No, I’m not referring to the Celtic marriage ritual or anything you might have seen on Game of Thrones.
This is a unifying concept that some chambers are already embracing.
This idea can be used as a new form of ribbon cutting or a standalone event. Traditionally, a ribbon-cutting ceremony designated a building as open for business. In a ribbon-tying event, the business organization is celebrated for being seen as bringing the community together.
But how exactly can you use one? Here are a few ideas:
Examples of Chambers That Have Used Ribbon-Tying Events
In 2011, the Charlotte (Michigan) Chamber of Commerce used this idea when the community opened AL!VE, “an experience-based destination health park.” The project was described by Bryan Myrkle, then president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, “AL!VE is going to serve our citizens well and bring new people into the area.”
But they aren’t the only ones to adopt ribbon-tying events.
The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce has a program designed around ribbon-tyings. They perform them at no cost to the member (or non-member). In their PDF informational sheet, they explain “A ribbon tying symbolizes the business being united or ‘tied together’ with the resources of the Chamber of Commerce, the Village Government and the community. A ribbon tying is an event hosted by a business for the purpose of connecting with your customers, your vendors, local business people you know, your friends, your family and members of the public who you invite.”
The New Paltz Chamber in New York hosted one for the grand opening of the Riverside Bank. They did so to “demonstrate the connection of this bank to our community.”
If you decide to do them at your chamber, you will need to figure out whether it replaces your ribbon-cutting ceremonies or serves as another type of event altogether.
If you have experience conducting a ribbon-tying event, share it here.
