Reflection by Linda Edwards, Managing Director, British Sign and Graphics Association
On Thursday 10th September, Sue Hewick (Office Manager) and I attended the Trade Association Forum’s (TAF) Best Practice Exchange at 1 Basinghall Avenue, London.
Having recently joined TAF, the event provided a valuable opportunity to step outside our usual operating environment and spend some time considering BSGA from a different perspective. More than 275 trade association professionals attended, representing organisations from a wide range of sectors.
The programme covered many of the issues facing membership organisations today, including leading associations through volatility, high performing teams, technology transformation, member engagement, training and education, Government relations and the use of data and statistics.
The keynote from Lord Leong CBE, Minister for Small Business and Enterprise, was followed by insight from Alex van Besouw, Deputy Director for Business Engagement at the Department for Business and Trade. Both sessions provided useful context around the role trade associations play in representing their sectors and the businesses within them.
A significant part of the day was the opportunity to speak with individuals working in other trade associations. Whilst the sectors they represent may be very different from ours, many of the underlying considerations are familiar: how we engage members, communicate effectively, demonstrate value, develop our services and ensure that our organisations remain relevant.
There will not always be a direct transfer from one association to another, and nor should there be. The value is in seeing how others approach similar issues, questioning our own assumptions and considering whether there are things we could do differently.
This is one of the reasons BSGA joined TAF. It gives us access to experience and thinking beyond our own sector, whilst also giving us the opportunity to share our own experiences and perspectives. It provides another reference point for how we approach membership, governance and communication, whilst ensuring that the voice of our industry is represented within the broader trade association community.
The Best Practice Exchange was a valuable first opportunity to experience the benefits of being part of TAF. The sessions and conversations provided useful insight into how other associations are approaching some of the issues we face, giving us further points to consider as BSGA continues to develop.
Being part of TAF creates another forum for the BSGA to share our experience, learn from others and make sure the signage and graphics sector is represented in conversations beyond our own industry.
We look forward to continuing those conversations and ensuring that the signage and graphics sector has a voice within the wider trade association community.
To find out more about BSGA and the work we do on behalf our sector, contact the team at ask@uksigns.org or visit www.uksigns.org.