Historic preservation associations offer an abundance of opportunities for positive exposure for your business. In addition to the usual members of the historic preservation groups, you will have opportunities to meet and get to know other members of the historic preservation council, including business and government agency leaders that support the association for historic preservation.

Affiliation with historic preservation organizations provides lobbying and networking opportunities that can be immensely helpful to your own business interests, while you support the industry. Membership in an association of historic preservation often means access to information and contacts that can be important to your own company. Local historic preservation organizations offer even more chances to network with local business leaders in your community. Approach your membership in historic preservation groups from a variety of perspectives.

1. Expand your network through historic preservation groups

2. Support the industry by participating in historic preservation associations

3. Stay informed with historic preservation council publications

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Develop business contacts in historic preservation organizations

Preservation organizations hold regular meetings, seminars and conventions for members and interested parties. At association of historic preservation events, as well as through various committees in which you can participate, you will have numerous occasions to socialize and network with other business people who support and work within and for the historic preservation industry. The business leaders you meet could offer a number of trade opportunities for you and your company.

I recommend: Heritage Preservation is one of the many non-profit historic preservation organizations that supports the preservation of American historical sites and culture for future generations. The Preservation Trades Network brings together the many different businesses that work in the industry through events and educational opportunities.

Demonstrate your interest by joining historic preservation associations

If you want to do business with historic preservation professionals, you will want to show your support while building relationships with national and local leaders in the industry. You often can do this best by participating in local historic preservation organizations with both your presence and your financial support.

I recommend: The Historic Building Inspectors Association has local chapters in most states and offers a number of national opportunities to meet and get to know other leaders in the industry. The National Trust for Historic Preservation works nationally to preserve local historic buildings.

Keep your company in the loop with association of historic preservation publications

While you may not have time to participate in a trade group or volunteer on a committee, you can take advantage of membership in state historic preservation organizations through the myriad publications they put out. By keeping up with the reports and news in the industry, you can pick and choose which events will be most beneficial for you to attend while keeping updated on changes or news that affects historic preservation groups industry-wide.

I recommend: The American Cultural Resources Association, in addition to events and meetings, has regular newsletters and an email online community of professionals in the industry. You can receive written tools for local grassroots operations from Preservation Action, in addition to national preservation publications.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Join a committee in your non profit historic preservation organizations to develop closer relationships with others who could be helpful to your career in historic preservation and provide sources of business for your company.