What Type of Opportunities Are Included in My Membership?
There are a variety of different ways for you to market your business with the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce! We hope to make it a bit easier for you to decide which works best for your business, and to encourage you to take advantage of ALL the opportunities offered through your membership with the SWCC!
Do You Want to Grow Your Business?
Does your business need increased exposure?
Can your business benefit from a member-to-member discount?
Are you looking to expand into new spaces or with new people?
Would you like to be listed in our Member Directory?
Do you need access to a list of media contacts for a Press Release?
Looking to celebrate a grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony?
Marketing Opportunities
Online:
E-Newsletter Submissions
Submit 2-4 sentences into our biweekly member eNewsletter! A small jpg image can also be submitted. The member eNewsletter is distributed to contacts from our email database every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. Members are allowed to publish a submission once per month.
Online Member Directory Listing
All Chamber members receive a free listing including logo, bio, contact info. , images & link to company website inside of the membership directory on our website. Our member directory is available to the public as they search by name or category.
Job Posting
Does your business have an opening that you’d like to share? Send us the information and we can publish it for you on our website, and also in the next eNewsletter as your submission for the month.
Community Calendar
Have an event coming up? Chamber members can add their event to our online community calendar. Submit events online or email us your event info.
Social Media
The Chamber maintains a Facebook page and Twitter to promote its members. Our active presence on social media gives you added exposure when we like, comment and share via your business’ Facebook and Twitter page. To maximize the impact, make sure you’re following and engaging with us as your business page and personal profile, too. As a member you have the opportunity to send info you would like us to share.
Website Sponsorship
Featured – $250 – Company logo, phone number and link to company website displayed at the bottom of each page on the chamber’s website for three months; one business per quarter
Highlight – $100 – Company logo with link to company website in the middle of the home page of the chamber’s website for three months; five businesses per quarter.
Sponsor an eBlast
For $150, your business will be able to promote whatever event, sale, new product, etc. that you wish. This email can be sent on any date and any time that is best for your company, and is distributed to over 1500 email contacts. No other information, besides what is provided by your business, will be in this email so it is completely yours! Materials must be provided to the Chamber a week in advance from the desired send date. Email all copy and images to amy@southwindsorchamber.org
Print:
Marketing Materials in Our Lobby
Our lobby is your lobby! Bring your print materials to our office! Our lobby is a great resource full of business cards, flyers, brochures, etc. These materials are open to the public for taking – that means your next client could be looking for you at our office!
Welcome Packets
Each month the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce delivers Welcome Packets to new South Windsor homeowners.
- Inserts – As a member, you have the opportunity to promote your business with a one page flyer or special offer for just $1.00 per household. Choices include $180 for 180 households or $360 for 360 households.
- Envelope sponsorship – $600, your company logo will be on the front of the Welcome Packet envelope and your inserts will be included in each packet sent out for 12 months.
Connections Newsletter
The South Windsor Chamber produces and mails the CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER to 1,200 South Windsor businesses quarterly. Additional quanitities are left at key retail locations. Connections is distributed in the months of March, June, September, December and is also posted on the chamber website. The newsletter is a full page, 4 color, 8.5 x 11 publication on quality stock. Advertising opportunities are available for chamber members only.
Other:
Sponsor a Chamber Event
Become a sponsor of one of our signature events! Want to sponsor more than one event? The chamber offers Gemstone Packages at a discounted price so your business can receive exposure all year long in a number of different ways. Please call the Chamber for more information on events, and an event specific sponsorship level package.
- Greater Hartford Women’s Conference
- First Responders Appreciation Breakfast
- Annual Golf Tournament
- Annual Meeting Dinner & Business Person of the Year Ceremony
- South Windsor Restaurant Crawl
- Annual Holiday Social
Press Releases
Let us help you with your press releases. We can send your press release to our media* contact list to help give you extra exposure for the news you’d like to share. If you don’t know how to write a press release, we can help you! Email your press release to amy@southwindsorchamber.org. *Publishing is at the discretion of the newspaper.
Speaker Engagements
Each Friday morning Business Networking Group meeting features a 10-minute presentation by a Chamber member. There are also other speaker engagements available for you to submit a proposal for.
Raffle Prize Donations
Gain more exposure for your business by providing a raffle item for one of our events. Raffle prize donors may receive recognition during raffle at event, in event program and more!
Networking & Hosting Events
Morning Business Networking
Attend our networking events twice per month and exchange laughs, leads, testimonials, and business cards! Networking is a great way to make personal connections, and learn more about another business face to face. You never know who may be attending… they could be your next best connection! This event is held every second and fourth Friday of the month at the Chamber office from 7:45-9:00am. As a benefit of membership, you have the opportunity to be the 10-minute presentation at one of the meetings.
