The President's Column

by Steve Weitekamp

September 2014

The American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and several other national associations have joined efforts on a trucking image campaign. The program titled “Trucking Moves America Forward” is expected to spend more than $5 million in the next five years to improve the image of industry. ATA President Bill Graves stated, “One of our most important jobs is to tell the trucking industry’s story.” I couldn’t agree more.

CMSA has long promoted the importance of the legal and permitted household goods carrier industry to the moving public, regulators and legislators. We have advisory press releases on our website and advise anyone who will listen about the importance of using a legal CMSA member company to handle his or her move. In communication with our membership, we have even spoken more broadly of the importance of mobility to the American way of life, as a service of which we all should be proud to be participants. The ability to move for personal and professional opportunity is one of the key factors in the success of the American economy.
 
President Graves speaks of telling the industry’s story and CMSA does just that. But almost certainly more important is for you to tell your story to make sure that your customers and potential customers know who you are and what makes your organization one with which they want to do business. We all have a unique story that makes us stand out from the crowd. Discovering that story and sharing it on social media as well as in direct selling has a powerful impact.

What makes CMSA stand out? Let me share two of what I believe to be many reasons. From an industry perspective, CMSA stands out because of our strong volunteer leadership. Our leadership includes an engaged board of directors; committees that review and set strategies related to insurance, government affairs, membership and the military; and 12 statewide chapters with their own leadership, sharing ideas and conducting fundraisers supporting the CMSA’s best-in-the-industry scholarship program. From a customer perspective, CMSA stands out because we are a valuable resource funded entirely by the industry that helps consumers make educated decisions. Even when consumers have made poor choices and not used CMSA members for their moves, the Association is there to attempt to provide hard-to-find information on potential next steps in difficult times.  That is a story worth telling.

September 2014 - CMSA Communicator