I have had a passionate love/hate relationship with Metropolis for a very long time….and it’s all because I see the potential. The potential for growth. Potential for more. Potential to build on a community that isn’t facing any other hardships than any other small town. The backbone of that effort is The Chamber of Commerce. We commit to providing something every business needs, support.
There’s a reason why almost every community has a Chamber of Commerce. Our goal as the Chamber is to help to further the interests of small businesses in Metropolis and Massac County. Our activities can range from hosting events, ideation and brainstorming, and networking.
Some of the events we are most known for in Metropolis are:
-Annual Golf Tournament (Friday, September 28th, 1 pm)
-Annual Christmas Parade (always the 1st Saturday in December)
-Holiday Open House (November 4th)
-Annual Gala (formerly our banquet in October)
-Bowling Tournament. (February 2019)
-Annual Superman Celebration (June 6th-9th, 2019)
So How does being a member of the Chamber actually help? We as the Chamber of Commerce are a business partner and provide valuable support on your behalf. In a smaller community, it’s easy to forget about how important your reputation is by the community at large. The Chamber presents its member in a positive light and encourages residents and visitors to visit and do business with our over 160 members.
Your business’ credibility is significantly increased through involvement with the Chamber. That lends to a larger visibility, which ideally leads to your business becoming “top of mind” to your customers. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce you will get free promotion. Many people use their local Chamber as an authority to find products and services. This week we have provided referrals for Banking, Real Estate Services, City Services, Dining & Shopping. We have also fielded some calls to Superman, but those stories are for another day.
Another way to think of us is as the “Door to our Community”. In some communities, the Chamber of Commerce serves as the Tourism Bureau, however in Metropolis, our Chamber works in partnership with the Greater Metropolis Convention & Tourism Bureau and serves as our Welcome Center where we welcome thousands of visitors a year and provide them the information they need to visit our members.
We see the awe and excitement of individuals visiting who just can’t believe there is a town in Illinois that is the official “Home of Superman”. I challenge anyone to visit the Superman Statue and talk to these visitors. If it doesn’t inspire you to see the opportunities we have here in a small town in Illinois, you aren’t paying close enough attention.
One of my favorite theories is the “Butterfly Effect”. Also known as the “chaos theory”. This basically means that a small change may make a system behave completely differently. I ask each of you to think about how you talk about Metropolis and our businesses. Do you speak with a hesitant or negative tone? Do you sound defeated?
If so, I ask you to stop. Think about the effect of that experience for yourself, your fellow business owners and your community. Perception is reality and we all know how quickly that can derail our efforts for change.
Consider saying something positive about where you work, shop or do business in Metropolis on social media. Promote a business or product you see in town that you are grateful you have HERE. Drive the conversation of what we DO have and promote Metropolis in a positive light. THINK about your options locally before you drive across the river, or head to another town, simply because it’s been habit or you assume Metropolis doesn’t have what you need. One small change now, in your habits or conversations, will inevitably lead to growth in the future.
Stop by the Chamber of Commerce and pick up a copy of our annual Massac County Community Guide. Inside you will find a listing of all of our Current Chamber members. Refamiliarize yourself with what your community has and you might be surprised to find that Metropolis has a lot to offer, we just need committed members and individuals to see that growth continue.
If you are not currently involved, we’d love to have you as a Business or an Individual Member. Change is never easy nor is it as fast as any of us want, but I invite you to become involved in our efforts to bring growth to Metropolis in all capacities.