A complete copy of the study, which includes both the aggregate findings, as well as the individual commercial credit scores for each of the ten local chambers, is available on the ACCE and Cortera sites.  The study was contracted by ACCE and performed by Cortera, which reviewed payment behavior for chamber member businesses.

“Chamber members have long been seen as responsible and reliable members of their community,” said Mick Fleming, president and CEO of ACCE.  “What this study indicates is that the perception is right.  From a credit standpoint, chamber members on average are better businesses, and as a result they have significant advantages in obtaining the funds they need.  In this economy and the tight credit environment we are experiencing, that’s especially important.”

“The economic health of the entire supply chain is dependent on the payment behavior of each of its stakeholders,” said Jim Swift, president and CEO of Cortera. “This study suggests that chamber members are among the most dependable participants in this ecosystem.”

About the American Chamber of Commerce Executives

Established in 1914, ACCE is the only national association serving the professional development needs of chamber professionals throughout the United States and Canada. Representing more than 7,300 individuals, ACCE enhances the knowledge, leadership skills, and management effectiveness of chamber executives and their staff through education, benefits programs, trend analysis, benchmarking, and network development. ACCE promotes the highest standards of professional excellence and integrity within the chamber profession.

About Cortera

In a sea of business information providers, Cortera is different. With over 15 years of experience serving finance professionals, Cortera combines premium business information and innovative tools with a fresh community approach to commercial credit.  It represents the first community for small business credit reporting and a fundamentally new way to capture the collective insight of millions of financial transactions. As a result, small businesses can make smarter, informed decisions to ensure optimal cash flow while attracting more favorable payment terms from existing and potential business partners. Free credit reports on millions of businesses are available at http://start.cortera.com.

“We discovered that informing someone about a company’s chamber membership opens the door to substantial increases positive perceptions of that business,” said Alex Trouteaud, Ph.D., senior strategist for The Schapiro Group. “There clearly is a feeling by our respondents that chamber membership is synonymous with quality and desirability.”

To tap into this reservoir of goodwill, a small business should not only join the local chamber of commerce and participate, but also make sure consumers and other businesses are aware of that chamber affiliation.

The positive impact of perceived chamber membership is felt by big businesses, too.  For example, when consumers believed that a restaurant chain was a member of the local chamber of commerce, they were 40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise in the future.  And if a consumer believed that one of the major automobile manufacturers was a member of its local chamber, that consumer was 9 percent more likely to consider purchasing his or her next car from that automaker.

“This study reinforces research done in 2005 about the perceived capacity of chambers to lead businesses and lead communities,” said Mick Fleming, president of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).  “These new national findings point to even more direct benefits for companies willing to be stakeholders in their local chamber.”

The study results had good news for chambers themselves, where 82 percent of respondents indicated that a local chamber of commerce “creates jobs and promotes economic development.”

“The message from this national study is as simple as it is ground-breaking,” said Jim Blasingame, small business expert and president of Small Business Network, Inc. “Join your local chamber, be an active participant in your chamber’s programs and be sure to let your customers and prospects know you’re a proud chamber supporter when they come in your business and when they see your marketing material.”

J. Mac Holladay, CEO of Market Street Services, an economic development consulting firm based in Atlanta that helped create the study, said, “It is refreshing to learn what we have suspected for years — that chamber membership and community involvement are good investments.”

Click here to view the Chamber Study

A very Happy and Prosperous 2010 from all of us at the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce to you, your friends and family. This year will undoubtedly be challenging and the Chamber is committed to strong leadership of the business community and continuing to endorse and promote issues that affect your business.

Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers, sponsors and supporters who give so much time, resources and energy to the Chamber and local business.

Immediately upcoming we will be hosting the 2010 Legislative Reception at the Convention Center on January 25. Tickets are now available.

We are now preparing the 2010 calendar of Chamber events. If you would like to host, sponsor or partner with the Chamber, please email Lacie for information.

The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee is working on the 2010 Legislative Agenda. Read a draft here.

The Committee is also hosting a Candidates Forum in preparation for the March 4 City mayoral and council election. The Forum will be held at Collected Works Bookstore on February 18^th at 5:30pm. All are welcome

If you would like to learn more about Chamber committees and their programs, please contact Marilyn Blessie.

