A national study by the Schapiro Group, a market research firm, reveals a number of important findings about how business owners perceive the local chamber of commerce and the businesses that are their members. For example:

*Consumers who are told that a business is a chamber member are 51% more likely to be highly aware of it and 57% more likely to think positively of its reputation. *Consumers are 63% more likely to buy goods and services in the future from a company that they believe is a member of the local chamber.

The study also has good news for businesses that sell to other businesses: *When business decision-makers believe that a business is a chamber member, they are 51% more likely to be highly aware of it, 58% more likely to t think positively of its local reputation, and 59% more likely to buy goods and services from it.

Supporting the previous findings, the study also reveals a positive perception for the local chamber itself: *Regarding the chamber’s impact on the local economy, 82% of respondents believe that the local chamber of commerce helps create jobs and promotes local economic development.

The results of the Schapiro study are clear: Positive perception increases among consumers and business owners when a business is identified as a member of the local Chamber of Commerce.