Re: Joining local chamber of commerce

OK I'm going to be the spoiler here. I am willing to be the messenger everyone is going to want to kill -- but I will give you my pithy wisdom -- take it or leave it.

Joining the Chamber of Commerce is NOT worth it. I've been in business over 10 years -- and before that I spent 17 years in broadcasting -- knew every business owner in town, etc. --- I joined the Chamber -- went to their events -- mixed and mingled and handed out tons of business cards. The result? ZIP. Time wasted. Money out the door. Same story for many of my competitors. Who knows why? I used to wonder, but finally gave up and invested that Chamber dues money into a better yellow pages ad. THAT worked.

Flame me all you want -- but in my humble experience a good yellow page ad is MUCH more valuable than shaking hands at the chamber. Maybe it's because the REAL movers and shakers don't have TIME to mess around with the chamber?? Most of my biggest clients are not and will never be chamber members. They don't see the value in it either.

Those are my sour grapes. Fire away.