Read the Chamber’s blog here. Also please friend the Chamber on Facebook.

Listen to business issues and member businesses on Business Matters the Chamber’s radio show on Talk 1260 KTRC every Sunday morning at 10 am.

We have a few spaces still available for the April 23 – May 6, 2010 Chamber Trade Mission to Thailand. Contact Kathi Odell for information.

Confidential business assistance is available free to all Santa Fe businesses from Val Alonzo, the Chamber Business Development Director.

The Chamber is pleased to welcome air travelers to Santa Fe (SAF) on American Eagle Airlines from Dallas (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX). We are also advocating for direct daily air service to Denver (DIA).

The Class of 2010 of Leadership Santa Fe is already half way through the program and the participants are doing great work learning about personal skills, community issues and preparing to lead us into the future.

Remember to read the Chamber’s Business Advocate newsletter on the first Tuesday of each month in the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Read an opinion piece from the Chamber about job creation HERE.

Keeping your purchases in Santa Fe helps to create jobs and taxes and prosperity for all Santa Feans. Santa Fe – Buy Into It!

The Chamber’s website has a complete list of local business resources.

To help the Chamber and local businesspeople mentor local students contact Lacie Mackey for more information.

Mark your calendars for Santa Fe Restaurant Week from February 28th to March 6th, 2010.

Partnering with the Chamber is the best way that you can invest in the local business community Please contact me at any time with questions, suggestions or observations.

Best wishes for a great 2010.

Simon Brackley

President and CEO

Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce

505-988-3279



The signs are everywhere you turn. From inflated commodity prices to news reports of job losses, we’re hard pressed to keep a good attitude about the economy. So if you’re one of the many that have begun to see the impact of a struggling economy, I have extremely good news for you. Yep, there’s an easy way to increase your business and be one of the haves in this have-not cycle.

Imagine arriving at a place where everyone (or at least nearly everyone) knows your name. You are welcomed by friends and acquaintances who are happy you’re there. Better still, most of them are ready to help you build your business and are even referring you to their family and friends. And you experience this environment several times a month.

But there’s more. This is a place where you can hone your skills as well. You’ll have the opportunity to attend educational programming at a fraction of the cost available to the public. Often you meet people here who have experiences you can learn from. You’re introduced to the movers and shakers. You can even demonstrate your commitment to the community by serving as a leader. Your only limit is you.

Sure, this may appear to be a thinly veined cover of a shameless plug for your local chamber of commerce. And it is. But here’s why I’ve dedicated this article to the idea that you must be a member of the chamber in these challenging times.

1. You need to share your message with as many people as possible for the lowest investment of dollars. For a couple hundred bucks you’ll be a member of a business organization where you can communicate to a closed group of hundreds, if not thousands of potential customers and networking partners.

2. You need to build a network of people who are thinking of you first when they are asked by their customers, friends, family and vendors who they would recommend to provide what you’re selling. By the law of averages the best opportunity you have to fill your networking base is in a big crowd of business people. That is your local chamber of commerce.

3. You need to be in the know about current events and what changes may be coming that could affect future business. The chamber is the epicenter of business trends.

4. You need to be able to prove your worthiness to potential partners, vendors, customers and networking partners. The chamber affords you the opportunity to serve and thereby demonstrate your skills. What’s more, a recent survey by the Atlanta-based Shapiro Group states:

*Consumers are 63% more likely to buy goods and services in the future from a company that they believe is a member of the local chamber

*When consumers know that a business is a member of the local chamber they are 44% more likely to think favorably about it.

*Consumers who are told that a business is a chamber member are 51% more likely to be highly aware of it and 57% more likely to think positively of its reputation.

5. You need to be in a supportive atmosphere where you can see that others are still doing well and you can too. Again, the chamber stands alone as a positive voice for business.

If you’re not a member of the local chamber you owe it to yourself to join today. When you join, get involved. Volunteer to serve, attend meetings regularly and be willing to meet new people. Then you can begin to build your trusted resource network and soon you’ll reap the benefit of being a part of the best business-building network in town.

