How did we measure up?

Thank you to all our members who completed our very first NUA Member Survey in April. We had a 35% response rate, which is very good for a general survey. Below is a summary of the results.

General Demographics

The National Upholstery Association consists of Professionals, Educators, Industry Partners, Students, and Retirees of the upholstery trade. Our current mix of member levels is as follows:

70% Professionals

3% Educators

9% Industry Partners

15% Students

3% Retirees

Around 85% of our members are associated with a small shop, either running a solo business or with one full- or part-time employee.

Our members overwhelmingly joined the NUA for educational and networking opportunities

Did you know? The NUA holds monthly Community Meetings on a variety of topics. These meetings are a great opportunity for our members to network and share. Check out our calendar to see a list of upcoming events.

We want to do regional events and we need your help! The pandemic put a pause on in-person gatherings, but it won’t be long until we can travel and meet up again. Are you itching to meet other NUA members in your area? Want to volunteer with the NUA but can’t offer a long-term commitment? Sign up to coordinate a local meetup instead! For more information, please email info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org.

Our webinars are the best in the industry, but that’s not all the NUA has to offer. We’re working on growing our curated collection of upholstery resources and educational materials. Our newsletter, blog, and library are great sources of information for our industry. Check out our Learning and Events page on our website. And don’t forget to check back often, as we’re always adding something new. Have you found a great resource, blog, article, video, or webinar you’d like to share with other members? Let us know at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org and we’ll consider your content for inclusion in our library.

Webinars rank highest in quality among the benefits we offer

Did you know? Our webinars are recorded and available on demand for members. Can’t make a live session? Catch it on a replay! Check out our Past Webinars on our website (available only to active members).

Member discounts rank lowest

Yeah, we know - and we’re working on it. We believe the NUA provides mutual benefit between our members and Industry Partners. We aim to highlight and promote our best partners, giving them an opportunity to market to a highly targeted audience. In return, we’ll snag exclusive offers for NUA members, not available anywhere else. If you are an Industry Partner and want a premium promotional spot on our website and on social media, please email info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org and we’ll gladly be in contact with you.

Our members are interested in a trade magazine and access to a regular news feed highlighting industry news and research

Our members seek to stay on top of industry news and trends and the NUA wants to become your one-stop resource for all things upholstery. In our April newsletter, we included a new Industry News section and it received a very positive response. We are currently investigating the feasibility of an industry eMagazine and/or news feed. If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org.

Most members follow the NUA on social media (92% of respondents), but prefer to receive important communication by email (96% of respondents)

We strive to strike a balance in our member communications; to share our programs and events with you wherever you are without being too spammy. That said, we’re putting our programs into overdrive this year and we need your help to achieve our goals. In an effort to improve our benefits offering and increase engagement, we may reach out to you periodically to ask your opinion about certain topics or to share news about new or underutilized offerings. Your input is important!

Conclusion

The National Upholstery Association’s programs are made possible through your membership dues and the support of our dedicated volunteers. To all our members - thank you for your support and for being a part of our community.

If you want to get more involved, consider applying to become a volunteer. We are also recruiting for Committee Chairs, so if you’re a natural leader or looking to build experience leading a team, we want to hear from you!

By Harmony Maraldo, NUA Membership Committee Chair