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Leatherneck
08-15-2008, 11:54 PM
I think I brought this topic up on the old forum. Does any one belong too there local chamber of commerce? I have been thinking of joining for quite some time, but haven't been wanting too spend the money for the member ship fee at this point. I live in an area that they call the Blackstone Valley. It is where the industrial revolution started in the U.S; and consists of 9 towns in there chamber. Just wondering if anyone has any of you had or have experiance being a member, and if it helped them to network?

vangogh
08-16-2008, 12:44 AM
Years ago I did join one of the local chambers of commerce here and I know it directly led to at least one client who found me through the chamber website and wanted to hire someone who was local.

I'm no longer in that chamber and haven't joined any others since, but I have thought of joining the Boulder chamber and probably will at some point.

I think you have to make the commitment to network in the chamber to really get something out of it and not everyone wants to do that. I did once go to a chamber even for Boulder to see if I wanted to join and one thing I didn't like about it was everyone seemed to be there just to promote themselves, myself included. The problem with that is when everyone is trying to promote themselves no one is really open to being promoted by someone else. I suspect if you go to the gatherings again and again there are better networking opportunities.

One thing that might be worth joining your local chamber regardless of what you get out of the networking is most chambers of commerce will link to you from their site. Chambers are generally trusted sites in the eyes of search engines and the link you get is probably worth the cost of a year's membership. It's something consider if you're looking to build links into your site.

Steve B
08-16-2008, 05:18 AM
I'm a member of our chamber and we are pretty involved. I don't think I've gotten any business from it, but that's because I'm lousy at networking. It just kind of feels right to be a participating member and it doesn't cost much.

orion_joel
08-16-2008, 09:35 AM
I have not yet joined the local chamber, though it is something that i even went as far as printing and filling out the membership form, but just never mailed it. The primary reason i have not done anything more recently like this is that i just do not know where i am going with my business which is something that i need to look into a lot more closely.

Maybe one thing that may cause you to appear a better networker, could be to go and listen to anyone that wants to promote to you and simple ensure they receive your business card. I have read that listening, in some people is perceived as more then anything you could possibly say, but i really cannot remember the exact piece.

Above the link and listing on their website, i think some chambers allow you to use a member of This Area Chamber of commerce logo they provide. Maybe not all but some do i believe and this could be another thing to build trust if used on your website or such.

vangogh
08-16-2008, 11:54 AM
I get the feeling that success with a chamber of commerce has a lot to do with the other people in the chamber. Similar to any networking group. Some will no doubt be more beneficial than others.

It also depends on what you put into it. People aren't going to recommend your services if you don't spend the time getting to know them and tell them what your business is about.

I do want to point out again the possibility of getting a link back from the chamber. If your industry is even slightly competitive the link you get from a decent chamber site is probably worth the cost of joining.

Aaron Hats
08-16-2008, 02:46 PM
I belong to our Chamber because it's automatically built into our store lease. As we're in a tourist destination it makes sense to be a member. I can't say that we've got online orders from being listed on the Chamber web site but since they do a lot of advertising to draw visitors to our Valley it makes sense to be a member.

vangogh
08-16-2008, 04:28 PM
Makes sense for you to be a member given your business. What I was saying about the link were less to do with direct traffic and more to do with search engine traffic. Links play a big role in search results and the search engines, particularly Google, like links from web pages and web sites they trust. Most chambers will be a trusted site so the link you get is likely given weight in search algorithms. A link from your local chamber should help improve your rank, though of course that one link is only one. Not suggesting you'll see miracles, but links can be hard to come by for some and this is one way to get a good link.

Patrysha
08-17-2008, 10:01 AM
Chambers vary a lot. I've moved a lot in recent years and have been involved with four Chambers of Commerce. In all of them, there has been a core group of people who have been active with volunteering for the various roles to be filled with the majority just paying their membership fees and doing little else through the rest of the year.

The one in my new home town is pitiful. They are more politically oriented than I've ever seen a chamber be and services to business owners are ineffective as far as I have seen. From what I can tell the Chamber is stifled by a group of board members who are in it for themselves and spend little attention on the smaller business owners...too busy shmoozing with politicians to do the real work that makes a Chamber great. (Seriously, I'd say 10 out of the last 12 events they've hosted have been luncheons with politicians - the next one on August 19th is a BBQ lunch for a Federal Minister...hosted by the constituency officeholder and his wife- but put on (paid for, I assume) by the Chamber - I wonder how any of this helps me or my small business owner friends)

Having said all that - I still joined...

Mostly because I figure if I'm involved then I can work towards change (or at least make the attempt). If I just complain about it without being an active participant then I'm really not doing anything to help the situation.

vangogh
08-17-2008, 01:36 PM
That's what I was thinking about chambers. I've only been involved with two, but even those two varied substantially.

Good that you joined your chamber with the goal of changing it to make it better.

Patrysha
08-18-2008, 10:31 PM
I'll either make it better or tick a whole lotta people off...either way - I'll have fun :-)

vangogh
08-19-2008, 01:45 AM
Hey, if you're having fun...

Leatherneck
08-19-2008, 09:22 AM
Thanks for the great advise. I haven't made joining my priority, but this advise will help. I will talk too some of the other members that belong too my chamber to get there input also.

vangogh
08-19-2008, 12:20 PM
Oh yeah, if you can talk to some of the members before joining they should give you a good idea of what it'll be like and whether it'll be worth joining.

Ad-Vice_Man
08-20-2008, 09:44 AM
I've been involved in several chambers and yes they've varried in "value" . Let me say this though if you join a chamber you'll get the most out of it from being involved. Just signing up won't do alot for you... you'll get listed in their print and online directories and you might even be able to spam or direct mail their member list. But if you really want to get the most out of it you have to be involved, go to the networking breakfasts, lunches and after hours, not (as with happened to vangogh) to regurgitate your salespitch to every person within earshot... but to make friends, hear what the other people are saying and engage them in conversation. For sure you will stand out. B) get involved in the committees and the running of the chamber. This is where the real movers and shakers are, and by working toward a common purposes, you'll get to know these people and here's the root of the thing "people do business with people they know" I mean think about it has there ever been a situation where you've talked to another business person on more than one occassion when they haven't asked what it is you do? Does anyone here really do anything SO complicated that it can't be easily explained (at least rudimentally) in a sentence or two?

Lastly remember that the Chamber of Commerce is a special interest group that represents the business community to elected officials. your local politician may not give much weight to what Joe Bloe's company thinks about the new XYZ tax... But you can be sure that they'll pay attention to the unified position of 300 local businesses

So to answer your question... should you join? Yes, if you're going to Be involved. No, if you're doing it just to "look good"


also let me throw in this note about networking functions and networking groups. While it might be valuable to do business with the people you see on a regular basis at these functions... it will be much more valuable to do business with all of the people these individuals know. For instance if you're a Chiropractor, and i meet you at a networking event, i'm not likely to do business with you as i'm not currently in pain, but if they were to ask me to refer to them anyone I knew that was experiencing chronic or persistent back pain, then i'm thinking "oh yes my father, wife, brother, brother in law, key client etc. has mentioned that before and then VOILA next time I see them I can refer you.

Just a thought

vangogh
08-20-2008, 11:55 AM
you'll get the most out of it from being involved

You can say the exact same thing of any endeavor that involves social interaction. I've said the same thing many times when it comes to social media. Ultimately you get more back the more you give.

My experience with everyone offering sales pitches was a one time thing and I can't say that would have been the same experience had I gone on to join the chamber. Just a one time event to check it out.