There are several ways to read that question. To clarify, I speak of your local Chamber of Commerce. I know. They don't seem huggable. But think of a virtual action that says, "I like you, and I want to thank you for all you do." So what would that look like?


It begins with membership in one or more chambers that meet your needs, especially your networking and marketing needs. Then it calls for you to become active on a committee. And then it looks like you assisting those committees to help both your chamber's growth and their community good works. That's the sound of you hugging them and them hugging you back.
This is the time of the year when chambers host their annual meetings. I have three scheduled, and two I can't make. I sit on two committees, belong to a leads group and attend several After Hours events as well as a.m. networking meetings. And at the end of the day, I get lots more from membership than I give.
For those of you who aren't members of a chamber, here's solid business reasons for belonging based on my experiences:
1. About 60 percent of my work comes from fellow chamber members.
2. About 90 percent of my referrals and leads come from other chamber members.
3. Most of my peers and professional acquaintances are members of one or another of the chambers to which I belong.
4. Networking, a primary marketing tool, is made easy through chamber events.
5. The events are fun and the food is good.
Another reason I belong to five chambers is to support business lobbying done by the chambers, designed to reduce regulations and business taxes. That said, no one should ever join a chamber or a networking group, if they aren't going to be active members. Inactivity almost guarantees that we will never receive ROI on our investment in membership.
But for my marketing purposes as well as the marketing research I get by listening and asking questions of fellow members, most of them potential clients, the ROI is incredible. And there is no learning curve to excel at membership. Just be yourself.