Chamber of Commerce

[Vicki]

I am considering joining my local Chamber of Commerce. Is anyone here a member and if so, what has your experience been? worth the $?
as a member, I can have ribbon-cutting ceremonies as often as I'd like (each one is covered in the local paper), as well as countless meetings/networking opportunities a month, not to mention the automatic professional image portrayed when displaying the chamber member sign.
I'm thinking it's a no-brainer for my biz. Would like to hear other's experiences.
thanks!

 

[chasvanblom]

Bleh, here it costs $270/year just to join, and that's at the second from the lowest tier. (Lowest is online only, no hardcopy listing.) Then there are the luncheons ($25/each). But there are a number of meet and greet type scheduled events weekly or monthly that are free or $1-5.

In my town CoC is a good idea for networking, but the meet and greets are mostly in the early morning and if anyone met me before 10am they'd say "OMG, remind me never to go see her!"

(I am NOT a morning person. :evil: )

 

[BigBangFTW]

I am a member of my Chamber, I joined last June. I went to one after hours function, it was big and crowded. I don't like crowds. Also, it's at a time of day when I am always booked. I put my brochures at the Chamber and have gotten one client. I have not been to any ribbon cuttings (why would you have more than one?) nor have I had my own.

So really is it worth it for me to pay another $200+ to renew in June? No. I don't take advaneforum.xxxe of the networking and my business has grown without their help.

But if you are new, don't have any clients, and you will go to network, then I think it can be beneficial to meet other business people, mingle, and get your name/face out there.

 

[Johnsdaives]

thanks for the replies guys. Breathe - I hear ya on the morning thing - that's the exact reason I didn't join BNI - 7:00 AM meetings? I don't think so!
the CoC guy suggested having a ribbon cutting to celebrate anniversaries, announce a new service, etc. Any little reason to have one would mean getting my name/pic in the paper. There are currently no bodyworkers in the chamber, except an esthetician (who I already have a great referral relationship with) and some chiro's. Their monthly eye-opener meetings are also televised on TV.
I started offering Ashiatsu a few months ago and I'm the only therapist within an hour drive who does it - thought getting it out there a little more with the chamber would be some good exposure. but I am fairly busy already, it's not that I'm in desparate need of immediate results... just looking to keep this momentum going.
Also, the President of the chamber and her husband are my clients 8) I'm pretty sure they would be referring people to me like mad if I were actually a member (they're not pressuring me at all, but I know they would really like to see me join)
I'm surprised tho - our membership here is over $300/Year. Didn't think that was bad till I saw your posts!! but I don't think they charge admission to the other events.
at any rate, thanks for the replies - it always helps to read other's experiences. I'll keep you updated on the results if I do join.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Also, the President of the chamber and her husband are my clients 8) I'm pretty sure they would be referring people to me like mad if I were actually a member (they're not pressuring me at all, but I know they would really like to see me join)

Don't bet on it. If there aren't any bodyworkers in your local chamber, there is not conflict of interests for them to refer to you now. If they aren't referring to you now, they probably won't do anything different once you join. Part of a chamber member's responsibility, (particularly if you take a position like board or President,) is to encourage local business owners to join.

If I were in your place, I wouldn't join based on the notion that a prominent chamber member might suddenly start referring to me. Only do it if you're willing to put in the effort to do your own handshake marketing.

 

[The Origin of Species]

The one thing to realize is that you get out of your membership what you put into it. If you are looking to increase business by just paying your membership dues, then there are better ways to spend your money. The idea behind the Chamber is to build relationships with other businesses and the owners.

I have been with the Chamber for 6 years and have been on the Board of Directors for most of those. It has been very beneficial to me and my business.

Different chambers do have different pay scales. Some have higher dues with lower cost for events. Some have low dues with higher cost per event. A lot of Chamber's can tell you what the average cost will be per year to be a member. It is usually higher then the annual dues. If you work on networking it is invaluable. If you are just looking to get people on your table, there are other ways to spend your money. If you do join, GET INVOLVED...

 

[ClassicManalo]

BigDog, I love your signature quote!

"If it is to be, it is up to me."

 

[Ask and Answer]

BigDog is back!

So what does "Get involved" mean for a Chamber member? I have considered joining mine a few times, but whenever I ask active members how my joining will benefit me, my business, or the community, really all I have ever gotten is a vague answer like "You can get as much out of it as you put into it" and I just don't quite understand that. I don't know that my goal would necessarily be just to get bodies on my table, but I don't know what it would be, either.

 

[Shire Boy]

deleted

 

[Empress of Trolls]

For our Chamber, we have different events at different times. I hardly ever make the morning Breakfast. But I make the afternoon "meet and greets" or the "After Hour Meetings". I go to the events that I can. I talk to everyone I can at the meeting I go to.

