Credibility, Positive Customer Perception, Connections
Think your business would not benefit from being a member of the Chamber? Think again – according to a 2012 study done by the Shapiro Group, a market research firm in Atlanta, Georgia, being a Chamber member directly increases public perception of trustworthiness and credibility. According to the study:
- When consumers know that a small business is a member of their local chamber of commerce, they are 44 percent more likely to think favorably of it and 63 percent more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.
- If a company shows that it’s highly involved in its local chamber, consumers are 12 percent more likely to think that its products stack up better against its competition.
- When consumers know that a restaurant franchise is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise in the next few months.
- When consumers know that an insurance company is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 43 percent more likely to consider buying insurance from it.
The study determined that most consumers associate a company that is a Chamber member with being more legitimate, reliable, and an upstanding member of the community.
If you are still mulling over why to join a Chamber, consider this:
- When thinking about what a Chamber does, most think that the Chamber is the tourist-information center. The people who print nice brochures about the region, advertise sites of interest and answers questions for visitors. Well, we do all that.
- Promoting our region is one important function. But it is not the primary reason for why the Chamber is here. The primary reason for the Chamber to exist is much more. The Chamber is a catalyst– a common vehicle through which business and professional people work together for the common good of the community. A better community means better business conditions, and we work for a better community for everyone. That’s why we do what we do.
- The Chamber exists to promote, maintain and enhance the area’s economic climate so businesses will locate in our region, grow and hire employees, and stay in our area. The Chamber tries to help our local businesses, from the large to the small, by giving them the tools to succeed – with information, referrals,and programs. Healthy, diverse and profitable businesses mean healthy and prosperous communities with low unemployment, support for local charitable organizations, good quality schools and high quality of life.
Who is the Chamber? The Chamber is You. Chamber members and all of your business and professional friends who are also Chamber members. You provide the ideas, the drive, the goals, the funds and the voluntary services to keep the Chamber doing what it does.
You are the Chamber, and without you, there wouldn’t be any Chamber, and just who would do all those things if the Chamber didn’t? NOW THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION!
