Chamber throws businesses a lifeline

Taking into account that smallbusiness owners are often the hardest hit during a recession, the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce is offering members more bang for their advertising buck.

Last year Chamber officials brainstormed ways the organization could help members not only survive but grow during tough economic times. They created the H2O program for 2009.

The program was launched in October with plans to implement it in stages. It will offer members more networking opportunities as well as discounted Chamber services and free products. The logo in Chamber literature alerts members to H2O benefits.

"It's been really, really successful so far," said Sandra Walker, director of operations.

The 2009 Camarillo Economic Profile and the 2008 business survey, a $35 and $20 value, respectively, are free to members. The Chamber reduced the price of advertising on its website and in literature by as much as 30 percent. By replacing an outside firm that solicited website advertising with an inhouse employee, the Chamber will save "a ton of money" and pass the savings on to members, Walker said.

Other H2O benefits include more opportunities for members to promote their companies among each other. The Chamber changed the Business @ Breakfast meetings from quarterly to monthly in response to members' request and cut the price by 10 percent. Everyone who attends the meetings has the chance to introduce themselves and their business, what Walker calls "20 seconds of fame," as a way to publicize their company.

"Members told us, and we're listening," Walker said.

The Chamber also added a fourth referral group. A referral group is composed of 15 to 20 Chamber members from a variety of businesses but with only one industry type represented. The group meets informally each week outside the Chamber with the goal of helping each other develop sales leads. They become a kind of "family of referrals," Walker said.

Paige Hibbits of Jones Hibbits Group, an accounting and tax service in Camarillo, said she's taken advantage of discounted advertising in the Chamber's electronic newsletter, which is e-mailed to about 15,000 people. The additional ad has "absolutely" helped her business, because she's seen more calls come in since the ad has run, she said.

"I'm thrilled with the program," Hibbits said.