WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN A CHAMBER COMMITTEE?

The Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization created to support the economy through support of local businesses. Chambers typically house many types of opportunities to help businesses grow and change, whether through participation in events and committees or simply by being a member. Joining a chamber committee provides businesses with an avenue to build relationships and network to grow their consumer base. Here are a few great examples of what happens in our committees and why you should join one today! (Psst! By the way, they are FREE to join for any Chamber member or employee!)

Relationships - It's hard to rate any of these over the other, but relationships are hard fought and well worth the investment with results that can pay dividends. This isn’t about networking — this is about gaining friends, associates and even advocates. The people you get to know may or may not do business with you, but the social and emotional return in building meaningful, lasting relationships can be more meaningful than the financial return you seek. As you serve on committees and interact with people outside your normal routines, you will have the opportunity to interact with all types of people. This in turn will create better relationship building skills that can crossover to improve non-business aspects of your life as well.

Promotions - Utilizing groups such as LEADS gives you the opportunity to promote your business to like-minded individuals through referrals. Referrals are the best promotion - word of mouth advertising is the original social media platform with better return. Typically someone won't refer their friends, family, or colleagues to a business they wouldn't frequent themselves, so the value in word of mouth far surpasses any other form of advertising!

Community Connection - There is something to say about growing a connection with the community. The Chamber is a great resource for supporting the community, whether you participate in committees or not. However, joining a Chamber committee places you another step into the community spotlight for consumers and owners alike to see your commitment to Kearney.

Ongoing training and education - Training and education can be downright expensive! Chambers provide an inexpensive way to bridge the gap between no training and topic-expert training. There may not be better organizations at providing relevant speakers and guest trainers in a timely manner than chambers of commerce. Taking advantage of the opportunities that Chamber committees promote to learn and grow with your peers in a setting where everyone has a common goal (growth of their business AND Kearney) allows you to get the most value out of your dollar. Send a promising employee to be a part of the committee and showcase your talented workforce giving them a boost for their future!

Programs and events - Everyone loves a fun event! Our committees host lots of great events and programs that are designed to build your business in some way, whether through training, promotion, networking or community connection and can be the perfect addition to the other methods a business applies for building their business.

The Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce has many committees to choose from that are tailored towards your needs. To see the full list and ways you can join, visit our website here: https://www.kearneycoc.org/involvement