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Outreach?

Jim Miller MCPF GCF

Frequent Poster
GCF Guild
Master Certified Picture Framer®
Messages
1,833
Location
Central Ohio
Company
ARTFRAME, Inc.
OK, PPFA members, do you have ideas about how we can reach out to non-members and get them better acquainted with our industry's only trade association?

That question has come up many times in the past, and the discussions usually focus on how to boost membership. That would be great, but the recruiting approach doesn't seem to work very well. I mean, maybe we ought to admit that PPFA membership isn't for everyone, and shift our focus more toward informing non-members, rather than simply recruiting them. The recruiting approach seems to have unfortunate side-effects.

Non-member framers often have a poor opinion of PPFA based on wrong information, innuendo or assumptions, or some personal offense that happened years ago. Or, non-members may believe PPFA membership ought to provide some tangible, direct benefit or payback, which they can not identify. This may manifest as "I'll join PPFA when I can get my money's worth".

In all its years, PPFA has not managed to address the majority of nay-sayers successfully, and I'm wondering why. Why do non-members believe PPFA members are arrogant? Why do they think PPFA consists of an "old boy network" that does not want them to become involved? Why do they believe PPFA owes them a profit over their dues?

More to the point, how can we, as informed, involved members, correct their misperceptions?
 
A well-put question, Jim. Identifying the question is half of the battle.

I have given up on trying to clarify and inform. I frequently make some small mistake that results in an "aha." But I think you are right that we need to make our case by supplying accurate information. My guess is that there are 3 or 4 persistent myths that cause trouble. I know that PPFA was a very different animal at one time, and maybe some of these past slights were not only real, but intentional. But I also know that the organization is not anything like that now.

Politicians can be convicted of felonies and still "reinvent" themselves with the right PR. Surely there is a way to improve the reputation of PPFA among its detractors.
 
Hello Friends,
The first time I became a member, it was because I wanted to sit the CPF Exam and it was cheaper to sit this exam when becoming a member. We were already a member of the FATG and my father couldn't understand why we had become a member of that American organization.
We are still members of the FATG because that organization has the appearance of old world class.
One should not judge a book by its cover.

The FATG has fewer members and probably represents the same number of members as the largest chapter of the PPFA. Being a larger organization, the PPFA has a larger pool of knowledgable framers. And this is true, the PPFA is at the forefront of new developments, has the largest number of books and merchandise in its store and a working Framers Corner.

I have said before, that it is unfortunate there are two framing organizations, whereas if it is one, we can combine our strength, knowledge and communication.
When I look at framers around me, I know of one framer in Palmerston North and one in Whanganui, who are not a member of any framing organization, nor have any framing qualifications. They do not see the need, but if they become a member of the PPFA, they will do better.

My suggestion is, to offer any framer listed in the Yellow Pages a free membership for three months with no strings attached. They can enjoy and see all the benefits and when the three months are finished, they can pay to renew, or not become a member. Even if 5 percent of those join after the three months, it will be worthwhile for our organization. We can even reach out to members in other countries where there is little or no membership of the PPFA.

I just got a round sticker Certified Framer on staff, a membership certificate and an opening hour sticker combined with a Yes we're oopen/ Sorry we're closed sign in blue, red, white. This looks really good in a new shop to open in the future. Without membership of the PPFA I would not have been able to display these stickers.
 
Outreach

Jim you are a good person!! I'm old & grouchy so I can say this. Some people don't care about anything other than making money. Providing a better product, service or gaining knowledge in the field is not important to these people. Your valuable time trying to educate or inform them is being wasted. This is a harsh way of looking at it, but I promise you it is unfortunately true. I swear to you I have never attend a PPFA show where I have not learned at least one thing that has more than paid for attending the show and made profit for me later. You can tell people this fact over and over again and they still won't join. How about we take our (your) energy, time and money and make it better for our current members any way we can. It's almost like "keeping you current customers happy is better business than spending all your time on getting new customers." I know I've seen some quote like that in Decor or Vivian or some place. You are still a good person for trying, but still "there ain't no cure for stupid."
 
That may be true to some extent Les, but as with our customers, we always lose some and need to advertise to attract new customers. We lose customers and members by them dying, going to competition, financial difficulties, moving away etc. We need to retain our market-share, that is we need to have so many customers/ members per population.

There are still many framers/ customers out there who do not know about our existence. If they do know about our existence, do they know about our benefits?
It does not hurt to advertise as long as we get some positive returns. This advertising can be done by the administration at PPFA or dedicated members acting as volunteers.

