We’re gonna toot your horn here for a minute, so soak it up for all its glory! You’ve got a tough job. We’re not sure if you hear it enough, but heading up a chamber of commerce has got to feel like you’re getting pulled in a million different directions…constantly.
You’ve got local business owners to worry about, inclusivity initiatives, and the state of the environment (to name a few), and somehow all of this ends up on your plate.
It’s a lot.
Amidst it all, you may catch yourself wondering if it’s even possible to to move so many different objectives forward.
So, we’re letting you in on a not-so-secret strategy that is turning heads and making major impacts in driving chamber of commerce and local community initiatives forward.
We’ll skip the drum roll. It’s interactive, custom maps.
And we’re breaking down some of the amazing ways they can support you in moving your chamber’s objectives forward.
Giving Local Businesses a Boost
We all know that big box chains and e-commerce giants can rob a city of its charm and severely impact the local economy.
Most of your community members are well aware of this and want to support local businesses. They want to ensure their spending dollars stay in their community. They’d much rather support mom and pops than fork their money over to a chain.
If giving local businesses is on your chamber’s agenda, you can leverage interactive maps to make it a lot easier for community members and visitors to identify the mom and pops from the big box stores and help increase visibility for your local shops.
Promoting Diversity
Today's consumers are more value-driven than ever. People are eager to support businesses that align with their beliefs and core values, be it Black-owned, women-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, veteran-owned, the list goes on.
If your chamber wants to take meaningful, tangible action to promote diversity in your community, and at the same time showcase your chamber's commitment to inclusivity, an interactive map can help you do just that.
Smart filters can make this conscious choice simpler and more intuitive for your community members and it’s a great way to give your diverse business owners a boost and show them that they are a valued and integral part of your community.
Supporting Sustainability
Sustainability isn't just good for the planet, it's likely what your community members are actively seeking.
Just consider that 62% of consumers are willing to change their purchasing habits to help reduce environmental impact. But knowing what habits to change and who to support can be tough.
Whether it's recycling centers, farmers markets, or eco-friendly stores, interactive maps can help you highlight these green champions. It's about giving people the power to make eco-friendly choices, effortlessly.
This not only supports your sustainability initiatives but also turns your community into an eco-conscious hub. Plus your map can serve as a visual representation of your community’s commitment to green living.
Attracting New Residents
Looking to attract new residents to your community? It’s of course a big part of keeping any city vibrant and growing.
Here’s how interactive maps come in handy. They’re like your community’s personal billboard, showing off everything great about living there—the schools, the healthcare, the shopping hubs, and the best spots for fun.
Plus they can be used strategically to attract the type of residents you’re looking for. Young professionals? Families? Medical experts? Showcase the parts of your town that'll make them think, "Yeah, this is where I want to be."
Your map can give potential new residents a digital sneak peek into life in your town, plus they can serve as a wonderful tool to help newcomers settle in as they learn to navigate their new stomping grounds.
Ensuring Accessibility
Highlighting accessibility is a big deal. It’s essential as you work to meet the needs of all your residents and visitors, ensuring everyone can get around and enjoy your community.
Interactive maps can break down barriers by providing detailed information on accessible facilities, services, and opportunities. Imagine a map with filters for wheelchair access, ASL availability, braille signage, accessible-certified employers, and language options.
This isn’t about ticking boxes for accessibility; it's about showing that your town’s a place where everyone's included, no exceptions. And hey, it also puts your chamber in the spotlight as a leader in making inclusivity more than just a buzzword.
Boosting Tourism
Let's face it, boosting tourism is a no-brainer for any chamber of commerce. More visitors mean more dollars flowing into your local businesses.
Interactive maps can play a MAJOR role in drawing in visitors and giving them an experience to remember.
When used effectively, it can be like giving each visitor a friendly local guide who knows every nook and cranny of your community.
Imagine visitors planning their day around a custom itinerary you've mapped out for them. You could have “The Foodie,” “The Nature Enthusiast,” or “The Art Lover” (we could go on, but you get the idea). With just one click, a user could find all their recommended stops for their visit based on their unique interests.
It’s all about turning a regular visit into an unforgettable experience that’ll have them coming back for more.
Adding Value for Business Members
At the heart of every chamber's mission is adding real value to its business members. It's a tough gig, especially when businesses are counting on real results—more traffic, more sales, more growth.
This is where interactive maps, AKA your ace card, comes into play.
If you can create a tool that community members actually want to use, you can effectively help your members stand out in the digital crowd, directing community members and visitors right to their doorstep. You can boost your members' visibility and directly impact their bottom line.
For businesses, that's what being a part of the chamber should be all about—seeing real benefits that make being a member an obvious choice.
Increasing Chamber’s Visibility
Here’s a welcomed side effect of creating an indispensable tool like an interactive map— it can give your chamber a surge of visibility.
It turns your chamber’s website into a bustling hub of activity, drawing more eyes and interest. With greater visibility, you’re in a prime position to launch impactful community projects, attract meaningful sponsorships, and even influence local policy.
It’s an indirect yet powerful outcome, one that propels your chamber’s goals and agenda forward.
Supporting Economic Development
Now, let’s take a different angle. While we’ve been focusing on community and business member engagement, this is another powerful aspect to consider.
Interactive maps can be a strategic tool for economic development. You can leverage them to showcase both the current business landscape and also the future potential. You can highlight key areas ripe for investment, growing business districts, and planned infrastructure developments.
By providing a visual and interactive overview of the economic landscape, these maps become invaluable for attracting investment and supporting strategic economic growth.
And the List Goes On…
Here’s the crazy part—we haven’t even covered it all.
We’ve given a glimpse into the vast potential of interactive maps. Their ability to boost local businesses, promote diversity, champion sustainability, and much more, is just the beginning.
There are countless other ways these dynamic tools can drive your chamber’s goals forward. With the right features and the right filters, you can do just about anything. And that’s exactly the type of tool you need.