CLLA Connections March 9, 2010 Issue

We Are CLLA and we mean business!

The roots of the Commercial Law League of America were formed in the late 1880s with the rise of big corporations. As America’s credit system began to develop and commercial activity became more complex, so too did the array of parties involved in commercial transactions and the issues they faced to ensure robust commercial activity. From the very start, it was clear that bringing together attorneys, collection agencies, credit grantors, law list publishers, and other commercial and credit professionals was essential to meeting the challenges this new economy had created. Over a century later, that need remains and is what truly sets CLLA apart from other organizations in the business and credit arena. We are made up of a broad, but interconnected, network of interests. We are attorneys. We are collection agencies. We are credit professionals. We are judges and students and professors. But above all, we are CLLA.

The National Association of Credit Management’s Credit Congress marked the beginning of a new branding strategy for the Commercial Law League of America that reflects our diverse membership and the strength members gain from that diversity. On page 27 of the July/August issue of Debt3, you’ll find the first three image pieces we have created. Two of the pieces speak from the perspective of a business law attorney and a certified collection agency, each reflecting the particular benefits they gain from their affiliation with CLLA. The third panel highlights the common interests League members share and underscores the value this nexus provides. More image pieces for bankruptcy attorneys, credit professionals, and others are planned and will be rolled out in the months to come. We’ll be using them in advertising, exhibit booth material, membership collateral, website content and other vehicles. The image campaign will remind existing and potential members, our clients, our supplier partners, and other external audiences who we are and what we do. You’ll notice that the “testimonial” pieces end with the tag line, “CLLA means business.” And we do. We’re serious about providing exceptional service to our clients, advancing the skills and professionalism of the industry, and representing our members’ interest in legislative and regulatory affairs.

CLLA Means Business Development. During the recent NACM conference, I heard comments from numerous credit grantors that they always turn to CLLA when looking for certified, dependable collection agencies and exceptionally skilled attorneys. For more than 114 years, CLLA has served as a benchmark of quality service and unparalleled professionalism. It’s no wonder that our website’s most popular landing page is the Find a Professional service. Visitors looking for help know that the names they find are ones they can trust. Through advertising, exhibition marketing, website communications and social marketing services, CLLA is committed to helping you reach your clients. But we are always looking for ways to improve. We encourage you to share your thoughts on how we can better connect you with business opportunities.

CLLA Means Business Networking. CLLA’s founders recognized the importance of meeting and keeping in touch with partners in the business and credit community. And it remains a vital part of CLLA’s mission. In addition to our annual meetings in Chicago and New York, we are expanding the ways you can stay connected. We have set up CLLA pages on both Facebook and LinkedIn to better enable members to find one another, share ideas, keep up to date on news and information related to the association and the industry, and build and maintain relationships outside of the traditional meeting environment. If you have not yet joined our networks, sign up now! And be sure to join the Social Media Webinar scheduled for August 18. Check clla.org for details. We’ve also launched Connections, a bi-monthly newsletter to keep you up on the latest industry news, association activities, and legislative developments. Need help making connections? Have ideas on how we can do better? Drop us an email or call us and let us know.

CLLA Means Business Sense. In addition to building your business, CLLA is committed to helping you manage it, too. In July, we hosted a teleseminar on entering the retail collections business that offered tips on developing a client base, dealing with documentation issues, maintaining profitability and training staff. Debt3 regularly offers articles on managing your practice including branding your firm, building your business network, and showcasing technologies and services to improve efficiency. Our exhibitor showcases at the Chicago and New York meetings bring you face to face with supplier partners who can help you reduce costs, improve performance and strengthen your business. What are the biggest challenges you face in managing your practice? What concerns keep you up at night? Let us know and we’ll help you find the assistance you need.

CLLA Means Business Protection. Burdensome regulations in New York. Bankruptcy legislation on Capitol Hill. Game-changing questions before the Supreme Court. In the current political environment, the challenges and potential threats to our industry are many. CLLA has been taking action to protect our members’ interests in these critical matters. In addition to providing you with critical updates on legislative developments, we have developed a platform of policy positions to advance in Congress, testified at legislative hearings at the local and Federal level, and filed amicus briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court. Working together, we can ensure that the business and credit industry remains robust and fluid.

CLLA Means Business. But we like to have some fun, too. Whether it’s dancing in Chicago, enjoying the theater in New York, or taking advantage of the many family-friendly attractions Baltimore Harbor offers, CLLA members enjoy their work and the colleagues they work with. Our social events help build strong bonds that last generations and remind us of the common interests and values we share. If you are one of the few who haven’t experienced a CLLA social event, I hope you’ll consider joining soon, perhaps in Los Angeles on September 11 for our Western Conference or in New York this November for our Fall Conference. You’ll come away with business contacts, practice tips and lots of new friends.

We ARE CLLA and we mean business!

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