This CIA website is the greatest innovation the closet industry has seen since the 32 mm system
Member Benefits
Becoming a member of the Closet Institute of American has many benefits for you if you want to grow your closet business. See below for available benefits as well as more coming in 2022.
Membership Levels
Benefits in 2021
Webinars and Podcasts
Join our live webinars or view pre-recorded podcasts on a variety of business related and growth building topics. These will include marketing, advertising, sales, design, installation, manufacturing, outsourcing, new products and services, competition, efficiency and other business building strategies.
Sales/Designer
Training Course
Course content is helpful for both entry level freshman and graduate level experienced sales/design professionals with emphasis on
Closing the Deal. You can design the greatest closet on earth, but if you can't close the deal, your design is worthless. Train a designer to sell or teach a salesperson to design?
We Do Both!
Zoom Discussion Sessions
Meet with your peers and consider them your very own Board of Directors. (you don't even have to pay them).. Have a problem, question, issue, situation or just need other opinions or advice? With our Zoom, you'll avoid potential Doom & Gloom.
SEALS Team
This is the most requested venue at all Summit conferences and CIA events. Annually conducted face-to-face at the Summits, we are expanding these non-compete confidential discussions into year round virtual online sessions.
Meetings will cover a variety of business building topics and strategies shared among participants.
Installation Jubilation
Every CIA member company installs closets. Join our Zooms, panel discussions, how-to videos and resource network as we explore all things related to Installation, including truck layouts, staging jobs, check-lists, essential on-site jigs, work site etiquette and bringing the necessary extras to ensure you can finish the install on time and on schedule.
Shop Talk
Whether your shop is small or large, there is NEVER enough space. Join us as we share our successes in shop layout, time/labor management, workflow, effective work cells, space efficiency, labor/time saving jigs, organizing job pallets, preventative maintenance, OSHA regulations, check-lists, and cross-training shop employees.
Industry Mentoring
& Consultants
Consult with active, retired or semi-retired closet professionals who have, 'been there-done that'. Consider participating in temporary staff exchanges and apprenticeship programs to enable your employees to experience how others in our industry are handling similar problems.
Closet Industry Employment
Trusted employees are sometimes forced to move out of your area due to personal reasons. Offer them relocation opportunities through CIA classifieds/bulletin board for experienced managers, designers, fabricators and installers moving to another location.
Barter Bulletin Board
Supplier backordered your melamine? Need a few extra sheets to finish a job? Need some matching edge-banding to collect a balance due check? Short one basket but your supplier is out? Ask your fellow CIA members if they have another source or can spare some inventory.
Referral Networking
Referrals and repeats account for up to 50% of all closet industry sales. Lead generation sharing is encouraged when you receive inquiries from potential clients who are not in your territory but want to pass the customer along to another CIA members.
Outsource Resource Guide
Looking to expand your operation or offer a new product line but can't afford the additional capital expense or don't have the space to grow? Join 34% of our industry who currently outsource all or part of their manufacturing and check out these local, regional and national networks and dealerships.
Vendor Guide
Recessions and economic downturns often require you to find alternative sources. Here you will find vendor links to the latest and greatest in design software, machinery, accessories, hardware, jigs, lighting, sheet goods, edge-banding, etc. Includes instructional how-to videos.
Conflict Resolution Panel
A Commission of your peers to assist and prevent miscommunication and disputes among CIA members in the spirit of industry unity, potentially avoiding legal fees.
Closet Locator Index
Refer your Raving Fan customers who are moving to another reliable CIA member in their new location..
Legal Aid Consultant
Members can be referred to experienced closet industry attorneys concerning matters related to industry litigation, including disputes, copyright infringements, liability issues, employment/HR and unfair trade practices.
Used Equipment For Sale
Looking for machinery or reviews/comments from peers? Considering major capital investments and purchases? Consult and receive feedback and ratings from those who have the same or equivalent equipment.
Compete Effectively
Having trouble competing against 'nationwide closet operations'? National advertising buy campaigns by competitors can be successful . . . for you. Experienced consultants are available.
Closet Industry Statistics
CIA has compiled statistics from over 500 attendees at the last seven Closet Summit conferences. How does your company compare to others of the same size and demographics? Find out how you are doing.
Closet Summit Conference
Member registration discounts for our annual face-to-face networking conference exclusively for the independent closet business community, Participate in special Summit events and activities such as Members-Only Meet, Greet & Eat Happy Hour and SEALS Team discussion panels.
Join us at our 8th Annual Summit Conference and Expo at:
DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando/SeaWorld Resort
October 20@6pm - October 22@2pm, 2021
Coming in 2022
Archives
Access to a variety of information: publications, newsletters, blogs, reports, indexes, statistics, printed materials, podcasts, presentations, surveys, studies and power-points as they become available from contributing members.
Advanced Installer Training
After you teach them how to install, we train them to be your anchor (sales) man to bring in the repeats, referrals and reviews.
Forms & Document Exchange
Share closet industry customer contracts, employee manuals, design site sketch sheets, installer checklists, punch-lists, sign-off documents, interoffice forms, etc..
Photo & Marketing Exchange
Marketing material (photos, brochures, taglines, flyers, postcards, etc.) sharing among members and startups who do not have the resources to provide their own.
Industry Economic Forecasting
Industry data and surveys to determine where we are and where we are going because if you don't know your numbers, you don't know your business.
Product Development
Our Industrial Design Division will work with our industry vendors and suppliers to create and develop new and exciting accessories and hardware.
CIA Southern Command
Discounts at our future Training and Conference Center on the island of Grenada, British West Indies. Can you say
"My next vacation could be a business expense.."