William Wells III
President & CEO

Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Whether you’re a Chamber of Commerce member or not, if you operate a business or organization in Monroe County, the following information is important. You need be concerned with who you’re doing business with and what impact your advertising choices have on your local economy.

Again, we have received calls from area businesses in regard to advertising solicitation for refrigerator magnets. This is just the most recent example of numerous “advertising opportunities” that our businesses and organizations in Monroe County are constantly being bombarded with. As a “selling point”, business owners are told that the Monroe County Chamber will distribute these items or materials around the county or that we’ll place them in our “Relocation Packets.” This is simply false.

The vast majority of these types of sales calls are made by representatives from companies located outside Monroe County,

and in many cases, outside the State of Tennessee. They’ll call you on the phone selling ads. Some even come to the area and stay for a few days while visiting businesses door to door. Whether it’s an appealing glossy magazine, a cartoon map of Monroe, calendars, or refrigerator magnates, the advertising money you spend is most often stimulating someone else’s economy and not your own.

In these challenging economic times, it’s more important than ever to know just who you’re doing business with. Ask a few questions. Whether they call you on the phone or come to your businesses, ask them where they’re from. Ask them where their company is located or where the headquarters are. If they’re not in Monroe County, then the money you’re spending is helping someone else and not you.

The Chamber of Commerce does not hire anyone to do our selling for us. We let you know well in advance when our guidebooks, maps, and folders will be going out and we provide you with plenty of time to decide which of these opportunities you wish to take advantage of.

Advertising budgets are tight in these tough economic times. If you receive calls soliciting advertising, attempt to get the name of the caller, the company they represent, the phone number, and then contact us here at our office. Whether you’re a Chamber of Commerce member or not, we’re here to serve you.

Advertising is an important part of your business. Making sure the advertising money you spend stays here to help stimulate your local economy is even more important. Money that stays here is spent here. Not only is that going to help your business, but it will also help our individual communities and our county.

The Monroe County Chamber of Commerce can be reached at 423-442-4588.  You can follow the Monroe County Chamber on Facebook and Twitter for instant updates on Chamber events, programs, and activities.