NAID Briefing

One of the many reasons I am delighted to write for SDB Magazine is that it provides me with a way to reach out to those readers who are not yet part of the secure destruction industry. You see, while the association’s quarterly publication NAIDnews™ circulates to a bit more than 2,000 true believers in the industry, SDB Magazine is also distributed to many recycling centers and brokers who may not have yet committed to the secure destruction business in a meaningful way.

As you can imagine, that number is a lot bigger—5,000, according to SDB Magazine officials. If, for purposes of this discussion, we assume the 2,000 receiving NAIDnews™ are also receiving SDB Magazine, this means about 3,000 individuals will see this article who will not read NAIDnews™.

As the title of this column indicates, I am here to boast a little about the association. NAID has just set forth the largest budget in its history—$1.4 million, which is more than twice that of last year’s budget—aimed at furthering the association’s goal of improving business for its members.

For a trade association that struggled in its early years and, more than once, went dormant for six months at a time, that is a big deal. It also represents the challenge of how to spend the money in a manner our members find effective and responsible.

Listed in order of the amount of funding, the NAID board of directors has apportioned this year’s spending in the following categories: 1) government relations; 2) member education; 3) outbound print advertising; 4) marketing materials (for members to use in selling); 5) training; and 6) Web site enhancement.

Now I realize that many who receive SDB Magazine may never get into the secure destruction business. And still, others who are in the secure shredding industry at the fringes may never take their involvement to the next level. However, to the remainder, those who will turn their attention toward pursuing the opportunities offered by this industry in a serious manner, please take heed. NAID is increasingly able to pursue its mission to create a prosperous, ethical environment for secure shredding companies.

Trade associations are funny animals. Men and women who ordinarily tear each other apart in the marketplace set aside those competitive tendencies for a brief period to see how they can work together to improve their industry as a whole.

In the case of NAID, it is working. If you intend to be serious about this industry, NAID needs you, and you need NAID.