Membership Information
West County Chamber – Building the Future of West County
The West County Chamber is all about business – promoting the businesses of our
members, improving the business climate, making sure that local businesses
benefit from the growth that’s coming from Anne Arundel County, and helping our
business community get the information and education they need to be effective.
We serve as the primary resource and advocate for local business as the area
prepares for the exponential growth associated with Fort Meade’s BRAC expansion,
and are the only Chamber in the area whose sole focus is on the growth of West
Anne Arundel County.
How does Chamber membership help you directly? A recent study by The Schapiro
Group found that 44% of respondents were more likely to rate a business
favorably if they were told it was a member of the local Chamber of Commerce,
and 63% said they would be more likely to buy goods or services from a small
business that was Chamber member. The positive impact of perceived chamber
membership is felt by big businesses, too. For example, when consumers believed
that a restaurant chain was a member of the local chamber of commerce, they were
40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise in the future. The study can be
downloaded here. (Need pdf)
Referrals are another way that Chamber membership helps your business. People
like to do business with the best people they know – and one of the ways to
become one of the best people they know is through active involvement with the
Chamber and attendance at events. We encourage members to find a committee that
meets their interests and get involved – not only will you be contributing to
the community that supports your business, but you will get to know other
members of the business community who will refer business to you. Most
committees meet once a month for an hour to an hour and a half – information on
committees and their goals is included in our Annual Report, and current
committee activities, contact information and meeting schedules are listed on
each committee’s webpage.
Finally, direct promotion of your business, such as your business directory
listing on this website, is another way that Chamber membership helps you build
your business’s footprint in the community and lets other businesses and
consumers know you’re “open for business.” Every West County Chamber member
receives a free, complete listing, including a link to their website, as part of
their Chamber membership – enhanced listings are available for a small fee
designed to be accessible for our smaller members. Chamber members also have the
opportunity to offer discounts to fellow members through our Member-2-Member
Discount Program, promoted through the website as well as in our newsletter and
monthly newspaper page in the West County News.
Why not join the West County Chamber today and start receiving these great
benefits and more?