You may be aware that your local chamber of commerce exists, but you may not know what it does or how it helps the community. However, if you own a business, the chamber of commerce might be more beneficial to you than you previously could have imagined. Consider the following reasons why you should think about signing up with your local chamber of commerce.
You Get Access to a Wide Network of Advisers and Fellow Business Owners
When you own a business, it can be overwhelming to run everything with little to no help, and if you are new to operating a business, you might feel like you are constantly treading water. If you join your local chamber of commerce, you will immediately have access to a network of people who have either been in business longer or are in a similar situation to your own. Being a member of a chamber of commerce lets you interact with people across the economic spectrum without having to worry about having to gauge potential competition. Good advice is priceless, and joining your local chamber of commerce will give you access to potentially the best advice that anyone could ask for.
Chambers of Commerce Influence a Lot of Policy Making
While a chamber of commerce does not qualify as a government organization on the federal or local level, they have a lot of power when it comes to policy making. Suzanne Clark, CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was recently seen on CNBC talking about how she was looking forward to working with officials after the elections were completed, no matter what party they are from. While the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a large lobbying group that has the potential to heavily influence policy making on a federal level, your local chamber of commerce might have just as much influence when it comes to your community.
Most of the businesses located in your community are probably part of your chamber of commerce, and as they help the community’s economy thrive, they deservee a say in what goes into new rules and regulations for the community as a whole. As someone who owns a business that can be directly impacted by certain aspects of community policy, it is vital that you are able to express yourself and make your voice heard, and being part of your local chamber of commerce is the perfect way to do that.
You Can Choose Your Membership
Becoming a member of your local chamber of commerce means meeting certain requirements, including potentially paying a membership fee and ensuring that you meet all of the qualifications that are involved with becoming a member. While chambers of commerce might differ from community to community in terms of fees and qualifications, most of them offer membership tiers, which allow business owners and operators to become a member without having to worry about paying impossibly high fees that are outside of their budget. This is good news, because you will not have the same budget as a new small business owner that a larger, more established business owner has allocated for this sort of cost.
No More Trouble With Promotion
When you are operating a business, one of the biggest things is promoting your business to potential consumers. However, you often need a lot of resources to make such a campaign successful, and you might not have those resources on hand. However, if you join your local chamber of commerce, you can get help with promoting your business by participating in a variety of different ways. This will help you establish your place in the community and will get more customers coming through your doors.
While it feels good to run a business on your own, there is nothing wrong with a little help from your community. While your local chamber of commerce may not have been an option before, it is now, and it should at least be on your radar.
