Survey: Chamber Membership is Effective Business Strategy

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A national survey of 2,000 adults reveals that being active in a local chamber of commerce is an effective business strategy because two-thirds of consumers believe that such companies use good business practices, are reputable, care about their customers, and are involved in the community.

The study, conducted by The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based strategic consulting firm, found consumer perceptions of chamber members to be positive in many ways:

• When consumers know that a small business is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 49% more likely to think favorably of it and 80% more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.
• If a company shows that it is highly involved in its local chamber (e.g., is a chamber board member), consumers are 10% more likely to think that its products stack up better against its competition.
• When consumers know that a national restaurant franchise is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 68% more likely to eat at the franchise in the next few months.
• When consumers know that an insurance company is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 36% more likely to think favorably of the company.

The key factor in developing and maintaining positive consumer perception of chamber members, the Schapiro Group said, was that "positive outcomes only occur when consumers know that a business is a chamber member (i.e., being involved in the chamber is a known facet of the company's reputation)." Accordingly, when consumers know that a large business is a member of the chamber, they are likely to patronize the company more often, to express favorable opinions about the company, to know more about the company, and to buy the company's products.

About ACCE
Established in 1914, ACCE is the only national association serving the professional development needs of executives and managers of chambers of commerce throughout the U.S. and Canada. Representing more than 7,300 chamber employees, ACCE enhances the knowledge, leadership skills, and management effectiveness of chamber professionals and their staffs through its education, research, publications, certification, trends analysis, benchmarking, and promotion of best practices.

Contact: Mick Fleming, president
American Chamber of Commerce Executives
4875 Eisenhower Ave. #250
Alexandria VA 22304
703-998-0072 (o)
571-236-1143 (m)
[email protected] 
An unedited version of this release is available at http://goo.gl/4oq0l

SOURCE American Chamber of Commerce Executives

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