lpoitras Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Mine is 100 bucks for the year. That includes free advertising on their site (not a lot of visitors I think). That includes 1/2 price on their 2 big craft shows. For anyone who has joined theirs was it helpful or a waste of $$??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VerticallyEnhanced Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Very helpful. You have a LOT of networking opportunities. I never did get a lot of traffic from their website because they STILL have not updated it with my info (mental note to email them again). But, I go to their mixers/meetings and have gotten a lot of business that way. I met two local realtors and now sell them cases of candles at a discount for them to give to their clients, which in turn, gave me even more business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barncat Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Our chamber sucked, but I got my money out of it with the discount on the festivals downtown. Other than that, they really didn't do much. They were a small one, the one just outside of town was huge and had a REAL office and a directory and all kinds off stuff that was useful. Haven't joined anything at my new location, but plan on just joining the visitors bureau. Heard people have already been asking about me woohoo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosterscreations Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I am very lucky our chamber is great for networking. I have gotten some large sales due to being a chamber member. Also our has River City Gold that consumers can spend at local chamber memeber businesses. I can now accept this and it comes in handy at home parties and craft shows when I mention I take river city gold. To me it is worth the $30/quarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet68cam Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I am registered with ours, its been great, I personally think its well worth the money. Ours alot buys candles wholesale from me and has them in their showroom for sale and also includes them in all the gift baskets that they make so I made back my yearly fee with them when they made their first order..it was awesome..lol I think it would be great to register with them you never know what will come of it;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 $100 for a year is cheap. Where I live it is over $300.00 a year. We've filled out the paper work but now just need to turn it in with the check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorrie Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I actually asked this same question back a couple of months ago. I never did hear anything from the chamber. I do know that from what other people said it can work to your benefit by by joining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpoitras Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 Thanks for the responses. I am going to join mine (small town $100 bucks) and the larger county organization as they are much more active (200 bucks) when I get the $ together this summer. The smaller one will at least give me 1/2 price on their craft shows. The larger one doesn't have any candle makers on the list that I can find so might be great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stclaircandlelady Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I think it depends on the actual Chamber. I don't belong to the one in my town. I used to, but chose not to rejoin, as the benefits were less than the cost. And they were always calling for money.I do belong to two other chambers of neighboring cities. One costs $100 per year, the other $92 per year. I recoup all of that money plus after I do one bulk mailing through them.And as many have said before me, the networking is (or can be) great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Sandie* Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I am on our local Chamber board. I am an Ambassador. My best recommendation is to get involved. Go to what we call is Greeters. Its a once a week get together at one of the businesses. Every week we showcase a new business. You can join forces with a business that you showcase in and is also a chamber member. You can have 200 or more people. Also the more they see you the more they remember you. You can get in with the Hospital fundraisers. Non Profits. It is endless. I get so much info from them also. They are always giving me ideas. I started with just making candles and soap as gifts for friends and family. I handed some out as raffel gifts. More and More people were asking. Now I am up to 25 to 50 jars a week. Not bad for not even trying. Also Think Pink that is our Breast Cancer Awareness Week in Oct. Wants me to make a Pink Candle for each person that comes to the Lunchen. That is 750. All this from the Chamber cause they know me. But you have to get involved. There is lots of others and I had to make myself remembered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 With Chamber membership here, both Mastercard and Visa reduce their discount rates to 1.5%. This alone is a huge savings. Without the Chamber I would be paying 5% for credit card discounts.Janette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justrightcandles Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 i looked into tucson chambers of commerce and it is $450!!! i don't know. i know i can't afford that right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 I belong to 2 my town and the town where my shop is I have never regret joining either one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justrightcandles Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 but $450! it just doesn't seem like mine offers all that much. other than the networking which i know is a lot but is that all. http://www.tucsonchamber.org/i might look into some of the smaller ones around town like the black business and hispanic business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 I am going to joint this year. I live in a small town and am looking to have a shop eventually.. so getting to know the people in charge of things and networking with others in town will be a plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmsojka Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I have joined every kind of economic group I can. Like was previously