How will the Willamette Valley Chamber for Commerce improve local commerce?
Working with radio, television, print media, results-based advertisers, gift cards, and trade associations, the Willamette Valley Chamber for Commerce (WVCC) promotes local merchants, helping them gain new customers and become more profitable.
What is results-based advertising?
To answer that question, we ask:
“Would you rather pay for the message that goes out or for the customers that come in?”
Results-based advertising is advertising that is paid for after sales are made.
How does the WVCC results-based advertising work?
- Merchants agree to pay a small percentage of the sales generated through WVCC approved advertising programs.
- Schools, youth groups, non-profits, and churches encourage their supporters to shop with these merchants.
- After participating merchants pay for their advertising, a portion is paid to a school, non-profit, or church.
Because local citizens know a portion of their purchases will be used to support schools, non-profits, and churches in our community, they are encouraged to shop with enrolled merchants.
How does the WVCC work with media companies?
The WVCC creates alliances with local media companies. The media companies direct the public to the chamber website where they can find member merchants. In turn, the WVCC promotes the media companies to the members, offering savings on their advertising rates.
How will gift cards get my business new customers?
Creating gift cards is like printing your own money and the WVCC will show you how to get your gift cards into the hands of potential customers.
Gift cards have a wide variety of uses:
- Gifts for friends or family.
- Fund raisers for schools and non-profits.
- Rewards for loyal customers or employees.
- Trade with other merchants to acquire goods and/or services.
No matter how they go out, gift cards invite customers into your business!
How will trade help my business?
Barter is a time honored and profitable form of commerce. Since prehistoric times, people have bartered for goods and services. Today, many businesses, large and small, have rediscovered the advantages of doing business without the use of cash. Nationally, over 250,000 businesses are involved in barter and, worldwide, barter accounts for over $700 billion in sales annually. It is estimated that 65% of the Fortune 500 companies engage in one form of barter or another.
Barter will help businesses increase sales by turning excess inventory or down time into barter dollars that can be used to pay for a wide variety of expenses both business and personal.
Similar to a bank, barter companies use modern technology to record transactions. At the end of each month participating merchants receive a statement showing their purchases, sales, and account balance.
The barter company websites provides information about the products and/or services offered by participating merchants.
- Trade what you have for what you want
- Save Cash and Increase Profits
- Generate Sales from New Customers
- Enjoy using barter dollars instead of cash
The WVCC promotes business to business commerce by working with both local and national barter associations as well as showing you how to trade using your own gift cards.
When local merchants get more customers, they are able to hire more people, more people working, means more people are contributing to our community.
Everyone wins!
