[vendtalk] Please help; quick, critical updates

Wed Feb 19 18:30:18 UTC 2014

Greetings colleagues and friends-

I hope you enjoyed the latest Blitz. Please don't take the Blitz lightly. It really has become the newsletter of record for Randolph-Sheppard and the other initiatives for blind entrepreneurs the NFBEI and partners are working to develop. Please "Get the Blitz, read the Blitz and share the Blitz with all colleagues and constituents." Terry Smith, Nicky Gacos, members of our NCSAB partner group, and so many others have already begun making big things happen in 2014, but there is so much to do. We can do it when we are informed. Thanks to all who have made contributions both large and small. And thanks to those states which have signed up for the subscription program. It really matters. On a personal note, I want to offer special thanks to Catriona McDonald and the NCSAB leadership.

I am attaching to this email the RSA Buying Group form. There remains some confusion about who benefits. ALL vendors who sign up benefit. The monies do not go to NABM, NFBEI, or any other entity or organization of or for the blind. The NABM office is donating some time to help folks get answers to their questions and get signed up. This is because we have long believed in and worked tirelessly for a group buying and/or rebate program that is vital to increased income for all blind vendors regardless of any affiliation. As reported in last week's Blitz, over 600 blind vendors were able to receive splits of over $150,000 generated to the RSA Buying Group. Coca-Cola is now coming on board as are other manufacturers and distributers as the program grows. The more vendors that sign up the larger the pot can grow. It takes only a few minutes to fill out a form with your name, delivery address, email, phone numbers, and account numbers. That's all the RSA Buying Group needs. At the end of the following quarter, your rebate check will be emailed to you so that you can send it to your bank or simply take it to your bank. This makes it quick and easy. If you would rather have your check sent to you by conventional mail they will do that. You can really help. We are asking that program business consultants, area specialists "whatever they are called in your state", and leading blind vendors in your state, please, please help your vendors get signed up. I know of someone who signed up last June. She only has 3 vending machines. She received $28.00. $28.00 for 15 minutes of work ain't too bad. Not too bad at all. But, if more of us sign up her rebate will grow. And she has to do nothing else to receive a larger check. The larger the buying power the higher the rebates. Also, in months to come, with increased buying power the group will be able to negotiate some lower prices in addition to the rebate. The group will be able to send us announcements about certain products, which during certain months, will earn us all larger rebates depending on how much we buy. If my office can help we are happy to do so. 866-543-6808. Or you may contact RSA Buying Group directly at pskidmore at rsabuyinggroup.com<mailto:pskidmore at rsabuyinggroup.com>. Coca-Cola is coming on board as are other beverage distributors. You will want to include your Sam's account number because even they will be providing rebates on MARS products. Offer all of your account numbers so that the group can negotiate with those which may currently not be in the system. Business consultants and committee leaders should all help us with this so that we can all make bigger bucks. I don't care what organization you belong to, we all want bigger rebate dollars. This is a great helpful thing that the business consultants can do to bring real helpful consulting value to the vendors that they serve. Whether you have a small snack bar in Wichita, a vending route in Duluth, or a handful of vending machines in the basement at Bakersfield, everyone counts. I know that the RSA Buying Group is missing information for a number of blind vendors in Ohio, California, Texas, Minnesota, Missouri, Connecticut, and Michigan. Imagine the buying power, in terms of rebates and pricing, we could gain if we could get accurate account numbers, names, addresses, phone numbers and emails from 1,500, WOW! Please take a few moments and help if you can. Remember, you do not have to send specific invoice information every time you receive an order. The distributors, manufacturers, and the RSA Buying Group calibrate all of that for us. I am told that a few blind vendors received rebates well into the hundreds of dollars because they have locations which allow them to buy more product. We should not miss out on this opportunity. It is simply crazy of us not to get every single blind vendor in this Nation signed up to make more money. Maybe the program can't afford a new popcorn popper or machine for the 4th floor, but we can afford to sign up for this new program. It is new and growing. There may be a glitch or two along the way. But, the more who sign up the bigger it can get, and the easier the process becomes.

Some have been asking when they can reserve a room and register for the BLAST conference November 18-20 in Austin, Texas. Please make plans to attend. BLAST reservation and conference registration process will open by the middle of next week. You will be able to register and reserve rooms online or by telephone. We have already begun planning an outstanding curriculum, but there is still time to get your ideas.

Thanks to all of you for your commitment to building better business opportunities for the blind and visually impaired of America.

Thanks to those state agencies and elected committees which have become a part of the NFBEI transcription programs. Together, with love, hope and determination we will transform dreams into reality.

At your service,

[cid:image001.jpg at 01CDBCF2.C07B8380]

Kevan Worley
Executive Director
National Association of Blind Merchants
kevanworley at blindmerchants.org<mailto:kevanworley at blindmerchants.org>
866-543-6808

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