Return on your Investment

By Jack Rossi, Chairman of the Board and Matthew Ballard, President

There are many reasons to be a member of the Charleston Area Alliance. There’s the tremendous pride that comes from knowing that your membership investment is helping to build a more vibrant community and prosperous economy. Member-supported Alliance projects such as the Capitol Market, recruitment and retention of 600 jobs at CASCI, funding the utility infrastructure for Corridor G for development, creation of 100 jobs at Telespectrum, and providing an incubator for entrepreneurs to grow their new business ventures (just to name a few) have enhanced the economy and quality of life for everyone in our region.

The pro-business policies advocated by our Chamber of Commerce have helped reduce business taxes, increased funding for science and research at our higher education institutions, increased funding for safe roads and infrastructure and helped maintain funding for emergency response, EMS, and public transit. These accomplishments alone are a good reason to invest in the Alliance. There is another way that membership in the Charleston Area Alliance can help you and your business directly through increased revenue. That’s right, increased revenue. How?

A recent survey of more than 2,000 adults nationwide found that chamber membership can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. The survey, conducted by two consulting organizations, “The Schapiro Group” and “Market Street Services” (the consulting group for the creation of the Charleston Area Alliance and Vision Shared in West Virginia), was commissioned by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, with support from the Small Business Network Inc.

Here at the Alliance, we already know that membership can translate to increased sales and revenue. Earlier this month, for example, a new downtown business received nine solid business leads one day after the Alliance helped stage a ribbon cutting event. But don’t just take it from us. Here’s what the national survey of consumers found:

-If a company shows that it is highly involved in its local chamber, consumers are 12 percent more likely to think that its product stacks up better against the competition.
-When consumers know a restaurant franchise is a member of the chamber, they are 40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise.
-When consumers know an insurance company is a member of the chamber, they are 43 percent more likely to consider buying insurance from that
business .
-When consumers know that a small business is a member of the chamber, they are 44 percent more likely to think favorably of it and 63 percent more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.

And remember, this survey only measured public attitudes towards business members of organizations that function solely as chambers of commerce. Our community has taken the progressive step of merging our economic development, community development and chamber of commerce into one organization, making your Alliance membership an investment in your profitability, as well as in the future of our entire area.

We invite you to do well for yourself – and do good for the region – through your membership in the Alliance. Together, we can continue to build a more vibrant community and prosperous economy.