Business After Hours
Members have the opportunity to host a Business After Hours at their business! These events bring together members of the business community to provide the opportunity to meet new contacts, promote your business and build relationships.
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cuttings
Have you opened a new business in town? Did you add services or space to your current location? Consider a grand opening to show off your work! The Chamber will help you with the planning, and we will invite local dignitaries, the press, and Chamber members to attend.
Educational/Informational
Maximize Your Membership Class
A review of all SW Chamber member benefits and how to leverage them for your business growth. This event is held quaterly.
– Review all the benefits that come with your membership
– Learn FREE ways to promote your business
– Identify which Chamber activities will best help you grow your business
– Create a marketing plan using Chamber events and activities
– Board of Directors Meet and Greet
Educational Series
The chamber offers a series of classes to help members learn ways to run their business more efficiently and to stay up to date with regulations and best practices.
Chamber E-Newsletter
The Chamber sends out four e-Newsletters each month.
Week 1: SW Business Round Up – key commercial proposals and approvals as addressed by the Town of South Windsor PZC and EDC committee.
Weeks 2 & 4: Member News
Week 3: Legislative Update – legislative updates from Sate Senator Saud Anwar, State Rep. Jeff Currey, State Rep. Tom Delnicki and Mayor Andrew Paterna.
S.C.O.R.E
Mentors are available to meet with you and assist you with your business questions. S.C.O.R.E. is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping small business with education and mentoring.
Outreach Committee Mentor
A member of the Outreach Committee is assigned to each chamber member to provide support and understand the needs of the members. The Outreach Committee is part of the link between the Chamber and its members and in so doing will seek to inform members about Chamber activities, identify any concerns members have about the Chamber, and identify the challenges they face.
Discounts & Perks
Member to Member Deals Program
Participate in the Member to Member Deals Program! Offer fellow Chamber members discounts and rewards on your goods or services to generate local business. Discounts are available to all Chamber member businesses and their employees.
Constant Contact Discount
The South Windsor Chamber of Commerce participates in a chamber program with Constant Contact, which entitles our members to receive an additional 10% discount off of account fees. Contact jill@tonsha.com to be signed up for the discount.
Certificate of Origin
The South Windsor Chamber is an authorized Certificates of Origin issuer. Non-member pay $25, there is no charge to members.
Tax Deduction
Realize a tax deduction – Chamber membership is 95% tax deductible as a business expense according to the IRS..
Other Benefits
Chamber Award Opportunities
The Chamber recognizes organizations and industry leaders in our community at feature events, such as our Annual Meeting Dinner & Business Person of the Year Ceremony and Annual Holiday Social which includes Business & Expansion Awards and Volunteers of the Year.
Member Spotlight
The Member Spotlight program gives two members each month a chance to be Member Spotlight winner and gain free exposure in the weekly e-newsletter, Chamber office bulletin board and on social media with the chosen member’s bio and logo that will run for two weeks. Two members are picked out of a hat to be represented the following month.
Committees
Volunteer to be on a committee to help plan an event! Being on a committee gets your name into the business community and gives you a leadership role at the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce. We have a variety of marketing, customer service, and business and office management projects in the works and need more hands and minds to execute them!
Community Resource
As the resource for businesses in South Windsor, we continually provide referrals to community and Chamber members. Businesses, residents and visitors in South Windsor come to the Chamber or our website to find the services and products they need.
Membership Mailing Labels
Have a mailing you want to send to the Chamber membership? For $150, we will print a set of membership labels for any member who wishes to directly mail to the membership.
Member of East of the River Chamber of Commerce Association
ERCCA is primarily a consortium of the chambers in our region which serves as a lobbying entity to the state on behalf of business interests. There are occasional events sponsored by ERCCA which offers networking between the different chambers. Members are updated on ERCCA through the chamber e-newsletters. ERCCA also sponsors international discounted trips exclusively for participating chamber members.
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The Chamber’s after hour networking events helped introduce me to new customers and important people to help guide my business through our startup period. I can’t thank the Chamber enough for everything it’s provided.
We use the welcome packet to reach new customers when they move to the area. This is much easier than doing this internally because the Chamber gets the information much more quickly than we ever could. It’s been one of the most successful campaigns our company has used.
Our company uses the Chamber to spread the word about what we offer. Typically our social media shares get re-shared by members and their employees. We also use the member spotlight opportunity to keep our brand out there. The value provided by the chamber far outweighs the minimal annual investment for a small company like ours.