Look if you are running a Chamber of Commerce or heading up a membership committee to market your business group, there are some things you need to know. Namely, that all the social networking in the world will not drive sales alone, you need to get out and hit the streets.
In fact, I've done a lot of this myself and it's nice to make lots of friends in the business community, listening to stories and needs of business owners. Usually, it is mostly good, thankfully. And rarely will you hear anything unfortunate or even a single negative comment from any business owner about the local Chamber of Commerce.
If you do then you have a community reputation problem and you need to work on building solid business community reputation first. Now then let's assume the chamber reputation is fine and you just want to build members. First, you need a reason to visit business folks. Well, here is an idea for your first door-to-door marketing campaign. I propose a concept for your chamber - a Business Watch.
This will give you a reason to go into every brick and mortar business in your town. Meaning, you will need to go into all these businesses, perhaps more than once, and it is a good excuse for a follow-up visit. Here is how this strategy works; you go in and ask to get their email and fax numbers to alert anyone of Graffiti, counterfeit bills, vandalism, robberies in the area.
When one business reports a problem your chamber can blast Fax or mass emailing to alert them. You can do this in conjunction with the Police Department - good positive note for City Council, Police, and Chamber. This will help with community government relations + add lots of members.
Now then, I recommend, you do one mass flyer'ing run for membership throughout the city, then make the rounds to sign up business watch participants. What will you need you ask? Well, you will need Card Stock yellow sign-up sheets with Name of Company - Phone Number - Fax, Email, and signature (okay to email-fax) and official looking clipboards for your team of volunteers.
Best of all, once you are done - what a great data base for the chamber too, for you to get a good look at each shopping center and who is a member and who is not. This will help getting future new members. Please consider all this and think on it.
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Mobile Business Watch Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow
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