We first have to locate potental members, then target them in the right way and this can all be done by internet, email or Facebook. I read that it is better these days to communicate with people via Facebook or Twitter, than email as people are less likely to hit the delete button.

It is a good thread Jim and worth exploring. We have to be positive and not focus on the negative sides of recruiting.
The same applies to your time spent on seminars and writing books. That is well appreciated.
 
Great topic Jim!

Some framers are never going to join any organisation, because they can't see any value in it. Some framers are only concerned with "what's in it for me" and even when we show them a list of financial and business benefits they still won't join!
In Australia the number of framers who don't know of the existence of PPFA would be very small. PPFA is promoted at The Framing Show in Sydney every two years. Profile Magazine (who run The Framing Show) runs a full page ad for PPFA free of charge in all six issues each year and stories from time to time. The largest supplier promotes PPFA occasionally in their monthly magazine.

Anyone who doesn't know that PPFA exists in Australia, must be very insular!

I have given out 'Benefits sheets' at Industry Meetings and at The Framing Show and pointed out that many businesses have saved 5 to 10 times the annual PPFA subscription on business insurance alone, yet many of the people who get that info, still do not join. Why would anyone not want to save $1000 plus on their insurance each year??? Maybe they just don't believe us?

I often wonder what it is that they want and have come to the conclusion that membership is not for everyone! I'm sure that there are plenty of framers who might join in the future if they are approached in the right way - for them.

Finding the right method is the key IMO!
 
The question that never goes away...

Jim,

Thanks for posting this thread. It made me think that as PPFA members we go through different stages of involvement. I also recognize that we have been members so long, that it just feels natural to be here...to belong. hmmmm

Jim Miller said:
...In all its years, PPFA has not managed to address the majority of nay-sayers successfully, and I'm wondering why....

Absolutely True - countless committees and programs to recruit have not really had a major impact.

Ormond Williams said:
...I often wonder what it is that they want and have come to the conclusion that membership is not for everyone! I'm sure that there are plenty of framers who might join in the future if they are approached in the right way - for them.

Finding the right method is the key IMO!

I have come to a simlar conclusion...membership in any organization just isn't in the DNA of some individuals. As Ormond asks... how do we find that small percentage that might be persuaded to shift from the non-joiner ranks to becoming a member?

What characteristics do they have or show that mark them as potential MEMBERS?

John
 
One thing that has surprised me is the general lack of awareness.

I think you'd all be surprised how many people told me at the conference that they thought PPFA had gone away.

We (PPFA) have been out of non-members visibility for years.

Combining with WCAF and getting press in PFM will help here in the US, but a we need to be more visible as individuals to non-members.

Often all it takes is a personal invite to get people involved.
 
Apparently we all see similar symptoms of attitude and opinion among non-members and members, as well.

Yes, some folks simply are not "joiners", and avoid what might be described as 'group think'. But even so, what is it that inspires some of these independent-minded people to so vehemently dislike and demean an organization that would like to attract them? Wouldn't a polite "No, thanks" suffice?

To me, it seems odd that a framer would be uninterested in supporting a trade-specific association intending to advance the trade and its members. But far beyond that, some are not just uninterested in joining, but are actually hostile toward the group. Maybe an accumulation of numerous recruiting efforts over time, unnoticed by others, causes severe personal abrasion?

Of course in any long-established organization, there are bound to be a few sour relationships and personality conflicts among the characters. Those who quit over hurt feelings or a dispute usually go away quietly, but they may be quite vocal to others about their displeasure, and they tend to condemn the whole group. I understand that, but could there possibly be so many of them?

Even more puzzling is the fact that some framers, who have never been involved at all, demean the association in very unflattering terms. The mass-hostility is strange and mysterious.

We are focused on the plight of PPFA because we are involved, and we have personally experienced the outright and not-polite rejections of our beloved association. But hostile rejection isn't only a PPFA problem. Clearly, as indicated by comments on the internet forums, FATG has similar detractors, and their leadership doesn't seem to deal with the problem any better than ours does.

Sorry to ramble. Somewhere there is an explanation for the unexplained, but hand-wringing probably is futile. Personally, I favor three approaches:

1. Be a good ambassador for the association. Dismissive or holier-than-thou members may be part of the problem. Exclusion hurts, inclusion helps.

