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What are your favorite benefits from the PPFA

D

Dave Wetterstroem

Well-known member
Messages
68
Loc
Ohio
Company
FrameMakers of Powell
As a new member, I got a pin, a door sticker and a framefest lanyard. I had been told about a fed-ex discount which I signed up for yesterday.

So what are your favorite benefits of membership? What about benefits from the other organizations that are under the same umbrella as the PPFA?
 
I get that Greg, but I was looking for more in the way of programs etc. I see that there are webinars, but they are an upcharge :sour:

My name hasn't been entered in the system yet (I understand they just got back and are still getting things set up) so I can get into other areas yet.
 
I just really really think it the people I have met! I can name a dozen framers I could call with questions and have made more friends in this part of my life than in other part.

I get that you are asking for the business kind or ...what do I get for my membership...but what I GET is the most talented awesome friends that GET me!

Welcome to the PPFA!
 
One of the greatest advantages of membership is that you get a golden opportunity to give. You are a pretty talented framer and have some uncanny design skills with shadowboxes, and now you belong to a group that speaks your language, and can really appreciate what you do. I guess what you get from PPFA is somehow linked to what you bring with you as well. Looking forward to the input.
The Member Advantage Program is nice, and I hope it will grow. There are some direct benefits there.
 
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I am the first to admit that our dollar benefits are not much better than anybody else's. We do have some pretty good vendor discounts in the Members Advantage program, (and some have multiple offers throughout the year) and if you can benefit from the Workers Comp insurance, you will certainly save more than your dues.

I can tell you that the PPFA Membership Committee is working on this aspect of member benefits, and we will see the Members Advantage grow. We will be continuing to work on identifying and implementing benefits that can help more framers. But I don't think it is possible to reach the place where every member has access to benefits that have an equal or higher dollar value than the dues investment. We are actively looking for input right now.

I see value in trade associations whether there is a direct financial benefit or not, but I may not be typical. I've been around long enough now that I would continue to have framing friends and access to the expertise of more knowledgeable framers even if I weren't a member.

I have observed that over the last few years I do get some high-ticket jobs because of that door sticker and the CPF. A surprising number of customers with expensive art are actively seeking me out and driving several hours to keep an appointment with me. I do advertise statewide, so it is hard to identify what is more effective. My business has continued to grow in double digits all through the current "financial crisis."

I credit PPFA with a good bit of this growth. I get not only great framing advice, but great business advice from the many members I talk to as well as here on the FC.

It is counter-intuitive, but it seems the more energy I put into PPFA the better my business goes and the more money I make.
 
Dave Wetterstroem said:
My name hasn't been entered in the system yet (I understand they just got back and are still getting things set up) so I can get into other areas yet.
Click to expand...

You should be all set on the forum. I raised your access just 30 minutes after you showed me the shiny new PPFA MEMBER ribbon on your trade show name tag :)

The PPFA website is currently in the process of being redesigned/reinvented, with a complete re-write. I think folks will be back from Vegas, and back on duty, Monday. If the new applications were mailed, it may take a couple more days.

We benefit a lot from the local meetings, which bring in educators and vendors from all over. The continuing education is important. We have become close with many of our local peers within PPFA, and it's nice to know that we can pick up the phone any time to help each other out. (and we often do)

Many customers also specifically seek out CPF's, to have confidence that their framer is familiar with the current standards to properly preserve their keepsake. We are often told that we get selected over others, because of this. Those extra referrals, alone, pay for our yearly dues many times over. These leads always result in high dollar tickets/premium services.

Welcome!
Mike
 
Mike Labbe said:
You should be all set on the forum. I raised your access just 30 minutes after you showed me the shiny new PPFA MEMBER ribbon on your trade show name tag :)

The PPFA website is currently in the process of being redesigned/reinvented, with a complete re-write. I think folks will be back from Vegas, and back on duty, Monday. If the new applications were mailed, it may take a couple more days.

