Chamber membership! What’s it all about?

We are regularly asked about who we are, what we are and why people should belong. This information will help those not so certain. Our web site, our newsletter, our regular media spots, our events, invitations to address large external groups of people, and members depict us as a proactive and focused not for profit organisation formed to promote, support and represent local business people.We are constantly working very hard to improve business opportunities for every member. We know joining this organisation, instead of one of the many other networking groups operating in the region is so much more beneficial to long term business growth.

Let me outline objectively what we understand our mission is, on your behalf, and how COLLECTIVELY what we do, can help to make a difference to your businesses in positive ways. We are employed to always represent the membership as a whole! We are always mindful any public comments we make or public actions we undertake positively represents the membership in total. Our Charter is to promote and support free enterprise, trade and commerce for the benefit of ALL!

We can and do promote this organisation. We cannot promote one individual ahead of another. Chamber services are here for you to use and to participate in any or all of the opportunities we provide to promote you to one another, and the wider community. Our community profile as an organisation continues to rise because we work at it. Regular local media coverage has helped achieve this great result. We know our efforts are paying dividends, through new members and our higher profile. Utilise this great advantage of strength this organisation presents and talk it up! Keep telling others you are a proud Chamber member and do your business with other members as often as possible. The more new members we get, the more leads and referrals open up to you!

We cannot possibly preference one member ahead of another, when asked for recommendations from non members or members. All inquiries are directed immediately to our web directory for people to make up their own minds about who they might approach.We aim to treat every member equally, no matter what the size of the business or membership level of choice, through our personal attention to any matter made known to us, and as quickly as possible.

We permanently invite you to contact us directly by a visit to our office, or by email, or phone, or alternatively we will come to you, just ask us. We are ready and willing to chat and help you. But we do need your participation to maintain two way communication. How good is it to know you are amongst hundreds of other Chamber members! No other local business, member based organisation can come even close to matching those numbers. This potential client base is almost a good enough reason to join without any of the others listed here to refresh the memory.

• we aim to keep your business records for our databases and web site, as up to date as you keep us informed of changes
• we attract ongoing media coverage to highlight the Chamber and its promotion of local business through regular columns in the newspapers and local radio
• we regularly meet with other stakeholders in this region to gather and share information which may impact in various ways on business
• we pass on all relevant business news through our weekly newsletters and updates on our web site and at networking functions
• we arrange for external training bodies to hold courses and workshops locally to save members traveling elsewhere
• we aim to identify opportunities for businesses to consider how they might be individually involved with local promotions, through reminders about events like Ulysses AGM, the weekly High Street markets, What’s on in Penrith Valley, the Penrith Valley Experience, Farm Gate and any other special event which might just work for you
• we created with other stakeholders the Buy Penrith Valley campaign to remind the wider community to do business locally first no matter what the needs. Do you display a sticker?
• we invite you in every edition of our weekly newsletter to make a contribution to, or be profiled in it. It is distributed to nearly 1800 contacts EVERY week.
• we invite members to advertise on the web site for as little as $1.50 per day, very cost effective advertising 24 hours a day
• we permanently invite members to be as involved as they choose in our functions and activities, and to discuss ideas on how you might promote yourself through sponsorship ideas, as many already do
• we have a voice on the Western Sydney Council of the Chambers of Commerce’s peak industry body NSW Business Chamber, whose impressive track record already has had results with governments amending legislative policies impacting long term on small businesses
• we aim to be active facilitators for all stakeholders whose planning strategies and policies can impact on the future prosperity of businesses in Penrith Valley
• we have access to and are regularly invited by Penrith City Council to discuss and provide input on a wide range of issues . Our 2008 Member Forum feedback report influenced input for this next Council Management Plan.
• A number of matters prioritised by the 2009 Member Forum are already in train. The 2010 Forum is in May.
•  The majority of those listed benefits cannot be provided by other local networking organisations to promote your businesses to the wider community.
• Our combined strength is everything in promoting our long term business futures.
  We lobby all levels of governments, statutory bodies and the like on your behalf on issues of state taxes, the lack of investment incentives and funding for major infrastructure, the delivery of missing transport links and the provision of long term employment opportunities, among a host of topics.While some will say we joined only to network when more serious local issues arise it will be this Chamber who has the voice to speak and open door of governments at all levels. It is your Chamber who can go into bat for you. But we can only ever operate to the levels of member input, participation and feedback.

Let’s keep moving forward together! Connect to success.

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