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I've recently become a member of my city's Chamber of Commerce, and I have to say: for $180 a year, the advantages of being a member are well worth the price. I know not all Chambers of Commerce do this, but mine sends out 1000 flyers to local businesses with their monthly newsletter one time for free. After you send out your flyers for free the first time. It costs $150 the next time you'd like to send out a thousand. This is a great deal and only one of the advantages that being a Chamber of Commerce member can bring to your business. The cost to print out 1000 flyers at my local UPS store is only about $60. So you end up paying $210 in total to send out 1000 flyers to local businesses. Two calls will cover or nearly cover that price. And since you are mailing to local businesses who are also members, the chances of you getting repeat business will increase. If you get a big job with a local business, you've more than covered the advertising cost and you've set yourself up for plenty of referrals and repeat business. Referrals from the Chamber of Commerce The job of the Chamber of Commerce is to promote local businesses and increase local economy. This means they've got a lot of contacts and people coming to them to find the business that can offer a solution to their problems. When somebody calls your local Chamber and asks for a computer repair business, guess who they are going to refer. Their members! My Chamber only has four other computer businesses listed as local members. That means that when somebody calls and asks for a computer repair company. They are going to refer me as well as four other businesses. That is a 1/5 chance that you'll get a call.
Advertising and Marketing Opportunities Chambers of Commerce have a bunch of different marketing opportunities. If you do join, you should head down to the Chamber office and ask about the different marketing services they offer. They may have some simple and free ways to advertise like displaying your brochure and business cards in their office. They may also have some ways that cost money like newsletter ads and other types of ads. Networking Events Remember when I said nobody knows who you are? Well Chambers of Commerce host many events that can get you into the business crowd and known. I actually believe that this is the best benefit of being a member of a Chamber of Commerce. Networking events range from breakfast with the mayor to after-hours dinner at a local restaurant. Some events are free as long as your buy your own food and others may have a cost at the door. Usually members get a great discount. These events are great because it allows you to talk to people, show off your personality, and give away your business cards. Everybody wants to work with somebody who has a bright smile and a great personality. So showing up to these networking events can be a big boost for your business. The more people who know you by first name, the more word of your business will get around town. These are just a few of the advantages and examples of how your local Chamber of Commerce can help you. I'll post more about the Chamber of Commerce as time goes on because I plan on taking advantage of everything my membership has to offer. If you have any questions or comments about this article, please leave a comment below. I'd love to hear your opinion and I really appreciate all comments. If you'd like to be notified of new updates, please consider subscribing to the ProPCBiz RSS Feed. Thanks for reading!
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