How to Skyrocket Your Chamber Learning

If you’ve spent any time on the internet these days, you’ve see a large number of learning opportunities. It seems everyone has a course.

And why is that?

Because it’s lucrative. Many professionals across all industries are looking for educational leadership. Having a growth mindset is something you put on your resume and that has created a need for people to know more and learn more. Additionally, with things changing so quickly in the workplace, it’s something most businesspeople understand–you need to grow and change to keep up.

But while most of your members may be aware of this, many don’t know where to turn. Do they buy the course online that costs more than annual chamber membership? They might if they don’t realize how you can help them learn what that unknown internet guru is teaching.

Your chamber is in a strong position to help fill these knowledge gaps for your member businesses, from new tech to hands-on training seminars. You’ve earned their trust. You’re connected to local thought leaders and experts.

Chamber learning events provide amazing value for your members too because your members can:

learn something from a reputable, knowledgeable person
have access to this person after the event to learn additional information
reduce stress about vetting the speaker themselves and worrying about whether the course os worth the cost
invite their staff

Growing your educational events comes down to two things–the quality of your speakers and the interest/value behind your topics. You can bring in the most dynamic speaker ever but if they’re speaking on a boring or passe’ topic, no one will attend. Conversely, an interesting topic with a ho-hum speaker can make attendees think twice before coming to another event.

So, before we get into some of the most exciting topics for business members, let’s cover where you can find an affordable speaker.

Tips for Finding a Speaker Who Won’t Break the Bank or Bore the Crowd

Believe it or not, there are speakers of all experience and budget levels in your community. While we may not all be lucky enough to have keynote-level speakers, there are plenty of people who can talk about their experiences and share their stories.

Here’s how to find them:

Where to Find Thought Leaders in Your Community

Chamber Events: Networking events are a goldmine for discovering hidden talent. At your next chamber event, make it your mission to find out areas of expertise among your attendees. Who enjoys speaking? Ask in an icebreaker question.
Social Media: Follow local hashtags and business groups to identify influential voices. Don’t forget to check out YouTube and local Facebook groups.
Referrals: Ask your board members, current speakers, and members for recommendations. Give them some areas you’re interested in bring in a speaker for such as workforce or AI.
Local Colleges/Universities: Reach out to professors and researchers who might be interested in sharing their expertise.
Toastmasters and other speaking groups: do you have a public speaking training program like Toastmasters in your area? Inquire about speakers affiliated with their group. If you don’t, search for speaking coaches. They may have a client who is interested in practice.
Speaker bureaus: speaker bureaus are also a great place to get speakers but they can be pricey. Look for people in or around your area so you’re not paying travel expenses.
Local chambers: talk to other chamber pros in your area. Not only is it possible that they know some affordable speakers, but the chamber pro may also be willing to talk on a topic. You never know what someone is an expert in until you ask.

While educational credentials are great, many people these days are self-taught and you shouldn’t write them off. For instance, there may be a smaller business in your area that had a goal of changing its culture and becoming an employer of choice. Their HR or exec may have a lot to say about the process behind doing so. They may not have certification in change management but can provide a compelling story about what it’s like to change a company culture from within.

That’s part of what makes TED Talks so compelling. They’re real stories told by the people who lived them. If you have the time to uncover these stories, you can change the dynamic of your chamber’s educational offerings.

While you can save a lot of money by recruiting local (or undiscovered) talent, it’s not without its concerns. Here are some of the things you should look for when auditioning speakers.

What to Look for in a Chamber Speaker

Expertise: Ensure speakers have a proven track record and in-depth knowledge of their topic. However, this does not have to be a doctorate or special certification. Experience can be just as powerful.
Presentation Skills: Dynamic and engaging speakers will hold your audience’s attention. Ask to view videos of past presentations or speak with them on the phone to get a feel for their personality. Inquire on them how they will get their audience involved.
Audience Relevance: Tailor the speaker and topic to your specific membership demographics. Just because TikTok is wildly popular, for instance, doesn’t mean it’s appealing to your members. However, what your members know they want to learn about is only the beginning. You have an obligation as the voice of business to also ensure you’re providing learning resources about things they MUST know about (even if they’re not yet interested) such as AI. This type of programming requires stronger marketing because your members don’t know what they don’t know. But don’t be afraid to introduce topics that are a must for business owners even if they don’t realize it yet and may not ultimately choose to use what they learned.
Diversity: Seek out speakers with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Budget: Set a realistic budget for speaker fees and expenses. If you can line up several local speakers who will come in and speak for free, wonderful. But set aside some money in your budget for a paid speaker at a signature event (or get a sponsor). Speaking of…

Budget-Friendly Speaker Strategies

If you don’t have a speaker budget, here are some additional ideas on how you might bring in a great speaker for free:

Bartering. Offer chamber membership or promotional benefits in exchange for speaking engagements.
Sponsorships. Again, there may be a business in your community that would love to be associated with a top-notch speaker by sponsoring the speaker’s fees. Offer the business a few minutes at the mic and allow a designated person from the company to introduce the speaker. You may even be able to create a VIP pre-event gathering with the speaker for the sponsor.
Panel Discussions: Moderate a panel with multiple experts to get different perspectives on a topic. This can be more affordable than a single keynote speaker.
Webinars: If budget is very tight, host virtual events with remote speakers. This is also helpful to members who are unable to leave their business to attend a chamber event.

