Scott Swanson
The Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors made good on its declaration that it wants to redirect the organization, holding an open forum Friday, Oct. 21, to give local business owners a say in how the chamber can serve them.
The occasion was the chamber’s quarterly luncheon, sponsored by Pacific Power, held at All Star Pizza and the topic was “What Your Chamber Can Do For You.”
“The chamber was developed by the business community and it’s supposed to be directed by the business community, but somehow that got turned around,” said Board Member Dave Bauer, who led the discussion.
Bauer said the chamber would like to help local businesses promote themselves, particularly through “network-type” marketing, and he said the board is interested in ideas for activities and promotions that will help businesses that cost little or nothing.
“You’re in a small town, competing with Wal-Mart,” he said. “You need to let people know you’re here. You’re competing with Dutch Bros, Starbucks, Wal-Mart. It’s really hard to compete with these if you’re just sitting back, thinking they’ll come.”
Bauer said that “loyal customers” might patronize a business that doesn’t make any effort to promote itself, but that business is not likely to grow or attract new customers.
He suggested that businesses find other local enterprises that complement them and promote each other.
Lerena Ruby, a board member and owner of Seamingly Creative, said she and Jamie Snyder, owner of Sweet Home Florist, next door, have such an arrangement, in which customers who spend a certain amount of money in one of their stores will receive a coupon for the other business.
Bauer and other board members said that the meeting, which was attended by some 20 people, is just a start.
They explained the chamber’s new fee structure, which is no longer based on the number of employees members have. Dues are now the same for everyone, payable annually or quarterly – $150 for a business, $85 for a nonprofit and $50 for an individual. Business people who own more than one enterprise pay full rate for one and $50 for each of their others.
“The chamber is not for employees. It is for businesses,” Ruby said. “Everyone we’ve talked about it to has been really excited.”
Doris Johnson of Pacific Power said the chamber needs to build its membership base before taking on other projects.
“Start with what you do and what you do well,” said Johnson, who has been involved in a wide variety of local chambers over the years. She also suggested chamber officials contact chambers in similar communities, such as Independence, Stayton and Dallas, which have experienced similar difficulties as Sweet Home has over the past few years. Both Independence and Sweet Home have lost their chamber directors, for instance, she said.
“Talk to smaller chambers to see what they’re doing,” she suggested.
Board members said the chamber wants to continue to meet with local business people and that they are considering other options rather than lunch in an attempt to get members and potential members out, such as breakfast or evening meetings, and door-to-door visits. They also said they are willing to listen to anyone interested in serving on committees or with ideas for how the chamber could help the community.
Brian Hoffman, SHEDG economic development director, said personal visitation is an important ingredient.
“It’s going to take that initial step to go out and ask these questions and we need people to do that,” he said.