Key takeaways:

• Even though electrical and HVAC contractors have several professional organizations, the contractor group benefits can be similar.
• Stand out by offering perks that align with their top challenges, such as savings on supplies, training, or workforce development resources.
• Partnering with Raiven is a great way to deliver tangible benefits, including discounts on supplies and digital buying tools.

With so many contractor groups offering similar networking and industry resources, it’s critical to stand out.

The most successful organizations are rethinking their value propositions, delivering perks that directly solve electrical and HVAC contractors’ toughest challenges.

Below are some high-impact benefits you can offer to attract, support, and retain members in today’s competitive trades landscape.

1. Cost Savings and Affinity Programs

If you talk to your members, you’ll quickly notice they’re all concerned about rising or fluctuating material prices. Buying has become a challenge, and they’re spending more time than ever on sourcing the supplies they need and shopping around to find the best prices.

Negotiating better prices is possible, but many contractors lack the time or buying power to do it. That’s where your association can make a difference:

• Use the size of your group to negotiate discounts with vendors.
• Develop affinity programs with service providers (software vendors are particularly interesting as more contractors use these solutions to improve business efficiency).

These benefits translate into direct cost savings for your members and justify the cost of the membership. Plus, you can stand out with partnerships that other professional trade associations don’t have.

2. Training and Certifications

There are many exciting growth opportunities in emerging markets, but skills gaps prevent contractors from seizing them.

Electrical and HVAC contractors have plenty of work, but developing new skills is key for scaling and future-proofing their business. You can help by providing training and certifications in areas like:

• The IoT and building automation.
• Electrification jobs, especially EV charging or heat pump installation.
• General AI and digital transformation skills.

Plus, sharing original research and local market data can go a long way in demonstrating why contractors should pursue these new skills and help them plan for the future.

3. Business Coaching

Besides working on new skills, contractors need better business processes to grow and scale. It’s something you can support with personalized coaching from industry experts.

Business coaches can help:

• Improve day-to-day operations with better processes.
• Recommend the best tools to save time and money.
• Develop long-term plans for scaling and diversifying (for instance, to adopt an electrification-first business model).
• Identify areas where contractors need help, like sales or recruitment.

4. Compliance, Safety, and Legal Support

New regulations are making compliance more complex than ever. The right resources can make a difference:

• Organize webinars or in-person events to help your members keep up with the latest changes. Monthly regulatory updates, deep-dive sessions on specific code changes, and Q&A forums where members can ask questions about real-world scenarios they’re facing could be valuable.
• Partner with consultants who can help contractors navigate compliance or legal issues.
• Create compliance checklists and templates that members can customize for their businesses, covering everything from permit applications to safety documentation and employee training records.

5. Workforce Development and Hiring

Labor challenges are a reality for your members, and young generations aren’t pursuing careers in the trades. Things could change as more Gen Z graduates choose careers where the risks of being replaced by AI are low, but this trend remains limited.

Professional organizations have an important role to play:

• Connect with local high schools, community colleges, and vocational schools to promote the trades.
• Guiding your members as they set up apprenticeship programs makes careers in the trades more accessible. Job shadowing programs can also be a great way for younger students to discover what a career in the trades is like.
• Providing long-term workforce development services is also a plus. It helps contractors offer more services and gives graduates a path toward career growth in the trades.
• Organizing local career events can help your members connect with qualified candidates and motivated graduates looking for an apprenticeship.

6. Networking and Multi-Trade Partnerships

Networking is a common perk of contractor group membership, but your professional association can make it more valuable by emphasizing multi-trade partnerships.

Connecting professionals with complementary skills opens up new opportunities for them. For example, you can help electrical and HVAC pros work together to install heat pumps. This kind of partnership is particularly interesting as larger businesses in the trades tend to grow horizontally and offer multiple services. For smaller contractors, multi-trade partnerships are a way to compete with this model.

7. Business Succession Planning

Trades workers are aging. For many business owners approaching retirement age, the future can look uncertain, and exit strategies aren’t something most contractors are familiar with.

You can provide value to these members by offering business succession planning services. This could include connecting them with financial advisors who specialize in trades businesses, providing workshops on business valuation and sale preparation, or offering templates for succession plans.

Deliver Valuable Contractor Group Benefits With Raiven

All these perks provide value to your members and boost engagement, but focusing on cost savings and discounts remains the best way to provide something tangible.

However, negotiating discounts with suppliers takes time, and not all vendors are willing to offer lower prices to your members.

It’s where Raiven makes a difference. We partner with contractor groups and extend our benefits to your member base, including the cost savings we negotiate with leading suppliers and our innovative buying tools that streamline procurement.

Professional organizations see increased loyalty and retention thanks to these perks. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what Raiven can offer your members.

Raiven is on a mission to transform buying for the trades. Our innovative platform connects contractors, enterprises, and suppliers into a digital supply chain network.

The goal is to simplify sourcing, reduce costs, and unlock operational efficiency. This will create new business opportunities and allow contractors to scale faster.

Stop wasting time and money on inefficient procurement. As a Raiven member, you’ll get access to: 

• Our procurement platform. Manage vendors and accounts with one convenient digital tool.
• Price tracking. Find the best prices on the supplies you need. 
• Exclusive cost savings. Raiven pre-negotiates prices, cutting your costs by up to 15%. 
• A thriving community. Join a fast-growing group of 2,500+ contractors ready to innovate.

Visit Raiven for more information on delivering tangible benefits to your members.