Yes! I want to join the International Social Media community today!

Benefit #1 — Connecting/Networking

ISMA works to bring you together with peers and suppliers from around the world to network, learn from each other, and forge business relations. 

www.ISMAconnects.org connects you with a fast-growing group of like-minded social media professionals regionally, nationally, and globally. Share your experiences and successes through the Online Community.  It offers unlimited virtual networking opportunities to connect you with other individuals that are also interested in growing their business. 

Share your knowledge and experience with others, while you gain valuable insight and meaningful information about the competitive marketplace.  Use the business relationships you build online to find new customers, recruit new employees and search for better suppliers.  Use the online community to promote your business and using inbound links, improve the search rankings of your primary website.

• Online Groups – Membership in our online Groups is exclusive to ISMA members. These are communities of thought leaders, who share the same passions, visions, goals, and concerns relevant to your marketing segment or interest. Group members have access to other group members.
• Online Forums – Exclusive to members, this online resource allows you to post questions for other members to help you get answers.  Fun and interesting, this service increases everyone’s expertise and connects you with experts of the industry that are willing to share their knowledge and years of experience.
• Member Directory – The ISMA Member Directory allows members to search the membership database online for companies and individuals. 
• Speaking – The Association encourages its members to speak at ISMA conferences and local chapter monthly meetings to develop their leadership and increased exposure to the social media community.

Benefit #2 — Brand Awareness

ISMA is engaged in efforts to promote the benefits of social media.  ISMA's branding efforts work to instill consumer trust and confidence in social media and more specifically ISMA member providers. Members get the recognition that comes from displaying the ISMA logo and the positive image that comes from affiliation with the ISMA brand.

First, by establishing in the consumers’ minds that ISMA members are ethical in the way they conduct business.

Second, by ensuring customers are treated fairly and ethically by ISMA members.

• ISMA Member Logo – Use the appropriate ISMA member logo on your website and marketing materials to show the world that you are a member of social media’s most influential trade association and that you adhere to their ethical business practices and guidelines.
• Ethical and Compliance Resources - Explore guidance materials on the proper use of social media practices. The resource center contains a copy of the ISMA’s Ethical Guidelines.
• Business Tools – Take advantage of the many useful business tools such as the Resource Center, Library and the Career Center to improve your marketing so you can be the best the industry has to offer.

Benefit #3 — Education

ISMA is the number one source for professional social media training and certification designed to produce real-world results. The Association delivers the ideas and insights members need to stay on top in these competitive times.

• Teleseminars – ISMA offers weekly teleseminars on social media topics ranging from basic methods to the most advanced new techniques.  A social media professional in the business world leads each.  Platinum members can download archived sessions.
• Monthly Webinars – ISMA's monthly web conference series is conducted over the Internet at no cost to basic and platinum members, with a wide assortment of topics that can help you grow your program.
• Certification Programs – ISMA’s certification programs set the standard for professionals at all levels in social media to ensure that ISMA members understand the latest tools, techniques and best practices in social media.  Platinum members receive discounts on ISMA certification programs.
• Chapters – Local Chapters are expanding around the world, which provides members with access to information and best practices from experts in your community. 

·         Annual Conference – The ISMA annual conference is a place where like-minded social media professionals gather together to learn, identify opportunities and create positive organizational and community change.  With dynamic speakers and a balance of professional and social settings, you will have many opportunities to network with friends and colleagues as well as make new connections. Many valuable collaborations have begun from connections made at conferences. Platinum members receive a discount on attendance at the annual conferences.

Benefit #4 — Publications and Information

ISMA membership delivers access to information and knowledge to help you make better strategic decisions. www.ISMAconnects.org posts member supplied White Papers, it is a repository for past speaker presentations and information from outside sources.  Platinum members receive a discount on all online bookstore items and many items from the ISMA online store.

Become Knowledgeable in the aspects of social media most relevant to you. Apply timely, reliable information from a wealth of resources only Your ISMA membership can deliver.

• Newsletter – ISMAconnects is the weekly e-newsletter detailing the headlines and their impact on the social media community. 
• uCONNECT – the bimonthly printed publication of ISMA is FREE to all Platinum members.  Mailed to your address of choice, it is the official publication of ISMA.
• Online Library – With a collection of materials and online searchable information, the Online Library is continuing to grow with information and White Papers supplied by members of the Community.

Benefit #5 – Affiliation with an International Association

The ISMA staff is on hand to assist, direct and help you find whatever social media related resource or connection you are looking for.  Members are authorized to post the ISMA member logo on their website or use on printed material to identify your association with our International organization. 

·         Grassroots Advocacy – ISMA provides the vehicle for members to communicate with other members.  This grassroots advocacy allows members to bring together the awareness of a few with the power of many.  Then the ISMA effectively communicates that concern in one unified, coherent voice.

Benefit #6 — Discounts

Take advantage of the deep discounts ISMA offers its Platinum members. Save on training events.  Save on annual conference.  Save on products and publications in online store.  Save enough to pay your membership dues!

• Training Events – Up to 20% off training events
• AutoCare – Up to 15% off tires and automotive repairs
• LegalForms – Up to 20% off legal forms
• Online store – Up to 20% off online store purchases
• Exhibit Space – Up to 10% off exhibit space at the Annual Conference
• Advertising – Up to 30% off ads in uCONNECT

Benefit #7 — Marketing Opportunities

Membership in ISMA provides dozens of opportunities for B-to-B marketers to promote and market their products and services to the social media community.  If you are a provider of social media products and services membership is a must.

Target your audience through unparalleled market availability. Increase your brand awareness through exposure to ISMA community members.

• Print Advertising – Target top industry decision-makers through regular advertising campaigns in the ISMA sponsored publication uCONNECT and the Resource Directory.
• Event Sponsorship – Take advantage of opportunities to promote your organization by sponsoring conferences directly related to your business and monthly meetings on topics that bring out your potential clients.
• Annual Conference - Take a booth in the Exhibit hall of the ISMA Annual Conference.
• Resource Directory – List your company's services FREE in the online Resource Directory. 
• Search Optimization – Include inbound and outbound links from the www.ISMAconnects.org website to increase your websites organic search ranking.
• Research Sponsorship – Sponsor one of ISMA's research surveys or opinion polls.