Industry Association Participation Guide

Document Type: Guide
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: February 2026
Distribute To: Owners, BD Team, Key Employees

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Purpose

Provide guidance on strategic participation in industry associations to build relationships, enhance reputation, and support business development.

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Why Association Participation Matters

Business Benefits:

• Relationship building with clients and competitors
• Market intelligence
• Professional development
• Industry advocacy
• Credibility and visibility
• Recruitment opportunities

Key Associations for Contractors:

Financial/Management:

• CFMA (Construction Financial Management Association)
• AICPA Construction Industry CPAs

General Contractors:

• AGC (Associated General Contractors)
• ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors)

Specialty Contractors:

• SMACNA, NECA, MCAA, PHCC (by trade)
• ASA (American Subcontractors Association)

Other:

• DBIA (Design-Build Institute)
• Local builders associations
• Client industry associations

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Association Selection

Evaluation Framework:

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         ASSOCIATION EVALUATION
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Association: _______________________

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STRATEGIC VALUE:

| Factor | Score (1-5) | Weight | Weighted |
|--------|-------------|--------|----------|
| Client membership | | 25% | |
| Networking quality | | 20% | |
| Educational value | | 15% | |
| Industry visibility | | 15% | |
| Local chapter activity | | 15% | |
| Cost effectiveness | | 10% | |
| TOTAL | | 100% | |

Value score: _____

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MEMBER PROFILE:

Who are the members?
☐ GCs (clients for subs)
☐ Owners (clients for GCs)
☐ Peer contractors
☐ Subcontractors (partners)
☐ Suppliers
☐ Professional services

Target client presence: ☐ High  ☐ Medium  ☐ Low

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COMMITMENT REQUIRED:

Annual dues: $_________________
Event costs (typical): $_________________
Time commitment: _____ hours/month
Total annual investment: $_________________

ROI potential:
  If we win 1 project through relationships: $____________
  Likely payback: ☐ Immediate  ☐ 1-2 years  ☐ Long-term

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RECOMMENDATION:

☐ Join and participate actively
☐ Join at basic level
☐ Do not join
☐ Evaluate further

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Participation Strategy

Association Engagement Plan:

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         ASSOCIATION ENGAGEMENT PLAN
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Association: _______________________
Year: _______

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PARTICIPATION LEVEL:

☐ Basic membership
☐ Committee involvement
☐ Leadership role
☐ Event sponsorship
☐ Speaking/presenting

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ASSIGNED REPRESENTATIVES:

Primary: _______________________
  Role: _______________________
  Time commitment: _____ hours/month

Secondary: _______________________
  Role: _______________________

Executive sponsor: _______________________
  (For high-level relationship building)

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OBJECTIVES:

1. _______________________________________________________
   Measure: _______________________
   
2. _______________________________________________________
   Measure: _______________________
   
3. _______________________________________________________
   Measure: _______________________

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ACTIVITY PLAN:

| Event/Activity | Date | Attendees | Objective |
|----------------|------|-----------|-----------|
|                |      |           |           |
|                |      |           |           |

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BUDGET:

| Item | Budget |
|------|--------|
| Membership dues | $ |
| Events/conferences | $ |
| Sponsorships | $ |
| Travel/entertainment | $ |
| TOTAL | $ |

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CFMA Specific Guidance

Why CFMA Matters:

CFMA is uniquely valuable because:

• CFOs and Controllers attend (decision influencers)
• Financial focus aligns with professional services
• Educational content is high quality
• Networking is relationship-focused
• Annual benchmarking data

CFMA Participation Strategy:

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         CFMA PARTICIPATION PLAN
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Chapter: _______________________

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PARTICIPATION RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. CHAPTER MEETINGS (Monthly)
   - CFO/Controller should attend
   - Network with peers and clients
   - Learn best practices

2. ANNUAL CONFERENCE
   - Send key financial leader
   - Attend sessions, network
   - Consider presenting

3. COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT
   - Join 1-2 committees
   - Education, programs, or membership
   - Build deeper relationships

4. BENCHMARKING
   - Participate in annual survey
   - Use data for client conversations
   - Reference in proposals

5. SPONSORSHIP
   - Chapter event sponsorship
   - Recognition and visibility
   - Client entertainment opportunity

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ROI TRACKING:

Relationships built:
| Contact | Company | Relationship | Business Impact |
|---------|---------|--------------|-----------------|
|         |         |              |                 |

Business influenced by CFMA relationships: $_________________

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AGC/ABC Participation

Trade Association Strategy:

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         TRADE ASSOCIATION PLAN
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Association: ☐ AGC  ☐ ABC  ☐ Other: _______________________

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VALUE PROPOSITION:

AGC strengths:
- GC focus
- Legislative advocacy
- Labor relations
- Industry data

ABC strengths:
- Open shop focus
- Training programs
- Safety programs
- Skill competitions

Select based on:
- Labor situation (union vs. open shop)
- Client expectations
- Local chapter strength
- Peer network value

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PARTICIPATION PLAN:

Chapter involvement:
☐ Board/leadership
☐ Committee membership
☐ Safety programs
☐ Apprenticeship programs
☐ Networking events

National involvement:
☐ Annual conference
☐ National committees
☐ Legislative activities

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KEY RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD:

| Name | Company | Type | Objective |
|------|---------|------|-----------|
|      |         |      |           |

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Event Maximization

Conference/Event Preparation:

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         EVENT PREPARATION CHECKLIST
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Event: _______________________
Date: _______________________
Location: _______________________
Attendees from company: _______________________

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PRE-EVENT:

☐ Review attendee list
☐ Identify target contacts
☐ Schedule meetings/meals
☐ Research key contacts
☐ Prepare elevator pitch
☐ Business cards ready
☐ Company materials ready
☐ Plan social activities

Target contacts:
| Name | Company | Goal | Approach |
|------|---------|------|----------|
|      |         |      |          |

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DURING EVENT:

☐ Attend key sessions
☐ Network during breaks
☐ Attend social events
☐ Take notes on contacts
☐ Exchange contact info
☐ Schedule follow-ups

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POST-EVENT (Within 1 week):

☐ Enter contacts in CRM
☐ Send follow-up emails
☐ Schedule follow-up calls/meetings
☐ Send LinkedIn connections
☐ Share insights internally
☐ Update pursuit strategies

Follow-up tracking:
| Contact | Follow-Up Sent | Response | Next Step |
|---------|----------------|----------|-----------|
|         |                |          |           |

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Committee Involvement

Committee Selection:

Committee Type	Best For	Time Commitment
Programs	Visibility, speaker relationships	Medium
Membership	Relationship building	Medium
Education	Expertise positioning	High
Safety	Credential building	Medium
Legislative	Industry involvement	Low-Medium
Board	Leadership visibility	High

Committee Success:

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         COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT
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Committee: _______________________
Association: _______________________
Member: _______________________
Term: _______________________

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OBJECTIVES:

Personal:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________

Business:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________

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COMMITMENTS:

Meeting frequency: _______________________
Time per month: _____ hours
Special projects: _______________________

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RELATIONSHIP GOALS:

Fellow committee members to build relationships with:
| Name | Company | Objective |
|------|---------|-----------|
|      |         |           |

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EVALUATION (End of term):

☐ Objectives met
☐ Relationships built
☐ Business influenced
☐ Worth continuing

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Measuring ROI

Association ROI Tracking:

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         ASSOCIATION ROI ANALYSIS
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Association: _______________________
Year: _______

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INVESTMENT:

| Item | Actual Cost |
|------|-------------|
| Membership dues | $ |
| Events attended | $ |
| Sponsorships | $ |
| Time value (est.) | $ |
| TOTAL INVESTMENT | $ |

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RETURNS:

Relationships built: _____
Proposals influenced: _____
Projects won with association connection: _____
Revenue from association relationships: $_________________

Knowledge/skills gained: _______________________
Industry visibility: _______________________
Recruitment connections: _______________________

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ROI CALCULATION:

Revenue influenced: $_________________
Investment: $_________________
ROI: _____x

Qualitative value: ☐ High  ☐ Medium  ☐ Low

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RECOMMENDATION:

☐ Increase involvement
☐ Maintain current level
☐ Reduce involvement
☐ Discontinue membership

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Related Documents

• Networking Strategy
• Client Relationship Management
• Business Development
• Marketing Strategy

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