We benefit a lot from the local meetings, which bring in educators and vendors from all over. The continuing education is important. We have become close with many of our local peers within PPFA, and it's nice to know that we can pick up the phone any time to help each other out. (and we often do)

Many customers also specifically seek out CPF's, to have confidence that their framer is familiar with the current standards to properly preserve their keepsake. We are often told that we get selected over others, because of this. Those extra referrals, alone, pay for our yearly dues many times over. These leads always result in high dollar tickets/premium services.

Welcome!
Mike
Click to expand...
Good point Mike. There are framers that say certification gets them nothing and it's "not about the marketing, but the learning."

OK, I get that, but I also market the heck out of it and it has more than paid for itself in sales from distances that require driving right by other shops.

I also market the heck out of the competitions and they help drive a fair amount of business as well.
 
I use the processing, the insurance, Fed Ex, the networking...

Like most things what you get out is directly correlated to what you put in.

My absolute best friends are people I've met through PPFA. I've cut intricate mats for local members who don't (or didn't at the time) use CMCs. I've called on others when I was out of cons Ref Con acrylic on a weekend.

I've marketed my certifications, and competition success.
 
One of the biggest benefits I get from PPFA is the access to educational opportunities and classes provided at the local as well as the national level. As others have mentioned, the access to hundreds of other framers that can offer aid or advise on a particularly challenging project is a tremendous benefit. Also having an organization who's goal is my success, and works to make sure that we all have the most up to date information regarding techniques and materials is a huge thing to me.

Ultimately, my firmest belief in PPFA is that you'll only get out of it what you're willing to put into it. If one joins PPFA, but fails to attend meetings or offered classes, then they will certainly not reap the same benefits from the organization as one who regularly attends and contributes.
 
So here's the scoop on PPFA for me. When I started framing, about 12 years ago, I basically knew how to fit simple projects. I began reading anything I could and found an organization called PPFA. Here was a group that had a broad knowledge base and wanted to make framing better. Joining was the best thing for my business. It is what you make of it but the knowledge and information is there for the taking. I do not use a lot of the insurance or specials offered but always take a look. My business has grown and PPFA has helped me navigate the path for success. I never dreamed my life journey would take me here but I must say, I am very happy. When I attend local meetings, I get to see framers and learn something new. There is ALWAYS a tidbit of information out there that can improve your business either in frame design or marketing and promotion. I will continue to support PPFA because it is our industry organization and we all can learn from each other and grow to become better framers and business operators. So, in a nutshell, my favorite things about PPFA and the benefit I derive is from the people, the knowledge and the camaraderie.
 
My FEdEx shipping discount more than pays for the membership.

Additionally, we recently started to attend local PPFA seminars, the first one of which sponsored by the Northern CA chapter on SEO was excellent. What I learned in one hour allowed me to make three minor changes to my Google + account that put me in first place (from third) in Google Local rankings within one day.

This forum is invaluable. a private place to discuss framing issues is important to me.

Top notch education by the likes of Rob Markoff, Hugh Phibbs, and Paul Macfarland. You cannot beat this anywhere.

The door sticker and web site logo add a bit of cache and may help with shop recognition, as does the Find a Framer listing.

Great people to interact with.

We could get more out of it if we put in more, but I'm satisfied.

All this for a few hundred dollars a year? What's not to like?
 
As a vendor, our benefits tend to be a bit different.

Probably the biggest benefit we receive is exposure to markets not otherwise readily available. As PPFA members we have access to promotions not available to the general public, like sponsoring an award for the competition. We also get mailing lists of all new members, and newly minted CPFs & MCPFs. Lastly, it feels like our membership, and the exposure we get through it, add to our credibility. All these things are intangibles, but I feel they are worth well more than the cost of membership.

Beyond the intangibles, we get our WC insurance through the PPFA, and so far the Dividend has more than paid the cost of membership too*. I don't recall exactly how much, but it seems like it was maybe 4 times the membership fee this last year.

*The dividend would mean nothing if the rate was higher, but the rate is lower than what our local agent has been able to get, so the dividend is icing on the cake.
 
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