Join the club

Are the dues of membership organizations really worth it? Probably, but not all membership organizations are created equally. Find the right one for your business and join the club.

We joined! We joined!

We are so proud to announce we’ve joined our first membership organization. As a small business, we had to prioritize the different orgs in the area. Our first choice was the Ames Main Street Cultural District. We chose Main Street for several reasons:

The affordability of the membership, plus

Our target market is found among the other members, plus

Exposure and networking opportunities are abundant.

The Main Street Cultural District represents everything we love about central Iowa small businesses. We are thrilled join friends like Caleb Jamin Studios (who get the credit for all the photos on our site), Olde Main Brewing Company, our go-to spot for dinner meetings, and one of our newest clients, Teal & Tenacious, a lovely women’s clothing boutique. We can’t wait to join other members at events like The Art Walk and the award-winning Main Street Farmers Market.

What’s on your list?

Is joining a membership organization (or two or three) in your marketing plan? It should be. Aside from the written benefits that come with your membership (i.e. advertising, recommendations, networking opportunities), you’re showing the rest of the community that you are a team player. Often times, organizations like the Main Street Cultural District, the local Chamber of Commerce, Young Professionals, etc. give back to the community through service efforts, economic incentives, events, and more.

Just look at our friends over in Nevada (Iowa). Among many other good deeds, the Chamber sponsors Leadership Nevada, a series of eight six-hour workshops designed to turn the average go-getter into a true community leader. Samantha and I are both graduates of Leadership Nevada and can speak to the benefit to not just the participants, but the community as a whole. (By the way, the Nevada Chamber of Commerce is next on our list of great member organizations to join.)

Eeny, meeny, miney, mo

So, with so many organizations out there, how should you prioritize? Well, all the reasons we chose Main Street Cultural District are a good place to start. Ask yourself:

What can I afford?

Who are the other members?

What are the direct benefits?

What are the indirect benefits?

You can pick and choose without giving in to everyone that recruits you. Because, let’s face it- any organization would be blessed to have you as a member.

Want to talk more on how to fit membership organizations into your marketing plan? Hit the Start button and we can chat!