2. When a detractor bashes, look past the facade of insults. Defensive objections often are unreasonable, unexplained, artificially-concocted, and convenient to stop conversation deemed uncomfortable. In that case, stop conversation.

3. Accept reality: Trade associations in small industries, such as framing, generally do not attract a large percentage of the potential membership. It has always been that way and PPFA has never managed to be a notable exception.
 
Jim Miller said:
...Even more puzzling is the fact that some framers, who have never been involved at all, demean the association in very unflattering terms. The mass-hostility is strange and mysterious....

Jim,

Sometimes the negative individuals can do a 180... Do check out this thread Grumble 2001 PPFA discussion... In particular our responses to Bob Carter's posting. (This was before he came over from the dark side)

I guess the spots can change.

John
 
Jim, thanks for posting this issue. It is thought provoking and opens up discussion points.

I tend to look at a problem and start to break it down to manageable pieces. Certainly there are many perspectives on this topic and I won't begin to say I am knowledgeable on all of those perspectives. To simplify the issue from one perspective we will need to break down the potential members as follows:


  • People who always want to participate in a trade association
  • People who may or may not want to participate in a trade association
  • People who never want to participate in a trade association

We don't know the percentage participation of each of these categories as it relates to Picture Framing. But outside of the focus on current members the focus will always be on the middle group.

We as an association need to develop an organizational infrastructure that meets the needs of those people who are in this middle group. I believe PPFA is undergoing a fundamental organizational change. From the Mission Statement all the way to how it operates and interacts with its members on a chapter level.

Some of our unofficial goals will probably be to: (in no particular order of importance)

  • Be dedicated to providing members benefits that are relevant to their needs
  • Be transparent to members
  • Grow the Industry
  • Educate the Industry
  • Support Custom Frame Shops
  • Support Chapter Efforts
  • Support Supplier Efforts

I know the industry has changed over the years. PPFA needs to update its organization to meet those needs.

We probably will never meet the needs of the category that will never participate in a trade association. However, our desire is that over time we will attract more and more of the middle group. Certainly there will not be any simple answers, only hard work and dedicated effort from everyone involved in the organization.
 
This is all a very useful discussion.
We can also ask ourselves, what kind of person is the usually self-employed pictureframer? Some of us opted for this carreer, because we like to be independent, not being told what to do by a boss, a dislike of working in a structured company with more than two individuals. Some framers choose to be framers just to escape from having to work with others whose ideas clash with theirs. In that way, they see the PPFA as an organization that tells them how to frame and impedes on their freedom.

We have to accept, that we can never get near 100% membership unless it is compulsory. Just as there are certain customers we do not like to see in our shop, there are certain framers whose characters are not beneficial or even destructive to our organization. If a potential candidate for membership knows about all the benefits of the PPFA and still chooses not to be part, then what more can we do? Do we have to do more to attract these individuals who are happy not to be part of any organization?

We just have to focus on informing those framers who do not yet know about the benefits of the PPFA. In the case of Australia, this cannot be many, but also look at how many members Australia already has. Should we not be satisfied with this large number? As in any organization, there are parts some of us do not like, while others are supportive.

What I do not like about the PPFA is
- Its link with the PMA. We should have remained independent.
- CPF Exams able to sit online
- Lack of cooperation with the FATG

Still I am a member, because without the PPFA I will not be as good a framer as I am now. United we stand, divided we fall.
 
Thanks for outreach Mr. Miller and Mr. Ranes

We, the members of PPFA must continue to build our industries trade association.
We must make our association an organization that NON MEMBERS CAN'T AFFORD
NOT TO JOIN. PPFA through it's members is a POSITIVE organization. There is no
time or inclination to deal with the negative aspects of not belonging.

If one feeds at the trough of this industry there really is no legitimate reason why
one shouldn't help themselves by supporting it.

Our frame shops are still doing business every day and it has been that way since
1962. ( 50 years ) Believe it or not, most of the good things in business I recall
have come frome PPFA, learning, lasting friendships, facing challenges and having
fun.

Oh , to be young again !

Tom Pavlock
 
Dear Tom Pavlock

You have been at it for fifty years. Has the business changed much in that time and how much did the PPFA and the people associated with it cause that progress?? PS: How young do you want to be?
 
What I do not like about the PPFA is
- Its link with the PMA. We should have remained independent.
- CPF Exams able to sit online
- Lack of cooperation with the FATG

Still I am a member, because without the PPFA I will not be as good a framer as I am now. United we stand, divided we fall.

