According to the Small Business Administration, small
businesses now employ 51% of all private sector workers and provide 75%
of new jobs. Patricia Daly Nappi, AMA’s Director of Membership Development,
says that “AMA recognizes that not every business has thousands of
employees or the resources of a large corporation. Although organizations
and executives around the world have used AMA membership to support their
ongoing training and professional development needs for more than 75 years,
we realized that we needed to specifically address the special needs and
concerns of the thousands of small businesses that are so vital to our
economy. That’s why we’ve introduced the AMA Small Business
Membership.”
We spoke to Pat Nappi about AMA’s new membership
category:
How exactly does AMA define a “small business?”
Companies with fewer than 300 employees and budgets/revenues of less than
$30 million qualify for AMA’s Small Business Membership.
How is AMA’s Small Business Membership different
from its Corporate Membership?
The Small Business Membership offers three complimentary seminars that
anyone in the company can take during the membership year. This benefit
gives the smaller business the opportunity to train staff in a very economical
way, as the average AMA seminar costs $1500.
The Corporate Membership plan offers one complimentary
meeting that’s to be taken by the Official Company Representative or an
enrolled Executive to audit for staff training or for his or her own personal
development
What are some other benefits besides the free seminars?
The entire organization is eligible for preferred pricing on all AMA seminars,
conferences, AMACOM books, AMA Bookstore purchases and more. In addition,
they receive 15% off the daily training day rate for the first delivery
of an on-site seminar each membership year. (This discount does not include
pre-training analysis, development or customization fees). Members also
enjoy preferred pricing on the use of AMA Executive Conference Center
space
What are some of the ways that individual employees
of member small businesses will benefit?
AMA’s Small Business Membership allows five executives to enroll as AMA
Executive Members. They each receive Executive Matters, a monthly e-newsletter
that addresses today’s management challenges, MWorld, a new quarterly
management print management journal, the opportunity to participate in
Executive Member Research Surveys and receive timely results, and invitations
to complimentary Breakfast Briefings on key topics by leading experts.
In addition, the entire staff can enjoy free access
to the members-only area of the AMA website, with its growing online management
library and member store featuring special prices on business products
and services. The site also features regular announcements of discounts
of up to 50% on “Last Minute Seating” Registrations at selected
AMA seminars
How many companies have taken advantage of the Small
Business Membership so far?
Since its introduction last fall, more than 100 companies have joined
AMA as Small Business Members.
What kind of feedback have you gotten about the membership?
Companies interested in developing their staff’s skills and abilities
have called the decision to become a Small Business Member a "no
brainer." They appreciate the financial advantages the membership
offers them!
Does AMA have any plans to introduce any additional
membership categories?
Yes. We are considering a new Library Membership in the near future. Libraries,
especially university libraries, have approached us to do so, as they
are impressed with the breadth and depth of information in our members-only
website and they want to be able to offer it to their library users. They
are also interested in including our print journal in their collections.
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