For the past several weeks a major league sports team and a network broadcast company have been trying to "buy" the benefits of being an RBA member with their celebrity. I've been holding out for their money. They want access to you. They want to be able to sell you tickets to their games and commercials on their programs. I've been telling them we'd love to give them those opportunities, but they have to pay dues -- just like you did. I'd love to have their celebrity attached to the RBA, but I can't bring myself to place that higher than the investment you made to be part of this organization.
I've also encountered some less well-known organizations that want to buy-in to our golf outing without buying-in to the association. A couple of car dealers want to put cars in our Hole-in-One contest. Others want to take different levels of sponsorship and send people to play. They, too, want access to you. They also want you to buy something and they at least are willing to pay for the cost of the specific marketing program, but they're not willing to become members. They say they want to try us out; they want to see if it works for them. As far as I'm concerned, they want a free ride, or as close to it as they can get. And this is where a core reason for our success comes into play. This is where "integrity" becomes more important that short-term gain. This is where who we are really shines through. And, it does make a difference.
Last year, we received a check from a prominent, non-member Rockland business for player participation in our golf outing. I returned the check with a note explaining that because we were a membership organization non-members could only play as the guests of members. Of course, I also noted how interested we were in having that company join the RBA. And, they did. One of the things that was noted was our integrity.
At a recent Executive Committee meeting I commented that I was very protective about the RBA. One of the members said, "Oh Al, you're protective about everything." He was pretty close to being right. If it's mine or if it's entrusted to me, I'm a Mama Bear protecting her cubs. And, I do feel that way about the RBA.
I'm proud of the fact that all members, no matter their size, are prized in the same way. I'm proud that we're willing to advocate for your best interests even when they may be in conflict with friends who have other interests. We have only one interest: "What do we have to do to help you grow your business?"
I'm extremely proud when colleagues in the Chamber Alliance comment about the good things they hear about us from their members who also belong to the RBA. Or when we get a call from someone needing assistance and it's a referral from an elected official. Or when a member of the Press calls for "background" information because they trust us to give them an honest appraisal of the issue they happen to be researching.
Joan Neumann, our VP Administration, is working up a new promotional piece about the Association that features testimonials from some of our members. She's gonna kill me for sharing them before she's ready to distribute, but I think they are quite eloquent in describing why I'm so proud of our organization:
"I always leave the RBA functions with a few good leads."
"Great group of people. Glad I joined. Has benefited me and my business.
And, my favorite, from someone who left and rejoined — "I don't know why I ever left."
Our pledge to you is that we will endeavor to make the RBA the organization you never leave. And, if you find us falling short of the mark, call us. If you don't mind talking to a bear, call me. If you want to discuss it with a really nice guy, call Roger Scheiber, our VP Development. Actually, if you call 735-2100, you're going to get someone who cares about the reason for your call. And, if they tell you they'll do something for you — you can take it to the bank that they will. In today's world, that's really something to be proud of.
— Al Samuels
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