3 Reasons Why You Should Join IBOUSA
A for-profit business that operates on a nonprofit basis to serve Independent Billboard Operators
by Amber Larkins, OOH Today
IBOUSA is the Independent Billboard Operators networking group for the United States. In videos on its website, IBOUSA’s Chief Vision Officer Chris Cowlbeck describes it as a “for-profit business that operates on a nonprofit basis.” He said that the group is filled with like-minded people
in OOH who come together a couple of times a year to share ideas, new techniques and technologies and to have fun.
“The mission is to combine the synergies of all of our national operators in a harmonic way to maximize our effort, our education, our processes, our friendships, and our profitability,” Cowlbeck said. “Headquarters functions as a Co-op where we keep the best interests of our operators first and foremost in our minds and it governs everything we do.”
IBO is not a trade organization. This makes it different than many of the other organizations we’ve covered in this series. It is structured as a for-profit business, and doesn’t do many of the legislative activities that trade associations would typically do. However, there are quite a few benefits to IBO membership:
1. Networking
IBOUSA prides itself on being a network of independent billboard operators. They describe the organization as an opportunity to share experiences, learn from mistakes and cooperate together to earn more money in the marketplace. They hold two conferences a year, open to their IBOUSA Operator Associates. But they also have various other events for networking.
2. Knowledge
Though the organization started with a group of those experienced in the OOH industry, it has not stayed that way. They have offerings for those who are newer to the industry including resources to help teach new media owners about the business including resources to teach the proper way to conduct billboard business, resources that teach how to sell billboards, and resources to understand audience measurement.
3. Tools
From the Co-op marketplace, which eases programmatic for operators, to their mobile ad platform service, which sends retargeted ads to those who pass by an OOH unit, IBOUSA provides its members with access to different tools that help them improve their businesses’ profitability.
How to Join IBOUSA
You can join IBOUSA by going to their website. The Market Club cost is described in a video on the website as being comparable to a fast food meal per month, and the main IBOUSA Networking Group membership is comparable to the cost of a nice dinner for two. Here’s some more information on the two types of membership.
- IBO Market Club is a great option for operators who can’t fulfill the requirements to become IBOUSA Operator Associates. They receive benefits including access to a set of IBO events, and a secured website community.
- IBOUSA Operator Associates have more stringent membership requirements such as that they must have at least five years of recent billboard operating experience.
We reached out to IBOUSA for comment but they were unable to give us a response by press time.
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