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March 2006 |
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Welcome to the Surety Information Office’s LSA Communiqué, a newsletter for Local Surety Association officers and members. Through the LSA Communiqué, SIO will bring you tips and ideas for promoting contract surety bonds and making the most of your association. If you have suggestions or questions, contact Marla McIntyre, Executive Director, or Marc Ramsey, Communications Manager, at (202) 686-7463.
Private Sector: Trekking into the Great Frontier It may not be as adventurous as trekking across the Antarctica, but the private construction sector is a vast frontier that offers challenges and rewards to the ambitious surety professional. This sector represents the greatest potential for contract surety bond growth. When it comes to supplies and equipment for your expedition, turn to SIO, the surety outfitter. Like your flint stick and Swiss Army knife, there are a few items you must have for survival in the private sector:
Membership: What’s In It for Them? When was the last time you considered “What’s in it for them?” Aside from speakers and networking, what do your local surety association members get out of membership? Do they have opportunities to grow professionally? Learn about new products and services? Make a difference in their communities? Educate Legislators? There are a host of things associations can do to make membership more rewarding. One easy way is to get members involved. Appoint task forces focusing on public relations, awards, or hot prospects, for example. Involvement fosters networking and cultivates members for leadership. Assigning tasks to members also alleviates the workload on officers.
Are You Online? Web Hosting Made Simple Launching a Web site is getting easier and cheaper every day. Determining which Web hosting company offers the best deal, on the other hand, is getting more difficult. Choosing the right Web hosting company depends on your association’s needs. Do you have access to a Web designer, or will you need a hosting company to provide templates? Do you want to provide members with individual e-mail boxes? There is a lot to consider. Some popular companies to choose from include Network Solutions, Aplus.net, Register.com, Verio, and HTML.com. A well-designed Web site is a powerful tool for communicating ideas, sharing information, and promoting an association. Visit the SIO Web site for more information on establishing a Web site or for links to LSAs that are already online.
You may not have the resources to develop fancy brochures and CDs, or you may not have time to prepare a PowerPoint® presentation for that speaking engagement next week. No problem! SIO eliminates these hassles, so you can focus on what’s important - building relationships and promoting contract surety bonds. Did you know SIO also has an efficient system to track your LSA’s promotional activities? E-mail your members’ speaking engagements, exhibits, legislative meetings, or other activities to Marc Ramsey, Communications Manager, along with your requests and orders for materials. Throughout the year, SIO will be happy to generate reports for you to monitor. And, when SIO calls for entries for the Award for Excellence in Surety Bond Promotion in February 2007, you’ll have one less hassle!
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to submit your association’s mission statement to Marc Ramsey, Communications Manager. If that’s impossible – perhaps your LSA doesn’t have a formal mission statement – please send us a paragraph about your association. We will add the information to your listing on the SIO Web site.
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