Almost every day, my inbox fills up with the same pitch in a different costume. Family banks. PE groups. “Virtual associations” and “consultants.” Free unsolicited offers. Vague titles like VP or Procurement Specialist at some unnamed company. And my personal favorite: emails from me. (Yes, me. Apparently, I’m now writing to myself, and I’m not very persuasive.)
A sample of recent subject lines and openers: Do I want to sell CMSA? Does it make sense to jump on a quick call to discuss? If I could put you in front of 4 to 8 customers a month, would you have time to discuss? We’re engaged in conversations with single-family offices and growth equity funds with active interest in operating companies in the moving industry association sector. Is CMSA considering a direct minority investment over the medium term?
Let me save everyone some time. CMSA is a nonprofit trade association. Founded in 1918. We aren’t for sale; we have no shares, and there is no “minority stake” to buy. There is no operating company to acquire. What we have is a membership of licensed and insured California movers who show up for each other, 12 chapters strong.
That’s the whole point. A trade association isn’t an asset. It’s a commitment. Anyone who spent five minutes on thecmsa.org would know that. These emails aren’t aimed at us. They’re aimed at everyone, and they only need one reply out of a thousand. Your inbox is the cost of doing business for them.
So here’s what I’ve learned to ask of any message that lands in my box: Who is this, really? A named person at a named company with a real address. If I can’t find them, I don’t need to answer them. Did they do any homework? If it could be sent to any association, any mover, any industry, it was. What do they want from me? A “quick call” is rarely quick. Does it come through someone I trust? The best introductions in this industry still come from another trusted industry associate.
That last one matters most. In a business built on trust (strangers at least metaphorically give you the keys to their homes and everything in them), your reputation is your most valuable asset. Protect it. And it’s worth remembering the same noise lands in your inbox, too. Your customers get it, your office staff gets it, and bad actors count on someone clicking.
A few practical notes: Don’t reply to the “quick call” emails. A reply confirms your address is live. Verify before you trust. If a message claims to be from CMSA, from me, or from a regulator, check it. Call our office at 562-865-2900. We’ll tell you straight. Forward the suspicious ones to your team so no one else gets caught.
Our real work is the unglamorous kind: staying on top of pending legislation and regulatory activity and requirements, keeping you informed, and giving California movers a collective voice. It happens on phone calls, at chapter meetings, and at the convention, with people who know your name.
The next time a stranger offers to “put you in front of 4 to 8 movers a month,” remember: you’re already in front of hundreds. They’re called CMSA members. Delete the noise. Pick up the phone. Call a fellow mover.