Oconee Chamber “AM Exchange” 11-3-10
Posted By Kate on December 12, 2010
Oconee Chamber “AM Exchange”
12-8-10
Getting to know each other's business
As members of the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce, we enjoy free advertising in some of their programs. The AM Exchange is the most personal and direct way of getting the word out about your business. The Exchange gets its name from the time of day – AM – morning and is scheduled at 7:45 on the first Wednesday of each month to give business owners time to drop by the Chamber Office for an hour before going to their office to open the doors to the public.
“Members can have another more intimate way to network and be finished before most businesses start their day,” said Zoe Gattie, Chamber Manager.
It was started in 2006 in a discussion at a Member Services Meeting when Charles Grimes was Chamber President on how to assist businesses with free advertising. Although the idea is not new – many chambers from the area have similar programs, it was new to the Oconee Chamber. When first initiated, members hesitated, but popularity had grown in the last 4 years.
“Members love it and find it is a good starting place when one joins the Chamber. It is an easy way to meet a small group of Chamber members. You may also see these same members at the bigger functions like Coffees and After Hours,” said Gattie.
Volunteers are chosen or volunteer their services as Coordinators of the Exchange who start the meeting by inviting everyone to introduce themselves after which each attendee is give 1 ½ minutes to talk about their business and ask for referrals. Then the discussion breaks down to just pure networking face to face.
The following is taken from their Web site:
AM Exchange
Event Description
Have a fear of public speaking? Then AM EXCHANGE is just the place for you! AM EXCHANGE is an opportunity for you to promote your business up close and personally! Attendees are divided into small groups and each person is given 90 seconds to share their story. Then new small groups are made 2 or 3 more times so that by the end of the hour you should have been able to meet everyone in the room.
Tell us about your company, what you do that is different from others, where you are located, what GREAT customer service you provide and don’t forget to tell everyone who would be a good referral for you! Bring LOTS of business cards, brochures, if you have them, and samples if that is possible.
Be on time and be awake because it gets loud quickly! (The Oconee Chamber provides coffee, water and sodas and the monthly sponsors provide a light breakfast.)
PHONE 706-769-7947 FAX 706-769-7948, PO Box 348 Watkinsville, GA 30677
To view more photos, click HERE
In the photo above: L to R: JR Whitfield (Oconee Chamber), Casey Jo Hansen (Dalton Carpet One), Paul Boykin (Boykin Team/Keller Williams),Ronda Holloway (Holloway & Smith), Jared Norton (CertaPro Painters)
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