The Thing About L.V. Chamber Of Commerce Is...

I'm not sure what's in it for small business owners. My wife's boss once joined and paid the annual dues. About all she got out of it was a bunch of invitations to pay-for events.

Checking out the chamber's blog I'm in agreement with her. Here are a few recent ones.* Recharge Your Business in 2014!-- Cost: Nazareth Businesses: $79 for all three weeks. Chamber Members: $89 for all three weeks. Future Members: $149 for all three weeks. Individual Sessions: $49 each

* Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Allentown Comfort Suites and Linx Restaurant & Pub-- $115.00 per person.
The woman who owns the business where my wife works has had a really great day when she rarely grosses $1,000. Even if she were lucky enough to have a "great day", after her wholesale costs markup she gets to keep $500 to pay the salaries, business loans, accounting firm, utilities, taxes and maintenance costs on the building and parking lot (snow removal, etc.). I figure she's not the only one in this position.

Don't get me wrong. The chamber may be great for some, but not for small owners like some of those along Hamilton or 19th streets. Tony's show on WFMZ rarely (if ever) features chamber's business members. Instead 'Business Matters' features just about anything but it's local business members. It seems to me that if the L.V. Chamber Of Commerce is going to buy a half an hour air time (paid for by local members) the program ought to be about them.

My wife's boss also bought into local mailing advertisers. Not one which a customer brought in the 20% off coupon she spent over $100 to pay for, which she needed to sell $220 worth of goods to make out the same as if she never participated in the first place.


So what am I saying?
Small private business owners in the Lehigh Valley are far better off relying on word of mouth. Salesmen will pitch their best lines to these folks, but when it comes right down to any of these schemes paying off for a small local establishment, they might as well save their money. It's a shame the chamber and the local media are more concerned about their own bottom line then helping out our local struggling small business owners.

The only way these type of business owners ever get featured is when they pay money to the piper. See what I'm saying?

Unless they buy a little of air-time or print, you will never see them featured otherwise. I worked in radio I know how this works. Buy a bit of advertising and in return get a little bit of free publicity in the newscast or in a program Newspapers work much the same way when it comes to being featured in a article.

Owners would fare better making a request to PCN to be featured in one of their programs. PCN is about the only one that doesn't work this way. And that would be my recommendation to every business owner who reads this blog. CONTACT PCN