| Some years ago I joined a chamber of commerce | | | | entrepreneurs and executives can benefit from |
| with the goal of rubbing shoulders with | | | | meeting the many buyers and users of you're |
| powerful corporate decision-makers and | | | | their products/services that compose the |
| establishing my consulting value, soaking up | | | | typical chamber, based on its typical |
| many new clients in the process like warm | | | | audience of peers outside each individual |
| gravy at Thanksgiving dinner. The morning I | | | | member's own industry. This broadens both |
| headed out for my first chamber breakfast, | | | | horizons and connections. Hearing |
| however, my business partner called me to | | | | high-powered guest speakers, for example, |
| report that our bank had just canceled all | | | | affords the opportunity to meet not only that |
| its merchant credit card accounts following a | | | | speaker but lots of other top execs who come |
| decision to get out of that business. At that | | | | to hear the speaker as well.Other benefits? |
| time, I was running a seminar business which | | | | Try this list: health care insurance, auto |
| heavily depended upon credit card sales. | | | | insurance discounts, discounts on a variety |
| Suddenly I had lost a very lucrative conduit | | | | of many other goods and services. A chamber |
| of revenue.Literally minutes later, stunned | | | | member once told me, "It's an attractive |
| and feverishly ruminating about what we would | | | | arena for doing interesting volunteer work as |
| do to prevent a potential catastrophe, I sat | | | | well."So with all this good stuff, could |
| tolerating my new chamber's "member | | | | there be any downside?Chamber people do agree |
| spotlights." Reps from member businesses | | | | on one pitfall: if you lack the willingness |
| stood up for a quick minute or two, described | | | | to show up, it's not for you. "Joining a |
| their companies and the services they offered | | | | chamber could be a waste of time if you're |
| to their fellow members. One local bank | | | | not able to put some effort into it," admits |
| concluded its service litany with a folksy, | | | | Andrew Olmsted, Managing Director, Cambridge |
| "So come down and see us sometime. We love | | | | Innovation Partners, and a Cambridge |
| doing business with our fellow chamber | | | | Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce member. |
| members."The chamber's director then exhorted | | | | "One needs to evaluate whether the benefit |
| everyone that "It's good to do business with | | | | will be worth the effort. But that's of |
| other members." Suddenly I realized this new | | | | course what you must do with any business |
| "family" I'd joined might be the answer to my | | | | activity!"Others echo like sentiments, |
| current problem (and prayers). At the break, | | | | remarking that chamber members reap only what |
| I approached the bank rep, explained my | | | | they sow. Socializing, networking and rolling |
| situation, got an encouraging response, and | | | | up one's sleeves to get vigorously involved |
| found myself at the end of a meeting with | | | | are requisites. "Don't expect to walk out of |
| this rep that very same day with a new | | | | your first meeting more contacts and new |
| merchant account squarely in place, all | | | | customers than you know what to do with," |
| courtesy of the fast action of this new | | | | warns Cambridge (MA) Chamber of Commerce |
| chamber friend. Though I had come in looking | | | | President and CEO Thomas J. Lucey. "It's like |
| to FIND business, I'd come out in total awe | | | | a health club in that way: Joining doesn't do |
| of something better: the huge value offered | | | | anything, you have to also do the |
| by chambers in terms of providing resources | | | | work."Beyond that chamber folks insist |
| that their member companies sincerely need. I | | | | benefits far outweigh everything else, |
| had become someone else's new customer but | | | | especially with chambers gearing themselves |
| was very happy about it.Over the ensuing four | | | | intently to our high tech times. "Lots of |
| years, though I did pick up a few clients | | | | people still think chambers function like a |
| here and there, I never forgot the lesson: | | | | 1950s 'downtown organization' but that's no |
| that access to a ready, willing-to-help | | | | longer true," explains Joe Bevilacqua. "Now |
| business family afforded me a greater value | | | | we're fast-moving, technology-driven, |
| than I could have every predicted. Joseph J. | | | | growing, inclusive, results-driven, |
| Bevilacqua, President/CEO of the Merrimack | | | | accountable, and oriented to action."Ken |
| Valley Chamber of Commerce (Lawrence MA), | | | | Lizotte CMC is Chief Imaginative Officer |
| explains it this way: "Chambers are indeed a | | | | (CIO) of emerson consulting group inc. |
| great way for companies to find other | | | | (Concord, MA), which transforms consultants, |
| companies to BUY FROM. They can help you | | | | law firms, executives and companies into |
| locate all sorts of ordinary needs, like | | | | "thoughtleaders." This article is an excerpt |
| paper supplies, restaurants, hotels for | | | | from his newest book "Beyond Reason: |
| visiting customers. That's a key point of how | | | | Questioning Assumptions of Everyday |
| a chamber works: it's essentially a B2B | | | | Life".Visit ==> for more info. |
| network."Chamber devotees also say that | | | | |