I'm always amazed at how closely some chambers of commerce work with their local municipality, and how far apart other cities are with their chamber.
Sometimes, a chamber sticks up for its members against a local ordinance, or some sort of hold up at a planning commission for a new business.
The chamber obviously has to represent its members, and the interests of the business community, so there are bound to be hurt feelings from time to time, but that's no reason that things can't run smoother.
Okay so let's talk, as I have a couple of ideas for you here today.
Obviously, City Hall doesn't want to have any retail spaces with "for lease" signs in the window.
That just means that one more business is out of business, and not generating sales tax revenue to help pay for city services; soccer fields, sewer department, employee pension funds, part districts, libraries, and police and fire.
Now then, when a business starts that's a good thing, that means more jobs in the city, more people getting a paycheck, and therefore more people spending their money buying products and services, some of which is taxed.
Small businesses which participate in the community tend to do better over time, stay in business, and grow their concerns.
Therefore City Hall should help promote Chamber of Commerce membership, and ought to do that at the earliest onset.
I recommend that at the City Hall business license department, they have applications to join the chamber, something they should hand out with the business license.
Is that too bold, is that to salesy, do you think that's out of line - because I don't.
In fact, many City Halls actually help fund their local Chamber of Commerce because the chamber is also involved in community activities.
Many city managers and City Council people are wise enough to know where that money is coming from, the money that supports their salaries for instance.
Handing out an application to join the Chamber of Commerce at the local city is the least they can do.
It is a soft sell, no heavy marketing involved, merely an initial suggestion.
After all, if the city is handing out paperwork for the Small Business Administration, the SBDC, and various business forms for the state, there's no reason they can't hand out application to the local Chamber of Commerce.
Indeed, if you are running the city business license department, or a chamber in your own town, maybe you might take some applications into the city business license department, or go pick some up at the Chamber of Commerce to put on the desk yourself.
It just makes good business sense, and it keeps the community together for the right reasons.
Please consider all this and think on it.