I’ve been toying with the idea of joining an organisation such as the MPA, RPS or SWPP but to be honest I really don’t know if it is for me or worth it. Then there is the problem of which one to join if I decide to go ahead.
I’ve had a look at the three mentioned here and they seem to all offer something broadly similar in terms of their qualification structure but I can’t tell if there is any leveling between them. By that I mean that if one becomes a liceniate of one is that equivalent to becoming a licentiate of another?
Then there is the question of credibility. For example, when I have mentioned to people about my wedding photography they all want to talk about the recent news story about a certain videographer and they almost all mention that he was a member of the SWPP too. This has had the effect of bringing the SWPP to the general attention of the public which ordinarily wouldn’t be a bad thing but under these circumstances, has it indeed discredited the organisation?
For me, I’m curious as to the benefit of joining one organisation over the others. I’ve read all the material that they provide claiming discounts on insurance and members only events etc. but I doubt if any savings there would cover the cost of the annual membership. That is only money afterall so is really less important. To me at least. What really matters is the perspective of my clients. In there eyes will becoming a member, licentiate or indeed an associate, actually make a difference? Will I get more clients as a result? Will is set me apart from my main competitors? Can I charge higher fees?
To be frank, I don’t know the answer to any of these questions, but then would anybody? My plan now is to join one, most likely the SWPP, and try to obtain my licentiateship next year. After that I’ll work towards becoming an associate fo no other reason than to push myself until I’m good enough to get it.
If you are a member of one of these organisations, I’d love to hear from you so please leave comment below.
