You may already know becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce in your area benefits your business directly in many ways. In this article, delve into the role the Chamber plays in supporting the community businesses. Then, discover how that role impacts the local economy and ultimately the lives of the people who reside in your area.
The Mission of Your Chamber of Commerce
If you Google the US Chamber of Commerce, their mission statements is as follows: "Our mission is to support a dynamic and growing economy that creates an opportunity for America's entrepreneurs, innovators, and workers." In other words, while the Chamber of Commerce's goal is to help businesses, the local economy must be healthy enough to make that goal a reality. Therefore, your Chamber of Commerce works tirelessly to ensure the community is thriving.
How the Chamber Serves the Area's Businesses
With or without a membership, all local businesses benefit from the work performed by members of the Chamber of Commerce. In government, members bring business and economic concerns to those in charge of creating and changing legislation. This means all businesses profit from having a powerful ally with an impressive reach. Additionally, Chamber members look for ways to improve the growth outlook for the area, which results in new opportunities for businesses to expand or develop a plan for new locations.
How the Chamber Affects Families in the Area
The Chamber is run by local businessmen and women who live and work in the community. Thus, they have a personal stake in the local economy and the overall improvements that need to be made for continued development. These are individuals who take pride in where they live. They want jobs to be created, homes to be maintained for safety, satisfaction with the area to be high, and people of all ages to see themselves establishing roots in the community that will spur the creation of happy residents for many generations to come. If there is an issue that is preventing families from being able to afford or receive desired products and services, the Chamber's board members are quick to begin the search for long-term economic and legal remedies.
What the Organization's Efforts Do for the Local Economy
Businesses need consumers. Consumers need money to spend before shopping for products and services. Therefore, the Chamber members work together to utilize the breadth of their marketing, networking, and long-standing legislative influence the Chamber of Commerce offers to provide solutions to economic concerns that promote balance, restoration, and area growth. With a stable economy, the families living and working in the area can feel confident about purchasing products and services, which in turn results in more economic growth that benefits businesses, families, and local charities alike.
How it Differs from a Trade Association
In a trade association, members are focused on ways to improve business processes, products, and services where the improvements relate to one particular industry. The Chamber of Commerce is unique in that members are not exclusively from one type of trade. Any area business can join the Chamber and receive the numerous benefits of its membership. Hence, members are often part of a trade organization in addition to the Chamber of Commerce as each organization has a distinctly different yet equally influential role to play in the profitability of a company.
Why Join the Chamber?
At this point, you may be wondering if you should join the Chamber of Commerce when you are able to enjoy some of the legislative and economic gains the Chamber brings to the community without direct participation. Simply put, your business can make serious headway with the power of localized marketing and networking, amongst a myriad of other useful benefits members are awarded. Studies have shown consumers think more favorably of Chamber members creating a sense of trust and willingness to buy from your business over your competitors. The word-of-mouth advertising achieved from meeting other members at the Chamber's events alone could be the support your business needs to put you on the map! Then, there are the Google rankings benefits that increase your visibility online to consumers driving more traffic to your website to learn about your products and services, the crucial business advice you receive from speaking with successful business owners, the ability to have a voice in the local happenings in the business community, and the list goes on.
Therefore, when someone asks you, "How does the Chamber of Commerce help our community?" You can tell them it is run by people who live in the area and have a vested interest in advancing the local economy for all the families and individuals residing nearby. Be sure to proudly display your Chamber membership in your storefront window to show your support for your community. Then, look online or at events for how you can serve at your Chamber of Commerce to get involved and work to improve the lives of your family, friends, neighbors, and the overall community. But, don't wait! The more volunteers the Chamber has the more help it can produce. Start contributing your skills and talents today!