ARTICLE
Driving value to local businesses is the centerpiece of all that we do through the Chamber of Commerce. We estimate that our members at a minimum receive a return on investment seven times greater than their annual investment in the Chamber. Our mission is to create a business environment in the region where our members can thrive, and to do that we focus on meeting the most pressing needs of our members by providing a diverse set of services that provide value in return for your business investment. Customers are the life blood of any business, and the Chamber works to foster connections between businesses and customers in a variety of ways. One of the most tangible benefits of Chamber membership for customer-centric businesses is the Shoptauqua Gift Card program. More than 150 businesses around Chautauqua County currently accept the Shoptauqua Gift Card. For consumers it’s easy to purchase through the Chamber offices, and for businesses it is easy to accept through a simple card swipe setup in your point of sale system. In 2019 more than $76,000 was directly invested in the local economy as consumers used Shoptauqua Gift Cards. Because of the long-held principle of the economic multiplier effect, each dollar that is spent locally actually has an impact of $1.50 in the economy – because it means wages, job creation, and additional local purchases. In Chautauqua County, that means the Shoptauqua Gift Card made a $114,000 difference in our local economy just last year alone. Over the many years that the Chamber of Commerce has been running the Gift Card program, and its forerunner, the gift check program, that total invested back into our local economy in Chautauqua County has been close to $3-million. The Chamber’s work to drive traffic to local businesses doesn’t end there, though. We also foster member referrals through the dynamic Business Directory embedded in our website. Each Chamber member business has a landing page on our site. Through that page and direct links to our member businesses on the web, phone, or through interactive Google maps, its easy for anyone to find a local business to provide services they are seeking. Each day, an average of 7,400 referrals are made to Chamber businesses through our online Business Directory, in addition to referrals provided when people call or stop in at our offices. Special promotional events also provide value to our member businesses. The six Community Chambers that work in partnership with the County Chamber of Commerce host over 100 events each year through hard and dedicated work of over 100 volunteers. These events are designed to drive foot traffic into local businesses. In addition, the Chamber’s annual advertising and online campaign around Small Business Saturday and publicity around grand openings and ribbon cutting events for local businesses. Your investment in the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce makes you part of one of the largest business associations in Western New York. Our focus is on driving service and value. Over the next several weeks the Chamber will be focused on articles that demonstrate the value of membership. We thank you for your investment and your participation in the Chamber of Commerce and look forward to serving your business throughout the year.