A Professional Designation From NAHB Is Good for Your Business - 2/9/2004 - Real Estate Education Training Schools Conferences

A Professional Designation From NAHB Is Good for Your Business
By Greg Miedema, CGR, CAPS

You may ask yourself, why do I need to spend my time and money on a designation. Or perhaps, what’s in it for me? Like many industries, the home building and remodeling industry has various associations offering accreditation for continuing education and training. But is it worth the time and expense to pursue them?

There are several angles from which the rewards can be viewed: marketing, professional development, business development and personal development are just a few.

From a personal and professional development standpoint, great value can be realized by attending the classes and seminars in pursuit of any designation. Sitting with like-minded professionals with similar goals, in a focused presentation designed to help you with your business pursuits, has real value. It’s a time to focus and exchange ideas with other folks with similar business interests and similar backgrounds. That idea exchange and thought-provoking atmosphere alone is worth the time and money of participating. You can’t get that from a cassette tape!

From a business standpoint, the advantages and rewards are similar: the knowledge you acquire in a specific area of business helps give you an edge over your competitors. You have the opportunity to hear it from someone who’s “been there, done that,” to engage in a one-on-one dialogue, to ask specific questions and hear examples that can be applied to your business and to establish information resources you can consult in the future. The relationships you form while pursuing a designation can help you continue in your business endeavors. I believe the value of networking is one of the most underestimated advantages of participating in the activities of your home builders association.

The marketing opportunities are boundless. Every businessperson recognizes the need to leverage any investment in time or money for a maximum return. You can use your new credentials as a tool to demonstrate your expertise in a particular area, to express your commitment to the industry, to capitalize on the recognition you receive and more. You can now be the voice of an authoritative expert, and may very well find yourself fielding calls and questions from magazines, newspapers, civic groups or just curious consumers. All of that can help you establish credibility.

All in all, the value of earning a designation goes far beyond the day or two you spend in the classroom. It’s the personal growth, the professional knowledge and expertise, the networking that often lasts for an entire career and the satisfaction that you’ve taken steps to improve your performance. It’s no small coincidence that when you read success stories, or read trade publications, that the people who are featured there always seem to have some initials after their name, a designation indicative of their business success.

In recognition of this and much more, NAHB has announced that February is “National Designation Month.”  Watch NAHB’s Web site for special events and a listing of classes. By educating — and continuing to educate — its members, NAHB works hard to assure its own continued success and excellence.

Greg Miedema, CGR, CAPS, is president of Dakota Builders in Tucson, AZ. He is chair and founder of his local Remodelors™ Council, a member of the NAHB Remodelors™ Council Board of Trustees and currently serves as the chairman of the Remodelors™ Council Public Affairs Committee. The Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) has named Dakota Builders, Inc. Remodelor of the Year in 1998, 1999 and 2000. For more information, send him an e-mail.