Advantages of the Chamber of Commerce

Today I went to my first Chamber of Commerce meeting for my town for a networking meet and greet at a local restaurant. It was a nice meeting place with alot of food and drink. The most important part of this trip and my primary objective was to interact with everyone that was there. At the meeting I meet several realtors, bankers, mortgage brokers, and attorney’s, which were just the people who I was looking for and all of which were excited to meet new business people. I gathered as much as 20+ business cards as well as scheduled many meeting appointments to discuss future partnering plans. Each individual I meet I handed them a specified bird dog or networking partner flyer and pitched to them my business, what I do and how we can both benefit. Here you can really start to build your alliances with individuals who know and develop the town around you and can be very powerful. Also in this meeting I was also able to speak to owners of used car dealerships, pizza shop owners, laundry mat service, printing and advertersing services who I was able to pitch to them my business to as well. In Real Estate its all about Network and Marketing, getting your name out their is the most important as the word spreads as your the local hungrey investor. Another great thing about it, it was FREE.

Signing up with your local Chamber is easy, all you would need to do basically is to Google your towns chamber of commerce and inquire about membership. Some Chambers are free and others charge a yearly dues which is not that expensive at all. The value that you get from going to meetings and networking opportunities is great as you can develop relationships and partnerships with business in your town.

Advantage: 

One advantage from just going to meetings is being mentioned in the monthly newsletter that is distributed through out the town for free where you can display your services.

Being a member of a Chamber brings professionalism to your company, property owners will have a better sense of security that you are associated with a chamber of commerce entity and will have more comfort in selling their home or working with you.

Chamber of Commerce meetings are sometimes televised for certain events that they put on as well as recieve lots of newspaper coverage where participating companies get free recongnition and publicity. Remember, you want your name out their and finding as many vehicles to do this is key.

If anyone had a good expierences participating in their local chamber of commerce or have any tips on maximizing marketing utilizing chambers please let me know and the community.

Best Regards

Dwaine Clarke

Clarke Real Estate Group

1-800 Numbers & Websites

1-800 Phone Numbers: Today I ordered my 800 number for the business. Having a 800 number is a key advantage compared to a local or a direct phone number of yours. Here are some of the advantages: Give your sellers/buyers etc one easy to remember number that they can call from anywhere without any chargeExpenses: Its relatively less expense overall to integrate a 800 number. The reality is that rates for toll-free services, which now include the prefixes 888 and 877, have dropped right along with the rates for other kinds of long distance service. Not too long ago, a company would have paid between 20 cents and 25 cents per minute for an 800 call. Today, they pay as little as 7 cents per minute. Vanity/Extension numbers: With 800 numbers, the companies that you register with will allow for extension or vanity numbers to be connected to it. In Real Estate marketing assigning specific vanity numbers to a campaign or given location will allow for tracking of marketing effectiveness which overall lower your costs and efforts. Professional presence: When motivated sellers and buyers see your marketing and notice a 800 number it instantly builds credibility and professionalism. The 800 service doesn’t have an area code, thus removing the psychological barrier inherent in advertising your telephone number in the areas far from your place of business. Also, 800 numbers don’t move if you ever decide to move to a different location.I got set up with Voice Nation Inc. This seems to be pretty good as well as had some real competitive pricing. With them I received voice mail package with 999 extensions that I can use for my marketing campaigns. It also comes with the option to talk to a live person whom you can assign a 3^rd party call center or yourself. My team will be handling the call traffic in the beginning and think about the call center service for the future.

Website: My Partner Ted and I had a meeting with Marvin a website designer with Bowe Design of Connecticut. He has been in the business for several years and worked with many clients in all types of industries. His process starts from interviewing, analysis to consistent tweaking to the final product which is something I personally look for in a designer. If you are looking for a web designer or anything with corporate image and branding contact Marvin at Bowe Design

Anyone uses any other 800 services or website designers. Let us all know! Thanks.