- Member surveys - board surveys

What IS the Chamber of Commerce? “A strong entity within a community that has the ability to strengthen, develop and support a strong economic environment. A leader in the community not a follower.” “The pulse of the business community.” “An organization that should represent our members and Craig with the utmost care, positive attitude, and desire to serve. Stand above reproach to where character and ethics is never a question.” “An organization that gives a diverse group of businesses a common voice and a place to come together.” “The hub of the community. The go-to place.” “The Chamber of Commerce is a form of business network(a local organization of businesses) whose goal is to further the interest of businesses with economic development and to help further their achievements for a stronger community.” “It can be a gateway to the community. What there is to do and see. Also if there is a product or service that you should need, the chamber should have an idea of who and where to start.”

What do we do well as a Chamber? The Chamber is highly visible, active, well supported Visitors center, aid to the hunters, and visitors. The new Web site and information packets. Mixers, Wake-up Craig breakfasts, Crabfest and State of the County Business seminars Good event planners Continually working and reviewing membership benefits with businesses and keeping them members. Working with other organizations to continue supporting the business community. Director is in the community and Chamber has a presence Provide several networking opportunities in differing venues. The Craig Chamber has brought stronger unity to the community.

Why did you join the Chamber? Other: Learn about new businesses coming into area, knowledge of job market. It’s good business Referrals

What Chamber services do you use?

Rank the value of existing services WebsiteVisitor Information Business cards at Chamber Business support services

Rank the value of existing services (2) Economic developmentEducational seminars Community involvementLegislative advocacy

Rank the value of existing services (3) NetworkingNewsletter

What do you hope to see from your business in the next 5 years? Other RETIRE More community awareness of service provided Expanding from SS to Craig Stay open Increase in visibility and clients Depends entirely on economy Visibility

If you want to expand your business, what factors are preventing or influencing that? Other: The economy (x4) City building officials Customers

What can the Chamber do help you meet your needs as a business? (Comments edited for length and to eliminate duplications) Chamber should continue to grow and prosper and keep a pulse on the community. I like meeting folks at the mixers on an informal basis. Continue to offer educational workshops/seminars Help make Craig a retail shopping hub for northwest Colorado. We are the only city with a Wal-mart and a Kmart. How do we go about finding the right person for the "correct" jobs? Promote value of business Provide more opportunities for employees to learn work skills such as customer service, sales, marketing, etc. Continue to monitor and lobby legislative issues. More applicable trainings The marketing to newcomers is probably the most valuable to us. Our business is dependent on real estate sales and refinancing.

What can the Chamber do to help meet your needs as a business? (2) Promote, promote, promote the local businesses and shopping local! Small business support with government issues. Help with health insurance. Keep doing what you are doing, help get our business names out there. In my opinion, the Chamber should work to increase the amount of retail business done in Craig. The Chamber should get businesses together and advertise Craig as the retail center of the area. Make Wal-mart and Kmart work for the town, not against it. We should work on southwest Wyoming, northwest Colorado and northeast Utah. You're doing a great job. Chamber is much more visible and proactive than it ever has been. Keep doing seminars and mixers. The Chamber's a great tool for meeting people and that helps my business. Do the research so I don’t have to such as the FAQ book, education and marketing opportunities. The Chamber provides a inexpensive way to market and find tools for businesses.

What is the Chamber’s most useful tool in communicating with you?

Do you read the Chamber’s monthly newsletter?

What is your preferred delivery method for the newsletter?

What is your biggest concern as a business owner? Keeping positive attitude for entire community. Finding a way to keep my doors open each and every day. Workforce. Trusted employees are hard to find. The economy and people's perception of it. General local economy. Spending by local people has really dropped off. Craig continuing to grow and being innovative and being able to think outside of the box. Lack of jobs and money to spend in this area. Living cost are high making for less money to spend on anything else. Fear of business becoming stagnant and how to expand in a small community without branching too far from our core business. Support by the chamber-recommendation by the chamber The current concern is the economy. We worry about keeping a qualified workforce. Competition from national companies is now taking more of our market than it has in the past; we need to compete with them more effectively.

What is your biggest concern as a business owner? (2) Visibility, visibility, visibility. If they don't know we are here they certainly won't use our services. Housing industry decline. Uneducated public Knowing the best way to expand or cut costs. Skilled employees. Help with advertising and marketing. Peoples’ fear causing greater recession, thus not having enough customers to stay open. Finding enough funding The community is basing it's entire existence on the hunting(finite resource that is quickly depleting) and fossil fuels. It is time to think outside the box. We are not, and never will be Steamboat.We have a great many things to offer and need to start promoting them. Current national and local employment. Government demands on small business, increasing taxes and fees that are difficult to pass on, employee turnover.

What role should the Chamber fill in the community? Front door to the community Information center Member services Help businesses succeed Leader in the business community Provide educational opportunities Provide a forum for ideas and concerns Be involved in community events Should be available, dependable, respected Provide a legislative review of issues of importance

What do members want? Be a voice for the community. Anything & everything that helps our local businesses thrive. To know that we have their best interest at heart and are managing their money well, representing them well and building a strong local economy. A functional chamber that listens and puts forth an effort to address its member’s concerns. Guidance Answers - answers I think other than a few exceptions, members are getting what they want or expect from the Chamber. For a lot of businesses it is not necessarily tangible benefits, but they know the chamber is there if they need them. I think they want education seminars, networking opportunities and a business advocate. I think more business seminars would be good especially in these hard economic times. Keep promoting our area attractions and recreation. We know the support and care the chamber has for our community. Advertising our community and creating activities that encourage outsiders to enjoy it.