Membership Directory/Community Profile/Business Planner: This
colorful ring bound publication is the information guide widely used by area
businesspeople with 1500 copies distributed throughout the area. It contains
a wealth of information about the difference your Chamber of Commerce and its
divisions are making in the Minot area. The alphabetical listing by company
name and the classified categorical listings are available only to Chamber
members, providing high visibility to potential customers. Advertising is available
to members only.
Community Profile: This publication is a part of the
Membership Directory distributed to Chamber members. 2000 additional copies
of the Profile are printed and distributed to newcomers to the community,
used as recruiting guides for local employers and included in the military
relocation packets. Advertising is available to members only.
Internet Exposure: Packed with community and business assistance
information, the Chamber’s website address minotchamber.org includes
information and links to a multitude of community and area resources. It
also includes such features as job listings, the community calendar and features
a chamber member, twice monthly detailing their business. The Chamber website
currently logs over 20,000 page view hits per month, providing Minot area
information and referrals to Chamber member businesses. It also includes
a searchable directory of our members, providing them FREE worldwide exposure.
Members may also hyperlink to their own home page and email address FREE.
Communicator: The Chamber’s monthly newsletter "Communicator" is
mailed to 1500 area business professionals throughout the area. Four times
each year (March, June, September and December) it is inserted in the Minot
Daily News, with a distribution of nearly 17,000. The "Communicator" features
Chamber and community information and event updates; business and legislative
issues overviews and much more. New members are profiled and all members can
promote their business through news announcements and affordable broad exposure
display advertising.
Communicator inserts: Chamber members can have their proprietary ad inserted
in the Communicator and distributed to over 1500 of their best prospects for
a fraction of the cost of postage alone.
Minot Map: The Chamber publishes a Minot city and Minot Air Force Base map
with a distribution of over 10,000 every 12-15 months. Display advertising
is available to Chamber members only.
Member Sponsorships: High visibility and advertising value is offered to
members who sponsor a Chamber event or program, such as Business After Hours,
ND Tech Expo, golf events, and much more.
Business After Hours: Held at different Chamber member businesses from 5:00
to 7:00 p.m., these networking events bring together a large cross section
of the business community (150-250 average attendance) and have become a strong
resource for making contact with both current and prospective clients.
Showcase of Business: Each November 60+ booths are made available to showcase
products and services to over 1700 other businesspeople at this trade show
held at the State Fair Center. This evening event is a unique opportunity for
businesses to market to a captive audience. Participating exhibitors and sponsors
are also featured in much pre and post event publicity, providing them additional
exposure and advertising value.
ND Tech Expo: The Minot Area Chamber of Commerce, along with Governor John
Hoeven, present this premier trade show and technology conference in February
at the State Fair Center. The nearly 1500 attendees are given the opportunity
to view 45 display booths, as well as attend free seminars featuring expert
panelists. After the event, enjoy a unique fashion show where the models are
participants from the Tech Expo sponsors showing off the latest in technology
in a fun runway atmosphere.
Chamber University: Chamber University means that chamber
members do not have to leave home for top training opportunities. This series
of comprehensive training workshops is conducted September through May and
addresses topics vital to business success and the community. These professionally
conducted and informative seminars assist businesses to become more successful
by addressing "How
to" topics and issues affecting the business community. Recent topics
have included "Protecting Your Employees", "Drug Free Workplace",
the Dale Carnegie Course, Media Relations Communications, Supervision & Leadership
and many more to come.
New Member Reception: Special reception are held to welcome all of the new
Chamber members, allow them to introduce themselves and promote their business,
and network with other new members and the Board of Directors.
Committees: The Chamber of Commerce is made up of committees
and task forces. Members may participate in any of our active and dynamic
groups that cover a wide range of interests: Agribusiness, Ambassadors, Business
Recognition, Community Leadership Institute, Diplomats, Education, Governmental
Affairs, Infrastructure, Junior Achievement, Military Affairs, Project CLEAN,
Right Start, and Technology Expo.
Mailing Labels: A complete set of labels for direct-mailing
information to the 1500 member database of the Chamber is available to members
for a nominal fee of just ten cents per label and you can customize the list
to your needs. This allows you to develop your own extensive database of business
prospects at a fraction of the cost of doing it yourself!
Military Relocation Packet
Referral Service: Three times a year the Chamber
provides community information to Minot Air Force Base Family Support Services.
That information is provided in packets that the Family Support Services sends
to all Air Force personnel relocating to MAFB. The packets welcome the new
military personnel and help them become familiar with the area. Only Chamber
members can have their promotional brochures included in the packet.
Chamber Bucks Program: In 1993 the Chamber of Commerce
started using "Chamber
Bucks" (a community gift certificate) to reward volunteer service or
serve as prizes at Chamber sponsored activities. Many businesses in Minot also
purchase "Chamber Bucks" to give to their employees and customers.
When a business receives a Chamber Buck, they just honor the Chamber Buck at
face value and either refund or collect additional cash for any difference
between the purchase price and the face value of the Chamber Bucks.
Tax Deductible: Membership dues investments are tax deductible as an ordinary
business expense.
Advocate for Business: The Chamber is the voice of the business community
in local, county, and state issues, representing the business community in
problem solving, promoting economic development, regional tourism, etc. For
example, the Chamber:
is in favor of all efforts of NAWS and its plan for an adequate Northwest
Area Water Supply,
recognizes the importance of a model for regional economic
development planning and is formulating future economic development efforts,
promotes economic development local issues like the one cent sales tax,
spearheads
Minot Air Force Base retention efforts,
supports an intermodal facility that
would increase transportation effectiveness,
expanded the Junior Achievement
Program with Minot Area Public Schools to include 160 classrooms,
recognized
6 to 12 "Eagle Award Winners" monthly for superior
customer service and quarterly one to two "Above and Beyond" business
community service award recipients
continues to work closely with the Convention
and Visitors Bureau in promoting area tourism.
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The U.S. Chamber
of Commerce has acknowledged the excellence of the Minot Area Chamber of
Commerce by the designation of "Accredited
Chamber." This is granted to only 5% of all Chambers in the Nation and
your Chamber has earned and maintained this distinction for 11 years.
