# chamber of commerce



## TallAdam85 (Jul 12, 2008)

i recently have been going to the chamber of commerce meeting in the city my school is at. I have not joined them yet but may. Was wondering is anyones school in the chamber of commerce in there city. Or were people in it and did not see any results.
any help would be great


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## terryl965 (Jul 12, 2008)

Joining is a great thing, it alloes you to network with other busineses. That in return is worth the price. That is how we got some of these places help sponsor at risk youth for the school.


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## stickarts (Jul 12, 2008)

TallAdam85 said:


> i recently have been going to the chamber of commerce meeting in the city my school is at. I have not joined them yet but may. Was wondering is anyones school in the chamber of commerce in there city. Or were people in it and did not see any results.
> any help would be great


 
We were members for awhile. the problem I had is that I wasn't able to attend most of their functions becuase I work during the day, however, if I could have attended I would have remained a member. I think it gives you a good chance to network and learn from many of their speakers and courses that they sponsor. If you can make use of what they have to offer I think its worth it. I also think it looks good to the public when you show you are a member.


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## TallAdam85 (Jul 12, 2008)

only thing is it is 175 to join and u have to go the 3 out of 3 meetings a month the meetings are at 8 am every thurs and it is 30 min drive from my house so i then have nothing to do till 12 pm when i go to my dojo.


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## terryl965 (Jul 12, 2008)

TallAdam85 said:


> only thing is it is 175 to join and u have to go the 3 out of 3 meetings a month the meetings are at 8 am every thurs and it is 30 min drive from my house so i then have nothing to do till 12 pm when i go to my dojo.


 
You have time to network and hopefully get new programs going with other business, like woman self defense classes and self protection for the workplace. Alot of good can come from this.


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## stickarts (Jul 12, 2008)

I agree with Terry. If you network, you will more than make the money back. What happens if you don't make all of the meetings? We don't have a requirement like that here.


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## ArmorOfGod (Jul 12, 2008)

I was a member in my area when my wife and I owned a medical uniform clothing store.  We were in a strip mall and carried the major scrub companies.
Our chamber did nothing for us.  There were lots of meetings and tipping wine glasses, but no meat on the bones.  It came down to it just being a social club.

AoG


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## ArmorOfGod (Jul 12, 2008)

I saw something interesting last week that is something that chambers should do.
There is a road in Augusta, GA that has countless businesses on it.  Many of those businesses have banded together to make an association of sorts.  They advertise some of the businesses in one commercial slot on tv, which could make advertising cheaper if they are going in and splitting up the costs.  I noticed that the commercial was for 3 stores in the same shopping center.  If I am right and they are splitting the cost, then that is pretty clever.

AoG


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## tshadowchaser (Jul 12, 2008)

It costs to much for me to join and as far as I can tell most of the meetings around here take place in one restaurant or another. Personally I like home cooking and being with friends and family to eating with a bunch of pompous, self back slapping people


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## TallAdam85 (Jul 12, 2008)

i think if u do start to miss alot of meetings u cant talk at the meetings and after that you may get kicked out. Now the way it has been for the last 3 meetings since I am a guest I can not speak about my karate school. Now if I go this week I get the Floor for 60 seconds to talk about what I do at my dojo. Another thing that is still making me wonder about them is I had an Open House Back in June and they all knew about it and out of the 40 people who go to the thrus meeting 0 came to my open house.


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## terryl965 (Jul 12, 2008)

Go and get your 60 seconds to promote your school and see what comes from it, it maybe good or it vould be bad. One will not really know intil the attempt has been made.


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## tshadowchaser (Jul 12, 2008)

The fact that they all knew about your open house and no one showed makes me think they are an elitists group, and may feel that a martial arts studio is beneath them. 
Take your 30 seconds and again offer them a chance to come by.


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## terryl965 (Jul 12, 2008)

tshadowchaser said:


> The fact that they all knew about your open house and no one showed makes me think they are an elitists group, and may feel that a martial arts studio is beneath them.
> Take your 30 seconds and again offer them a chance to come by.


 
I would agree Tshadow, but I figure thirty seconds may bring someone and it could not hurt.


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## TallAdam85 (Jul 12, 2008)

> The fact that they all knew about your open house and no one showed makes me think they are an elitists group, and may feel that a martial arts studio is beneath them.


 I think that is part of it also where my school is the only other school has been in the city for 20 years and everyone knows them, also I am kinda young 22 (most of the members are in the late 30's)  and have my own dojo so they may think i will not be around for a while, But i have been teaching martial arts for 5 years while trainning for 10 years 3-5 days a week and was one of the teachers for the karate program at my college. But I have been open on my own Since April 2008 and up to 24 Students. With only 1 drop out and that was my 76 year old man who sold his house and moved down south.

About the OPEN HOUSE:

Yea I even ran an add in the local city paper for the open house. I also order 2 extra party trays thinking that at least 3 or 4 would swing by since the open house was from 2 pm to 6 pm with a demo ever 30 mins. But it was still a good turn out alot of my friends & family came most of the students also came out to the event for support. My Master could not make the event due to a cage fighting he was involved with but even my Grandmaster Made it out and enjoyed him self.


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## tshadowchaser (Jul 13, 2008)

At least you had a good turn out for the event.

I know about trying to teach in an area where there is an established school. My firstinstructor (TKD MDK) has been in this area since the early 70's and if yo do not go to his school or not part of his organisation many people tend to not want to see you do.
Keep doing open house's and some demos for local organisation. Sooner or later people will come to you  and your school


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