Social Media for Chambers, Associations, and Members

As a chamber member, if you love to travel and save money, you really can’t do much better than a chamber trip.

And if you are a chamber of commerce executive looking for a source of non-dues revenue that is also a member benefit, you really should consider offering a chamber trip.

These photos and videos are from a recent chamber trip to China that I went on courtesy of ACCE and Citslinc.

Feel free to Pin the images to Pinterest if you care to share them.

Try our video maker at Animoto.

As a consultant to the chamber industry, and no longer a chamber of commerce President, I was honored to be asked to go along with a group of Chamber Presidents and CEOs on this chamber trip. And because the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) was handling all the arrangements, such as passports and itineraries, and inviting top chamber executives from around the country, it was extra special.

Even though a chamber trip is extremely affordable that doesn’t mean they are “no frills”.

These types of trips, whether going to China or say, Tuscany, when they are arranged through a chamber of commerce the pricing is very competitive because of the group buying power. I won’t mention the price of  a chamber trip here because they do vary but let me say there is no way in the world I could have enjoyed the tours, high end hotels, meals in excellent restaurants, the professional guides, and all the rest at twice the price if I had arranged it myself.

For example, on this chamber trip to China, we ate 3 meals each day, many of them in amazing restaurants, or in people’s homes. All of the hotels were at least 5 star with English speaking staff and fine restaurants representing cuisine from around the world.

We visited many tourist attractions such as the Great Wall and several major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. We also visited smaller cities of only 8 million people, or so. The balance of business and tourism was great.

The tour guides were world class and spoke excellent English. They took great care of us and explained everything we were experiencing and seeing. They really cared that we stayed safe and had a great time.

I wish I had some negative information to share with you but the trip really was fabulous.

A few tips: Bring walking shoes, extra snacks, such as granola bars, drink only bottled water (even for brushing your teeth), take bathroom breaks when you have the chance as their facilities aren’t always handy, bring a camera, and of course, be open minded.

I plan on visiting many more destinations around the globe through chamber trips. I recommend you do so too.

There are several companies in the chamber trip business including:

• Chamber Discoveries
• Chamber Explorations
• ABC Destinations

If you interested in hosting a chamber trip through your chamber of commerce, the company that managed this specific China trip is Citslinc.

Here are some photos….Pin to your dream board if you like.

This is some of the amazing artwork that we has a chance to experience during a “factory tour”. The craftsmanship of the Chinese people is breath taking. This is silk.

This is an example of one of the hotels we stayed at. First class accommodations. Each and every hotel was top notch.

We explored the great wall on this chamber trip. Bring your tennis shoes and a bottle of water because the climb is steep.

The art work that we experienced on our China trip was breath taking. Check out the person in the image and contrast the size of this statue.

Everybody we met was friendly. Families were everywhere and even though it was crowded we were never pushed, bumped, or feared for our safety.

The music was fabulous. At most of the restaurants, and all of the official receptions, there were musicians playing for us.

Don’t think for  moment that the Chinese economy isn’t huge and growing. One small city of 8 million that we visited had hundreds of foreign direct investment projects in progress. We counted one hundred active building cranes in this one city.

This is a expert explaining to us the quality and varieties of pearls from China. The “factory tours” were mostly sales pitches but the deals were great and the quality was staggering.

If you have a weak stomach the food might get to you. After a few days you will be craving pizza or a burger. I guess it is all part of the immersion experience but I really wasn’t very hungry for Chinese food for months.

This gentleman was painting with water. He was very serious about it. We didn’t speak but I had the feeling it had something to do with his ancestors.

We were treated to several very important business functions. This banquet featured business people from around the world. This is a chamber friend I met from Canada.

If you have any questions about chamber trip just let me know.

Have you taken a chamber trip? Where did you go?

Receive Frank's Socia Media Insights

Free for our members and friends

{ 1 comment }

One of the first things I was taught as a chamber exec was to “Put a volunteer between me and a problem.”

The volunteer would be a board member, preferably the chairman of the board.

Chairman of the Board

The thinking here is that a problem or conflict with a member (or people in the community) can cause real trouble for an executive and his/her career.

We have all had personality conflicts. Sometimes a person will just not like you, or something about you, and they will set out to make your life miserable.

A volunteer in your corner will give you cover and let you do your job.

However well intentioned, this advice struck me as wrong. Very wrong.

See, I view the role of the chamber exec as being a top leader in the community.

Who else is a top leader? Who is a peer of the chamber exec?

• The CEO of the local hospital
• The City Manager
• The Mayor
• The area’s Congresswoman
• The bank president

Which of these leaders, when hired, were told, “Janice, we are hiring you because you are a leader. We picked you because we believe in your ability to get things done for this organization. You were picked out of a field of accomplished and successful executives. And, know this. Should a conflict arise, you don’t have to face it head-on. Just put a volunteer between you and the problem.”

Yuck.

Picture a top CEO in your community. Somebody you respect. Now picture them going to a board member to give them cover.

How many CEO’s of successful companies put a board member between them and a problem?

Worse, how many industries have this as a “First thing you have to learn in this business?”

No. No. No.

Leaders face their problems. They don’t look for cover.

