If you've read any of my articles, you know that I promote many things which will help you to be able to do more; to do more, have more and be more. I also believe that everyone should own a business to be able to capitalize (yes, I chose that word on purpose) on the benefits both monetarily and otherwise.
In this article, I'm sharing the contents of a membership kit for those who become a member of NFIB. If you are an owner of a small (1 or 100) and you aren't a member of "The Voice of Small Business" then you should consider membership. To find a membership rep in your area, simply visit NFIB.com or I would be very glad to assist you.
I'm creating this material so I can direct new and existing members here for quick reference. I will not cover everything that is in the kit as it changes over time.
If you are reading this and a new member to NFIB; especially a new member which I've had the pleasure to assist, welcome! I hope you'll find this "walk-through" helpful.
The first piece you'll see is "How Congress Voted". This is your report card as to how your elected officials voted on the same issues NFIB members voted on. As a member, you'll receive updated versions over time. There are no "D"s or "R"s here. You now have a report card as to who is standing up for your business (and who is not).
Next, please find your benefits brochure which offers great savings for you as a member. Many members save more than the cost of their membership when using them. My favorites are Office Depot, FedEx and Dell, but you'll find your own. If you have questions on this or anything else, be sure to contact Member Support.
(You may want to place your I.D. # in this folder and also on the inside page of the benefits brochure for easy access. And be sure to use the vendor's phone number shown in the brochure because many times it is an exclusive number only for our over 300,000 NFIB members).
The above brochure is really important. It presents the contact information for your state director, membership support and the NFIB Legal Center.
Your membership plaque is yours to display proudly where your customers will see it (and know that you stand with others for the cause of small business). I like to tell new members that NFIB members do business with members, however, to please not think of your membership as "advertising"; it's not. NFIB is your voice in Congress and at your state capital so while you run your business daily, NFIB is speaking for you, your business (your locality) and small businesses everywhere in America, every day.
There are plenty of things in your membership kit that you can look at on your own and as I said, the contents vary over time.
Please be sure that you open the email you received when joining, to "E-Federate" your business. Create a password and follow the prompts to take advantage of all you want from your NFIB membership benefits. Also, be sure to vote the ballots; that is how your voice is carried to your lawmakers.
Choose how much or how little you want to be involved. We just want to make it as easy and beneficial for you to get the most from your membership. I know that many members want to be as active as possible without disrupting their businesses while others simply want the membership dues
they paid to help advocate for their business. Either way, I thank you for your support.
Finally, you'll also see our small window sticker. Place this in a very conspicuous area on your door or front window. Most members like to place it close to the doorknob so when people pull the door open to walk into the business, they see that NFIB is pulling for them.
By the way, if you own a business anywhere in the USA and are not yet an NFIB member, contact me and I'll walk you through the different membership levels.
If you have further questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me. Plus, NFIB is looking for membership reps in many areas across the USA. Let everyone you know that we are looking for self-starters who have a passion for small businesses.