I just joined my local chamber of commerce and it seems like a great potential for work. I was just wondering what others thought. Are you a member, does it get you work?
------------------ -------------------------------------------------- "A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?"
Ken McTague The Witch city Salem, MA
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
I was a CHAMBER member for 3 years....NEVER got a job from any member WHILE I was a member. After I didn't renew in 1999, I got a few jobs from members. I don't know what any of that means except I know I'm saving $400/year, and I'm very busy with members and non-members alike!!! I also quit the yellow pages.....another $1200/year savings!
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-928-778-5879
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
I quit the CofC years ago! As a member, everyone expected a hefty discount on signs...BUT...when I needed their service, or had to purchase something, they couldn't seem to find a way to give me a discount! Then they jacked up their dues! Dropped them like a hot potato!
Just my experience! Some other places may be different
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
95% of all accidents occur immediately after the words "Hey...watch this."
Brushasaurus on Chat
Gladly supporting this BB !
Posted by Glenn S. Harris (Member # 2190) on :
One of my previous employers used to belong to this business referral club. Any member he did work for expected a discount. He got some customers, met some people, quit after a while. The theme here seems to be: join for a while, make some new contacts, don't discount.... quit after a while!
------------------ Glenn S. Harris Lorio Design Baton Rouge, LA allorio@bellsouth.net
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Joining anything to "get" rather than "give" is a motive that has you defeated from the start.
Our chamber has objectives and direction and committee's, with plenty of room for anyone to give some talent and energy. There can be tremendous opportunity to learn from some seasoned professionals by working with then. They can bring out your strengths and help you develop them.
When the chamber can enhance the local economy, all the business benefit, not just some club of folks that do work for each other. It needs to be bigger than that, or its doomed by defining itself small.
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posted by Jerry Mathel (Member # 526) on :
Ken,
Spend your money on other forms of advertising.
I belonged to the C of C for a couple of years, a while back. As I recall there were three sign shops here in town that belonged at that time. We all quit when the Chamber built a new building and they had an out-of-town shop do their sign work. To the best of my knowledge, they never even contacted any of the local shops for a proposal.
I can't recall one single job that I ever got through my membership in our local Chamber of Commerce. All I can remember is a few requests for "donated sign work".
------------------ Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
Posted by VICTORGEORGIOU (Member # 474) on :
I would echo Rick Sacks thoughts. We are members of two chambers, Rotary, and a networking group, among other things. We have yellow page ads in two geographic areas. We volunteer on a semi-regular basis for all kinds of things. We make a lot of discounted signs for non-profits that we especially like. We also have to say "no" a lot because the list of "worthy causes" is endless.
Part of it is business networking. Part of it is giving back to the community. Part of it is about having a life outside the sign biz.
Whatever it is, it is healthy for both the business and the community, in my estimation. Vic G
It really depends on your local chamber. We are members of our COC and they have given and sent us plenty of work. Best way to find out is to just give it a go for a year, see if it works out for you.
------------------ Joe Endicott Graphic Arts Gulf Breeze, FL joesign1@bellsouth.net
Posted by postandprint (Member # 2073) on :
Been a member for about six months. Dues are $200 dollars a year I doubled my investment in the first month. Well worth it to me.
Also obtained the member list with fax numbers and emails totaling about 600 fax numbers. Sent out acouple of faxes and did over $1000 dollars in chamber business that month.
Donated about $200 dollars of work to the chamber for a chamber sponsored event then I asked to have event particapants instructed to contact me for the banners and signs. Over all probable broke even on the event but made a lot of contacts for the future. In all I have come out ahead.
Members always seem to expect a discount and I will give them one if they ask. Simply mentioning they are chamber members never cuts with me they pay full price unless they specifically ask for the discount.
I suggest you join and get involved if possible. You will get alot back, for giving just a little of yourself to a good cause.
------------------ Randy Minson Post & Print Kaysville, Utah
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Dittos to what Rick said.
Also, the Chamber has a lot of good and useful information available IF you are willing to make use of it.
I used to feel the same way as most everyone else on this thread until I found out a way to utilize them.
Because of a single recommendation to a person from the Chamber this year, I've done over $5000 worth of business with them since May.
Our chamber is promoting our community to potential tourist. They research where folks come from, what they want, how long they stay, etc. With that info we can steer our course to prepare for the future. It's everyone that benefits. I might not get a call from a chamber member for a sign because I'm a member, but if they bring some into the community that eats in a restaurant, stays in a B&B, buys stuff in gift stores, that local money will somehow filter its share to our business, and then we pay taxes to never see it again!
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posted by Dave Ginley (Member # 1723) on :
I have to agree that the C.O.C. has been a benefit to my business..I cut down on yellow page advertising because of the expense and do actually very little if any actual advertising..word of mouth is good to me and a presence at chamber functions and of course the occasional donation of signs does go with the territory but they don't expect it everytime they have a project..I used to be able to tell you how much work came directly due to our involvement with the COC and Kiwanis but it has gotten beyond counting and just keeps coming..I do think though that the size of the chamber has a lot to do with what you could get..ours is small and has 3 sign shops as members..not all active though it seems the other guys just pay their dues and don't get involved with the networking and that's where the work comes from.
Dave
------------------ Ace of Signs Selinsgrove, Pa. www.aceofsigns.com
Posted by captain ken (Member # 742) on :
I it was not the only reason I joined, but I do hope to get work from it, the chamber has 600 members and only 1 other sign company. The other benifits I joined for were, health care packages, a free add in the newspaper. discounts, they have a group called SCORE wich is made up of retired businessmen who give free advise, etc... so I figured it couldn't hurt to take advantage of some of those benifits as well as the potential for work. They said if any members or new businesses ask they only recomend chamber companies.
------------------ -------------------------------------------------- "A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?"
Ken McTague The Witch city Salem, MA
Posted by Eddie Kitchens (Member # 1909) on :
We have been a member of 3 chambers for about 2 years. It has been a great experience for us as we are located within 15 miles of 3 cities that are rapidly growing it has helped us get more involved in the communities. We discount some work to area charities and it also affords good networking opportunities. I have recently become even more involved by being voted in as a board of directors. Being on the board even gives you the opportunity to find out what industries are being recruited by the area & what is moving in before anyone else does. I have found out so much more about our community than I ever knew. I think the chamber can be an asset to your business if you become involved in it.
------------------ Eddie Kitchens Signs, Etc Atoka, TN EKitchens@msn.com