They don’t say, “Well, don’t be mad at me. It was the chairman’s decision.”

No. Leaders say what they mean and mean what they say.

Look, I understand that a Mayor who hates your guts can make a chamber execs life miserable, for awhile. That’s business. That’s life.

You might even have to get another job. Leaders aren’t afraid of looking for work because leaders are rare and they are always in demand.

What do you think about this quote?

“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” Winston Churchill

or

“Remember that no one ever kicks a dead dog.” Dale Carnegie

Here’s my point. I get it. Nobody likes being pushed around by a bully or angry member. It’s risky. You might lose.

And sometimes life just isn’t fair.

Pat McGaughey, of ChamberMentor, pointed out in a presentation, correctly I think, that in just about every community there is somebody so powerful, so persuasive and connected that if they take a serious disliking to you they can get you fired.

That is life in the big city. You want an easy life? Don’t be a chamber exec. It ain’t easy.

Want to offset some of that risk? Chamber execs, as most other professionals, should have an employment contract.

You don’t hear of many city managers without contracts. That’s because with a single election or random turn of events they can get fired for no fault of their own.

Now, let me say, I have heard and read this chamber exec advice from excellent chamber leaders. They aren’t weak by any stretch of the imagination.

They just want to protect people coming into a very tough industry.

They know that life is sometimes unfair and that often a volunteer defender or wing person can help you keep your job. And it does work.

But are they doing the industry justice? Are they doing the chamber exec justice? Does this have to be one of our core rules?

There is a better solution.

It will take work and time.

It will require a change of thinking and strategy from chamber members, board members, chamber execs, and the chamber industry.

It may well take a new chamber model.  Gasp!

Only hire a chamber exec that doesn’t need a volunteer to buffer them from their problems.

I know, I know.

• Chambers don’t pay well enough to hire those types of people.

• Chamber execs who are real leaders get stolen away as soon as people realize how talented and competent they are.

This is a chicken and egg question.

I have a question for you.

Chambers have been around for more than a hundred years.

How did we get to a place where most local chambers say they can’t afford to hire a chamber exec who is a top leader, someone who doesn’t need a volunteer to run interference?

OK. Segueing here. This post has become a bit of a stream of consciousnesses.

But I think it all needs to be said.

One of our issues is this (we have several but those will have to wait):

Rather than offer programs and services that bring the chambers enough profit to hire and keep true professionals, we have, at least at the local chamber level, taken on doing what no one else wants to do; things like handing out maps, organizing festivals, ribbon cuttings.

Why don’t we offer services that members would pay good money for?

Answer. Too many chambers are afraid of angering members by competing against them in lucrative niches. So chambers are left with the scraps.

Chamber’s don’t want to step on member’s toes. They don’t want to be criticized. They have a mentality of putting a volunteer between them and a problem.

They are risk adverse, under funded, and all too often decidedly non-aggressive when it comes to building their influence and taking action. Or making enough profit to be a powerful asset to the small business community.

I am sure I have offended some people in the industry.

But let me continue the train of thought.

Let’s see,  your average chamber provides services, and makes money, from doing things others don’t want to do….hand out maps, answer questions from the community, attend council meetings.

Plus they earn what minimal dues the members are willing to pay. But because the chamber only offers “low value” services, the members aren’t willing to pay very much in dues. After all, the chamber is just doing things nobody else wants to do. Did you know that many chambers charge dues of less than $200 for a year. That is $16.67/month.

There is a saying – “You teach people how to treat you.”

What is a chamber saying about itself when it charges less than $20/month?

Exceptions abound. I know. Exceptions often prove the rule. But how many chambers choose to directly compete against a member even if they are the natural provider? Not many.

The reality of it is this then…the members like the chamber, they do. But really, if it closed down tomorrow would it affect them? Nope. The chamber offers no critical services.

Over a span of many years, with this minimal funding and lack of essential programs, the chamber cycles through underpaid staff, hiring the best their business model allows them to afford.

And because they can’t afford to bring in top leaders who are risk takers and innovators, they don’t take advantage of changing times and opportunties. If a great money making service does comes along a member will offer it, is the current thinking.

If some service is necessary, but underfunded, like tourism promotion, have the chamber do it.

Sounds like a broken business model doesn’t it? A downward spiral?

Doesn’t this whole scenario look like a recipe for irrelevancy?

Let me wrap this up by pointing out that the industry, from figures I recently heard, has experienced a chamber exec turnover rate of 30% in the last 3 years.

Do you think they will bring in a chamber exec who is a top leader?

Or will it be somebody that needs to put a volunteer between them and a problem?

Final thought.

Boards have to be part of the solution. Boards have a duty to create an organization that is effective and growing. If they agree with me here that the model isn’t working yet they continue down the path…..well, they had better decide if they are taking their role seriously enough.

The country needs strong and vibrant local chambers because 90% of a chambers membership is small business. Small business is the future of this country.

Your community needs the chamber. Your members need the chamber.

At the very least, can we eradicate the saying, “Put a volunteer between you and a problem” and destroy the thinking that went into it?

Would value your thoughts. Am I wrong? Comment below.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Receive Frank's Socia Media Insights

Free for our members and friends

{ 4 comments }