Three major benefits to joining a chamber of commerce

A healthy and successful chamber of commerce is a key ingredient for every thriving community. Joining your local chamber is an excellent way for businesses to help each other grow and develop, and when enough businesses in a community are flourishing, it boosts the local economy, which in turn makes the rest of the community around it better.

Of course, helping your community as a whole is reason enough to want to join your town’s chamber of commerce. But beyond the greater good, big-picture cause of helping your community, joining your local chamber can pay off in spades for you, and specifically, your business.

Here are three examples of what belonging to your local chamber of commerce can do to boost your brand.

It presents unmatched networking opportunities

Most chambers of commerce set up various types of networking events, such as Lunch & Learns and Mixer events.

The setting can range from formal to fun and anywhere in between, but these events all share one critical similarity: they provide you with a golden opportunity to network with fellow business people and get your business more exposure. Whether the event features a lecture from a guest speaker, drinking and dancing, or a picnic at a public park, you’ll be getting no shortage of chances to establish and build relationships with various members of your community, and potentially even plant the seeds for a future partnership.

It provides excellent resources

The resources that chambers of commerce offer can be of great assistance to both you and your small business. 

Simply by attending the chamber’s events, you’re likely to pick up some marketing and operation techniques that you hadn’t thought of before. Even at the most informal and social events, shaking hands with somebody could start a conversation that results in you walking away with an idea that would not have otherwise crossed your mind. 

Then there are the many different types of financial resources that a chamber can provide. Though membership fees may give you cause for pause when debating whether or not to join your local chamber, you’re likely to more than make those fees back in the form of financial aid if your business suffers during a time of crisis- such as during a pandemic.

It can help you stay up to date on social media and online trends

Another perk of being involved with your local chamber of commerce is the knowledge and insight you’ll gain from frequently attending events. Specifically, most chambers of commerce offer assistance and guidance in the area of social media, a marketing platform that tends to experience complete paradigm shifts annually- if not even more often than that.

With each passing day, the need for strong social media and online marketing grows. Many chambers of commerce will include events or workshops dedicated to helping business owners use these tools to grow their brands. Even if they don’t, the aforementioned networking opportunities that chambers present can result in a conversation with a peer that provides you with a useful tip in this area.