Small Business Season: A Golden Opportunity for Your Chamber to Shine

As a chamber pro, you know small businesses are the backbone of our communities.

They provide jobs, support local initiatives, and create a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere. Sadly, recent years have brought unprecedented challenges to small businesses, from the pandemic to supply chain issues and rising costs. Now more than ever, it's crucial to rally together and support our neighbors.

That's where Small Business Season comes in, and here's why your chamber should get involved.

Why Is Small Business Season a Big Deal?

Small Business Season is a global movement to raise awareness about the importance of supporting local businesses. Small business enterprises often lack substantial reserves. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA) a significant portion of these businesses wouldn't last more than a month on their existing cash buffers. The employee shortage, supply chain disruptions, and skyrocketing costs have created a perfect storm for many small businesses going into this holiday season. They are on the brink of extinction, and they need our help, not just for one day but for an entire season. For many small businesses, the holiday season is where they make most of their revenue for the entire year.

Why Else Is Small Business Season a Big Deal? It's Open to Everyone.

The beauty of Small Business Season is that it's open to everyone who wants to champion local small businesses. We encourage chambers of commerce and their members to actively participate. The more individuals and organizations we can mobilize to share and reinforce this message, the stronger the impact will be. By joining forces, we can make a real difference in the livelihood of local businesses.

How Your Chamber Can Get Involved

Participating in Small Business Season is not only straightforward but also completely free at the Basic Level. By signing up, your chamber of commerce won't miss out on any of the resources or campaign announcements for Small Business Season 2023.

Here's what you can expect at the Basic Level (The Professional Level has even more):

Images: Access a variety of professionally designed images tailored for Small Business Season. These can be utilized on social media, newsletters, emails, and more to spread the word.

Articles: A collection of insightful articles explaining why supporting small businesses is vital. These can serve as educational content for your chamber's members and community.

Digital Marketing Kit: A comprehensive package filled with the tools you need to launch and promote your chamber's Small Business Season marketing campaign.

Press Packet: Ready-made press releases to share with local news media, using provided templates. This will help capture the attention of your members, elected officials, and the community, amplifying your message and outreach. After all, everyone loves a feel-good story.

Small Business Season is a chance to foster community resilience, engage local businesses, and strengthen the economy during a critical holiday season. By joining this campaign, your chamber can play a pivotal role in supporting the small businesses that make your community thrive.

But participating in Small Business Season does more than just help the small businesses. Sure, you’re making a significant difference in the lives of your neighbors and friends but there are also a lot of benefits for your chamber.

How Your Chamber Can Shine with Small Business Season

Small Business Season isn't just about helping local businesses (although we love to do that!). It's also a strategic move that can help your chamber of commerce shine in multiple ways. Here are a few additional reasons (beyond helping small business) why your chamber should get involved and how you can benefit:

Recruiting New Members

By actively participating in Small Business Season, your chamber demonstrates a commitment to the local business community. This dedication can be a powerful recruiting tool, attracting new members who want to align themselves with an organization that cares about the success of their businesses. It also gives you an opportunity to walk in their doors and provide them with resources before you ask anything of them in return. The Law of Reciprocity can work in your favor as a recruitment tool.

Appealing to Young People

Young entrepreneurs and professionals are increasingly seeking ways to get involved in their communities. Small Business Season presents an opportunity to engage with the younger demographic, showing them that your chamber is attuned to the issues that matter most to them. Many young people want to own a business someday. If they see the chamber supporting businesses in a very visible way, they will remember this, and it will make an impression on them. You’re building a path for future members.

Supporting a Popular Cause

Shopping small and buying local are more than just marketing campaigns; they’re popular causes that resonate with people. Accoridng to NerdWallet 27% of shoppers plan on buying more local gifts this year. By supporting this movement, your chamber aligns itself with a well-received and highly relevant cause, enhancing your public image.

Improving Member Retention

Engaging in initiatives like Small Business Season is an effective strategy for retaining current members. It showcases your chamber's commitment to their interests and offers tangible benefits and value, making membership even more appealing.

Fostering Community Ties

Small Business Season provides an opportunity to strengthen your chamber's ties with the local community. Chambers that actively support small businesses and drive initiatives like this are seen as integral parts of the community, bolstering your influence and reputation. Many chambers have launched Small Business Season in conjunction with their City to create an even bigger program and shore up those relationships.

Boosting Economic Resilience

A strong local economy is in the best interest of all businesses, including your chamber's members. Supporting small businesses through Small Business Season enhances the overall economic resilience of your region, creating a more favorable environment for business growth.

Enhancing Public Relations

Being part of a campaign like Small Business Season can result in positive media coverage, showcasing your chamber as a dynamic and community-driven organization. This can attract attention from businesses and individuals alike, furthering your public relations efforts. It is also a natural fit for the chamber’s current reputation as an advocate for business.

Increasing Networking Opportunities

Engaging in Small Business Season can lead to valuable networking opportunities. Collaboration with other chambers, local organizations, and businesses can open doors to new partnerships and mutually beneficial projects.

Long-Term Community Development and Sustainability

By helping small businesses thrive, your chamber is contributing to the long-term development and sustainability of your community. A vibrant local business scene can attract investment, promote innovation, and enhance the quality of life for all residents. You’re keeping more money in town and less driving (to nearby towns to purchase items) is better for the environment.

Small Business Season is not just a campaign; it's a multifaceted opportunity for your chamber of commerce to shine in various ways. Beyond supporting small businesses, it can help you recruit new members, appeal to younger generations, get behind a popular cause, retain existing members, foster community ties, enhance public relations, create networking opportunities, and contribute to the long-term development of your community.

Make a big impact on small businesses and your chamber's success by participating in Small Business Season. If your chamber is not already signed up, go to https://bit.ly/sbs-2023. You can come in at the Basic Level or the Professional Level.

Small Business Season is not just a campaign; it's a movement to support the backbone of our communities. Together, let's make this year's holiday the most prosperous yet for our local communities! Join us for Small Business Season!

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