Like it or not, if the PPFA had not joined with the PMA about ten years ago, it would probably not exist at all and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

The CPF exam is supposed to be available online. As of late January there were some issues with the service provider which were being worked on. Thanks for the reminder to check on where we are with that.

From what I've heard there were some attempts to forge relationships with the FATG at some point. The attitude on the FATG seemed to be one of taking all they could get from the PPFA and offering very little in return. That was under the previous FATG leadership so perhaps things would be different today.
 
David is right about the PPFA/FATG relationship.

In 2000, when we developed the MCPF program, the Certification Board wanted to work with FATG to develop a "world standard" credential. Five of us from PPFA met with FATG representatives in Atlanta during the DecorExpo trade show, but we never progressed past preliminary conversation.

The PPFA Certification Board had planned to propose that each association assign three or four representatives to work out details of a jointly-written credential program, which would build upon both of the existing credentials, the CPF and CGF programs. Our proposal for the new credential program was to include specific educational components, a timed exam with a multiple-choice segment and a hands-on practicum, and continuing educational requirements. These criteria were developed into the MCPF program as we know it, except that FATG was not involved.

As a prerequisite to working together, the FATG representatives in the Atlanta meeting wanted PPFA to give them the CPF exam with no strings attached, but refused to discuss any further plans, or share any information about their GCF program, pending their "approval" of the CPF exam. Unfortunately, their absolutely one-sided insistence doomed the talks immediately, and there were no further discussions of a jointly-developed program.

The current FATG leadership seems to be more inclusive and might be more cooperative than the previous leadership in 2000. But since then, both associations have developed their own advanced credentials independently, and the framing industry has evolved such that probably neither association would be interested in developing a world standard credential.
 
Outreach and / or reaching out !

Mr. Martin if I could choose an age, it would be that time just before memory begins to fail us.
That time when being constructive and creative is still meaningful to others in some small way.

The answers to the questions you ask would probably fill a hardcover book. I am not sure the
rest of our posters would appreciate me frankenthreading their subject.

Briefly, I do not believe picture framing has fundamentally changed all that much in my time.
It sure hasn't elevated itself to the stature of brain surgery. However, technologically,
tools , equipment and techniques have refined the craft immeasurably.

PPFA and the people in it gave me the courage to persevere in the picture frame business.
They taught me to grow as a person, to take on new challenges, to work with people, and
not to accept failure.

Thanks for asking Les. It was fun reminiscing the answers. Now back to outreach !

Sorry posters , Tom
 
As everyone else has stated, this really is a great topic of discussion. I think I can at least try to bring to light the mindset of someone not interested in belonging to our organization. My father was a framer from 1982 right up to his passing in 2009 and he would have never joined the PPFA. It wasn't because he was arrogant or stupid, it simply was not for him.

All of us have different personalities, different goals, and different priorities. What may be right for you, can be wrong for someone else. From my fathers point of view, he liked where he fit in the industry. He had a very loyal group of customers and galleries that he worked with. He was happy with what he had. I can't fault him for this. Could he have benefited from being a member? Of course. I'm not arguing the obvious. I'm sure that there are those people that think they are too good for the PPFA, or just think it's a waste of money, or think the PPFA members come off as being arrogant "know it all's". This was not my father. Again, he was happy where he was.
I think we can all be guilty at times of the, "if they would only see it my way!!" mindset. I think this is a natural reaction to something that really gets your juices flowing. You just want to share it with everyone that you can. And thats great. However, it won't thrill everyone.

Now, here's the other side of the coin. Dad died Aug. 3, 2009. In January 2010, I was at the WCAF. Later that year, my mother and I joined the PPFA. I just attended my third WCAF and it was my mothers second. I absolutely love attending the classes and walking the floor at the convention. My classes tend to focus on technique, and my mother's on marketing. In other words, I take a Jim Miller class, Mom takes a Kirstie Bennett class, and we both take the Jay Goltz class. We go to all the meetings of the NEPPFA and absolutely love it. Had it not been for the PPFA and the WCAF, we would most likely have gone out of business. We come back from every meeting with allot of energy and excitement. So, you see, the organization is great for us, not for him. And thats fine.

I think the best thing we can do is just to make everyone aware that they have a great organization at their disposal, if they choose to use it. If not, that's cool, too.
I hope in some way this post helps everyone understand that the dreaded "non member" mentality might not be so bad......for them.
 
Outreach legacy

Evan,
You and your mom make us all proud and I am
willing to bet.......your dad too .
Tom
 
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