Chambers proven to impact economy

DARLINGTON — Members of the communities of Hartsville and Darlington have seen many times the effects of a solid chamber of commerce.

The Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce has a consistent presence in the community and makes itself seen weekly with the “Business After Hours” meetings, in which residents are invited to mingle with members of the chamber and peruse the inventory of some of the city’s businesses.

A new research study has now shown this to be more important than ever in today’s sagging economy.

“The intent of the survey was to determine what the impact of chamber memberships are for small businesses,” said Cathy Lada, vice president of community advancement for the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). “With the economy the way it is right now, it’s important to have (a) resource for small businesses.”

ACCE hired the Atlanta-based firm The Schapiro Group to conduct the national survey, which included about 2,000 adults nationwide.

The study found 59 percent of consumers think being active in a local chamber is an effective business strategy overall, and it is 29 percent more effective for communicating to consumers that a company uses good business practices.

Sharman Poplava, president of the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce, said business owners should look at a chamber membership as an investment.

“The primary reason to join the chamber is because the members as a whole can accomplish much more than if we work separately or independently of each other,” she said in a press release. “Special events, newsletters, business alerts, e-mails, (being a) liaison with local and state government officials ... are just a few of the ongoing efforts that the chamber offers current and future members.”

The survey also shows that being an active part of a chamber is 26 percent more effective for communicating that a business is reputable.

Nancy Matthews, director of the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce, agrees.

“People want to know without a lot of research that they are doing business with a legitimate business, and the chamber enables that,” she said. “A strong chamber is indicative of a strong business economy.”

The survey also shows consumers think a company’s products hold up better against competition because the company is highly involved in its local chamber and is involved in the community as an industry leader.

Dennis Burke, co-owner of Krukr specialty store on Darlington’s Public Square and board member of the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce, said that’s one reason he is involved with the chamber.

“The first benefit for me is that if you were coming into Darlington and looking for direction and information on a specific business, it makes sense to go to the chamber,” he said. “As a member, it puts me into a local directory and gets my business out there.

“The chamber is an organization that promotes the collective well being of the business community and the community as a whole. It’s like a hub,” he said. “It’s a resource and education tool for promoting growth.”

When consumers know a small business is a member of the chamber, they are 44 percent more likely to think favorably of it and 63 percent more likely to patronize it, according to the survey.

It is not difficult to see the diligence of both the Greater Hartsville and Greater Darlington Chambers of Commerce. Both are consistently making their presence felt in the community, and the study should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the local groups.