Getting Involved

Top 10 Reasons Why YOU Should Join The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce
Business networking is one of the most overlooked steps in starting a business. Who is in your network? Are you getting referrals from them? How might you get more referrals? Some business owners might say their schedule is demanding enough at the moment, and the thought of adding one more activity to their busy calendar is unbearable. So why should they try to cram time into their already hectic schedules to join and actively participate in their local chamber of commerce?
 
Because membership in the local chamber offers numerous benefits and keeps business owners on top of important, ever‐changing issues and trends within their community and local marketplace. Research shows that consumers are more likely to do business with a company if it’s a member of their local chamber of commerce.

1.  MEMBERSHIP BRINGS CREDIBILITY TO YOUR BUSINESS
Your membership identifies your business as one that has an interest in the community.  Throughout North America, a member-in-good-standing at a Chamber of Commerce is known as a company that can be trusted to be honest and fair.  The type of company that customers seek.

2.  IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO!
Chamber members are businesses and individuals that believe in taking action rather than sitting on the sidelines.  They know that being a member is an investment not just in their business, but also in the quality of life for a whole area.  

3.  PROVIDE CORE VALUES
At the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce, we serve as your connection to profit and growth through our three core values and benefits.
  • Members doing business with members  #GNACCSupports
  • Our relentless efforts to promote and advocate for our members
  • Our constant focus to create opportunities for connections, education, visibility, and support of our members. 

4.  INCREASE YOUR VISIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY
As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, your business will be listed in our online Chamber Directory; our printed annual GNACC membership Directory & Community Guide; announced in our Chamber Weekly Newsletter, our Latest News section on our home page; as well as in our social media.  GNACC can host a Ribbon Cutting, Grand Opening, or even a Ground Breaking Ceremony.

​5.  CHAMBER EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
Our Chamber believes in and is passionate about networking.  We believe nothing can take the place of personal interaction when it comes to growing a business.  Monthly networking Opportunities to include Business After Hours; BizBlenders; Business Breakfast Meetings; Chamber Orientations; Committee Involvement; and Workshops and Seminars.  Annual Events to include: Annual Golf Tournament; Holiday Bazaar (Small Business Saturday); Healthy Living Festival; Rock the Docks Summer Concert Series; and Rockin' The Green Acoustic Fridays. 
6.  SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS
The Chamber offers members a variety of ways to highlight and increase the visibility of their business:
  • Host a Business After Hours.  If your business is large enough to host approximately 80-150 people, then this could be a great opportunity to invite fellow Chamber members to your business and show them what your business is all about. **Is your location not large enough to host a BAH Event - Consider Co-hosting the event with another GNACC member!  
  • Host a Business At Breakfast.  Members will stop by for coffee and pastries.  It is a great opportunity to mingle and talk about your business.  Attendance is much smaller than a business after hours, and therefore provided at a lesser cost to the business. This option becomes a viable option for many of our small business members.
  • Host a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting. If you are a new business and wish to have a grand opening celebration and/or ribbon cutting, the Chamber would love to participate.   You provide the refreshments and we invite the city officials and dignitaries and communicate your event announcement.

7.  ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE M2M COMMUNICATIONS
The M2M (Member‐to‐Member) program is an electronic advertising support piece designed to give members the opportunity to advertise their products, services, and events at no additional cost.

Members Supporting Members is our Chamber’s philosophy. We encourage our members to look to their fellow Chamber members when you are looking for a place to eat out, get a haircut, have your vehicle fixed, buy a home, get a loan, insurance, etc. When we support buying from each other, we invest in each other, keeping our local economy strong. It’s the right thing to do!  #GNACCSupports

The M2M Communication is distributed to over 1,500 people. So remember every time you choose not to use this benefit as a part of your advertising and marketing tool for your business, you have a lost opportunity to reach a potential customer(s).

8.  CREATE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT
This is another great way to get involvement with other business owners and representatives as well as the community.

9.  ACQUIRE CUSTOMER REFERRALS
Every day, the chamber office receives calls from individuals and businesses requesting information on local, trusted services that can assist them with their needs. The chamber typically provides recommendations through our member listings.

10.  ACCESS TO MEMBERS‐ONLY DISCOUNTS AND SERVICES
These differ from chamber to chamber, but discounted services are offered as a Member vs. a Not‐Yet‐Member rate. They can include coupons, discounts off of workshops or seminars, etc.