How are Chambers Like The Lorax When it Comes to Community and Economic Development Issues?

When Chambers of Commerce were first starting in France in the 1600’s, they were the only show in town.  Today there are countless entities that all say that they are working to support business or to develop the economy through business.  It can be easy for the Chamber to potentially get lost in the mix.  In the service area of my last Chamber, there were no fewer than eight other entities that had a role to play in the economic or community development of our area, plus all the municipal boards and commissions.

With that many entities all splashing around in the same pool, the businesses that need help the most, can get overwhelmed and confused and give up.  Often too, these entities don’t communicate well with each other or their directors don’t know each other or they see each other as competitors.  This is where a Chamber can help.

Chambers of Commerce are the hub of the wheel that all those spokes are connected to.  We usually know everybody and they know us, because many of them are our members.  Chambers are facilitators, conveners, and knowledge brokers.  We should always be, the place where the business community comes for answers.  If your community does not see your chamber in that way today, start to make that change.

Here are some ways to do that:

1. Update your mission statement. Let your community know that you are here to make a difference and not just plan parties.  A simple, one line, mission of “Smallville Area Chamber of Commerce, LEADS Smallville!” can really set the right tone.  The letters of LEADS could represent Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy, Development and Support.  All critical functions for a Chamber to provide to a community.
2. Have the confidence as an organization to flex your muscles and professionally “stick your nose” into topics where the voice of the business community needs to be represented. Don’t let anyone tell you “no” or that the Chamber doesn’t need to be involved.  The Chamber should be presumed to have the “need to know” in all things involving the business community.
3. Have something tangible that you and others can point to, to help, such as an Economic Development Guidebook with names, contact info, and description of services for all the entities, agencies, boards, and commissions that are involved with economic development in your area. Remember to include flow charts outlining the process of where to start and who to go to next.  Or, host an economic development summit that helps to both inform your community and grow partnerships between competing agencies involved in Economic Development.

Whatever your Chamber does in relation to community or economic development remember, Chambers are THE Voice, THE Representative, THE Advocate for our communities’ businesses.  There is no other organization that more rightly holds that responsibility in any community.  Much as The Lorax character from the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, speaks for the trees.  The Chamber speaks for the Businesses.  Be heard!