NMEA MEMBER BENEFITS

The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) offers its members an extensive list of benefits, including professional development and certification, standards development, lobbying, national marketing and branding campaigns designed to drive traffic to dealers, manufacturers, and other members, and many more.  A number of benefits are new, having been offered just in the past 24 months.  We invite members and prospective members to read the list below.  Any questions on NMEA member benefits should be directed to the NMEA national office at (410) 975-9425, or you may email Bruce Angus (Interim Executive Director) at bangus@nmea.org or Cindy Love (Office Manager) at info@nmea.org.

 NMEA LIST OF MEMBER BENEFITS:

•Professional Development and Certification
•Master Dealer Program
•Marine Electronics Journal, official magazine of the NMEA. 
•NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo
•Standards Development
•Lobbying at Federal and State Levels
•Discounts from the NMEA and from Manufacturers
•National Marketing and Branding Campaigns
•Regional Benefits

1) Professional Development and Certification

The National Marine Electronics Association is your key to professional development and certification that shows the boating public you have the training and knowledge to do the job right.  The NMEA provides the following courses in dozens of locations in the U.S. and Canada throughout the year:

  • Basic Marine Electronics Installer
  • Advanced Marine Electronics Installer
  • NMEA 2000® Networking

2) Master Dealer Program

New in 2011 is the Master Dealer Program, which raises the bar for the professionalism of NMEA dealers. The program provides assurance to boaters that, when they do business with a Master Dealer, they have a highly trained professional working to keep their electronics operating at top performance.

3) Marine Electronics Journal, official magazine of the NMEA

Written for technical dealers and the trade, the Marine Electronics Journal is the official magazine of the NMEA .  It is unique in the world in its thorough coverage of new marine electronics products and technology development.  As a member of the NMEA, you receive the magazine at no charge.  Depending on your membership category, your company may receive up to 12 copies, sent directly to employees.  MEJ is published bi-monthly including the special annual, Buyers Guide, which is sent in quantity to NMEA dealers, who give it to their best customers and prospects. 

4) NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo

At the annual NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo, numerous courses, manufacturers’ workshops and new-product introductions are offered to participating NMEA members.  The NMEA’s premier annual event also includes seminars covering a variety of business-development topics, such as:

  • Business management
  • QuickBooks
  • Marketing and branding
  • NMEA 2000® networking
  • Building effective teams
  • Buying and selling small businesses

5)  Standards Development

The NMEA is the world’s leading developer of standards that allow communication between marine electronics devices, ease of networking, and an exciting, safe, experience for the boating public.  As a member of the NMEA you are identified with the leader.  NMEA member dealers with NMEA training and certifications are considered the experts in high-quality, reliable installations of marine electronics incorporating NMEA standards.  These standards include the following:

  • NMEA 2000® Standard
  • NMEA 0183 Standard
  • Installation Standards

6) Lobbying at Federal and State Levels

The NMEA monitors and lobbies on key issues and legislation that affect our industry and our businesses.  Recent examples include joining forces with RTCM to denounce the closing and ultimate dismantling of the of LORAN towers.  This effort was directed at Homeland Security.  More recently the NMEA was asked to help the USCG in making boaters and the industry in general aware of the safety problem created when VHF/DSC enabled radios are not properly connected to a GPS receiver.  The other part of that problem is that many boaters have not registered their MMSI number that provides the USCG with key information. The NMEA and its member companies are addressing these important safety issues through outreach to the boating public.

7) Discounts from the  NMEA and from Manufacturers

NMEA members receive discounts of 10% to 20%, compared with the price paid by nonmembers who purchase the same product or service from the NMEA.  For many members, the discounts can easily be worth more than the cost of membership.  In addition, participating manufacturers offer a discount for orders for marine electronics placed at the NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo.  The NMEA offers member discounts on:

  • Training and certification
  • Standards
  • NMEA annual Conference & Expo
  • Advertising
• Conference exhibit space and registration

NMEA members are also eligible for discounted rates for the following:

  •Registration fees for the national conference
  •Advertising in the Marine Electronics Journal
  •Credit-card processing
  •Telecommunications
  •UPS freight
  •Fedex freight

8) National Marketing and Branding Campaigns

NMEA members receive national marketing and branding through the Marine Electronics Journal, official magazine of the NMEA, and through www.nmea.org and www.marineelectornicsjournal.com, the latter of which provides the most accurate, comprehensive guide for boaters on the web. These two sites average more than 25,000 unique visitors each month.  Nmea.org enjoys a page-1 ranking on Google when the keywords "marine electronics” are entered.

In addition, the NMEA conducts a special advertising program on behalf of all NMEA members in the following boating publications:  SpinSheet, Sport Fishing, Sailing World, Southern Boating, Professional Mariner, Yachting, Boating Industry Canada, Dockside, Cruising World, Boating, Prop Talk, Motor Boating, Fly Fishing, Ocean Navigator, Salt Water Sportsman, Boating Life, and the Marine Business Journal. The advertisements are designed to drive traffic to the NMEA dealer locator and ultimately to the websites of NMEA member companies.

The NMEA also makes available a number of valuable marketing and branding tools—either free or at low cost—to NMEA members.  Tools include the following:

Free:

New member highlight in
   the Marine Electronics Journal
Listing and link on nmea.org
Logo listing and link on
   marineelectronicsjournal.com
NMEA member decal
NMEA member plaque
Buyers’ Guides
NMEA brochures
Countertop signs
NMEA advertisements
NMEA press releases
NMEA logo

Low cost:

Customized product labels

9) Regional Benefits

Most NMEA members have the opportunity to participate in regional meetings that offer opportunities for networking, education, and regional problem solving.