ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS!
Here are 10 reasons WHY you should join your local Chamber of Commerce:
First of all – what is a Chamber of Commerce?
A chamber of commerce is an organization that looks out for business interests in a particular area. There are national, state, and local chambers of commerce. Here on Prince of Wales we have one Chamber that encompasses the entire Island. The Chamber office is in the mall in Klawock. One of the signature products of the Prince of Wales Chamber that you are likely familiar with is the POW Island Guide. To be listed in the guide or to advertise in the guide you need to be a Chamber member.
So, what are some reasons to becoming a Chamber member?
Credibility: According to the American Business Magazine, being a member of a Chamber of Commerce brings credibility to your business. In fact, about 40% of the population prefers to do business with a company that is a member of a Chamber
Networking: By simply being a member of the POW Chamber you have the opportunity to network with all of the other Chamber members! We have our own newsletter, and host Chamber Members Only events.
Advocacy: The role of the Chamber is to advocate for business interests on our Island. If we are not advocating for YOUR business interest perhaps it is because you are not a member, or we do not know what the issue is. Become a member and get involved with your Chamber@
Marketing: Not only does the Chamber print the POW Island Guide which gets wide distribution across Alaska, and gets sent annually to various Trade Shows in the “lower 48”, but we have several web sites that promote Prince of Wales; our regular chamber website www.princeofwalescoc.org as well as our new web site focusing on the Visitor Industry www.discoverpowisland.com (check it out!). We also are on Facebook, Instagram and twitter. The POW Chamber also has a BLOG that promotes events AS THEY ARE HAPPENING!
Professional Development: Periodically the POW Chamber brings in professionals in various fields to provide professional development to Chamber Members. This can range from topics such as “human resources,” “marketing,” or “computer bookkeeping.” Additionally, we have some DVD’s on marketing and customer service that can be checked out any time by a chamber member.
Increased Visibility: Not only does being a Chamber member automatically give you a place in the Island Guide Directory and our websites, we also have the guide available for downloading on the web page. Only Chamber members may advertise in the Guide. Our web pages are searchable so a person looking for a particular kind of business can enter that into the search portion of the web page and only Chamber members will appear. We also feature Chamber members at our events.
Communication: The Chamber has a vast mailing list (both digital and paper) and we can promote events and offerings from other Chamber members. We also network with other Chambers in the region and can send information far and wide – and we do! We also will keep your business in the loop with other Island-wide events.
A Voice in Government: Did you know that the Prince of Wales Chamber has a vote on the Prince of Wales Community Advisory Committee? We are the ONLY non-governmental entity with a seat at the table. Your voice counts at the Chamber and on the Island!
Customer Referrals: The POW Chamber office receives calls DAILY with requests for information on our Island. Information for lodging, vehicle rentals, equipment rentals, fish processing – you name it. Our office staff ONLY refers Chamber Members. If you are not a Chamber Member you will not get referred. That’s how it works. We also get calls from people writing articles for magazines, ranging from hunting and fishing to bird watching and even industry. Again – we ONLY refer Chamber members.
Chamber Events & Promotions: Finally, the POW Chamber hosts annual events such as the POW Expo and Trade Show, the POW Visitor Summit, and the POW Chamber Banquet. All of these events are intended to benefit the POW Chamber. Only Chamber members can display at the Trade Show.
So – how can you afford NOT to be a member? Small businesses represent the largest segment by number of most local chamber membership rolls. Results in a research study by The Shapiro Group, Inc. and Market Street indicate the impact of local chamber membership on small businesses is very powerful. If a consumer knows a small business is a member of its local chamber, the business enjoys a 44 percent increase in its consumer favorability rating, a 51 percent increase in consumer awareness, a 57 percent increase in its local reputation and a 63 percent increase in the likelihood that consumers will patronize the business in the future.
By POW Chamber Director Karen Petersen