Regardless of the community, group, or event, there always seems to be someone who meets just the right people at just the right time. While others spend years attending events hoping to meet someone, these seemingly chosen few find it easy to connect and grow their network (and their business). Why?

Here are seven simple steps to become more like those “chosen few”.

First. Remember that you are not there to sell anything right now. Everyone has come to the event or group with the desire to grow their business. And that is why so many people fail to connect. Since everyone expects everyone else to be selling, they naturally put up their protective wall. It’s hard to connect with people through a wall.

Second: Remember that everyone is thinking about themselves most of the time. You must be aware that people love to hear their own name and things about them. That’s why so many people verbally vomit all over others when they meet them. It’s not because they think others want to hear about them, it’s because they want to hear about themselves.

Third: Smile! It’s proven that smiling, seemingly happy people are more attractive to us than people who do not smile. People who smile more are more successful. The simple act of smiling can make you happier. What’s more, smiling leaves evidence on your face in “smiling lines” that make you appear to be smiling even when you are not. Smiling tells others that you are warm and inviting, and most of all, fun!

Fourth: Seek to meet people. Here’s a secret: Everyone is scared just like you. It’s natural to be apprehensive when in a crowd of strangers. When you take the first step and engage others in conversation, you will subliminally be easing the pain that the other person is experiencing. Everyone is there to meet people. You should make it easy for others to meet you by taking the first step.

Fifth: Have a warm handshake, literally and figuratively. If your hands are cold, rub them together to warm them up. Shake hands with people being sure to get a good web-to-web grip. See my previous article ” Success in Sales and in Life Depends on a Great Handshake” to learn how to do this.

Sixth: Ask questions that show a genuine interest in the other person. One great example is, “how did you get into the work that you are in right now?” Asking questions that go beyond what you do and how you do it will go a long way to building rapport and that leads to a better connection.

Seventh: Ask for their business card. When you get their card write down a few notes to remind you about the conversation. Be sure to ask the Million Dollar Question: “As I meet people, how will I know a perfect referral for you?” Write this down and then follow up with a phone call or note.

Every group has the chosen few who seem to have the inside track. They know everyone and everyone knows them. Meeting new people comes naturally for them. Follow these seven steps and you will soon be among the chosen few who meet all the right people at just the right time.

I have recently had a number of conversations about positions taken by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. From these conversations it has become apparent to me that there are a number of misapprehensions about chambers.

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is an independent nonprofit organization with around 1,000 local member businesses and a board of 21 directors representing hospitality, arts, manufacturing, media, finance, real estate, restaurant, insurance and other industries.

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce has no affiliation with the U.S. Chamber. Any position taken by the Santa Fe Chamber is approved by the board of directors. At no time does the Santa Fe Chamber take direction from the U.S. Chamber. In fact, the Santa Fe Chamber rarely, if ever, takes positions on national issues.

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is committed to creating local jobs and prosperity for all Santa Feans.

DEFINITION

A chamber of commerce is an organization of businesses seeking to further their collective interests, while advancing their community, region, state or nation. Business owners in towns, cities and other territories voluntarily form these local societies/networks to advocate on behalf of the community at large, economic prosperity and business interests. Chambers have existed in the US for more than two centuries, with many having been established before the jurisdictions they represent.  A business-led civic and economic advancement entity operating in a specific space may call itself any number of things – board of trade, business council, etc. – but for the purposes of this primer, they are all chambers of commerce.

Chamber missions vary, but they all tend to focus to some degree on five primary goals: Building communities (regions/states/nations) to which residents, visitors and investors are attracted; Promoting those communities; Striving to ensure future prosperity via a pro-business climate; Representing the unified voice of the employer community; and Reducing transactional friction through well-functioning networks.  Chambers have other features in common.  Most are led by private-sector employers, self-funded, organized around boards/committees of volunteers and independent.  They share a common ambition for sustained prosperity of their community/region, built on thriving employers.   Most are ardent proponents of the free market system, resisting attempts to overly burden private sector enterprise and investment.

