Bizvox Podcast

Enter The Chamber | How Chamber of Commerce Membership Can Help Your Business Thrive

Host:  Scott Leon Smith

Guest:  Jennifer Wagner, Member Services Manager, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development

Scott:
Welcome to BizVox, part of the Electric Secrets variety podcast. We are dedicated to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. We're here to build knowledge, spur productivity, and have a few laughs along the way. My name is Scott Leon Smith, and I'm your host. Let's talk some shop.

Hello everyone, nice to have you back with us. This episode of BizVox comes to you from the Richland Area Chamber and Economic Development in Mansfield, Ohio.

Being a member of a local chamber of commerce gives any small business a lot of opportunities to introduce their business and brand to the community and to network with fellow business owners, and from there, strike up really good working relationships and business partnerships. So you should always consider, if you're not a member of a chamber, consider becoming a member and finding out how to do that.

I am here at the Richland Chamber with the member services manager of the chamber, Jennifer

Wagner. Hello, Jennifer.

Jennifer

Hi, nice to see you again today, Scott.

Scott

Yes, good to see you, Jen. I drove here in the snow to get this interview because Jennifer has a lot of knowledge and expertise in membership to a chamber of commerce. So, Jennifer, can you give my listeners an idea of where you're coming from, your background, how you came to this job at the chamber, and what you do professionally here?

Jennifer

Sure, sure. I've been at the chamber for the past three years. I was just recently promoted to the director of member services. It's a great organization that does so much for our community and great people here at the chamber. In the past, I worked for a former company in Mansfield that was a hundred-year-old company and I traveled 22 counties doing customer relations. So, this is my avenue, and I appreciate my time here at the chamber. It's been a great ride.

Scott

So you are a liaison between past members and current members, correct? I'm sorry, prospective members. 

Jennifer

Perspective, yes. And past and current. And current. Yes.

Scott

So, what does that mean for like, take me through a day in the life of Jennifer Wagner as the liaison to the small businesses in this community?

Jennifer

Sure. So, I kind of head up the member engagement, member recruitment, and member services. So, that kind of is an umbrella that kind of spreads over several areas as I mentioned. So, for member recruitment, I do all that I can to gather members and get them knowledge about what it means to be a chamber member. Part of that is actually explaining all the benefits that are available as a chamber member because there is a cost to it. We have different levels of membership and it's important to let these folks know what they're getting in return. And also, as I mentioned, member retention. So, yeah, hey, I'm a chamber member. What do I do now? You know, what are the things? What are the avenues available and the resources available from the chamber and economic development?

Scott

Okay. So, you mentioned that there are different levels, but there are kind of the same set of benefits for each level just a little bit, maybe more some additional stuff. What are the basic benefits?

Jennifer

Sure. Sure. We have a base-level membership where you start out. But as you go up in membership levels, the pricing, and so forth, it gives you additional benefits. So, for instance, with the second-level membership, you get a $50 credit to be used toward advertising or sponsorship. It allows you to host a chamber event, which we call our chamber coffee events. So, once we kind of get into the event discussion, I kind of go into more detail about that.

Scott

Okay. 

Jennifer

So, that's one of our smaller venue events. And then as you go up in membership at different levels, it gives you actually more credits. When I talk about credits, those credits can be used towards advertising or sponsorship. 

Scott

Okay. Okay.

Jennifer

So, we have a lot of events. They have sponsorship opportunities, and there are a lot of advertising opportunities as well.

Scott

And that's great. Now, I got very lucky that you found my business card in the coffee shop and relaxes just coffee. And you gave me, you contacted me just by finding my business card. Now, I imagine that most people aren't that lucky to have Jennifer Wagner find their business card.

So, how do you recruit? What's your recruitment process? 

Jennifer

A lot of referrals. I get referrals from chamber members. I get referrals from staff members. They are also out in the community, especially our economic development team. And basically from our database, I follow up with members who in the past kind of dropped off and maybe some things have changed in the organization and they want to get re-engaged. So, it comes to me from a lot of different areas.

Scott

And you are in charge of keeping in touch with members not just that not only have big businesses, corporate-run businesses, but smaller entrepreneurs and things like that.

Jennifer

I would say a big, huge chunk of our members are the smaller members who we try to engage

with and just help them get going. One of the greatest parts of my job that I love is I help coordinate and host ribbon cuttings. So, love engaging with these folks seeing the excitement, and providing them with resources to get going in the community. 

