffeur was caught giving alcohol to a minor in a limousine or a new tax on service was introduced by the government. Oh, now you need the association? If it hadn’t been neglected and allowed to fall apart then maybe its membership would have been prepared.

Kevin Barwell, president of Limousine, Bus, Taxi Operators of Upstate New York (LBTONY), formerly Limousine Operators of Western New York, faced a drastic situation when membership fell to just seven companies in all. His association was a victim of poor communication and lack of leadership motivation. “I knew things needed to be turned around and get organized,” he says. “People in the area didn’t know about new laws and regulations or how the association wanted to handle them.”

All members, especially the current board, need to take ownership and be held accountable for the association’s survival. Maintaining the association and the relationships among its members will allow for a quicker—and more professional—approach to issues affecting the industry. Forming committees that will tackle specific areas like communication, membership, ethics, or public relations is a great way to distribute responsibility evenly. You don’t have to be the biggest association in the country—you just need dedicated members who believe in common goals.

Communication

One of the biggest hurdles in keeping up association involvement is communication. When meetings, phone calls, e-mails, or website updates start to become few and far between, that’s the first sign of a declining association. Keeping membership aware of events or news regarding the limousine industry is key. Sometimes it could be a simple e-mail reminder about renewing permits or an announcement of a proposed fee at the local airport. Whatever it is, staying in touch lessens the chance of an association becoming stagnant or losing members.

The core group of officers or board members in the association should designate someone to handle consistent updates. Maybe it’s your secretary, or in many cases it often falls on the president—or whomever has the time and resources—to send regular e-mail updates. Joe Jordan, president of the Limousine Association of Houston (LAH), and Philip Jagiela, Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) president, are just two who send monthly—if not weekly or hourly—e-mails to their memberships. E-mails contain meeting reminders, guest speaker announcements, vendor specials, or links to helpful industry or business articles. There is no limit to the information that can be shared.

Currently, some associations have tiered e-mail lists where one group receives more detailed information, while the other is only given a brief outline and encouraged to become a member to get the full report. Jordan has an ‘A’ and ‘B’ list. Members on the A list get updates, traffic reports, and Jordan’s notes from his attendance at various trade shows. B list recipients get info about upcoming meetings with minimal details. Matt Yorke, VP of Signature Transportation in Nashville, and president of the fledgling Tennessee Livery Association (TennLA), takes this approach as well. “We choose to send e-mail blasts to one of three distribution groups: board members to outline and plan the necessary action; association members to begin the action; and then state-wide operators to show the action,” he says. “We’ve been shocked at how many people have jumped on board just by showing some strong leadership and putting in the time.”

Since the focus is on making an association more active, initial e-mails should reiterate the purpose of the association and thank those who have remained members. Candidly tell members that it is time to get back together—even if there are no issues affecting operators directly at the current time; in this economy it won’t be too long before something creeps up. Build up the list of e-mail recipients by calling operators on the phone, and make sure to collect member contact information at the next association meeting. Postcards are also a great way to blanket the businesses and chauffeurs in the area with information about the association and how membership can be beneficial.

Barwell says he personally called every limousine company in the area to encourage owners to come out to a meeting. “I told each person exactly what we were doing, how we were getting organized, and that we wanted them to be a part of it,” he says. “Showing we cared about the industry made a difference. At the next meeting we had over 60 people, up from just 5 people the time before.”

Regular meetings held at a central location create an ideal opportunity for networking and having an open dialogue about business in general. Many associations opt to hold meetings at catering halls or restaurants in a centralized location that is convenient for members to get to. Others have the ability to host meetings at a member’s office if it can accommodate enough people. Frequency of meetings depends on what needs to be accomplished. Monthly, bi-monthly, and quarterly seem to be the norm in the industry. Have meetings less often and you risk disconnect once again.

Even if you don’t have issues brewing in your neck of the woods, having social, more informal gatherings will keep your membership strong and feeling like a team. Many associations do this during the holidays, but any time of year is a good chance to get together and discuss life in general.

If you feel that your association’s core is fairly stable, then it might be a good time to consider revamping or creating your website. A website is one of the best tools for communicating to members and others in the industry. Post news, meeting locations, and a member directory that can be accessed by the public for business. There are several vendors who will work with you on a site that suits the association. Board members should determine which options best fit the association budget.

Recruitment

Now that you have reached out to the membership base that was already in place, bringing in fresh perspectives is the next step. Impending regulatory issues always attract people to an association. Yorke says it depends on your perspective if this is a negative or positive for your association. On one hand you have people willing to join in and get things done to protect business, but on the other it says bluntly that your association may not provide much value unless there’s something to fight. Short of this recruitment tool, there are ways to entice operators to check out the association.

First meeting is free. Because many associations hold meetings where food is being served, there is generally a cost to members who attend, above their annual dues. Personally inviting non-members to a meeting and letting them know that there is no expense can go a long way. You may even consider making attendance mandatory for current members. Then run a promotion requiring members to bring a friend who hasn’t yet joined to a meeting.

