Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

I'd say that it would depend on where you are located and what sorts of products you're offering. I know that a promotional products company in my area does well with other Chamber members, but I'm based in Metro DC. If you're in a smaller city, I don't know if it would be as effective.

Have you thought about targeting local meeting planning groups? Many areas have Meeting Professionals International chapters. They're always looking for sponsorships.

Alison

Simply joining the Chamber won't get business. Ongoing face-to-face networking will.

Also, get to know your local tourism board. They need lots of promotional materials.

Hello,

Almost every town has a chamber that you can access there membership online.

View the chambers in your area and see when they have networking events. Many chambers will tell you they have an active membership but the proof is in the pudding.

No sense joining a chamber that only 5 people show up on a regular bases. Look for chambers that have larger turn outs at networking events. That is the one you want to join.

Also consider a BNI group with at least 20 or more members. It is a referral based group that will teach you how to network.

Hope this helps!

Thank you
Tom

JHR's face-to-face recommendation has much merit. You haven't identified here what your expectations are from a chamber membership, but memberhip in and of itself won't necessarily create business opportunities for you. Well, not as many as you might like, anyway. And I'm told from colleagues in my Midwestern town that larger chamber networking events--for instance, speed networking or networking luncheons where you can collect a fistful of biz cards--do not engender relationships, only "first contact."

So relationship-building is still up to you! To that end, joining a large chamber and then signing up to participate on various committees where you can rub elbows with active business leaders---this could prove beneficial for you. Just remember that you are not on a committee to sell your services to fellow committee members. Rather, you are there to meet them, spend 'face-to-face" time with them, and build relationships that must be tended over time. Of course, none of this puts food on your table right away.

Oh, yes, BNI (Business Network International) is also an excellent resource, as mentioned by Tom. Unlike a business chamber, BNI chapter membership is exclusively one-person-per-industry, so a promotional products biz owner could lock out the competition in a chapter. You'd be the big fish in your pond, rather than a small fish at the chamber. And again, the purpose is not to sell to your fellow members as much as it is to (1) learn how to network through your members and through other local BNI chapters, and (2) train your fellow BNI members how to identify and refer potential clients your way. See www.bni.com to find chapters in your area that do not already have promotional products members. If there is no chapter in your area, a regional BNI director could help you start one.

I have had great experiences joining my local chamber. In fact, this is how I grew my marketing business in the first year. The key, however is in your involvement in The Chamber. Just as everyone has mentioned above, you need to be committed to building the relationships through networking.

In addition to joining a leads group within the Chamber (cost me $140/year and my first lead led to a client that more than paid for this cost), I joined about two other groups within my Chamber, including the Ambassador Committee which got me in front of all new members and also the "movers and shakers" not only within the Chamber but within in the town I live in!

A tip for you when networking. Don't network to look for clients (only). Network to find referral sources. Target graphic artists, marketers, website developers, loan officers, business coaches, market, recruiters, accountants/bookkeepers - anyone who works with your target market (business/corporate clients) and build relationships with them. Find 5 people in each of these categories to increase the number of referrals coming in. Be prepared to help them as well - cross promote, send referrals their way, add them to your resource page on a website, etc.

Good luck!
Ann-