Member Committee Co-Chairs Chris Clarke, CAR, and Holly Vollant, CAR, are leading efforts to promote IARA’s appeal to various professional segments in the industry.
Photo: IARA
When determining the membership size of International Alliance of Automotive Marketers, the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
IARA has attracted key auction and consignment players who not only represent the broader venues and activities but also act as knowledgeable and influential leaders. enjoy. Add it up, and quality outweighs quantity.
For committee members, communicating the mission and goals to new and potential members while keeping current members engaged remains the primary goal. But regardless of the number, the diversity of expertise and international involvement from the Canadian partners help define the alliance.
The committee is led by Co-Chairs Holly Vollant and Chris Clarke, who is also IARA Treasurer. Members include longtime deposit and auction partners who provide stability and lead to new members.
Create member value
Much of the membership revolves around messaging and makes IARA a place of lasting connection on industry issues, education and information, the co-chairs said.
“The big focus over the past five years has been on the value proposition based on all the industry changes, such as electrification, autonomous vehicles and compliance issues,” says Clarke.
IARA’s education compliance modules and CAR certification program can demonstrate to potential members that IARA offers resources to smaller companies and operations that may not be as large, says Clarke. and resources like larger companies, Clarke said. “For members, it’s having an extensive network in the industry that has the impact of changing the industry.”
While IARA represents shippers and remarketers, the presence of auction members helps create a unified voice to address mutual challenges, he added.
“Much of our focus is on growing our shipper base, which can be part of a larger voice in the industry,” says Vollant. That means convincing many smaller shippers who think they might not make as big of an impact as larger shippers that they can contribute to industry changes. ”
A diverse member base requires a different angle on interests and roles tailored to each segment, she added.
“We are ready to recruit, prospect and show you the reasons why you should join. We talk about communication and collaboration opportunities for shippers and third-party service providers about interacting with the industry. “
Another way is to grow organically through word of mouth, says Clarke. It’s been a consistent strategy for 20 years, leading to long-term loyal members.
“This is a grassroots effort to get members involved, based on people you know and growing in membership through committees, peers and networks,” he said. .
The membership committee plans to use social media more to reach members from different segments. The alliance offers tiered membership fees based on business type and size, as well as promotional deals. “There is a lot of uncertainty in the industry right now. Our goal is to centralize information and make it accessible by leveraging the website and investing in its technology,” Clarke said.
Note: This article appeared in IARA’s 20th Anniversary Issue published in November 2021.
Originally posted on Vehicle Remarketing
