BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Benefits of Membership

Get to know us, join us and please do support other locally owned Austin businesses. It is through our collective voice that we are able to provide such a wide range of effective benefits. Consider lending your voice to this growing chorus.

The strength of our membership enables AIBA as an organization to provide many services and programs.

Some of what we do:

Offer consulting assistance for your business from our Small Business Liaisons.

AIBA is committed to following the latest trends in important issues that effect local businesses. To that end, we have formed a group of Small Business Liaisons (and AIBA members) to offer consulting assistance in the industries of:
Health Insurance
Credit Card Merchant Solutions
Business Insurance
Business Consulting
Co-op Advertising

Represent the interests of our members before local government.

• AIBA works with the city council and other government officials, using our collective voice to promote the interests of independent business.
• AIBA is also a member of the American Independent Business Alliance, which represents independent business on a national level.

Promote the benefits of shopping locally by educating the public on the cultural and economic contribution of independent businesses in our community.

• AIBA engages in research and economic studies that shed light on the contribution of independent businesses to our culture and our economy. These studies have been used nationwide as standards of the importance of locally owned business.
• AIBA participates in local and national media coverage of issues important to locally owned business.
• All of our programs contain an awareness element that focuses on consumer spending and habits.

Market our members through a bi-annual directory, our web site and a host of public events.

• IBuyAustin.com is an interactive web site showcasing each member, the organization and issues important to our community.
• AIBA publishes a printed member directory twice a year and distributes it throughout Austin.
• AIBA has provided discount advertising programs for members in local media.
• Member coupons and individual profiles are available on our web site.
• AIBA regularly markets the organization and its members through ads and editorials in local media.
• We offer a selection of marketing materials including banners, brochures, T-shirts, bumper stickers and more.

Provide networking opportunities and facilitate business-to-business connections.

• First Wednesday Hapy Hour is a happy hour for members to meet, exchange ideas, learn about AIBA and socialize with other members of the independent community.
• AIBA Luncheon offer the opportunity to learn more about the programs and events at AIBA.
• AIBA Orientation are designed to introduce prospective members to AIBA.
• Member-to-member discounts generate savings for member businesses.

Create public and private programs that help independent businesses.

• CLIC (Connecting & Linking Independents with Commercial Developments) brings together developers and independent businesses so that new developments are open to more locally owned businesses and fewer chain stores.
• IBIZ (Independent Business Investment Zones) are districts of locally owned businesses. A host of programs and events designate these as local neighborhood destination points for shopping and building community.
• Austin Unchained is a day of shopping locally, designated to bring awareness of the contribution of locally owned business to the culture and economy of Austin.
• Celebrate Your Independents is a campaign on the Fourth of July to celebrate our independent businesses as well as our independence.

.Links to help you grow your business.

Business Membership: $175
All business members of AIBA are locally owned and operated, and are not publicly traded companies. Over 50% of the ownership of the business reside in the Austin area.

Business Members receive:
Listing in the AIBA directory: 20,000 copies printed per year

Listing online, searchable categorically and by business name, with a link to member's website

AIBA member decal to display at member business locations

Access to online benefits including forums & member events calendar

Additional benefits including networking events, advocacy & programs

bookpeople
BookPeople

Alumni Membership: $350
Alumni are locally formed businesses that are homegrown, have 'graduated' from the AIBA membership parameters, and want to stay involved in the local business community in Austin.

Alumni members receive:
Listing in the AIBA directory: 20,000 copies printed per year

Listing online, searchable categorically and by business name, with a link to member's website

AIBA member decal to display at member business locations

Access to online benefits including forums & member events calendar

Additional benefits including networking events, advocacy & programs

Individual Membership: $35
Individuals in the community that would like to do their part to support local businesses can become a member of AIBA.

Individual members receive:
Listing online

AIBA individual member decal

AIBA T-Shirt

Additional benefits including networking events, advocacy & programs