said, great networking. We just joined a few months ago, and already several things have come of it. We are also a very small town, our group is more of a county one. They give me free advertising on their site, plus they do a county bucks campaign. We offer the bucks, plus give a free gift if used in our shop. Our county is so small, we don't even have a stop light!One group we joined received grant money to print 10,000 brochures to distribute state wide at visitor centers, and we are featured as a unique shop. Now what can be better, and cheaper, advertising? All it is going to cost us is involvement in the group.From one group that I attended, I have been asked to serve on a couple of economic boards. With that, I get mentioned in the little local paper almost weekly. The old "out of site, out of mind" counter attack. We just opened our shop downtown, (we had it in a larger town, and in our home before). With high gas prices, we can really take advantage of any promotion for local spending. And all that without spending a dime on advertising. Which I have found to be a real waste of money around here. Especially local radio stations, and newspapers.And it is fun to meet people in business. One couple that I have gotten to know is retired here after living in Houston, opened a little dolls and minerals shop. They have so many ideas, that our little town wouldn't of dreamed of. So great resource sharing. They mostly do their business on a web site, which I have never figured out how to get much traffic to mine. They are more then willing to share their experience. Much like this board.You never know where a lead can take you, from a seemingly casual contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justrightcandles Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I just met with the chambers of commerce guy and he said he can make it so that I pay quarterly. Like $125, 125, 125 and then 75 at the end. They have a lot of benefits. They have a member to member directory, they have their own newspaper that if I can submit a 500 paper on anything regarding my biz and they will print it for free or any 50 words short paragraph regarding my biz, say I have a new scent next month they will print that for free, one lady referred me already to the university phys where they go by age and not health for small biz and self employed health insurace, and they have like a power mixer lunch where you have lunch and then it is kind of like the speed dating where you sit at a table of 10 to 15 people and go around the table and pass out your cards and talk about your biz, and then after 15 minutes you switch table and do it again and pass out your cards and stuff, and they have a casual one coming out at night in two weeks where it is after hours in a more casual atmosphere and there are not candle people in the chambers yet and they only one gift basket person, and they will do a free ribbon cutting ceremony where they can come to your biz or you go to the chambers and they will just have people there in suits and all and take a picture and cut a ribbon to celebrate your business opening or what ever he said you can even have one for getting the new magnets and he said to bring your car and they will take a picture and put it in the paper and everything. I am painfully shy in person though.....i think i am going to take the plunge....yikes....wish me luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarsBars Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Here's my two cents. I used to be a Chamber Exec. for two different chambers in two different states. I certainly believe in the benefits of the Chamber. With that said, I think the benefits you receive is truly dependent on the Chamber you're joining, how active and involved is the leadership, how many ACTIVE members you have, what activites and committees are available and the types of promotion (free or small fee) available to you (make sure it has great circulation). The power of networking is incredible in a highly active chamber and the exposure you can get from the various events, committees and advertising is invaluable. Membership is usually based on the number of employees and/or type of business. You should do everything you can to promote your business - ie ...business breakfasts, participate in any business expos/fairs, ribbon cuttings, advertisements in circulars and participating on committees. From what I have experienced the members that participated are the ones that benefitted the most. Good luck with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosterscreations Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I know I posted before but I wanted to add that my chamber offers a discounted yearly rate to Home Based businesses. You might ask about that. The networking is very beneficial. I am very active in my chamber though. I am chair of the Small Business Committee and co-chair fo the Women in Business Committee so I have a different view than most. Our chamber is very active in the community. I would say look over the benefits, join for a year and if you don't feel it is worth your money, don't renew. Also your membership dues are a tax deduction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justrightcandles Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 it looks like i am going to have to get over being painfully shy.:embarasse They are going to let me pay quarterly so that will help a lot and will be doing my first craft show in March. *faint* i will keep you guys updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justrightcandles Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 it looks like i am going to have to get over being painfully shy.:embarasse They are going to let me pay quarterly so that will help a lot and will be doing my first craft show in March. *faint* i will keep you guys updated!I went to a networking event last night and it was o.k. I know my problem is being painfully shy but i at least went and kind of saw what they were about and how other people do it. i just hate being one of those pushy sales people in a suit and tie (they were plenty there!) I look forward to the lunch networking event next month. i think that would be easier for me. it is like speed dating but for businesses. I did find out that i can get health insurance for being a small business owner! Sweet! :highfive: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.