by Jack Deal

Created on: August 08, 2008

Wandering into the San Jose, California Chamber of Commerce one wonders what sorts of local businesses are members. After all, San Jose is Silicon Valley Central and the home to many of the world's best known companies.

As one glances at the list of members what is conspicuous is the absence of the heavy hitters. What is also conspicuous is that of the tens of thousands of businesses in San Jose only a very small percentage bothers to join the San Jose Chamber of Commerce.

In the old days local Chambers were places to advertise and promote your local business. Somehow being a member and paying your $150 yearly fee would put you among the local elite and raise the credibility of your company.

But as in the San Jose Chamber of Commerce most local businesses are not members as well as the "bigger and more important" local businesses.

But it's not just San Jose. Go to any local Chamber of Commerce and more than likely you will find the same thing. Why?

A big picture analysis shows that the concept of "local" has changed. Technology and specifically search technology has opened the world to the local consumer with more than just local options.

In the old days one did business with those that one knew or knew of locally; now the local consumer can do business with any company they find searching the Internet.

The "Buy Local" programs have simply become obsolete as the concept of local has lost its meaning.

The inference once was that local consumers were looking for businesses and a good way to find reliable businesses was through the local Chamber of Commerce member list. Actually this idea died in the 1970's and 1980's and was in reality not a member benefit by 2000.

In the past a new business would join the Chamber hoping to gain local exposure and maybe get some extra business. The badly maligned Chamber Mixers would help serve this function.

New Chamber members were told to bring their "pitches" and stack of business cards and hand them out at the mixers. So in effect the Chamber mixer became a big "let's sell to ourselves" exercise, as rarely do non-Chamber members attend the mixers.

Local collective ads were once another way the local Chamber could promote its members; through brochures, local newspaper and magazine ads, an occasional TV or radio spot. As mass media has gotten more expensive, the collective ads have gone by the wayside.

And like many organizations, the local Chambers of Commerce have been hit hard financially in the recent economic downturn.

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