What it means when we say "Off to our Conference"

When I took this job in 1993 I had never worked with an association. I had been to conferences, (my wife, Melinda was President of the New Hampshire Telephone Association), but never knew the inside story. Then I moved to Tallahassee.

As a new sales rep, on the advice of my new boss, I joined the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives (TSAE), went to see anyone who would give me an appointment, and eventually closed the deal to print some conference material. My customer was a very nice young woman we'll call Christy, because that was her real name.

I, and almost every association I have worked with since, owe her a lot.

I owe her a lot because, as she related the timetable for her project, she must have sensed a certain inattentiveness on my part; it was clear I did not understand what her world would be like when this deadline approached. She didn't want anything else to worry about, so she stopped and took a moment to straighten me out.

She related the myriad details which surround conference planning and the consequences of things getting out of control. She shared the stress she and the association staff experience when there was no time left to fix problems. She mentioned that for them, unlike us as a vendor, packing the truck was just the beginning, and that they would be working twenty hour days until the last member checked out and they had to pack the truck all over again. It was one of the most frank and concise ten minutes I've ever spent with a client.

I think about Christy often, and mostly during this time of year as we send one client after another off to their conference. I am always amazed at the skill, dedication, and true good humor our association friends display as they go about this critical part of their year. There always seems to be a good idea to squirrel away for next year to make the process even smoother.

So, to all the TSAEs, FSAEs, CMPs, CAE's and SGMPs out there; have a safe trip, and take a well deserved break when you get back!

Hugh Butler
Your Friend in the Printing Business