Local businesses are voluntary paying members of a chamber (non-profits, quasi-public and even public sector employers also sometimes pay dues to belong).  The membership, acting collectively, elects a board of directors and/or executive council to set policy for, and guide the workings of, the chamber. The board or executive committee then hires a chief executive (various titles), plus an appropriate and affordable number of staff to run the organization.

In the majority of countries, the use of the term “chamber of commerce” is regulated by statute, though this is not the case in the US.  Only trademark, copyright and domain name rules protect a chamber’s identity – only state corporation law defines their existence and reason for being. While most chambers work closely with government, they are not part of government and many consider the process of appropriately influencing elected/appointed officials to be one of their most important functions.

Currently, there are about 13,000 chambers registered in the official Worldchambers Network registry.  There are roughly 3,000 chambers of commerce in the US with at least one full-time staff person and thousands more established as strictly volunteer entities.

MEMBERSHIP

Under the private, volunteer membership model, which exists in the USA and many other nations, companies are not obligated to become chamber members.  Membership rolls in a given North American chamber can range from a few dozen firms to more than 20,000, so there is no real “average” or typical chamber of commerce.

Chambers do not operate in the same manner as a Better Business Bureau or trade association, which can bind its members under a formal operations doctrine (and, thus, can remove them).  Businesses and other employers pay dues to belong and expect to receive the benefits of membership as long as they continue to invest in the organization.  They usually accept any reputable business as a member, though dues investment schedules can sometimes result in intended or unintended exclusivity.

It is important to note that in most cases it is the company that is the member, not an individual.  A member company is then encouraged to involve numerous senior level employees in the work of the chamber.  While five, ten or more individuals from a given company will identify themselves as “members” of the chamber, only the organization they work for is counted when a chamber states its size.   A company is free to join (pay dues to) multiple chambers and many mid-size to large firms do so (especially neighbors), in order to further advance their companies’ market or policy interests.

Dues amounts are typically determined by the size of the member company (employee count or annual revenue), rather than by the number of people engaged in the chamber from that company.  Some chambers have adopted pay-as-you-go or funding models based on specific categories or quantity of services provided to member companies.

Occasionally, chambers will “bundle” memberships, allowing a single dues investment in one organization to qualify a company for membership in a group of chambers.  This is sometimes referred to “federation” membership and it can even extend to the national level.

SERVICE TERRITORY

The geography of any one chamber of commerce – often referred to as “service territory” – is seldom defined by any political or legal jurisdiction.  More likely, the territory is defined by the catchment area of a chamber’s membership.  The locations of the businesses that compose the membership tend to define the chamber’s footprint and “claim” to a territory.  Adjoining organizations often establish formal or informal understandings about borders.

Minority chambers – Hispanic, African-American, Asian – exist in many larger markets.  Women’s chambers, gay chambers, German heritage and other demographically focused business groups have been established around the country.

While a chamber’s name (usually trademarked) is usually drawn from its approximate territory (The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber, or the Chicagoland Chamber), there are no rules governing the number of business-led economic advancement groups (chambers) that may exist in, or serve, a given plot of land.  Just within the city limits of Chicago, there are more than 20 chambers of commerce and similar organizations.  Even where a county or regional chamber has been incorporated and established over generations, there may be dozens of local and town chambers operating independently within that same turf.

Why are there so many chambers?  Historical circumstances, population fluctuations, differing ambitions and the needs of employers have all played a role in the formation of chambers.  At the time many chambers were established geographic isolation underscored the need for separate organizations to represent local business and community issues.  While developments in infrastructure, transportation and communications over the past century have better linked businesses with their peers in neighboring communities and even foreign countries, the chambers that represent those businesses have remained viable and vital institutions.  Without a valid purpose, chamber’s boards, members and funders would have abandoned them long ago.

As suburban and exurban populations blossomed, new chambers sprung up to promote the interests of business in those communities.  In some cases, a crisis, like a hurricane, or an opportunity, like attracting a rail connection or promoting an airport expansion, has led to the formation of a chamber that remains viable for decades.  New chambers have also been formed out of disagreements or disgruntlement about the direction, position or focus of an existing chamber.

Like other businesses, chambers also dissolve and merge based on economic or other conditions.  Both the economic recession and increased focus on regionalism appear to be driving increased examination of the benefits of mergers.

