What is a Chamber, exactly?

Erin Keck, Executive Director

This question pops up all the time. In fact, prior to actually working for one, I myself, didn’t fully understand exactly what it is that a Chamber of Commerce does. This is unsurprising, as a Chamber does many, many things, and it’s rare that you’ll find two Chambers that are exactly alike. So let’s take a deeper look…

When you break it down to its most basic description, a Chamber of Commerce is a membership-driven business network. Businesses and individuals alike will join a Chamber to advance their community’s economic well-being and work to support and advocate for local business.

Chambers are pro-business, and while often associated with government, are not government entities (though we work closely with them!) Chambers also do not receive any government funding. As 501(c)(6) corporations under federal tax law, Chambers are nonprofit entities with the authority to represent their membership in matters of policy (unlike 501(c)(3) or charitable organizations that can not advocate on behalf of members). Chambers are not new, in fact they’ve been around for hundreds of years, and there are thousands across the country. Our organization, the Alamosa County Chamber, was founded in 1923.    

With so many different Chambers, all working towards similar, but slightly different goals, there’s no surprise that there’s some confusion. So, what DO we do? Why should businesses join?

Joining a Chamber is the best value for dollar a business could ever spend. Memberships, especially in smaller communities, are very affordable. Chambers provide businesses with access to resources and information, to networking and opportunities to connect with other business owners, educational programs find ways to improve business operations, endless promotional benefits and ways to connect with potential customers, advocacy for important issues businesses face, and more and more and more… 

Overall, chambers are the entity you call when you don’t know who to call; and regardless of the questions, we will help find the answers. Customers look to Chambers to find which businesses are legitimate and trustworthy. In fact, a study conducted by the Shapiro Group shows how Chamber Membership directly impacts sales and thus, the entire local economy. For example, customers report being 36% more likely to purchase insurance and 44% more likely to purchase a vehicle from a business that is affiliated with a Chamber of Commerce. Membership shows that a business is a good steward of the community. Additionally, consumers were 49% more likely to think favorably of a business if they are a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and 80% of the respondents were more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.

The Alamosa Chamber is growing with each day, and with it the benefits of membership. We strongly encourage both new and long-term members alike to stay engaged and familiar with the activities of the Chamber. Where to start? The Weekly E-Newsletter is a quick update on new programs, events, and more. Visit our website at AlamosaChamber.com to sign up (link can be found at the bottom of every page). Follow us on social media @AlamosaChamber, we post relevant and timely information on a daily basis. Reach out to us! We are always happy to answer questions and help you find the information you need.

So how do I join?

Joining our Chamber is a straightforward process, starting with an application and dues payment. Visit AlamosaChamber.com/join-us and fill out the quick online membership form to get the process started. Memberships are based off of the number of full-time employees, and are billed annually in January. (Your first year is discounted if you join later in the year!)

Questions?

Contact us at 719-589-3681 or email AlamosaCountyChamber@gmail.com.