Members can visit other member firm's offices in conjunction with conferences. Most associations use dues to pay for network advertising that member firms can turn around and use to promote their own firms. Member firms trade software ideas and trends at committee meetings and conferences and by e-mail. International staff exchanges. Staff members can be exchanged from one member firm to another to share operations expertise or assist on specific engagements.
Firms can pool resources for marketing efforts.
For example, a network's brochures demonstrating how members leverage their expanded resources can be handed out to potential clients. Subgroups of associations based on a service niche or firm size can hold separate, more focused meetings to exchange information. CPA firms in the association that perform peer reviews or that need peer reviews can work with member firms. Public relations assistance. By pooling member resources, a network can retain a public relations agency to issue press releases and inform the business community of the association, its members and the benefits they offer clients.