Membership in a professional association offers tremendous opportunities and resources to develop your professional skills, improve your ability to serve your clients, and to contribute to your profession. IMC USA is committed to providing these opportunities, both at the chapter level and through the national organization. Dozens of committed individuals volunteer their skills and experience to the management and operation of IMC USA, making available these opportunities for members.

At the chapter level, your best strategy to get the most value from your membership is to get involved in chapter functions and operations. The resources are there and other members are eager to help you if you take the time and initiative to use them. The speed at which you build your professional skills, expand your perspective, develop your personal and business networks, and contribute to your profession and community depends on how much you put into your chapter. Here are a dozen ways to quickly capture the value of membership:

• Attend as many chapter professional development and networking programs as you can.
• Make a point every month to meet with at least one new chapter member with similar interests and specialties.
• Offer to provide your particular area of expertise to the operation of the chapter, whether it is in marketing, teaching, communication, web design, publicity, technology, or any other area of knowledge that would enhance the membership value for others.
• Bring clients and guests to chapter events and introduce them to your colleagues, expanding the networks of all.
• Begin your educational process toward certification, asking for help from other senior members of the chapter.
• Look for opportunities to share the benefits of membership with your friends and associated by introducing them to your new chapter colleagues and explaining the value of joining IMC USA and your chapter.
• Start an Area Breakfasts for Consultants (ABC) or Special Interest Group (SIG) in your chapter.
• Offer to participate as a chapter committee member or officer. When you show other chapter members how much you can deliver as a volunteer, it indicates how you will deliver as a partner.
• Offer to speak at a professional development event or ABC. This is a great way to showcase your expertise and let others see you in action (and gives you speaking experience).
• Look for ways that you and your chapter can contribute to your communities, such as volunteering to consult pro bono for a nonprofit or charity. This not only does good for your community but gets you more exposure to possible areas of service and gets you known by the community.
• Identify opportunities for contributing to the development of the management consulting profession.
• Finally, take the initiative to help yourself, and your colleagues, Get Smart, Get Known, and Get Business.