The Small Chamber Office

1
The Small Chamber Office

• Utilizing Your Resources
• Presented by Deb McMillan
• Chaska Area Chamber of Commerce

2
Welcome Introductions

• Your Name
• Your Chamber
• Number of Members
• Number of Staff
• Silver Bullet

3
AGENDA

• Identifying Your Resources
• The Importance of Planning
• Keeping it Real
• Work/Life Balance
• Knowledge in the Room

4
Identify Your Resources

• Heres a Few
• Time
• Money
• Staff
• Volunteers
• Board of Directors
• Members
• Other

5
Time Money

• Why is there never enough???

6
Staff

• Are you making the most of your staff?
• Can you provide training or mentor a staff member
  to improve performance?
• Can you realign duties to match skills?
• Are you and your staff having any fun?
• Communicate

7
Volunteers

• Recruiting the right volunteer
• Who needs experience/community service/something
  to do?
• Note the lifecycle i.e. empty nesters, newly
  marrieds, retired people
• Be specific with expectations of duties and time
• Ask for help identifying volunteers
• Dont be discouraged

8
Board and Chamber Members

• Look for expertise within your organization

9
Other Options and Ideas

• Who needs experience? Look to your local
  college, high school business organization,
  internships
• Who needs community service? National Honor
  Society, High Schoolers building a college
  resume, Church Youth Groups, 4H Clubs
• Who needs something to do?
• Active Retired People, The Local Expert on
  Everything

10
The Importance of Planning

• Spend time planning each day, each month, each
  event, each year
• Develop an Annual Program of Work and stick to it
• Dont be de-railed by a special interest or
  personal agenda
• Have a Time Management Routine

11
Keeping it Real

• Know what you can your staff/volunteers can
  realistically accomplishcommunicate that reality
• Always ask Is this a benefit to my members? or
  Do my members want me to spend my time doing
  this?

12
Work/Life Balance

• Not just a buzz phrase
• Remember how lucky you are to have this job in
  this place at this time in history
• Take a vacation
• Be with the people youre with
• Volunteer outside your Chamber
• Learn the value of a good crock-pot

13
Knowledge in the Room

• Exchange business cards with those around you.
  They are a great resource!
• Questions
• Your Issues
• Handouts

14
The End

• Happy Valentines Day!