Business Strategy:

Chamber Membership

63 %
of consumers are more likely to
buy goods and services from a
Chamber Member Business.

Join Us.
Make “Your Business” Our Business.
 Advantages of Making
“Your Business” Our Business

1. Exposure:
the action of making
something well-known
. Buy Lakeland. It Makes Good Cents Campaign
We’re talking about getting your business’
name out in the community.

. Free Business Listing in the Annual Buyer’s Guide that is distributed to

8,000 businesses, visitors, and newcomers
. Free Business Listing in our Online Member Directory with an active link to
your company’s website
. Free Ribbon Cutting opportunity with the Mayor and pictures put in the
Forum For Business Monthly Newsletter that is distributed to 4,800 members
. Advertising Opportunity Online from $80
. Advertising Opportunity in the Annual Buyer’s Guide from $630
. Advertising Opportunity in Forum For Business Monthly from $165
. Sponsorship Opportunities for Chamber Events

2. Networking:
We’re talking about help
making contacts that will
to engage in informal communication with
advance your business.
others for mutual assistance or support

Business After Hours orientation, exposure and networking

These events are hosted and sponsored
by Chamber Member Businesses. Typical
attendance usually ranges from 200 to
300 Chamber Business Representatives.
This is a great way to put a face with your
business and establish a relationship with
potential customers.
Rise and Shine
The Lakeland Chamber provides two
different breakfasts to get your business
rising and shining. A New Member
Reception Breakfast is held monthly to
provide new members with an informal
opportunities. A Business & Breakfast is
held bimonthly and features a speaker
that focuses in on relevant business topics.
Special Events
Throughout the year the Chamber hosts
a number of different special events to
get your business noticed. Visit us online
for more detailed information on the Golf
Scramble, CommUnity Celebration, Hats
Off! To Chamber Members, Legislative
Wrap-Up Breakfast, Cheers for First Year
Members, Politics in the Park, Schmooze
a’Palooza, CarBQ and the Tiger Bar-B-Q.
3. Professional Development:
act of improving through learning which results in growth
. Juicing Up! Your Small Business Seminar
. Small Business Resource Center We’re talking about enabling you with
the necessary training and opportunities
. Entrepreneurial Academy to grow your business.
. Economic Forecast Breakfast
. Legislative Wrap-Up Breakfast
. Partnership for Outstanding Local Education
. Politics in the Park
. Leadership Lakeland Annual Leadership Development Program
Growth Through Giving
The Lakeland Chamber provides the opportunity . Hats Off! To Chamber Members
to all members to get involved on a variety of
committees. We also offer you the opportunity to
. Special Events committees
get involved with many events that need planning . Diversity Council
and development. Through these committees, . Chamber Champions
you will not only have the opportunity to grow
your contact list, but also to train and be trained . Government Affairs Committee
in various areas. You will be able to help the entire . Lakeland Area Chamber Foundation
business community grow, while in turn providing
stability for your own company.
. Annual catalyst campaign

We’re talking about watching out for your

business at every level of government.

. Politics in the park rally

4. Advocacy:
the action of recommending
or supporting a cause

The Lakeland Chamber takes advocacy seriously. Through

. Legislative wrap-up breakfast our Public Affairs division, we monitor decisions and
processes that affect the way you run your business. On
. Economic forecast breakfast a state level, our connection with the Florida Chamber
. Education task force of Commerce provides us with instant access to updates

. BusinessVoice of
and information that impact your taxes, employment laws
and more. We know you don’t have time to do it all, so let
Greater lakeland, Inc. (PAC) us do it for you!
 Our Numbers Mean
“your Business”
The RESULTS of
“If a company cares about its employees,
Chamber MEMBERSHIPS there’s a good chance it also cares about
In 2007, the American Chamber of Commerce its community and the chamber is the way
Executives (ACCE), IBM, Administaff, Small Business that great employers invest in both.”
Network, Inc., and Market Street Services commissioned
a national study that revealed that membership in -Mick Fleming, ACCE President
the local chamber of commerce can significantly
boost a business’s image among consumers and other
businesses. In a scientific survey of 2000 U.S. adults, The
Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based strategic consulting BEST PLACES to WORK
firm, found positive perceptions of chamber members
in a number of areas, including overall favorability,
Belong to the local Chamber
consumer awareness and reputation, and likelihood of The best places to work tend to belong to their local
future patronage. chamber of commerce, according to a recent study
by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives
According to the results of the study, when respondents (ACCE). Local chambers of commerce are associations
were told that a particular small business was a of businesses that come together to improve the local
member of its local chamber, they were: economic climate and help members network and find

