Below is a WMA Membership application form for any village shop or local area partner business that wishes to join the association and benefit from the group activities. Scroll down for membership form.

Membership Levels

Full Member -The Waynesville Merchants Association offers a comprehensive digital visibility package designed to maximize exposure and engagement for member businesses across multiple platforms. For an annual investment of $300, members receive premium placement and a wide range of benefits that strengthen their online presence and connect them with both local and regional audiences.

Key Benefits Include:

• Priority Listing Placement: Featured shop name and logo or photo prominently displayed on applicable website category pages.
• Interactive Map Integration: Map pin placement with click-through functionality to detailed shop location and directions.
• Premium Profile Page: A full business profile on the WMA website, including logo or image, business description with searchable keywords, contact phone number, hours of operation, and integrated customer email capability.
• Enhanced Digital Content: Additional feature blocks may include menus, promotional images with captions and links, special offers, and more.
• Seasonal and Event Exposure: In-store seasonal promotions and special event highlights featured within the business profile and included in event-specific postings.
• Multi-Business Representation: Support for dual listings and vendor booth profiles for members managing multiple business interests.
• Social Media Integration: Direct links to your business’s website and applicable social media platforms including Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Promotional Campaign Participation: Eligibility for inclusion in WMA-sponsored promotional campaigns such as printed posters, rack cards, and cooperative marketing initiatives (based on scheduling availability).
• Strategic Online Presence: A dedicated WMA profile page serves as your business’s online gateway, helping to attract and inform potential customers year-round.

This package is ideal for businesses looking to expand their reach, increase customer engagement, and participate in a vibrant and supportive merchant network. For more information or to sign up, please contact the WMA board or visit our website. (Add-on for Mall Vendors – $50 for photo and listing on host mall profile page for.)

Associate/Partner Membership – provides essential online visibility designed for businesses seeking cost-effective promotion within the Waynesville merchant community. Priced at $175 annually, this option includes either a map listing or a website posting with click-through access to your business profile.

Key Features Include:

• Listing Placement: Your shop’s name, logo, or photo displayed on the relevant category page with low-level listing priority.
• Basic Business Profile: Includes your business photo or logo alongside a concise description featuring targeted keywords to improve searchability.
• Contact Information: Full business address, phone number, and hours of operation clearly presented.
• Interactive Map: Location pin on the Waynesville map with click-through functionality providing directions and shop location details.

This membership level is ideal for partners seeking a straightforward yet effective online presence within the WMA network.

WMA Mission and Objectives:
The expressed purpose of the Waynesville Merchants Association is to increase regional awareness and promote business opportunities within the village and surrounding areas. The association is committed to driving visitor traffic, sales, revenue, and profit for individual merchants and area partners by focusing on two key objectives:
1. Identify, engage and drive new visitor traffic to increase new, initial sales, revenue and profit.
2. Generate positive customer lifecycle experiences to drive lifecycle and referral sales, revenue
and profit.

Membership Benefits:
The Waynesville Merchants Association offers a wide range of valuable opportunities and benefits through membership and active participation. Members are invited to engage with and contribute to the growth, stability, and success of the Waynesville merchant community, as well as the individual success of their own shops and partner organizations.

Benefits include a dynamic, visitor-friendly website offering unique promotional opportunities for members, along with increased online visibility through an aggressive and strategic social media presence and other marketing initiatives. A newly developed, integrated events and shops brochure—tied directly to the new website—enhances outreach and visitor engagement.

Members also benefit from participation in both traditional village-sponsored events and exciting new activities created in partnership with area organizations. The board actively attends village meetings to foster a strong partnership with the Village of Waynesville and support collaborative community development. Efforts to expand the target market along Highways 37 and 42 aim to attract more visitors from across the region. Additionally, members gain access to over 60 area partners who help bring thousands of visitors to Waynesville each year.

WMA Event Sponsoring

The Waynesville Merchants Association proudly sponsors four Waynesville Street Faire events, held monthly in June, July, August, and September. These lively events draw visitors to the heart of the village and help showcase the unique offerings of our local shops and restaurants.

Another major highlight of the year is Heartwarming Holidays, an early-November celebration organized by the Merchants Association to kick off the holiday season. As one of Waynesville’s most well-attended events, it reflects the pride our business owners take in offering the best of the season to our guests. During Christmas in the Village, shops and restaurants open their doors wide to welcome visitors into a truly magical, old-fashioned holiday experience. Guests can enjoy carriage rides, costumed characters, and strolling musicians that bring festive charm to every corner of the town.

In addition to sponsoring these signature events, the Association also creates and distributes a travel brochure, maintains a community website, and coordinates cooperative advertising efforts that benefit the entire merchant community.

If you have an idea for a new event or marketing initiative, we encourage you to share it with the WMA board by clicking the form below. While not all suggestions can be implemented due to cost and resource limitations, every idea is welcome and appreciated.

This is a locked MSWord form. You cannot modify the form, you can only provide the information required in the form’s fields. Download the form into MSWord and click on “view” and “edit document” in the top navigation strip. Then you can “tab” down through the form’s fields and “click” on applicable boxes and type in requested information in the applicable “text fields”. Once the form is complete, you can save it with the name of your choice to preserve the blank form.