Small businesses represent the largest segment by number of most local chamber membership rolls. Results in the research study by The Shapiro Group, Inc. and Market Street indicate the impact of local chamber membership on small businesses is very powerful.

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Ready to join your local chamber?  Even if you are already a member, keep in mind that you can’t just be a member of the local chamber to reap the benefits of chamber membership. Paying your annual dues just isn’t enough. You must also make an investment of time and effort in chamber activities and become involved. Simply put, what you get out of chamber membership is directly relative to what you put in.

 

• Make business contacts. The chamber’s most fundamental mission is to generate more business activity for the community. The chamber initiates more business-to-business commerce and more opportunities for networking and connecting local professionals than is available through most other local organizations.

 

• Increase your visibility in the community. As a new member of the chamber of commerce, you will receive all e-mails as to what’s going on in our community as well as the opportunity to be highlighted in chamber publications and on the website. You also can grow your business by advertising with the chamber and sponsoring events. The chamber may also promote your grand opening/ ribbon-cutting ceremony and assist with any public relations efforts.

 

• Create networking opportunities.  The Chamber holds Business after Hours ten times a year.  This is a great opportunity for you to network with other businesses and individuals in the community.

 

• Acquire customer referrals. Every day, your local chamber receives calls from individuals and businesses looking for potential vendors, and as a chamber member your Chamber will recommend you to these vendors and customers.

 

• Chamber events and programs. Chamber events and programs provide members with great opportunities to get to know new people and expand their prospect base. Chamber events are innovative and fun ways to help members meet potential customers, clients and vendors— and generate new business leads.

 

• Sponsorship. You will have the opportunity to be a sponsor of many of the events the Chamber conducts during the year.  This is another way to get your business in the public eye.

 

• Chamber Check Program. The Marion Chamber of Commerce continues to offer a Gift Certificate Program to promote our shopping at home efforts. Starting in the fall of 1998, this program has helped keep over $350,000 in our community.   When money is spent in our community, it provides jobs for our community and jobs provide money to be spent in our community with our merchant members.  We are very proud of this program and believe it is helping our community.