Scott

And it can definitely feel like you're out in the middle of a wilderness without somebody supporting you and being there as you launch, as you open, as you're there trying to build and it can feel like you're on your own. But that's what the chamber is for to have support and to give their members something to fall back on in terms of empowerment.

Scott

Yeah. Okay, awesome.

We're talking with Jen Wagner. We're going to take a little bit of a break, but we will be right back.

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Scott

All right. Welcome back. We are talking with the member services manager of the Richland Area Chamber, Jennifer Wagner. She's talking about being a liaison to the businesses that are members of the chamber and what that entails. There are a lot of different benefits and a lot of different events that happen with the chamber that Jennifer has already mentioned. I'm curious to learn a little bit more about the Business Expo, which I believe happens every year.

Jennifer

Correct. It does. Yes. All right.

So the business Expo is usually held in March at the Richland County Fairgrounds. This year it is going to be on March 20th. That starts at 10 a.m. and we always have a fun theme along with our Business Expo. And this year the theme is going to be unleash the possibilities. This is in conjunction with the Humane Society and the Richland County dog shelter.

Scott

Oh, I like that. That is a win, win, win everywhere. Wow. 

Jennifer

And word has it on the street that they are going to have some of furry friends out there for us too.   Yes. Yes. I tell you, it's just a great opportunity to get your name out there for visibility. Our chamber members are allowed to, we give them the option to have a booth or a table where they can hand out brochures and informational items about their business as well as some giveaways, some chachkis pens, and so forth. And it's a great way to network with other trade show vendors as well.

In conjunction with the Expo, the evening before that, we always have a Business After Hours. So between the business after-hours the evening before and the Expo, we see about 900 people circulate through the Fairground Hall. So because the public is invited in for that Expo.

Scott

That's great. If I could just interject a little bit, we always try to bring the episode back to branding. Now, any branding will be helped by having dogs there, I think, having an event with

lots of pets. That will make you, that will endear you to the community faster than I think than anything else. So when I heard that, I was like, okay, all right, that's going to be a huge event. 

Moving on to professional development. How does the chamber help with professional development?

Jennifer

So the chamber does offer various programs throughout the year. We have a business boot camp series that happens every so often every other few months where the last one that we had in the fall was about active shooter training. And no, we didn't put guns in people's hands. We actually gave them knowledge on what to do if a shooter would come into your business, which was very, very enlightening, and riveting, and helpful. So we had a gentleman from the police department go through that. In the past, we had another one talking about how to identify counterfeit credit cards, and counterfeit cash for those retail businesses out there. So we do those boot camp series throughout the year. We also have a BOSS program, which is business owners sharing solutions where we have a panel of speakers talking about various topics. Secession planning was the last one that we offered and another feature that we had last year was artificial intelligence. The good and the bad.

Scott

Yes. Yes. We're talking about that a lot in this podcast. And I mean, what's your experience with it so far, I guess? With me, I find uses for it in places in my business, but I'm a proponent of, since I'm a vocal performer, I am not a proponent of using AI voice. But what's your experience been with AI, Jen?

Jennifer

So far, I've had a good experience. I do use it occasionally with my job, but I also kind of am a little bit old school and don't want to lose that thinking mind and doing things, I think, in a positive way. 

Scott

The creativity seems to be lacking in a machine. 

Jennifer

That was the word I was looking for. 

Scott

The creative aspect, especially when you're performing and a lot of business is performance,

especially when you're getting clients and dealing with customers, sometimes you have to rely on creative thinking and improvisation to work through things and communicate with people and AI can't substitute for them.

Jennifer

Yes. Yes. 

Scott

Can't substitute for the human element

All right, we're going to take one more break and we'll be back.

Hey, did you know BizVox is just one segment in the variety podcast we call Electric Secrets? And more segments are being added as we speak, including Dedicated to the Craft, a segment

that reveals the secrets behind the often misunderstood professions of acting and directing. I host that one too. Keep an eye out for more segments in the next couple of months. Now back to the show.

Scott

All right, welcome back. I am Scott and we are still here at the Richland area Chamber and it's still snowing outside and I'm still talking with Jennifer Wagner, who's the member services manager here. Let's talk workman's comp and health plans. Those are huge concerns, especially with small businesses that have employees. Jen, how does the chamber help with those things?

