Columbus Chamber Blog: Information about economic development, economic and business trends, Columbus workforce, programs, events and the Chamber of Commerce in and around Columbus, OH

Ten Things You May Not Know About the Columbus Chamber

The Columbus Chamber is constantly evolving to better serve our members. Over the last several months, we’ve launched new services and tapped into new resources, all with the goal of helping businesses thrive.

Have you heard about the “new” Columbus Chamber?

From our interactions with businesses throughout the region, we’ve found that there are still some questions and misperceptions about the Chamber’s offerings. Here’s a list of the top 10 little known Chamber Facts.

• The Columbus Chamber is small business focused – 69 percent of our members have 30 employees or less.
• The Columbus Chamber thinks big. We are linked to the region’s largest employers, with more than half of the top 100 largest employers within our membership.
• The Columbus Chamber is a catalyst for the logistics industry. The Columbus Region Logistics Council, an initiative of the Columbus Chamber, is driving growth in one of Columbus’ integral industries and is the only industry-led council in the nation. 
• The Columbus Chamber has a long-term investment in our members’ success. The average length of membership is seven years—and growing.
• The Columbus Chamber extends its services and resources to businesses beyond downtown Columbus. Chamber members are based throughout Franklin County, in our neighboring seven counties, and beyond. In fact, anyone doing business in the Columbus Region can be served by the Columbus Chamber.
• The Columbus Chamber facilitates one-on-one connections. Need to reach a new customer, vendor or partner, or find information to help your business grow? Just call us. We still host some of the region’s biggest and best networking events, but you don’t have to attend events to take advantage of our business network.
• The Columbus Chamber is the region’s largest business organization. With 2,000 member businesses,  we have connections and leverage the group purchasing power of 268,000 employees.
• The Columbus Chamber is the voice of business in the Columbus Region. Our government relations team works with city, county, state and federal policymakers on behalf of business and helps businesses navigate governmental issues.
• The Columbus Chamber is firmly rooted in Columbus’ history. We are proud to have been a guiding force within this community for 128 years.
• The Columbus Chamber team serves as an extension of your workforce. Our 20+ staff members work to help  your business succeed. We are former business owners, managers, front line staff and experienced business professionals.

How can the Columbus Chamber work for you? I invite you to contact me. Let us help you maximize your membership and take your business to the next level. Email me or call me at 614.225.6080, and we’ll get started.

By: Shaun Frecska, Vice President, Member Services

Providing Direction: Entrepreneur Program

When you start a small business, sometimes you might feel like you’re all alone. It can be challenging to find resources, especially financial ones, unless you keep your ear to the street and talk to other entrepreneurs who have experienced similar challenges.

As a former entrepreneur myself, I know that it is important to always have a plan B, but to also have the rest of the alphabet covered, too. That’s where the Columbus Chamber comes in.

Our new Entrepreneur Program was designed to answer the question: “Where do I go to access the resources, the connections and the funding that I need for my business?”

Why? At the Chamber, we were hearing that a lot of entrepreneurs were going to multiple organizations and entities, trying to find answers. In response, we created a “one-stop-shop” to help navigate all of the resources that are available to small business owners.

Participants in the Entrepreneur Program can turn to Somers Martin. Somers, the Chamber’s Director of Business Development Services, has been serving the needs of small businesses in various roles in Columbus for more than two decades. I call Somers a “virtual” business adviser. She wakes up every day thinking about how to help entrepreneurs.

Depending on where the entrepreneurs are in their business cycle, she might connect them to organizations that can help them tackle challenges like business planning or financial literacy. Or suggest they take advantage of money savings programs, like those offered through the Chamber. Somers can also connect Entrepreneur Program participants to each other – so they can learn and lean on one another.

Entrepreneurs, what can the Chamber do to help take your business to the next level? I invite you to contact Somers to learn more about the business services and solutions we’ve designed for you.

By: Shaun Frecska, Vice President, Membership, Columbus Chamber

Sales Tips 101

By Shaun Frecska, Sales Director

As an entrepreneur and longtime sales professional, I have found an excessive amount of sales tips and advice for businesses and organizations. Narrowing these tips down to practical solutions and strategies are the key. Over the next several months, I will post various tips/suggestions that I have found to be the most effective. 

Back to the Basics

Direct eye contact, positive body language, engaging tone of voice, firm handshake – social media will always be challenged to replace these established basics of sales.  It’s amazing how often these intangibles are left behind or never used.

Thankfully - in this fast-paced society, there are three truths in sales you can always rely on:

1. The more “work” you can do for your prospect, the greater success you will have.  Filling out paperwork is a great example of taking it one step further. The last thing you want them to do is to  “close themselves.”
2.  Limit your talking and purposely engage the prospect.  Oftentimes, they will reveal their “touchstone” or reason to buy your product or service through this conversation. Look for opportunities to interact not present.
3.  Believe in your product/service and definitely in yourself.  It’s easy to be happy on your good days but learning to pace yourself on the sales rollercoaster will create the greatest return. Momentum will carry you through each day.

To learn more, check out this great resource 100 Best Sales & Marketing Ideas.

If you have further questions or need additional assistance, contact me. We are here to help businesses thrive and succeed.