One: Local Directory of Businesses Most Chambers of Commerce offer members a link on their website as well as inclusion in a business directory distributed annually. This is a great place to list your business, especially if you have a niche specialty product or a service that may be compatible with local businesses such as being a freelance writer, web developer or a marketing agency. Often times chamber members will shop chamber first, this means that you will get the opportunity before your neighbors one town over! Two: Business After Hours Events As an at-home business you probably don’t have the same networking opportunities that you might if you worked in an office. After Hours events presented by your local Chamber of Commerce present a great opportunity to network with fellow business owners and learn more about the community, business trends and generally build a strong local network. Three: Lead / Referral Groups Many chambers offer lead groups where local businesses gather on a regular basis to build their networks. These can be extremely rewarding because people who work from home are often invisible to the community. By building a strong network you can have eyes and ears all around your community and help your peers by sharing opportunities you find for them as well. In comparison to other groups such as BNI and Le Tip, chamber groups are usually far less cost and may be easier to join if you aren’t ready for the high-pressure, high-results world of other groups. Four: Educational Opportunities Successful business owners understand that education is a continual process. Chambers of Commerce present ongoing seminars and training events to help local businesses prosper. Whether it is a session about building a better website or a local accountant sharing tax tips, these sessions are usually low-cost and high-value opportunities that should not be missed. Five: Monthly Newsletters Your chamber of commerce probably distributes a monthly newsletter to its members. For a home based business, this can be a great opportunity to get your name publicized free. There may be sections such as “member of the month” or “member news” where you can submit updates to if you have interesting stuff going on. Other areas to feature your company name include bringing in new members to the chamber or participating in community events and fundraisers. Six: Community Events and Fundraisers As a home-based business you probably don’t have a massive budget for advertising but many chambers offer events where you can get exposure for free or low cost such as setting up a Christmas tree in the park, manning a booth at a summer carnival, or helping run fundraiser events such as a golf tournament. While it won’t be as beneficial as a giant banner promoting your company, being out-and-about in your community builds trust and familiarity. The event organizers will also probably include the names / companies of those who help in various pieces promoting the events including newspaper ads, programs, and banners at the event. This is all free or low cost to you, just for helping out! Additionally, you may be able to promote your company during events by wearing your company hat, shirt or even just a pin promoting yourself. James Hills is the President and Chief Marketing Officer for http://www.marketinghelpnet.com, an integrated marketing and public relations agency dedicated to helping small business owners, inventors and entrepreneurs. To learn more about Integrated Marketing, check out our Integrated Marketing FAQ or test out your skills relating to Organic
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