MEMBER BENEFITS

Member Level

• Access to an organisational platform that gives voice to the businesses in the Northern Illawarra region
• Participation in Buy Local campaigns
• Free listings in the Chamber’s Business Directory (all NICC businesses)
• Free listing in the Chamber’s Tourist Trails brochure (for tourism specific NICC businesses)
• Regular monthly business meetings
• Regular B2B promotion opportunities
• Access to business workshops
• Access to strong professional and social networks
• Invitations to Chamber social events
• Monthly e-newsletter – “Chamber Blast”

Platinum Member Level

All the benefits of Member Level (as above) PLUS

• Small inclusion of your logo in the footer of selected, printed NICC material (at the discretion of the NICC Executive).
• Banner advertisement on the homepage of the NICC website, linking to your website.
• 50% discount on premium listing in the Northern Illawarra Directory (as
• published by member business, NiO).
• One (1) free ticket to the Annual Ball.
• Opportunity to address members at one General Meeting during the
• membership year.

ACHIEVEMENTS 

2008-9

• Initiated a Chamber- based Buy Local, Buy and Win $900 Stimulus Promotion between April and October 2009 to attract customers to spend in NICC member businesses, with the winner having to spend the $900 back in any NICC business.
• Produced and distributed 7000 (annual) Member Directories with Location Map between Helensburgh and Thirroul to promote the Chamber’s ongoing Buy Local campaign and promote all member businesses.
• Initiated a series of Northern Illawarra Coastal Village Tourist Trails, scheduled for release in January 2010, to encourage visitors to stay and spend longer in our region.
• Took ownership and upgraded the neglected Stanwell Park Village Directory to incorporate a listing and location map of all  Stanwell Park (NICC member) businesses.
• Worked closely with the local Police on the Community Safety Precinct Committee on crime and graffiti prevention in our region.
• Introduced alerts, reminders and invitations to members via SMS and Facebook technology.
• Successfully lobbied to keep Bulli Hospital’s services operative over 2008-9 to provide key services to the Northern Illawarra.
• Successfully lobbied Sensis to reinstate the Northern Illawarra region street directory (from East Corrimal and northwards) back into the Wollongong ‘Yellow Pages’ Directory in 2010.
• Strengthened our relationship with the media resulting in increased print, radio and local television coverage on issues the Chamber has been actively involved.
• Joined the Regional Chamber Forum (includes all chambers between Northern Illawarra to Nowra and the Southern Highlands) as a networking forum to provide support and exchange of business ideas.  
  

  2007-8
  

  • Established a new partnership with the Illawarra Area Consultative Committee (IACC) to bring regular small business related workshops and seminars directly to the Northern Illawarra.
  • Introduced regular guest speaker segments into Chamber’s General Meetings. These have included, the Lord Mayor of Wollongong, Tourism Wollongong, local political members; Illawarra business group representatives, and affiliate organisations.

  
  2006-7

  • Introduced face to face (monthly Chamber meetings) and web -based opportunities (Chamber Blast) for B2B profiling.
  • Established a monthly electronic newsletter the Chamber Blast, as key communication tool between the Chamber, its members, the media, and Government and Tourism bodies.
  • Established an NICC online interactive Cross-Promotional Database for Chamber members to achieve wider exposure within the Northern Illawarra.

  
  2002-5

  • Established the NICC Ball, held annually in November.
  • Produced a series of local walking tour brochures of the Northern Illawarra, funded by the RTA and distributed to regional tourism outlets during the Lawrence Hargrave Drive closure between Clifton and Coalcliff.
  • Provided in-kind marketing and financial support of the Inaugural "Festival of Flight" which attracted 10,000 local and intrastate attendees.
  • Won a $70,000 government grant to facilitate a major Strategic Plan Survey of the Northern Illawarra.
  • Became a founding co-sponsor in the development of a web portal, Northern Illawarra Online.