When you’re scouting excellent affordable speakers, keep in mind the value of that type of content. There is a lot you can do from a content marketing perspective when you bring in a professional. Just as you talk to your members about the value or membership, there is an extraordinary amount of value that a speaker and their content can bring. If you’re not repurposing what they’re doing, you’re missing out.

How to Use Speaker Content for Greater Value

Many chambers don’t have a speaker budget because they see it as an unnecessary cost. But hiring a well thought of speaker can also bring in a large audience and establish your chamber as a valuable educational resource for businesses.

What many people don’t consider is that speakers also create a wealth of content opportunities. You could save a lot of time and energy that you normally would spend wondering what to post. Content from educational events with speakers can be repurposed in many ways such as:

creating a library of recorded past events
long videos can be distilled into shorter clips for Reels
highlight footage
image quotes
event pics
blog posts and articles
newsletter content
a slide deck of important info from the presentation
live content (tweets, streaming video, pics)
Q&A based on the speaker’s topic
Best practices summary on the topic (if you keep this high level without including implementation steps, it will whet non-attendees’ appetites for more information. They’ll be able to see what needs to be done but won’t have the details to implement it that they would’ve received had they attended.)
exit quotes from attendees about their favorite takeaway
poll or quiz based on the topic of the presentation (which you can then use to create an appealing visual based on the results)
recap email to your members (this reinforces what attendees learned and creates a “wish I had attended” moment for those who weren’t there)
staff video (talk to your staff about the topic either ahead of the presentation on what/why they want to learn or favorite takeaways after the presentation)
podcast content as you talk about what the speaker covered
future speaker content. Was this presenter a hit? Did people love the topic? Do more of that in the future.

Hottest Speaker Topics in the Business World

Again, the speaker and the topic are the two most important draws in educational events. But often times these type of events can feel like the same old discussions, particularly in chambers that allow their paying members to decide the content. While it might be easier to ask members to step forward with their topics of choice, you don’t want all of your educational events to feel like a boring infomercial for their business.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t allow members to make presentations, but consider creating an educational calendar and sourcing experts to address the hottest topics in business today or give members the opportunity to address the topic of your choice.

The Future of Work

AI & Automation: How to leverage AI for small business growth, taking the guesswork out of automation and creating greater efficiency. AI is a big topic. Even if you’ve already hosted an AI event, the topic spans more than simply asking ChatGPT to write an email for you. There are endless ways to explore how this will impact our professional and personal lives over the next decade.
Workplace Culture 2.0: Designing a post-pandemic workplace that attracts and retains top talent, focusing on hybrid models, flexibility, and well-being.
Skillset Revolution: Identifying the in-demand skills for the next 5 years, and strategies for upskilling/reskilling your workforce.

Sustainability & Business:

Green Branding: How to authentically market your eco-friendly practices and attract conscious consumers.
Sustainable Supply Chains: Strategies for small businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and find eco-conscious suppliers.
Circular Economy 101: Introduction to the concept of circularity, and how businesses can adopt this model for long-term success.

Marketing & Sales

TikTok for Business: Demystifying the platform and creating engaging content that drives sales.
Neuromarketing: Understanding the psychology behind buying decisions, and crafting persuasive marketing campaigns.
Influencer Marketing on a Budget: Leveraging micro-influencers and local partnerships for effective brand awareness.

Financial Wellness

Cryptocurrency for Small Businesses: Should you accept it? Understanding the pros, cons, and risks.
Financial Literacy for Entrepreneurs: Cash flow management, understanding financial statements, and tax strategies. Cash flow problems is one of the most common reasons a business closes.
Building Business Credit: Why it’s important and how to establish a strong credit profile for your company.
Grants: What’s out there and how do you get businesses get their hands on the money.

Leadership & Personal Development

Mindfulness for Productivity: Techniques to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance decision-making.
Storytelling for Leaders: How to craft compelling narratives that inspire employees and customers.
Imposter Syndrome: Understanding and overcoming self-doubt to achieve your full potential.

Want even more educational topics? Check out what our chamber of commerce pros are talking about over on the Chamber Pros Facebook group.

By: Christina Metcalf