I am posing this question, so I can outline my reasons why I believe every celebrant would be wise to spend $22 in 2009 (Now $29.50 2010)to join with my celebrancy project.

But you may rightly think I am biased, and I am!

So I am hoping that any celebrant who has joined may share what benefits they have received, or let us know where we can improve. We welcome feedback - positive and negative!

The ACCN has only been going since April 08 and our website launched at the end of June 08 so we are still at the crawling stage. I look after the development of the website and most ACCN functions and edit the National News. My good friend and colleague Ginny Bydder works part-time doing our book-keeping and managing the distribution of products and services from the ACCN Celebrant Shop. Other than my web-developer, that's it.

We hope we will achieve more as we gain more members.

Cheers
Rona

Firstly some pragmatic reasons.

Celebrants need to buy a whole range of products and services to set up and maintain their celebrancy service. Computers, software, clothing, briefcase, business cards and other general stationery, fling cabinets, celebrancy specific stationery, PA systems, insurance, websites, phone plans, resources books, advertising etc.

There are many non-celebrancy related advertising websites that offer listings. If they offer good value for money that's great. Many don't. So why not support a celebrancy related business that gives you more than just a listing.

Whilst I do not consider celebrancy as "just a business" we do need good business skills.

In return for your $22 (now $29.50 in 2010) membership, the ACCN gives you:

1. A vision with support - A celebrant for ALL occasions, not just the big three - hatchings. matchings and dispatchings. Plus access to our Members Only Pages and our online Yahoo Email group.

2. A mode of operation with support - The Family - Community Celebrant plus access to our Members Only Pages and our online Yahoo Email group ( NB About to change to in-house Forum with digests 2/2/2010) .

3. Tips for building your celebrancy resources in a step by step way - hopefully to not break the bank !

4. Tips for how to implement being "The Family Celebrant" and build your celebrancy career via our Members Only Pages and our online Daily Forum group.

5. A Marketing Strategy
- Free Deluxe Local Listings Offers. ACCN members may offer the top spot, if it is not taken, as a FREE deluxe listing to other celebration suppliers, not celebrant , in their local area. This allows you to phone, email or visit these local services with something to offer them. And in exchange they get to know about you!

- Enhancing your ACCN Local Area Section ie the ability to send photos and other information on your local area of the ACCN website. All contributions will be credited, so your name becomes not only more visible but more highly regarded as a celebrant who cares and is active in his or her community

- Your stories. The ability to encourage your couples, families or individuals to contribute to "Tips n Tales" on the http://www.AskaCelebrant.com.au website. Doing this will not only encourage others to think about having a Ceremony as a Gift, and hire a celebrant, but will also feature your name as celebrant. As "word of mouth' type comments this again enhances your visibility and credibility.

- Celebrant Snapshots with Photos and Web-links in Your Space National E-magazine, and on http://www.AskaCelebrant.com.au website. Whilst the E-magazine is aimed at celebrants, it is loaded on an ACCN website. This means these pages over time will become available on the Search engines. The more links to your website, the higher its ranking in web search engines such as Google.

- ACCN Image and Link. The ACCN encourages members and others, such as local celebration suppliers to link back to the ACCN. Yes this does benefit our small business, but it also increases every member's chances of being found. And thus in turn will give the ACCN a higher web search ranking etc etc. NB such a link can be to the "Tips n Tales" section of http://www.AskaCelebrant.com.au website, and not necessarily to direct competitors.

- Suggestions about Possible Listers. All ACCN members are encouraged to let us know about celebration related products and services. rona@accn.com.au. again the more useful our website, the higher its ranking, then more likely you will be found.

5. Access to our ACCN Members Homepages - 5 Page Website)for $35 (now $45 pa members $66 pa non-members. See http://www.accn.com.au/accn-shop/catego ... n-websites
For details.

6. A "win:win" philosophy. If you would like to "barter" your time to buy a listing here or some other ACCN service we offer, then please let me know. I also welcome volunteer assistance as there are only 24 hours in a day and we are yet to build enough income to make ourselves a wage equivalent and employ staff.

If you have products or services you think could be sold via our ACCN Celebrant Shop or Directory also let us know. The ACCN does sell some mail order friendly items on commission.

Cheers
Rona

Rona Goold ACCN Director

Rona,
While up til now I have been a fairly 'silent' member of the ACCN I must say I feel that I have received my $22 worth of services 10 times over. Reading the discussio forum emails each day lets me know that I am not alone in my work - and makes sense of some of the experiences I have had. Being able to purchase exactly what I need from the shop - gives me great peace of mind. Having a listing and the option of more involved marketting through the ACCN web services also provides a terrifc service in an otherwise tricky and expensive area!

Why join??? WHY NOT??!!

Kate Johnson
Mooroolbark, Victoria