Harris County Chamber is All About the Bottom Line
Tuesday, November 4th, 2014
Since becoming president of the Harris County Chamber of Commerce in October 2012, Jayson Johnston has worked to redefine the true value of chamber membership.
"If a small business joins the chamber, we want them to have the opportunity to save three to four times the money they spend on membership through member discounts," Johnston said.
"We exist to help our members save money. And by the way, we also provide networking, education and promotion opportunities."
The approach is resonating with area businesses. Membership in 2013 grew 25 percent and that pattern of growth continued in 2014. The Chamber is also experiencing a 97.6 percent membership retention rate, compared to more typical rates of 70 to 80 percent for other area chambers of commerce.
"We listen to our members to hear what they need and find ways to continue to add value to their businesses," Johnston said.
"For example, we offered to help promote our members' websites on the Chamber site but heard from many that they didn't have time to build a web presence. With the new software we implemented in 2013, every member now gets a one-page microsite that is easy to create and gives them a place to send customers."
Harris County Chamber has approximately 350 members and just two full-time employees on staff. The Chamber's board of directors provides overall guidance and acts as the Chamber's salesforce in the community, according to Johnston.
Imagine, Discover, Converge and Thrive
The Chamber launched a rebranding campaign in 2013 to communicate its value proposition to new and existing members. The campaign includes a new image, messaging, collateral and website.
In its new brand the Chamber's value proposition is captured in four words: Imagine, Discover, Converge and Thrive. Imagine refers to the promotional opportunities available to members; Discover refers to cost savings through member benefits; Converge refers to networking opportunities; and Thrive refers to learning opportunities for success today and in the future.
"I think you have to revisit your brand to let people know that you've changed your value proposition," Johnston said. "And we used social media and other platforms to get our message out at little to no cost."
The Chamber spread the word through a Facebook campaign that increased "likes" from about 400 to more than 3,500, and a weekly video blog on YouTube that receives nearly 150 views each month. In addition, Johnston appears every Friday morning on NBC38, discussing Harris County happenings for the upcoming weekend.
A spotlight on economic development
Having spent the past two years redefining the membership value proposition and getting the Chamber committees on good footing, Johnston believes he can now move to address higher-level opportunities. On October 14, 40 leaders from Harris County met at Callaway Gardens to identify challenges and opportunities related to economic development in the area. According to Johnston, the goal was to get everyone who touches economic development at the table.
"Our goal was to gather meaningful information that can help us build and implement effective growth strategies for our county," Johnston said.
"As a Chamber, we want to understand how we can help lead economic development in 2015. It all goes back to why we are here: to create value for our members. And economic development helps all area businesses grow."
More information on the Harris County Chamber of Commerce is available at harriscountychamber.org.
