6 Benefits of Joining a Business Association

Joining the local chamber of commerce can have a positive impact on your company.
​Grow your business by taking advantage of the many networking opportunities the chamber provides for cultivating and maintaining valuable business prospects and relationships.

It’s easy to get lost in the daily grind and view your business as a lone ranger in a vast landscape, but there is one key step that can bring you closer to others and directly impact your success in the process.

Joining a local business association enters you into a group that is dedicated to helping business owners and professionals grow in a number of ways. Take a look at some of the rationale provided by chamber of commerce organizations located across the country, who highlight specific advantages of becoming a member.

Visibility
The chamber “provides a host of ways businesses and organizations can get noticed,” notes the Chamber of Commerce in New Mexico. This can range from grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremonies to inclusion in business directories, and it allows your business “to be found by people looking for your goods or services, whether they are looking online or on foot.”

Referrals
Local chamber offices receive plenty of inquiries. “We do our best to connect potential customers with chamber members that can provide the service or product requested,” notes the Chamber of Commerce in Ohio.

Knowledge
“Take advantage of professional development programming and educational seminars that are complimentary with membership,” suggests the Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina.

Networking
“People do business with people they know,” according to the Chamber of Commerce in Georgia. “Grow your business by taking advantage of the many networking opportunities the chamber provides for cultivating and maintaining valuable business prospects and relationships.”

Credibility
“Membership brings credibility to your business,” notes the Chamber of Commerce in Texas. “You can increase positive perception among consumers and business owners when you’re identified as a member of the chamber of commerce.”

Advocacy
The chamber represents and lobbies on behalf of business interests in the region. “It is perhaps the most behind-the-scenes, yet most important role a chamber plays,” notes the Chamber of Commerce in Colorado. “Your chamber fights many battles on many fronts on your behalf.”

Still not convinced? Turns out there’s research to back up the many positive claims.

According to a study conducted by the Schapiro Group in 2012, for example, 49 percent of consumers were more likely to think favorably of a local business if it was a member of the chamber. The study also found that 80 percent were more likely to purchase a product or service from a member.

As you mull over the possibilities for improving your own bottom line, taking the steps to become part of a formal business network might just be the right move.





Source: https://www.cleaner.com/

---

---

Not a member yet? Apply for membership today!

JOIN NOW