October is Fall Chamber Membership Drive Month, and one common question that many chambers of commerce get is whether you can join if your business isn’t located in that community. The answer is YES! If you want to do business in a particular area, you are strongly encouraged to join the chamber in that community. People do business with people they know, like, and trust, and one way to earn that trust is to join alocal chamber. Joining more than one chamber increases your opportunities.

A chamber’s primary goal is to further the interests of area businesses. We encourage you to join your local chamber first, but as you grow and want to expand outside of your local community, visit a couple of chamber events in surrounding areas and see what they offer. Every chamber has the same goal of helping and supporting its members and the local business community, but each operates in its own way.

If your business has the means and resources, joining more than one chamber can yield significant advantages. Don’t stretch yourself too thin, join only one new chamber at a time and take advantage of its resources before joining another.

Here are the 3 biggest advantages of joining multiple chambers of commerce:

• Access to a wider range of resources and services
• Increased networking opportunities due to greater exposure
• Opportunities to expand into new markets

Before joining another chamber, ask yourself:

• Is this chamber right for my business?
• Are there networking opportunities that may be worth my time and money?
• Can I get to their events and take advantage of their opportunities?

Ask if you can attend a couple of events before you join. This allows you to meet other business owners and talk to them about their experiences. Do your research, including the demographics of the community.

For more information, please contact:

Oswego Area Chamber of Commerce

25 E Jackson St

Oswego, IL 60543

Ph: 630-554-3505

http://www.oswegochamber.org/