Member Benefits

We've Changed Our Member Benefits!

Savings

Membership means accessibility to reduced cost marketing, networking and educational opportunities, and money saving health and dental insurance plans.

Marketing and Business Promotions for Visibility & Credibility

Each member is listed in a widely distributed Membership Directory/Community Guide and is provided with a membership certificate and window decal to display for customer recognition and business credibility. In addition, the Chamber offers free and low cost promotions including listings in resource guides and pamphlets, newsletter ads, web page listings, advertising and mailing list services.

Each Chamber Member Receives:

· 2 Free listings in the Membership Directory & Community Guide. Alphabetical and by category.

· A Free listing on the Membership Directory website at www.RomeChamber.com with a link to your own website.

· Low cost marketing opportunities for members:

E-Newsletter ad or attachment – Included with our emailed Member Newsletter. Provide us with a .jpg or .png file of your ad or PDF of your flyer. Contact us in advance to discuss any particular deadline date you have. Cost: $50 per time sent.
Stand Alone Email - Sent to the Chamber’s 1,500+ subscribers email list. You design and provide the email content for us to send. Will include a link to your website or event. Cost: $50 per time sent.
Website Banner Ad with Live Link - Limited to 200 pixels wide by 220 pixels high. Email a .jpg file of ad; agreement required. Cost $250 per quarter for Home Page. $200 per quarter for other pages. Design services available for additional fee.
Membership Mailing List - Provided in an Excel document. Includes member name, prime contact and mailing address. Cost: $75.

· Special member rates to participate in Chamber promotions , professional development seminars, events, publications, etc.

· Email updates, press releases, marketing/promotion consulting.

Year-round, members are invited to “Shop Rome First”, and participate in events and promotions designed to support local businesses, and keep shopping dollars and sales tax revenue in our community. Each spring, The Marketplace-Rome showcases businesses with products and services to jumpstart the year with home improvements, renovation, and repairs.

Business Skills

The Rome Chamber sponsors meetings, seminars and workshops designed to enable you and your employees to increase company profitability and improve your bottom line.

Business Solutions

The Chamber works with SCORE, MV SBDC at MVCC, MVEDGE and RIDC to help members receive practical, individualized solutions and free business counseling and assistance.

Business Assistance

The Chamber arranges grand openings and ribbon cutting ceremonies. First Dollar of Profit awards are presented to new businesses. The Chamber arranges a photo opportunity with the Sentinel Media Co., and a Chamber representative presents a framed certificate for display. The Chamber’s conference room facilities are available to members by appointment.

Networking

The Rome Chamber of Commerce regularly hosts, sponsors and organizes a wide variety of programs and events providing opportunities to make profitable new business contacts.

Business Before and After Hours

Members are invited to attend BBH and BAH receptions, and are encouraged to consider hosting a BBH or BAH to showcase their businesses. Chamber member businesses host the receptions at their company offices or approved locations. The Chamber invites Chamber members and guests. These events can be informal and fun networking opportunities or seminar-style informative and educational meetings. Call to find out how you can show off your business!

Economic Growth

Chamber members are investors in the economic health and growth of our community. The Chamber is actively involved in new business development, and retention and expansion of existing businesses.

Legislative Action

The Chamber does collectively what individual companies cannot do - speak out loudly, clearly and regularly on behalf of business - to encourage approval of laws that will help business and oppose those that are detrimental to business.

What the Experts Say

According to the “Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)", membership plays a major impact on your business … ”Small businesses represent the largest segment of most local chamber membership rolls, and the study indicates that chamber membership has consistent and powerful benefits for small business members—if consumers are aware that the small business is involved with its local chamber.

For example, if respondents know that a small business is a member of its local chamber, the business enjoys a 49% increase in its consumer favorability rating, a 73% increase in consumer awareness, a 68% increase in its local reputation, and an 80% increase in the likelihood that consumers will patronize the business in the future.

Most people know fairly well what their local chambers do; the study assessed the effect of this knowledge on perceptions of chamber members. The researchers said ”any belief about the chamber of commerce—whether that belief was true or not—could have a significant positive impact on how someone views a member… he or she is more likely to think that the [member] company’s products stack up well and have a favorable opinion toward the company.

The key factor in developing and maintaining positive consumer perception of chamber members, the Schapiro Group said, was that “positive outcomes only occur when consumers know that a business is a chamber member (i.e., being involved in the chamber is a known facet of the company's reputation).”

Accordingly, when consumers know that a large business is a member of the chamber, they are likely to patronize the company more often, to express favorable opinions about the company, to know more about the company, and to buy the company's products.”