10 Ideas for Your Chairman's Circle Sponsorships

The Chairman's Circle is used by many chambers to offer a platform for elite businesses to support the chamber's mission while gaining valuable exposure. But how do you keep your Chairman's Circle program fresh and exciting, attracting top-tier sponsors year after year?

Let's delve into ten valuable sponsorship ideas inspired by real-world examples from other chambers.

What Makes a Great Chairman Circle Sponsorship Idea?

When it comes to creating outstanding outcomes for your business community VIPS, you should:

Tailor Experiences to Needs

Understand the unique needs and preferences of your Chairman's Circle members collectively and individually to curate a program that resonates with a high-dollar investment.

Quantify Value

Show the ROI of the Chairman's Circle program. Track leads generated, brand mentions secured, and other key metrics to showcase the program's effectiveness. If possible, try to gauge sentiment as well.

If you’re having a problem coming up with valuable analytics, make sure you share compliments and other forms of appreciation so the Chairman’s Circle members can feel the satisfaction of their impact.

Promote Exclusivity

Maintain a sense of prestige surrounding the Chairman's Circle, making membership a coveted status symbol for businesses in your community. Leverage competitor’s names or competitive industries when trying to reach potential new investors.

Paint the Big Picture

Tell their story of how their investment is contributing to a better community and quality of life, which in turn, brings in the kind of employees they long for. After all, a strong community attracts and retains top talent.

Stop the Ask

There’s a joke among private school parents that tuition is just the “entry fee.” It can feel like the beginning of a constant ask from the school for fundraising, the cost of books, athletics, and more. Unfortunately, sometimes chambers can develop that same reputation.

Businesses can feel like you’re constantly asking for money.

With a Chairman’s Circle investment, it’s a flat fee for sponsorships and your investors only have to write one check. They know what the amount is for the year. It’s easy to budget for and that’s why so many of them appreciate it. The South County Chambers of Commerce in California described the benefit well on their website. They write,

“The Chairman's Circle means you’ll no longer pay for activities event-by-event. You’ll be honored with VIP recognition, seating, and placement. Simply put, Chairman's Circle subscribers are highlighted as supporters of the total range of Chamber activities and programs.”

WATCH THE VIDEO: Check out what the Lindale Area Chamber of Commerce did by launching a Chairmen’s Circle.

If you’re looking for new additions to your current investment offerings or are considering starting a Chairman’s Circle (or Chamber Trustees), see what other chambers are doing across the country.

Experiences, Not Just Exposure

Exclusive Events and Meet and Greets

Go beyond networking breakfasts. The Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council's Chairman's Circle enjoys private policy briefings and CEO roundtables with industry leaders. Similarly, the South Tampa Chamber hosts a Trustee & Chairmen’s Circle exclusive breakfast with facilitated discussions with top area CEOs.

The Miami Beach Chamber hosts exclusive quarterly dinners for its top investors to help solidify their relationships with one another.

Check out the special event the Whitehouse Area Chamber of Commerce hosted for its Chairman’s Circle.

Immersive Experiences

Offer behind-the-scenes tours of local businesses or government entities, such as a visit to a manufacturing facility. You can also make Chairman's Circle investors part of an economic development tour you’re hosting.

Community Givebacks

Organize volunteer events with a Chairman's Circle member as the lead sponsor. If you’re working on a beautification project or other program with community appeal, for instance, consider giving part of the billing to a top investor.

Elevating Brand Visibility

Who says big sponsors don’t like big opportunities for brand visibility? At this level it’s likely not to be about the desire to increase sales as much as it is exposure and showing the community that they are invested in making it a great place to live and work.

Content Collaboration

Help your community see a new side of your investor. For instance, The Belton Chamber of Commerce creates a podcast/video with all its Chairman’s Circle members.

Social Media Amplification

Some chambers of commerce thank their Chairman's Circle members and highlight them on the chamber's social media channels, extending their sponsor’s reach beyond traditional networking events and letting their sponsors’ competition know of their investment.

Targeted Marketing Opportunities

Offer Chairman's Circle members exclusive opportunities to co-host webinars or sponsor chamber email blasts aimed at specific industries.

Give them the opportunity to create a welcome video as part of your economic development work to entice other businesses to move into the area. The High Desert Chamber of Commerce gives Chairman’s Circle members quarterly recognition in their magazine.

VIEW THE MAGAZINE

However, a big part of the appeal of its program is that each investment is tailored to the needs and goals of the Chairman’s Circle member.

The Mic

Give them the mic to introduce your keynote speaker or a community VIP, or bestow an award on an honoree at one of your signature events.

If you award scholarships, allow your interested Chairman’s Circle members to present the scholarships or give a keynote to the awardees and their families.

Building Relationships

Help your top investors connect with other leaders in the community and make a difference through relationships.

Mentorship Programs

Connect Chairman's Circle members with emerging businesses for mentorship opportunities, fostering a collaborative ecosystem within the chamber.

Peer-to-Peer Forums

Create exclusive Chairman's Circle forums where members can discuss business challenges and share best practices in a confidential setting.

Board Nominations and Advocacy Access

Provide Chairman's Circle members with a direct line of communication with the chamber's board and early access to advocacy initiatives.

By implementing these worthwhile ideas, you can elevate your Chairman's Circle program, transforming it from a simple sponsorship tier to a platform that fosters deeper engagement and drives tangible benefits for your top investors. In turn, your investors will feel a greater part of your community and at the forefront of driving solutions that sustain and enhance your area's quality of life and work.

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