Five Marketing Associations to Join

Marketing Associations to Join

• American Marketing Association
• Sales and Marketing Executives International
• eMarketing Association
• Social Media Club
• The National Association of Sales Professionals

Joining a trade association allows you to tap into the collective knowledge of a group of professionals in your industry. It's especially useful for students who are entering the workforce after graduation. The associations allow its members to attend workshops free of charge or with reduced costs, attend networking events and keep up with trends and news. Marketing professionals should especially stay current by joining associations because the industry is constantly moving and changing.

American Marketing Association

In a presidential address to the AMA, Neil Borden transformed the landscape of the marketing world when he talked about the "Marketing Mix" for the first time. This was in 1953, and he was one of the first to realize that marketing is not only about what's current, but how marketing will shape the future. The AMA continues to provide knowledge and education for marketing professionals to help them become innovators. They have journals that focus on marketing research, public policy and marketing and international marketing news.

Sales and Marketing Executives International

This is one of the only international associations for marketing professionals. They provide members with conferences like the Sales & Marketing Leadership Conference. They have an educational video library for all its members as well as the ability to save money on things like insurance and other member discounts. There are many online marketing courses available for members like the SMEI Certified Professional Marketer or the SMEI Certified Professional Salesperson course. A limited free membership is a good, practical place to start experiencing what the association has to offer.

eMarketing Association

The eMA is a group of marketing professionals that are focused on the marketing strategies available online in this digital world. They provide certifications and events for all their members. Some of the 40,000 members include governments and corporations. Students will find that they can get certifications for many classes they attend. There are over 30 events each year that would benefit the marketing professional. Members take on a serious code of conduct that includes ethical practices in SEO, email marketing and prohibiting spam.

Social Media Club

This association focuses on the use of social media as a marketing tool. They have resources like job listings and a business directory for their members. It was founded in 2006 to discuss issues with marketing as it pertains to the world of social media. SMC wants to promote strong ethical behavior online and best practices for reaching an audience online. Their members include a diverse range of professions from marketers to artists as well as teachers and journalists.

The National Association of Sales Professionals

Sales is one aspect of marketing, but it's an important one. NASP has created a portal for its members to network with other professionals and further their credentials. While some associations have been around for over 50 years, this one is relatively new. Earliest meetings date back to the early 1980s with the founder, Michael Reagan, before it was officially founded in 1991. To join the association, the sales and marketing professionals have to agree with the basic principles of the group. One is to act with a high degree of ethics and integrity as well as promising to always fairly represent the benefits of products and services.

Joining a marketing association is essential for those beginning in the world of marketing. It's a great way to network and continue a student's education.

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