Show Your Support
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Suppliers listed in our searchable buyers’ guide benefit operators and vendors alike in more ways than one. It’s a great way for our associate members to promote their products and services — and it includes suppliers outside of the network, increasing the chances that operators will find what they are looking for.

For vendors, AOCA offers a variety of advertising options that ensures you get your name in front of buyers again and again. Publicity can be nothing but helpful to your organization. This is one of the more prevalent benefits of being affiliated with an association. In a sense, the exposure your company can get through an association can be as beneficial as a $10,000 brochure.

Isn’t publicity what every vendor is trying to achieve for their business? Isn’t the same true of manufacturers, dealers and service people who plaster their names across the doors of company trucks, or on a piece of heavy equipment or automobiles? These tactics are definitely great for getting your name and products out there. There’s only one problem — the people seeing your name as they drive past are not always the ones you need to see it. This is when the benefits of an association become evident. The association has the ability to promote you and your company to the right people.

Many associations have meetings to discuss topics of concern to their memberships. Now known as the International Fast Lube Expo (iFLEX, or what used to be known as the AOCA Convention and Trade Show), this even — scheduled for August 2011 — has been transformed into a dynamic conference dedicated entirely to the fast lube industry. This is the only event solely dedicated to your business and your industry. As owners and operators, what you learn from vendors on the show floor, from experts in educational sessions and from each other at networking events will pay dividends for you and your company.

If you are a supplier to our industry, experts say there is no better way to connect with your customers than face to face. A trade show is the perfect way to do that, and iFLEX is that place! The exhibit hall is an extension of the educational sessions. An exhibit booth is another avenue to enhance the educational experience of every attendee, and it gives customers a unique opportunity to learn about the many products and services that your company has to offer. A massive amount of information, company promotion and networking takes place throughout this entire event.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not guaranteeing that membership in the AOCA or any other association will solve your every problem, but it sure helps. I have been a member of a couple of associations for the past 10 years, and it sure helped me advance in my career. The contacts I have made and the information I got out of the meetings is priceless. Don’t be left out of the loop. Get involved in the AOCA. It’s like having a gym membership — it only works if you use it! No matter who you are, or what you do, supporting your industry association is a smart move.

LEANNE STUMP is executive director of the Automotive Oil Change Association. For more information on membership in AOCA, call 800.331.0329 or visit: www.aoca.org

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