Building A New Era - Association Rebrands to BLD Connection

Building A New Era Association Rebrands to BLD Connection

Since 1890, Northwestern Lumber Association (NLA) – once known as Northwestern Lumbermen’s Association – has represented building material and lumber dealers in the Upper Midwest, providing access to business resources, education, networking and legislative advocacy. As the organization’s scope of work, offerings and reach continued to grow, its name was virtually unchanged. Until now.

A Merger & The Age-Old Question

In September 2022, the NLA Board of Directors began merging the Mid-America Lumbermens Association (MLA) into NLA, bringing the states of Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri into the organization’s ranks. The addition of MLA allows the association to continue to grow in an industry where lumber yards and industry suppliers are not opening new locations as fast as they are closing or being acquired. In addition, welcoming MLA expands networking opportunities for all members, connecting them to broader resources for products, services, educational opportunities and advocacy. This merger also allows for a wider reach for the association’s events and will extend the organization’s visibility to recruit new members.

As the merger began, the age-old question was raised: “What are we Northwest of?” Great question!

In 1890, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota were part of the newly formed “Upper Midwest.” However, much of the region was still recognized as part of the Northwest Territory of the United States. North Dakota and South Dakota became states in November 1889.

Having considered the question, the board hired Mercury Creative Group. This Minneapolis-based marketing firm specializing in association branding led the organization through the process of evaluating how our organization name fits our brand.

Phase 1: Knowing Who We Are

First, we surveyed members and team members to understand our primary audience better.

• Who is our ideal member?

• What do our members need?

• How can we best serve our members? This led to questioning whether the organization’s name accurately describes the members we serve, the products and services we offer and the region of the country we represent. Ultimately, the board decided to consider a new name for our organization.

Phase 2: What’s in a Name?

Marketing firms have the keen ability to dig deeper than those who are tied to the organization daily. We needed a name that honored our history and supported our growth for the future. Our brand strategy partners worked with us to consider more than 10 names presented with strategic descriptions, copious web searches and trademark considerations. Unfortunately, the initial names didn’t quite resonate for our association. So, the working team went back to the drawing board.

Phase 3: BLD Connection is Born

We had a tight deadline of Feb. 1, 2023, but our brand partners, the association team members and our board were all committed to finding the right name to support our best opportunity for growth. We even considered whether or not Northwestern Lumber Association might be the best name.

But, with the commitment of a collaborative group of people, BLD Connection was conceived. The branding platform was presented to the board and unanimously approved.

Phase 4: Forward Thinking to Help Define Our New Name

What the organization heard most was that its members no longer “just sell lumber.” Many member companies have removed lumber or added other building material descriptors, such as decking, windows, siding, etc., to their company names. Some have even gone so far as to change their names, using “building materials” as a descriptor rather than “lumber.” “Building materials” helps our members market the breadth and depth of their products and services. This focus helped us elevate “building materials” in our own name.

BLD Connection is an acronym that stands for Building Material & Lumber Dealer Connection.

• Building materials is a leading descriptor for our members, so we placed it at the front of our new name.

• Lumber remains a crucial and central part of member businesses and represents the association’s history, so we placed it in the center of our new name.

In addition to being an acronym, BLD also cleverly doubles as an abbreviation for the word “build.”

Finally, adding “Connection” makes it more than a name. It becomes a call to action to our members to “build connection”:

• Connection with the association and its team.

• Connection with fellow industry colleagues.

• Connection with the vendor community.

Phase 5: Image & Likeness

The BLD Connection logo, although simple, went through numerous iterations and weeks of discussion and revision. Ultimately, we are proud to have a simple and bold image that serves as a “stamp” or “mark” for our industry. The brackets that encompass the new name tie the logo together like chain links. Coupled with a new color scheme of midnight blue and construction orange, the logo brings a sense of stability and gives a nod to the construction industry, with which the members and the association are linked.

Phase 6: Brand Launch

On Sept. 20, 2023, the association announced plans to rebrand via press release in industry publications and celebratory packages sent to all members. The organization legally changed its name on Oct. 2, 2023, and www.BLDConnection.org went live for the first time.

The website has been redesigned to provide members with even more information and access to all the benefits BLD Connection offers. Some new key features include:

• Improved navigation and member experience.

• A calendar of events that is accessible from both the homepage and from an events navigation tab.

• An all-new Member Info Hub. The Member Info Hub will serve as both a repository of important member information and the central place where members and their teams will register for events, pay membership dues and keep their member profiles up to date.

Phase 7: Celebrate & Join Us

As our new name suggests, we ask you to join us and Build Connection.

• Join a roundtable.

• Join us at a Connection Conference or the 2024 BizCons.

• Connect with the association and your peers via the Member Info Hub.

• Help us share the exciting news and excellent work that defines our members.

Welcome to BLD Connection!