Sharron, as real estate agents we not only sell houses, we help build communities. I have been Chamber Secretary in the past and am on our City Council now. It has been an eye-opener to the needs of our community.

From the standpoint of benefiting my business or me personally, I could not say exactly. But I think that the opportunity to put something back into the community is beneficial and stands on its own.

It is an opportunity to network with professionals in other areas of business and broaden your circle of friends and hopefully prospects for future business. I hope you join and find it to be a win win for you and your community.

Phil will have to give me points on this for being soo sooo focused.

I'm SO proud of you, Mary!

My experience is similar to yours ... none. I am also a member of the local Chamber (joined last summer) but never have gone to any of the Activities. I just can't find the time ... and even if I did have the time, I know there are a lot of members who are Realtors as well. I do see ocassionaly some web traffic coming to my site from the Chamber website ... at least something!

Awesome networking here in Destin Florida!  I'm even an Ambassador.  I show up at all the ribbon cuttings for the group photo in their monthly publication.  Our chamber is VERY active in the community and if you aren't a member, you need to be.  FIND THE TIME!   A breakfast once a month on a Friday morning only cuts in an hour of your day and look how many people will see you!   At every function I make it a POINT to meet someone I never saw before and make my acquaintence.  I always go home with several business cards for my database sphere of influence.  They need volunteers?  I volunteer.  I memorize names so the next time I can call them by name.  Wow are they impressed.  Last fall I volunteered along with all the other Ambassadors - and took a couple of hours to distributed new Chamber publications to area businesses.  Introduced myself as a Chamber Ambassador and local Realtor.  "Do you know anyone looking to buy or sell a home?   How easy is that?  You just never know what kinda of lead you might get. The more active you are in the community, the more your business is taken seriously.  People will say, gosh, I see her all over the place!   Her and that silly white bird!!!  A ribbon cutting takes maybe a half hour, pose for the photo, mingle, network and leave.  I make the time.  Besides all those initials after your name, Chamber of Commerce Ambassador looks pretty impressive and people actually know what it means!   You get out of something what you put into it.  If you aren't a member, you need to be!  

to me it seems as too much effort put into marketing myself to just one community (well, four in my case as it is a combined chamber) ... I cover couple counties, not just a few local communities ... plus we've been moving around a lot and I know this isn't our last place and we'll move again eventually. So I'm still not convinced.

I am a past Chamber President, it has been a great experience.  You meet so many people and get to mix and mingle within your own community.  They may not need your services, but they know someone who does. Most of my business comes from referrals.  Get involved, know who your competition is, know who is out in front and what they are doing.  You don't have to be on the board, but attend all the functions you can.  We have business after hours, leads groups, morning mix and mingles.  And if you can, join more than just one chamber if you live in a small town like me.  There are other organizations you can get involved with, I serve on 2 city boards, president of Kiwanis and a Police Explorers advisor.  I have generated business from each and everyone of these.  You need to get your name out there and when you let everyone know what you do, they will remember your name when they are in need of a Realtor.  

Don't forget the things related to children (especially if you have them).  PTA/PTO, organized sports boards (Pop Warner, Little League, etc.) Scouts, etc.  Through my local PTA, I became very well known as the "All-Star Revue Lady".  It was a local production for 3rd and 4th graders I became involved with many years ago.  Although I've passed that baton a few years back, I still get calls from parents and other relatives looking for real estate advice, etc.  Also, don't forget local food pantries, shelters, etc.

I did all of these things before I became a full-time Realtor and I still do them.  I find that the more I put into my community without any expectation of return (other than doing the right thing, sleeping well at night and setting a good example for my kids), the more I get back, both personally and professionally.  Many organizations are only looking for someone to do some typing, etc. and all volunteers are always appreciated, especially by other volunteers.

Added benefit of community involvement?  My children say they'll never be able to get away with anything because everyone knows they're my kids!  Shhhh...don't tell them....there was a method to my madness!

Definitely get involved in your community.  If anyone had ever told me 20 years ago that I would be VP of the PTA, on the Pop Warner Board, Girl Scout Leader, etc., I would have said they were crazy.  Not my gig.  But I have some amazing memories, great friends and a monstrous distribution list.

The chamber of commerce is a vital link in a community.  I have not missed many of the eye-opener breakfast meetings.  All of the community businesss leaders show up.  It is an opportunity to contribute and network with some of the most concientious professionals in town.  Go attend, do some business and do some good.

Realtor, Columbus Ga