Dallas Business and Marketing Blog

What do you think of when you hear the words “chamber of commerce”?

Ribbon cuttings in front of a new building or at a ground breaking? Welcome kits delivered to new tenants at a business park?

Think again.

Your local chamber of commerce is a gold mine of leads.

If you live in a remote location, you’ll may have a small chamber, and if you live in a larger metropolitan area, you may have multiple chambers to choose from and join. Some of those chambers will be young and fresh as they’re involved in a growing community. Or they’ll be older and more stable, with corporate members that are bigger and established. Make sure you join a younger chamber as you’ll have more opportunities to meet and work with companies that are growing, or new companies that move into that city. And look at your mature chambers: you can still build relationships with established companies which can turn into business down the road.

A good example of this mix of chambers is the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. The Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce was established in 1874 while the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce was organized in the 1880s. Although more mature, these chambers still have groups and activities encouraging members to work together to build their cities stronger and more profitable. Then on the southwest side of the Metroplex, you have Mansfield….a town that was once just a blip on the map south of Arlington (yes! soon to be home of the Dallas Cowboys!) is now one of the fastest growing towns not only in the Metroplex, or Texas, but in the nation. As the Mansfield Chamber of Commerce president says, he’s a firm believer in the chamber members working together so they grow and are prosperous, which only makes Mansfield stronger and more prosperous. Then on the Northeast side of the Metroplex, is Frisco. Again, a young chamber that attracts almost 300 attendees to its weekly morning breakfast meeting: not only are these members eager to meet each other, but to work together and help their businesses, and Frisco, be successful!

Okay, so now you think you get to go to breakfast meetings. Yes, and other groups too that are focused on business women working together, community events, and more. But again, think past that. Your fellow chamber members can be reached in other ways too:

Podcasts - produce a podcast that focuses on a topic that is fresh, “hot” and one that will help the member companies grow their business…while “soft promoting” the services you offer to help them get there (like producing their own podcast promoting their product or services!)

Webcasts - get together with a few other member companies and broadcast over the Internet via a webcast on a topic that all of you have some expertise in and provide a solution (product or services) to help other chamber members of businesses within the community be profitable

Community blogs - post to the Chamber blog, and other community blogs, building your presence and reputation not only with local businesses, but the community’s residents

Community events - don’t just send a foursome to play at a community golf tournament, but make sure you have a larger presence as a sponsor: that will get you publicity in the chamber’s publications, on their web site, in the local papers and sometimes, even on TV and radio through advertisements and interviews

So, what to do?

1 Research the chambers in your area, talk to their membership directors and visit one of their meetings

2 Join the Chamber(s) that you believe its member companies will benefit from your services, (which in turn, you will benefit from their business) and where you can have an impact on the community growth

3 Get involved in speaking at their networking meetings, sponsoring community events and getting involved in chamber groups

You have the choice to help shape the way business is done in your community/communities, and how it impacts your company’s growth.

Even if your company has a small targeted client base or is in a niche marketplace, still join your Chamber(s) join and get involved. You never know “who knows who” at a company you have been trying to get your foot in the door at….you may meet and recruit your company’s next CEO who will lead the company on to bigger and better financial growth!….and being involved in your community will build your company’s reputation as a company that cares about the city’s future growth and success which impacts all of the residents living there.

Chamber of Commerce. Now what do you think of? Increased business. Potential leaders. Improved reputation.

Now you’ve got it!

~ Deb Decker

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