RELATIONSHIPS

The chambers in the US and Canada are not bound together under contracts or government regulations.  There is no chapter or franchise arrangement between or among them.  There can be very strong relationships between neighboring organizations, but those relationships are voluntary and informal rather than required or written.  Chambers interact with each other across the nation and the globe – many even maintain formal memberships in other chambers – but the network is informal.  In the chamber world, nobody is “in charge” of anybody; a local chamber does not answer to a state or national chamber.

Local chambers are often, but not always, paying members of their state and national chambers of commerce.  This connection is one of voluntary membership and does not extend to control or governance.  A significant number of chamber executives also choose to join professional associations of their peers, such as the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Western Association of Chamber Executives, State Chamber Executive Associations, or the World Chambers Federation.  These memberships are for professional development purposes similar to those of any trade association and, once again, the relationships do not involve the abdication of self-determination.

POLICY INDEPENDENCE AND COOPERATION

The most difficult aspect for the general public, media, government officials and even some businesses to understand is that there is literally no inherent hierarchical structure in the chamber world.  This can be extremely confusing to those who naturally assume that a few thousand entities sharing the same name must be related and that some ordered lineage must exist among them.  That is simply not the case in the US.  When business and economic policy priorities align, which is usually the case, chambers of all sizes attempt to work together and speak with a unified voice.  Inevitably, conflicting positions will arise about some issues, or about strong positions (or lack thereof) of chambers at various levels.

To illustrate, the head of a community-based organization like a retired citizen group may wrongly assume that a position taken by a state chamber is shared and endorsed by their local chamber.  Likewise, a large metropolitan chamber of commerce could take a strong position in favor of an infrastructure project or educational reform initiative, which will not be embraced or supported by suburban chambers operating within the same metro region.

Or, a coalition of chambers might unite under the leadership of the United States Chamber (the national business advocacy organization representing hundreds of thousands of member corporations) to advocate for/against a bill affecting border crossings, but the coalition may include only a few dozen of the thousands of chambers in the US.  Any individual chamber may take a very visible, contradictory stand on that same international visitor policy. On certain issues at certain times, the US Chamber can organize thousands of its member chambers and associations into a unified grassroots lobbying force.  Many chambers have also voluntarily entered into a “Federation” relationship with the United States Chamber, which involves more consistent engagement in federal policy activities by both the local chamber and its members.

Since businesses are not required to join a chamber (penetration levels vary widely), and because territories overlap, it can be difficult for any one organization, regardless of size, to state that it “speaks for business,” but they do.  They earn that privilege by attracting numerous and large heterogeneous employers to their membership and leadership, as well as by utilizing their collective voice on meaningful policy initiatives.  In general, the smaller the chamber (and community it represents), the less active the organization will be on the policy/advocacy front.  Even small organizations, however, take stands on regional issues ranging from school funding to road development.

The processes of choosing and articulating specific policy positions vary by organization and issue.  For the most part, a vote (or expression of consensus) of a chamber board of directors determines the stand to be taken in the name of that chamber on any issue.  In recent years, with the increased involvement of public sector and non-profit employers in chambers, consensus-building has become more difficult at all levels.  Chamber boards are independent, but they usually take into account the recommendations of state and national organizations when larger issues are considered.

The US Chamber and state chambers provide local counterparts with extensive background and adaptable sample documents.  Local chambers then debate, adopt, adapt or reject the larger entities’ recommendations.  Likewise, local, regional and state chambers express their opinions about legislation specific to them, in hopes that their views will be shared, embraced and supported by others.  The American Chamber of Commerce Executives provides access to a Policy Clearinghouse, which enables member chambers to share knowledge about state and local public policy issues and strategies being employed in various regions to deal with those issues.

Because the chamber world is not structured around an affiliate or chapter model, such disagreements cannot be solved by a controlling authority.  Sometimes the disagreements cause destructive friction and bonds between chambers are broken.  More often, chambers issue differing position statements and agree to disagree, knowing that the opportunity for cooperation on future issues will be critical for them all.

