Guelph wants your business. Why else would we have a Chamber of Commerce?
Fundamentally the Guelph Chamber of Commerce (GCC) is just like any other business. They have a mission statement, staff, budgets, sales forecasts, etc. They have experienced pitfalls and successes as all entrepreneurs have at one time or another.
The Guelph Chamber of Commerce is in the business of knowing, supporting and understanding businesses of varying sizes, sectors and industries in the Guelph area. They are member-focused and genuinely interested in helping your business succeed.
Member-focused means that they want you to use their services, resources and experiences to gain knowledge and apply that to your business. They want to know your business plans and goals so they can provide the best advice and guidance as to how the Chamber can help you achieve them.
How do I know this? When I joined the GCC I went in to discuss my business' future growth plans and asked how the GCC could play a role in my plans to get there. Immediately I was given suggestions as to what I should participate in as well as options to write articles and have a profile done on my business which would show up in the quarterly newsletter at no cost to my business. Not only that, but at the end of my meeting the staff took a genuine interest that I had dropped by. This gave me a strong sense of business community which was nice for a sole-proprietor running a small but expanding business. It felt like I had instantly gained a team of dedicated business associates through a 1 hour meeting at the Chamber.
From the conversations I have had with various staff members I know that an honest and sincere business relationship has formed. I know that their advice, guidance and support has attributed to our business growing stronger in the Guelph community.
In order to achieve your business goals with the assistance of the GCC you can:
- Participate in networking events
The Chamber offers various networking events at different times and a variety of different formats to suit our diverse business community. Try all the networking functions, find the ones that work best for you and be consistent in your attendance at those events. Your repeated attendance will enforce your business' presence within the networking community.
- Maximize your exposure through the Moving Business Forward Magazine
The GCC has a variety of ways that you can get business exposure for free. You can write a business related article, see if you can be a Member Profile in the magazine, and announce any news about your business in the Buzz on Business section. If you're looking for more traditional forms of advertising, the GCC has a variety of paid advertising opportunities as well.
- Become involved in a committee
There are 4 different committees at the GCC that you can become involved in. While it might seem that the extra time you spend on a committee could be time spent making sales - this is a fabulous networking opportunity, a chance to be a part of the system and possibly induce changes that are in yours and others best interest. It is also a chance to further your relationship with the staff members of the chamber. Remember they are advocates for your business needs and requirements.
In the end I have found being an entrepreneur has been made more pleasurable and more profitable through my involvement with the GCC. I firmly believe that a commitment to the Guelph Chamber of Commerce is a commitment to your business' future success.
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By Tanya Riemann
Tanya is the founder of Platypi Designs, a web design and
development firm in Guelph Ontario.
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