I have built a reputation with some of the Movers and Shakers, and I use that to build relationships with others. I have Mr. X (a friend and well known member of the community and well respected) to introduce me to Mr. Y (CEO of a major business) and tell them what I have done for them. That lends me the credibility of Mr X (already making me an expert due to his credibiilty.) I then do the same for Mr. X with someone that I know well. We build up our creditbility using the credibility of the other. It is used in alot of networking events. Since Stonegirl already has the President of the Chamber as a client, it lends credibility to her and her ability. When a PoC (President of the Chamber) introduces someone and states that they use their service, that give the service provider expertize in the eyes of the person being introduced.

If you are not a morning person, go to the evening events. There are only a couple a month. I know everyone states "thats my busiest time." It was mine too. Now I work M-Th from 6am - 2pm. Because that is my perfect schedule. So those work best for me. If you network with the right people, they will network FOR YOU. Get involved means--using the networking events, use the cheap advertising, get to know the chamber staff (they get thousands of calls a year from people coming to town, moving to town, etc.) I worked on most of the staff at the Chamber. When new people would call, who do you think they remembered when someone asked for a therapist? Get to know the other members, refer to them, use them, and they will do the same to you. I have gone so far as to tell businesses that the reason I am there is because they are Chamber Members.

 

[nl_inc2000]

Chamber has been good for my biz. Meeting a lot of people has opened opportunites for business.

 

[Amber S]

the president being a client is not the main reason I am considering joining. of course I will get out of it what I put into it. I don't do "inactive" marketing, to me it's all about networking. Building a business is about building relationships.
I think the ribbon cutting ceremonies getting me some press in the paper would be priceless. the cost of being a chamber member is much less expensive than some marketing - say yellow pages, for example - where I have gotten zero results. Plus, I'm not in the beginning starvation seforum.xxxes of my business, I'm established. I'm not just looking to get a quick body on my table to make a buck. I'm looking to establish myself more in the community and build relationships.
thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences.

 

[Carver Descartes]

I have been a member of mine for 2 years now and while I've made back the money I've spent on the fee ($195/year) it hasn't been much more profitable then that. So, in February I decided not to renew.

I then got a call from a gentleman who had purchased several gift certificates from me saying "I only do business with chamber members". And honestly, I felt that he was trying to bully me into joining again, and I was put off by that, however, I did rejoin, and when I told him that I did (the next day), he promptly purchased 2 more gift certificates from me.

Yes, it's stupid to stop doing business with someone just because they aren't a member, especially someone who everyone he has sent to me has been very happy, but on the other hand, well, it's a tax write off and who knows, maybe I can get some new clients out of it this time around.

 

[AVALON]

The one thing to realize is that you get out of your membership what you put into it. If you are looking to increase business by just paying your membership dues, then there are better ways to spend your money. The idea behind the Chamber is to build relationships with other businesses and the owners.

I agree with Big Dog. I've been a Chamber member for just under a year. Because I do massages in my home as well as rent a room in a massage center, the Chamber let me join as a home business for $100/year. For that $100 I would get a free mailing list (over 400 members), introduced at the first meeting with a chance to speak to the group for a few minutes, my information posted on the Chamber website, a new clipping as a new member, and a listing in their annual newsletter as well as in the visitors/newcomers welcome guide.

That alone was well worth the $100. But my main purpose of joining was to network each month - or, as Big Dog said, build relationships. Marketing research has shown that most people are exposed an average of 8 different times to a service or product before they actually make the decision to purchase or use the service. I don't attend the breakfasts, but I do attend the luncheons and I make an effort to meet new people each month.

I decided to quit my day job a little less than a year ago and to focus on building my massage business. The Chamber of Commerce is only part of my overall marketing plan. But so far, my business has grown quite rapidly and I do attribute my membership in the Chamber as part of my success. There is only one massage therapist in our community, to my knowledge, who has more business than I do right now. And he's been marketing his business actively for about 9 or 10 years vs my less-than-one year.

 

[Raliegh Theodore Sakers]

Thanks BigDog. That's exactly how I needed it explained.

 

[Sophieeeeeee]

Thanks to this discussion, I called up my local CofC. I've signed up for a breakfast in a week and a half to feel it out.
Thanks, all!

 

[Arti Gupta]

cool! keep us updated on how it goes.
I will likely be joining in about a month, and am planning on attending as many events as I can. We'll see how it goes

 

[kong]

Sorry been real busy this last week. But for anyone interested in joining the Chamber, I recommend talking to the member service person and see if they will let you go to a couple of events before you join. You don't want to spend that kind of money and then find out that you are uncomfortable around the other members.

Stonegirl, I was not saying that you should join because of your relationship with the President. But, it is a good "testimonial" to the other members.

I have made some of my best friends through the chamber. I have also had the opportunity to be involved with some great programs that have helped my community and some fun events too. Our Chamber has a group of people that help put on the events and they have meetings were they are more relaxed and have a lot more fun then our Bored meetings. (misspelling on purpose).

I guess what I am trying to say is, try it before you buy it. If you like it then join and get as involved as you can. Have fun with it and meet all the wonderful people in your community. You will be amazed at some of the relationships you build.

 

[Amy]

I think you've made alot of good points in this discussion. I was glad to get some feedback from people who have been active in the chamber, not just a member.