STRUCTURE

Chambers of commerce in the US operate almost exclusively as non-profit entities known as 501(c)(6) corporations.  Unlike charities, these 501(c)(6) non-profits have the authority under state and federal tax rules to represent their members in public policy debates.  They may lobby and take positions on actual or proposed legislation, subject to local, state and federal laws.  Chambers may legally endorse candidates for public office and/or ballot propositions (but most do not).  The use of general fund revenues for chamber political and lobbying purposes is strictly regulated.  The chief executive or another member of the staff is sometimes a state-registered lobbyist. The portion of any member’s dues investment allocated to direct lobbying is not deductible as a business expense.

Chamber business models and organizational missions vary significantly.  Some chambers may offer services and products that appear to compete with businesses operating within their own territories.  One group of chambers may affiliate with a service provider to offer discounts or other benefits to chamber members (from low-cost office products to health insurance), while another group aligns with a completely different vendor.  As a rule, larger chambers tend to rely less on membership dues revenue than their smaller counterparts.  About one-third of the chambers of commerce in the US also include economic development corporations and/or tourism and visitors bureaus.  Virtually all chambers have revenue sources other than dues; event income is the most common.

Although a chamber is a non-profit entity under federal tax law, such a 501(c)(6) is free to undertake supporting business activities (referred to as “unrelated business income) – publishing, trade shows, insurance programs, etc.  In many cases, these activities are subject to business income taxes.

Many chambers establish charitable/educational foundations, known as 501(c)(3) corporations, to support specific, eligible parts of the chamber’s agenda.  The allowable purposes and rules related to such supporting foundations are different than those that have been established for 501(c)(6) organizations.

(NOTE:  In a few cases, for-profit chambers have been established in some communities.  These business ventures are routinely shunned and fought by traditional non-profit chambers.)

The largest metro or state chambers may employ up to 100 people.  The vast majority, however, have staffs numbering fewer than five and budgets under half a million dollars.  Chamber professionals serve in jobs covering most of the disciplines found in other small businesses – communications, finance, marketing, customer service and event planning.  Some chambers specialize in certain activities, such as economic development, tourism, research, and/or advocacy.  Some provide staffing and management to development-related government agencies on a contract basis.

IF YOU’VE SEEN ONE . . .

The term “chamber of commerce” is one of the oldest and most well-recognized brands in the world, but there is significant public misunderstanding of its meaning.  There is an old adage in the chamber world:  “If you’ve seen one chamber, you’ve seen one.”  Others who find themselves frustrated with a desire to apply universal truths to chamber of commerce models point to the Chinese parable of the seven blind men touching different parts of an elephant and coming away describing it differently (“It’s a snake . . . no it’s a tree . . . no it’s a brush on a rope . . .”).  In all cases, the whole of a chamber of commerce is greater than the sum of its parts, programs, people and participants.

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON INTERNATIONAL CHAMBERS

In many countries around the world, membership in the chamber of commerce is mandatory under national laws, with fees collected under some part of the business permit or taxation process.  These organizations are referred to as “public law” chambers.  Many of them boast memberships in hundreds of thousands, since literally all legitimate businesses must belong. Chambers in the UK, Canada, Australia and Eastern Europe tend to operate on a voluntary membership basis like the US.  In the European Union and much of Asia, public law chambers are more prevalent

The government advocacy activities of these chambers are, of course, substantially different than those in the US, but many of the issues addressed by these public law chambers would seem familiar to chambers of commerce in North America – i.e.: workforce, infrastructure, economic development, education, community image, etc.  The issues are similar, but the business models are dramatically different, since they have government-sanctioned status, rather than corporate identities.

Many chambers around the globe belong to regional associations i.e. Eurochambres and the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce.  The World Chambers Federation ties a few thousand chambers from around the world together into one loose association, which operates under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris.  The WCF meets every other year for a World Chambers Congress.

Entities nicknamed “Am-Chams” exist in many large markets around the world – i.e.: The American Chamber of Commerce of Singapore, or the Egyptian Am-Cham.  These organizations involve the American companies operating in these locales, as well as the local firms doing business with US firms.  They focus on trade issues, but also on regulatory climates in the host countries.

In this segment: Aseneth Kepler

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