Travel to other regions. If you are a statewide association looking to increase membership, consider taking meetings on the road. Some states are so large with vastly different regions and unique issues that holding meetings monthly in the state’s capital might not foster the best relationship with operators in rural parts of the state. Follow the lead of the North Carolina Limousine Association (NCLA), LBTONY, or the Virginia Limousine Association (VLA) and hold meetings throughout the state, allowing prospective members the opportunity to see the association in action, as well as feel included in the whole organization. “Our core membership was mostly in Buffalo, but we had to move beyond that,” says Barwell. “We reached out to Rochester and heard that operators in that area had been trying to start an association, so instead they just combined with us. Now we’re planning a meeting in that city to accommodate those operators.” Make sure to promote these traveling meetings with e-blasts and plenty of notice.

Advertise. Word of mouth is a tried-and-true method for getting the word out about anything. Chauffeurs can talk up an association at the airport, and current members should feel empowered to invite their local connections or affiliates to a meeting. Mass mailing postcards to all registered limousine companies in the state is also a great way to capture the attention of potential new members. Offering an incentive like “Bring this postcard and enter for a chance to win 1,000 business cards” should ensure that the postcard isn’t thrown away.

Expand to other industries. In some markets there are a limited amount of legitimate limousine companies that are eligible for membership. This was the case for LBTONY, says Barwell. “We evaluated our region and figured we only had about 30 limousine companies,” he says. “Numbers are necessary to get things done, and at the time the taxi and bus industries were going through the same issues. After talking to the membership, we said let’s expand the association to include those businesses as well.” The new name was established to incorporate this membership, and the association is operating successfully. If a move like this is necessary to get active participation and accomplish goals, then consider branching out. The more, the merrier.

Don’t neglect vendors. Vendors are a great way to increase membership. They can sit on the board and offer various incentives to members. Auto shops, insurance providers, marketing companies, and countless other vendors provide value by bringing product knowledge that can give members an edge on competition, while also adding to the manpower necessary to deal with regulatory issues when the time comes. Offering vendors the chance to host or sponsor a meeting (with a brief presentation) brings in revenue for the association and undoubtedly makes operators want to attend to hear what the latest product offering is.

Recruiting efforts vary across the country, so don’t feel confined to these methods. Sometimes a little bit of flattery helps, too. “When reaching out to other operators for potential membership, we’ll mention that we recognize what a great company they run and how they can be an asset to the association,” says Yorke. Great company leaders can translate into great association leadership on all levels.

Public Image
This is where a formerly idle association can really shine. Marketing your organization to the general public is going to keep the interest of members and maintain the value of association membership. First off, members are part of an established and legitimate organization—one that has strict requirements in order to join—and the public should be aware of this. Members should display the association logo on their company websites, and, in turn, the association’s website should have its member directory readily available to anyone shopping for transportation. Many associations have picked up on the trend of having lapel pins made with the logo on it to wear at any time.

During important times of the year—particularly prom, wedding, and holiday seasons—a limousine association is the authority on transportation. A great majority of the membership services this clientele, and it’s time to make that known. Press releases are a good way to start. Sending them out to local news outlets, schools, regulators, and charitable organizations gets your name out there. The MLA and VLA are just two associations that are big proponents of the Prom Pledge or Prom Promise. These associations partner with local substance abuse centers, schools, and law enforcement to get the message out about safety during this important time of year. The VLA has held a Prom Pledge Parade for the past few years where a parade of limousines travels throughout town to create awareness about the mission of the pledge. Last year’s parade was picked up by a local TV station and VLA President Paul Walsh was interviewed.

Many limousine companies are involved with charitable organizations throughout the year, and so should your association. If just starting on this type of venture, try donating during the holidays. It can be transportation, monetary, or toy donations—whatever the association membership is comfortable with. As long as members act professionally and respectfully, it’s another way to shine a positive light on the organization and the industry. Share it with everyone, including other associations and trade publications.

“We need to control our public relations and be sure the good stories reach the public,” says Yorke. “Almost always it’s the stories of shadiness and debauchery that paint our industry in a negative light. The public needs to be hearing about fundraisers and commitments to worthy causes, and they need to hear it from a collective voice.” Having a positive public image ahead of time—before a news outlet can report on a chauffeur’s bad behavior—will make damage control that much easier. The association will be able to point out that the chauffeurs in all of its member companies are put through thorough background checks, and can direct the public to its website for quality transportation companies.

Maintaining an association is no small feat. It requires the participation of all members both physically and financially. Like all things, you get out of it what you put in. Offering ongoing education at meetings and holding members’ interest with guest speakers and special events will foster loyalty. Every association, big or small, had to start somewhere, and the industry shares many of the same frustrations. Communicate with other association leaders and learn from them. Those relationships will prove invaluable when your next regulatory battle comes to a head. LD