Chapter Finances

As a  nonprofit organization, the Austin SMPS Chapter’s goal is to invest our proceeds in the best educational programs and networking events that benefit the A/E/C industry Marketers and Business Development professionals. 

In order to achieve these goals the chapter board constantly considers the very delicate balance of our chapter’s income and expenses when making decisions.  It has always been our intent to break even on an annual basis and so our finance committee has been executing several procedures during the last several years to accommodate the chapter’s growing membership.

The Economy’s Effect
As with most businesses in our industry the slowed economic climate has affected our chapter.  We experienced less event turnout, less member renewals and a decline in new members.  Luckily our past fiscal efforts positioned our organization to grow in the current economic climate.  With funds that were collected in previous years we were able to maintain our current member benefits and still invest in growing our chapter.  As the economy became sluggish we analyzed our budget and created goals for each committee. 

• Analyzed breakeven point for all luncheons
• Created a sponsorship sales budget
• Analyzed committee expenses
• Analyzed cash flow and discussed improvements

1. Cvent Announcement and Credit Card Processing System
2. Migration to QuickBooks On Line
3. National Speaker for Austin Chapter Workshop
4. Created a library of books and CD’s for SMPS members to utilize

Policies and Procedures
As our chapter grows and we begin to add more programs for our members we know that our finances will become more complex and the importance of the finance committee will deepen.  As a foundation to our growth the committee and board have created Financial Policies and Procedures to support and maintain a system of checks and balances and future success.  These accounting procedures primarily included a policy of internal controls with a separation of duties to ensure financial viability.  This policy creates a system that:

• Promotes efficiency
• Provides Management with reasonable assurance that financial reports and procedures are authorized, valid, complete and accurate
• Safeguards against miss appropriation, errors and irregularities

Our accounting procedures include:

1. Incorporated two committee members to help with separate accounting functions
2. Incorporated President to Balance Accounts every month
3. Incorporated Vice President to audit books every year
4. Incorporated professional review of books from an accredited accountant
5. Requiring upfront payment for all events in order to reduce outstanding invoices and creating an easier registration process.

With all of these goals we have maintained a balanced set of financials which has allowed us to reach our goals and distribute proceeds to our Chapter. 

Book Review

Little Black Book of Connections - 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships

Jeffrey Gitomer

I LOVE to read.  I always carry a book with me just in case I happen to have a few extra minutes.  I like real books and print copies of the Business Journal, Statesman & Wall Street Journal (which may be old-fashioned these days with the electronic ones becoming so popular). This is one reason I was happy to review this book that we have been giving away for the past year in our book drawing.

Little Black Book presents common sense ideas in an interesting and eye-catching way – including the use of cartoons and formats which definitely keeps the readers attention.  It presents information that is basic to company success.  The very first statement that he makes is “ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, PEOPLE WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEIR FRIENDS”.  People want to work with people they like. This principle has proven itself true in our firm.  Repeat business rarely – if ever - comes from an unhappy client. 

The 6.5 Assets discussed in the book are:

• Who do I know?  Calculating the value of who you know
• What do I want?  If you don’t know what you want, you’ll probably never get it.
• What do I do?  Think before you act.
• How do I connect?  The how and why of connecting.
• Who knows you?  How to get known and positioned.
• The Secret power of connections.  Ways to attract connections and mistakes to avoid.
• The value of connections.  Building your circle of influence.

This book also discusses the importance of PLANNING – doing your homework, defining what you want and who you need to know. It emphasizes connections and how important relationships are.  It offers practical suggestions on how to accomplish your plan, such as joining organizations (what could be better than SMPS!), doing business versus building business and turning contacts into relationships. Simple yet profound reminders to those of us who are constantly seeking to grow our businesses. As a principal of our firm, one of my most critical responsibilities is to bring fresh ideas to our staff to keep them motivated to expand our business.  One of the most cost-efficient ways to accomplish this is share information from books that I have read.  Little Black Book is easy to read and loaded with practical tips that I will look forward to sharing with my staff. 

Deborah Black

Vice President, Hamilton & Associates

SMPS Austin Chapter - Director, Membership Committee

Member Spotlight: Herman Thun, AIA

Herman Thun, AIA

President, Principal
LZT Architects, Inc. 

What was SMPS like in the good old days? Today our membership numbers 6,075 and the most recent member number is 60,433.  What was it like in the early 70’s to attend an AIA seminar where a small band of anti-establishment folks, licensed and non-licensed, gathered to discuss a new concept: selling – oops—marketing professional services? Let me (member #165) give you a few hints of those days.

Many architects and engineers sought reinforcement of their belief that methods used by industry to market products could be used by professionals to market their services.

In 1973, Weld Coxe put on a “dog-and-pony show” for AIA Architects in Kansas City that led some participants, motivated by the ambrosia of liquid spirits, to give birth to The Society of Bird Doggers (SOB’s). Later this embryonic beginning became what we now know as SMPS.

After a lot of personal investment of time, talent and treasure by an energy-charged group of young pups and an agenda slot at the 1974 AIA Convention in Philadelphia, SMPS took off.

In 1979, during a National Marketing Conference in Las Vegas, an attempt to open the membership to “outsiders” was defeated. The Society stayed “pure” until it wisely opened its doors to professionals from other businesses, enriching the membership benefits to all. Also, education was a focus in the early years because the membership needed credentials to compete as a profession.

After graduation from the University of Illinois in 1958 and working as an architect in Peoria, Illinois, I got hooked on SMPS at a 1976 national conference in Indianapolis and soon became a member. That led to serving in National offices and as National President in 1980-81. I relocated LZT Architects to Austin in ’82 and I am still marketing and designing after 52 years.

Boy, have things changed!  Membership’s marketing skills have increased, and now with appropriate knowledge, testing and recognition, we can use “FSMPS” or “”CPSM” after our name.

The technical aspects of marketing are very important and the knowledge helps give us credibility, but even more important is our ability to support the people we serve and meet, and assist them in excelling in what they do.

I am sure this brief history will have a slippery connection with your hectic schedule. To me, it charts the course for today’s successful marketing professionals. Thank you for your diligence and perseverance.