Jennifer

We have a chamber health plan through Medical Mutual. It is open to folks who have between one and 50 employees. It is a group plan. So you do get a substantial discount. We all appreciate those these days.

And basically, you would need to go through your health insurance broker to get a quote. If you do not have a broker, we have a list of chamber members who are insurance agents who work with our plan. And they can get you a quote, get you signed up, and get you moving on that plan. And we just last month I had quite a few folks sign up. It's been very, very helpful. 

The workers' compensation plan is through Sedgwick. Kind of done the same way. We have a representative who heads that plan up for us. I kind of oversee it. And they do a great job of getting that discount because you are a part of a group plan on those. 

Scott

So having a go-between just one less thing to worry about with all the things that you have to do with your business, having those important things, having options for those and having those things taken care of is just so it's really helpful for any business. 

What are the exciting new things that are coming this year from the Richland Chamber? Any events initiatives? 

Jennifer

There's all kinds of things. Regarding initiatives, we are starting to work on our three-year strategic plan. We just kind of wrapped up the previous and moving on to new good things coming our way. So that is in process. Some of our big events are we have a lot of signature events throughout the year, but notable event is our Annual Meeting and Economic Excellence Awards. That's going to be happening on February 12th. And we have some other events at Chamber Coffee, Mayoral Vision Panel, which is a great, we did that last year. It's a great event that features mayors from all around Richland County that are having a panel discussion and we get to hear all about what they have on the slate for the upcoming year. So that is coming up at the end of January. An Economic Forecast Breakfast as well as a Legislative Business After Hours. Those are all happening within the next month. 

Scott

Legislative business after hours. So it's hobnobbing with the mayors. 

Jennifer

The mayors elected officials even at the state level.

Scott

Oh, wow.

Jennifer

So we try to gather them all. 

Scott

So if you want a Taco Bell in your neighborhood, that's the place to the mayors I've talked to.

Jennifer

Yeah.

Scott

This is so much, so much answering those types of questions and dealing with those types of concerns. When am I going to get in McDonald's in my neighborhood?

Wow.

Just so many exciting things happening coming up. I wanted to ask, I'm looking through the biographies on the website. I'm always noticing to see what your board of directors does outside of the chamber. So if someone becomes a member of the chamber and wants to serve on a board of directors or on a committee, how might they go about that? 

Jennifer

We have a reference guide as far as getting involved and getting engaged with the chamber. We do have a lot of committees. We can connect you with the right person. Getting on our board, we're always looking for valuable board members and just say the word. We can refer you to our chamber president, who is Ellen Hines, and get you connected that way.

But we actually have a guide that is a resource guide for different avenues to get involved at the chamber. We have our sectors, which is like Bellville Beautification. We have an art sector. So there are many, many ways to get engaged with the chamber and on committees. I head up our ambassador committee, which is our chamber volunteers. They help out at events. They visit new members. And yeah, we're always looking for people to get involved.

Scott

All right. Last question. What was your favorite event from last year?

Jennifer

Oh boy. I would have to say our Annual Meeting and Community Excellence award that always happens in February. Wizard of Oz theme. So I am a huge Wizard of Oz gal and it was lots of fun. I made this year may top it our theme this year, which our event is next month is the “Roaring 20s.”

Scott

Oh, yeah.

Jennifer

So it got Great Gatsby whole thing going on. 

Scott

So people are showing up in costumes and things like that? 

Yes. Wow.

Yeah. 

Jennifer

It's a big deal.

Scott

All right. Considering being a member of the Richland Chamber, hopefully, you are now. I mean, that sounds like so much fun.

Hey, Scott here. Just interrupting myself for the fun fact the Richland Area Chamber doesn't just throw great costume parties. In 2023, they were the chamber of the year in the State of Ohio and a finalist for the National Chamber of the Year. And that's a ceremony you can dress to the nines for. If you want to learn more about becoming a member of the Richland-Area Chamber, just visit www.RichlandAreaChamber.com. 

All right, Jen, thank you so much for being part of this episode and lending us your expertise. Thanks so much for listening. 

Our next episode of BizVox, we're going to be taking a look at the recent chamber merger between several chambers of commerce in a nearby county. And we'll talk with Cassie Grau, who is the director of the Crawford County Chamber of Commerce.

Jen, thanks again.

Jennifer

Thank you for having me, Scott. This has been a pleasure.

Scott

For me too. Let's get to work, everybody.

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