More News

The Prince George's Chamber of Commerce, already one of the biggest in the region, wants to grow even larger — and is offering a free Caribbean vacation to its top recruiter as an enticement.

Other chambers throughout the state and region are emphasizing their own incentives to lure new businesses, even as some cash-strapped members cut their ties.

At the Prince George's chamber's annual membership celebration dinner last week, new Chairman Sherman L. Ragland II announced the contest and its only prize: seven days and six nights at the Ritz-Carlton Club on St. Thomas. The contest runs through April 30, and rewards the member who recruits the most new members by working with chamber officials.

"Twelve months ago, our membership stood at 882. Today, we have grown to 961," immediate past Chairman Craig M. Muckle said at the dinner, which had the apt theme, "Tropical Paradise."

The increase comes when some chambers are losing members, as some go out of business or decide chamber dues are not an essential expense, many chamber executives say. Still, other businesses are joining, hoping chamber programs and networking models will help them manage the recession.

"Both of these things that seem opposite are true," said Georgette "Gigi" Godwin, president and CEO of the Montgomery County chamber. "The challenging economy drove people to the chambers. … They haven't pulled the covers over their heads. They're putting themselves in a position to be ready when things improve."

Godwin said her chamber's goal is not to pursue a particular membership number, but to acquire a good range of industry members so they can do business with one another. Her chamber has 500 members.

"The folks that engage with us are really engaged," she said.

The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce offers members $50 off on their next membership renewal for referring new members. The 800-member group also offers about 80 events each year for networking and learning, said spokeswoman Jessica Hibbard.

Last year, the chamber was third in the nation in its category — from $200,000 to $499,000 in collected dues — in membership growth, according to the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Lori Friedman, the chamber's membership director, was first in dues collected in that category, with $98,235.

Ragland, managing partner of Realinvestors of Maryland in Bowie, touted the Prince George's chamber as Maryland's largest, although the Harford County Chamber of Commerce reports 1,200 members.

"We've always had a strong business community. We have a lot of member loyalty," said Bill Seccurro, president and CEO of the Harford chamber.

The Harford chamber gained four fewer members from January to May of this year than over that period last year, he said, with chamber revenues off 4 percent. Looking to lure even more new members, the chamber has launched the Year of Membership, featuring promotion programs without cash awards.

"I know there's all kinds of reward programs; we just have never gone there with that. We work with our members directly," Seccurro said.

He also lamented the lost hopes of chambers looking to offer medical insurance cooperatives through the government's restructuring of insurance regulations. Many chambers offer electric and other energy cooperatives, which also draw in new members.

"You have to provide services to them and link them with other businesses," said H. Walter Townshend III, president and CEO of the Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce. The chamber also manages a program to provide worker transportation throughout the region.

The Baltimore-Washington chamber has 600 members and had one of its best months recently, attracting 17 new members, Townshend said. New members are educated about the chamber's value and wealth of resources through its Membership 101 program.

"The secret is to get them involved and keep them involved," Townshend said.

The Prince George's chamber is aiming to become the largest in the Washington region. The D.C. Chamber of Commerce holds this title, with about 2,000 members, according to its Web site. The Loudon County Chamber of Commerce in Virginia is next, with about 1,300.

"Aside from McDonald's, this is the only business that defines its success on customers served," said Tony Howard, president and CEO of the Loudon County chamber. "It tends to be a trap."

He emphasized that the Loudoun County chamber wants to be relevant to however many members it has.

Howard said chambers throughout the region are experiencing membership attrition, as businesses cut back on marketing and paid memberships to avoid cutting jobs. Some chambers are responding through total resource campaigns, in which they offer incentives to teams of members who recruit new members, sponsors, advertisers and event participants.

"These prizes are more attractive to people who are real go-getters," said Kathleen T. Snyder, president and CEO of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. "But these days, you go with whatever tools you can use." Snyder is also a former chairwoman of the Prince George's chamber.

The Maryland chamber held a membership drive in March, with two Southwest Airlines tickets to anywhere in the U.S. as one of the prizes.

Generally, few chambers have lowered dues to retain or attract members, Howard and Snyder said.

The Prince George's chamber has been working to meet its goal of 1,000 members by the end of this year, a goal set by former CEO James A. Dula. In April, Rhonda L. Slade succeeded Dula, who resigned in October.

"It takes a team to make this work," Ragland said.