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benefits of membership
Calne Chamber of Commerce is a membership
organization run by local business members for local
businesses and those using local businesses. Our
members include many local manufacturers, service
organizations, retailers, professionals, and we are
pleased to now include among our members, those
organizations who whilst not being normally defined
as business, are active business users within the
Calne Area 5 (our Charter members).
Membership
to the Calne Chamber of Commerce costs £65 per year
(reduced to £30 for new members joining between July
and December)
and is open to all businesses based in and around the Calne area.
Here
is a list of the services and support that the
Chamber offers to its members, and what we ask of
our members in return. The principle is that
the more members that we have, and the more active
that membership can become, the more we can deliver
as services and support to the Calne business and
wider community. The more you can contribute,
the more you can get out.
Local Representation
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The Chamber is represented on a number of local
bodies, and maintains close liaison with the
Town and Unitary Council, as well as other
groups within the community.
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In addition to our representation described
above, we have a team of members who act as a
lobby group – if you have a particular concern
that affects your business that the Chamber can
support you with, please talk to us.
Increase Business Awareness
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All member firms are advertised by a listing on
our website which, for a small annual fee, can
be enhanced with a larger and more prominent
advert. The website is regularly
referenced by the most-popular search engines
and statistic have shown that local businesses
have been found and contacted by potential
customers as a result of entering their details
into a search engine and following the link(s)
to the Chamber website.
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The Chamber members normally meet on a monthly
basis where you can share your business
experiences, learn how others have or are coping
with business issues and where you can develop
the contacts that will grow your business.
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We offer an accreditation service where for all
businesses, new or old, the Chamber will verify
your references and you can become an accredited
member of the Chamber with all of the additional
prestige that this represents.
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The Chamber offers a referral service where all
of our members are encouraged to notify the
Chamber of the opportunity of a business
introduction, and the Chamber will introduce you
to accredited members that can satisfy your
product or service needs - in the first month
alone of this service, we introduced our members
to over £25,000 of new business!
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We offer a member-to-member discount scheme.
This is currently being overhauled and will be
publicized further, but in the meantime, you
know that if you are buying from another member
of the Chamber, they will offer you a discount.
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We have a top-class monthly newsletter that is
circulated to up to 1500 businesses in the
Wessex area, in which we can provide inexpensive
advertising and some free editorial.
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Calne Chamber is featured in Wessex In Business, the
monthly publication of the Wessex Association of Chambers
of Commerce. This is issued to over 120,000 businesses
in the county along with being accessible via the Internet.
Members are welcome to provide editorial content at
no cost subject to the editors decision and space availability.
Offer Business Support
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We offer a business mentor group – these are
local experienced business people and
professionals such as accountants and solicitors
who have committed to provide some support for
our members, whether their business is new,
growing or in some difficulties.
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We have monthly meetings at which we arrange for
informative and knowledgeable speakers that are
relevant for the business community.
Listen to the needs of its members
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We are approachable and anxious to hear your
suggestions of what we can do for you. If there
is support that the Chamber could provide that
isn’t listed here, please talk to us and we will
try to encompass your suggestions. We are a
self-help group that supports the local business
community and anything that is reasonably within
our remit will be actively considered.
 And
finally, but most importantly….
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We support the local business community. Every
member is asked to commit themselves in word and
in their actions to the guiding ethos of the
Calne Chamber, which is…
“I commit my business to support the
Chamber’s “Think Calne” initiative by first
seeking a supplier from within the Calne
Business Community from whom we may buy our
supplies and services, providing price, service,
and delivery are in accordance with our needs.”
If you
would like to join the Chamber, please download an
application form and send it to us with payment.
If you have specific enquiries about joining the Chamber
you are welcome to contact our president, Mick Devonport
on 01249 818620
or by
email.
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