Member Benefits & Opportunities
Membership in The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce is a smart investment.
Your chamber offers plenty of opportunities for your business to be noticed and appreciated. Contact us to find out how we can work together to help our community and chamber to thrive.
The value of Chamber membership is limited only by your use of it.
Announcing a new benefit!
Office Depot Program
As a benefit of membership, Chamber members can receive significant savings of up to 60% off a list of 175 most commonly purchased items by businesses. Most other items are discounted at least 5% over everyday low price. In addition to your special pricing you can receive fast and free delivery orders of $50 or more on qualifying orders when placed by 5 p.m. Click here to sign up.
* Business Contacts
Through various Chamber events, meetings and activities, you meet fellow members who can send you valuable business…and vice versa. You become part of a personal “customer referral service.”
*Business Referrals
The Chamber receives hundreds of calls a month for the names, addresses and phone numbers of local businesses and professional. Only Chamber members are referred.
* Sunset Networking Mixers
An excellent networking opportunity for you to meet business contacts on a monthly basis. Also an excellent “fringe benefit” for your staff and employees.
* Breakfast & Luncheon Educational Meetings
Our breakfast and luncheon meetings cover subjects pertinent to business, educating members about current trends. They provide opportunities to share your product/service with Chamber members. Programs feature timely topics affecting the business community.
* Publicity
All members receive a free listing, alphabetically and by business classification, in our Business Directory and Buyer’s Guide and a listing on the home page of the Chamber’s web site. If your business has it’s own web site, we link it to ours. All new members are listed in our quarterly newsletter. In addition, members are offered assistance with groundbreakings, grand openings and ribbon cuttings.
* Publications and Brochures
The Chamber is a distribution point of many publications of interest to business people. Statistical information, schools, churches and local and state government information are all useful for small business marketing and advertising purposes. A quarterly online issue of Berkeley Business Advocate, the Chamber’s award-winning newsletter, informs members not only of Chamber activities but the city and state issues that affect your business.
* Legislative Advocacy
There are many organizations that speak for the Berkeley community, but only one, The Chamber, speaks for the entire business community. The Chamber brings together business people to influence leaders who govern our city, state and nation. The Berkeley Chamber is committed to the proposition that a strong, healthy community is vital to business.
* Membership Perks
As a Chamber you will have many programs and services available to your employees: member rates for all Chamber events, publications and advertising; free certificates of origin and local tax service; web site listing; scholarships; and a small business library.
SOME BASIC INFORMATION
The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce is:
· A nonprofit, private business organization established in 1900 with NO tax monies of any kind
· Supported by 350+ businesses, professional, retail and industrial firms and non-profit organizations
· A volunteer organization, supported by 4 staff professionals
· Member-supported with dues beginning at $275 annually… average is $350… they are tax deductible only as a business expense
· Working for business and the community… and it can work for you!
How the Chamber Works
· Our members are at the top of our organization.
· Each year, the members elect new Directors. The board is comprised of up to 30 Directors.
· The board employs a staff of professionals who work for them and the membership.
· The staff serves the Committees, comprised of volunteer members, who are active in areas of community concern… where the real problem solving work is done.
BENEFITS OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP
The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce excels in its work to improve the economy and quality of life in the Berkeley and Alameda County. The heart of the Chamber’s program is a broad spectrum of benefits and services for members, ones that are not available to nonmembers. In case you’re unfamiliar with some of our programs, or just need a refresher course in how to take advantage of your membership, take a few moments to see what’s available.
New Business Contacts:
The Chamber can put you in touch with hundreds of people who could become new clients, customers or patients. Some of the dozens of events you can attend as a member to expand your contacts include:
Sunset & Sunrise Networking – these are the most popular membership get-togethers where members can meet, exchange business cards and talk about business in a relaxed and informal setting, at no cost to the Chamber.
Committee and Task Force Meetings - Participation in committee activities and working with others on major projects offers member’s additional opportunities to meet business and professional people with similar interests.
Special Events – breakfast. Luncheon and evening events throughout the year bring members together for both business and pleasure.
Publicity and Exposure
There is no better way to get your firm’s name before the public and the business community than through Chamber membership. Available to members at little or no cost are the following:
· Newsletter Publicity – our quarterly online “Berkeley Business Advocate” newsletter publishes updates on products, services and accomplishments of members, legislation affection business and a variety of other newsworthy information.
· Chamber Directory – all members receive two free listings in our directory – alphabetical and categorical.
· Website Listings – all members receive one free listing on the Chamber’s website. In addition, if you have your own website, we will hot link your site.
· Business Expo – Chamber-sponsored trade show, held each year, offers members an excellent marketing vehicle. Members may purchase booth space to introduce their goods and services to fellow Chamber members and the public.
· Direct Mail Promotion – the Chamber’s mailing labels and flyer inserts are available for purchase and use by members only.
· Advertising Opportunities – including e-blast is available exclusively to members.
Referrals
The Chamber receives thousands of requests each year for recommendations on goods or services to be purchased in Berkeley. We refer only Chamber members to these newcomers, visitors and area residents by using our Chamber member’s list.
Personal and Professional Development
Leadership Berkeley - empowers a diversity of individuals with knowledge, skills and inspiration, educates individuals of their leadership qualities and ownership in the community. www.leadershipeastbay.com
Guidance and Counseling
At the Chamber, you’ve got a friend. If a particular business problem have you stumped, or if you need someone to point you in the right direction… we’re here to help. Specific programs include:
Special Events Assistance - members enjoy free advice from the Chamber in staging grand openings, ground- breakings, anniversary celebrations and other events. We can provide invitation mailing lists, recommendations of caterers, suggestions on the time and date, organization of ceremonies and more.
Business Expansion Services - If you’re looking to expand locally, but need some direction and advice, our Executive Committee and staff can give you the benefit of their thinking. For established firms experiencing difficulties, the Chamber’s Board of Directors can also be of service.
Score Counseling - Free one-on-one counseling to help people start and operate a successful small business.
Governmental Advocacy
The Chamber tracks local, state and federal issues that affect members. Through Chamber publications and special candidate and issue forums, we keep members abreast of information they need to know.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO YOUR PARTICIPATION
Do you realize you can benefit from your Chamber in little or no time?
In less than one hour, you can:
1. Write and mail a business profile to be published in “Berkeley Business Advocate” newsletter.
2. Stop by a “Sunset Networking Mixer” social and make some new contacts.
3. Promote your business, for a nominal fee, by submitting a flyer to be included in the Chamber’s newsletter.
4. Visit the annual Business Showcase.
In less than two hours, you can:
1. Sunrise Networking Mixer.
2. Go to a “Good Morning Berkeley” breakfast.
3. Attend an informative breakfast/lunch time seminar.
AND in the event you have no time to get involved, the Chamber still offers you:
1. Business referrals from the Chamber Directory, Web site or from the Chamber staff members in response to inquiries at the office.
2. Information and advocacy on legislative issues affecting your business.
3. Business and member information in Chamber publications.
4. Assistance with special events, such as grand openings.
5. Free link on our web site.
The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce would like to extend an invitation to you to become an integral part of Berkeley’s business community.