44% 63%
new business. Strong employers link with and learn from
like-minded peer companies through business-led civic
organizations — chambers of commerce.

more likely to rate
it favorably than
respondents who were
not told of the chamber
affiliation.
94
more likely to want
to purchase goods or
services from a small
business that is
a chamber member.

out of Fortune
Magazine’s
“We discovered that informing someone “100 Best Companies
about a company’s chamber membership to Work For”
belong to their
opens the door to substantial increases local chambers.
in positive perceptions of that business.
There clearly is a feeling by our
respondents that chamber membership is
synonymous with quality and desirability.”
-Alex Trouteaud, Ph.D., The Schapiro Group

35 Lake Morton Drive . PO Box 3607

Lakeland, FL 33802-3607
p. 863/688-8551 f. 863/683-7454
lakelandchamber.com AlphaGraphics.com CreativElaborations.com
 Membership Agreement Before you finish your membership application, please take
a moment to complete the questions below. We want to make
sure that you are receiving the full benefits of your membership!
Membership Information: These questions are for classification purposes only, and the
information will not be shared with the public.
Company Name:
I expect my Chamber membership to:
Directory Address: Increase Revenue
(leave blank if you prefer not to publish an address)
Expand Networking Opportunities
Address:
Create Visibility
City: Obtain Cost-Effective Small Business Programs & Benefits
State: Zip: Enhance Credibility & Corporate Identity
Gain Access to the Movers & Shakers of the Area
Mailing Address:
Participate in the Economic Development of Lakeland
Address:
Give Back to the Community
City:
Have a Voice in Local, State & Federal Government on
State: Zip: Business Issues
Improve the Current & Future Workforce in Lakeland
Phone: ( )
Be Featured on the www.lakelandchamber.com Web site
Toll Free: ( )
Fax: Is your company a minority-owned business?
No Hispanic-American Owned
Website:
African-American Owned Woman Owned
Asian-American Owned Other:_____________________
Date Company Established:
Have you noticed Chamber advertising in/on:
Home Based Business?: Yes No Billboard Newspaper
Business Category: Internet Radio
Magazine Television
Full Time Employees:
(Restaurants Only) Number of Seats: Membership Investment
(Lodging Only) Number of Rooms $295 1-10 Employees $570 51-75 Employees
Number Restaurants $320 11-20 Employees $670 76-100 Employees
$370 21-35 Employees $___ $3 each employee
Number Lounges $470 36-50 Employees over 100
Number Banquet Rooms Banks
(Apartments/Mobile Home Parks Only) $1000 0-10M local deposits $4000 101-200M local deposits
$2000 11-50M local deposits $5000 201M + local deposits
Number Units/Spaces
$3000 51-100M local deposits

Contacts: Lodging
$____ = ____ rooms x $5
Primary Contact
$____ = ____ Restaurants x $110
Title $____ = ____ Lounges x $110
E-mail $____ = ____ Banquet Rooms x $110

Additional Contact Apartments & Mobile Homes Parks

Title $295 includes 30 units/spaces
$____ = ____ spaces over 30 x $1
E-mail

Additional Contact Restaurants

$295 includes 50 seats
Title $____= ____ seats over 50 x $.25
E-mail
$_____ Total Annual Investment
$25 Administrative Fee

63
Continued on Reverse...
$_____ Total Initial Investment

Payment Options:
Credit Card MC Visa Amex Discover
Name on Card:
Credit Card #: Exp. Date
Check: Check #:
of consumers are more likely to buy goods and Please return this agreement along with payment to:
services from a Chamber Member Business. Lakeland Chamber of Commerce
35 Lake Morton Drive . PO Box 3607
Lakeland, FL 33802-3607
863/688-8551 . 863/683-7454 (fax) . www.lakelandchamber.com