I’ve been thinking more and more about the use of ChatGPT as a competitive advantage for chambers of commerce.

… And not using it as a competitive disadvantage.

A significant principle that I, and other ChatGPT trainers out there, are focused on is that AI is a tool you can use for productivity, freeing up time for higher-level activities.

It stands to reason that if we both have a project in front of us – say, writing a first draft of a press release – and you have a tool that gets it done for you in 60 seconds while I take an hour to do it… You have an advantage.

Simply put, you have 59 minutes now to get more done, while I’m pining away over perfect prose and, as you are well aware in a chamber professional’s life, adding time because I’m getting distracted every 30 seconds.

I want to dig into what that means, but first I think it’s important to discuss what competition actually is for a chamber of commerce.

what is Competition for chambers of commerce?

For a long time, it feels like chambers considered their competition to be other chambers of commerce.

The county chamber is often seen as competition with the town chambers within its territory.

Everywhere I’ve gone, adjoining chambers of commerce talk about competing against each other for members.

But, I think you’re seeing since the end of the pandemic, with stronger analytics for ROI and busy people optimizing their time, that your competition is much, much bigger.

There are lots of places where your members can spend money and time

Think about it – when it comes to networking, there are other business associations, industry groups, tip clubs, coffee clutches and civic groups.

Big events like golf tournaments, and the opportunity to be around your community’s decision-makers? Guaranteed, every not-for-profit in your community has them. Enough to fill people’s calendars.

Referral network? Co-work spaces and incubators pride themselves on “run-into” opportunities (that come with a whole bunch of other services, as well).

Information and education? I don’t have to tell you how noisy your members’ inbox and social media are… There are many, many other places that they can get the information that you’re trying to put in front of them (being a member of 10 chambers of commerce, I always laugh when I see “newsletter” listed as a member benefit (it’s not)… Send your newsletter to everyone, and show them the cool stuff that members get inside it!).

The point is… There are lots of hands out to the companies who could/should be your members.

Every one of those organizations can make a case that they provide value.

Consequently, if you’re not telling your prospective members your story, who’s beating you to the punch?

Here’s Where ChatGPT Comes In

We consider ourselves more active users of ChatGPT and other AI tools than most.

We made a commitment to dive headfirst into ChatGPT and AI 18 months ago, and it’s paid significant dividends for us…

Opened up doors we didn’t know existed, created new opportunities to move forward projects and created unbelievable productivity tools for us.

As a result, we’re currently estimating a savings 12-15 hours per month using ChatGPT.

Now, I’m not saying that’s going to be your experience. We’re in it to win it.

But, we do say in our training that we can easily save you 4-5 hours a month.

So, here’s the question: What would you do with those 5 hours?

Maybe, here’s a better question…

Let’s say your competition, whoever they may be, is already using AI… What are they doing with those 5 hours?

Well, let’s define “higher-level” activity.

Are they using those extra hours to recruit your members? How many prospecting appointments can you set up in five hours?

Are they using those extra hours to make their events better?

Are they using those extra hours to enhance their services designed for the same companies and professionals that you serve?

That’s exactly what we’d be doing.

How Does Momentum Help Chambers of Commerce with AI?

When we started this, our primary goal was to learn as much as we can, and stay on top of the technology as it rolls out.

Our intent all along was to share our findings with chambers of commerce – knowing you wouldn’t necessarily have the time to invest to keep up.

Subsequently, for the past year, we’ve done that in a number of ways.

ChatGPT for Chambers of Commerce – LinkedIn and Facebook

First, we created ChatGPT for Chambers groups on both Facebook and LinkedIn, where we share tips, insights, findings and updates Monday-Friday every week.

ChatGPT Trainings for Chambers of Commerce

Second, we’ve built beginner and advanced ChatGPT trainings that are delivered regularly, both virtually and in-person – including, recently, for groups like the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Executives and the Coalition of Filipino-American Chambers of Commerce.

Chamber AI Productivity Solutions

Third, we’re creating GPTs (bots), which automate some of the more mundane activities that chambers of commerce have to do*:

Webinar Wizard – Input any copy (including the URL to a web page), and Webinar Wizard will create a webinar write-up for you, including a catchy promotional title, blurb copy and recommended speakers

Event Promoter AI – Input the URL for your upcoming chamber event and today’s date, and EPA will create for you a week-by-week promotional plan leading up to your event, as well as web site and newsletter copy, social media posts and a press release

Minutes Maker – Input your rough notes from your board meeting, and Minutes Maker will create for you publishable minutes for the following month’s agenda

Come on.

“Minutes Maker”, alone, will save your team at least an hour of time right there. Probably more. Try it.

It was created, LIVE, on one of our webinars in response to asking chambers what are some of the biggest pain-in-the-butt things they have to do.

Meeting minutes were at the top of the list.

Now, they don’t have to be so burdensome.

And, you have time to invest in higher-level activities.

The Need for Chambers of Commerce to be Smarter, Better and Faster

Businesses are becoming more and more sophisticated, and so is their decision-making.

I don’t think I’m telling you anything new when I say that the chamber of commerce model changed as a result of the pandemic.

There’s definitely a different relationship between chambers and their members.

It’s closer, more intimate, and focused on individualized value.

Furthermore, it’s become a hallmark of small business, but the need for that new relationship is not lost on your larger members, either.

A retirement, relocation or job change can easily turn a long-time, supporting, big money member into an unknown come renewal time.

Now’s not the time to have your team’s faces buried in internal tasks.

If you can use ChatGPT to remove hours of your in-house responsibilities like meeting prep and minutes, blog posts, newsletters, social media, grant writing, policy statements, and on and on…

That’s all time that you can put into talking with companies in your community, learning what makes them tick, and providing them value.

AI Isn’t Just for Saving Time

Everything I just laid out? The productivity stuff?

That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Using ChatGPT goes far beyond drafting press releases and LinkedIn posts.

Just this past week, we’ve used it to:

• Analyze a recent Powerpoint presentation, and pull from the content 10 blog ideas and 10 concepts for LinkedIn posts
• Create a three-month, comprehensive product launch plan for one of our clients
• Upgrade one of our blogs from a decent SEO score to a perfect SEO score
• For an upcoming social media post, create an image of a small business woman lying in bed, wide awake, thinking of everything that she needs to be doing to make her business successful:

… and, I’m counting, about 35 other things.

ChatGPT WILL make your chamber of commerce smarter, better and faster.

Which is what you need to be to compete.

We’ve Got Your Members Covered, Too

Another competition coming your way is who can deliver critical education on AI to your members.

Believe me, they’ll find it, because it’s important for them to.

We think the chamber of commerce is where businesses should be getting this information.

Do you agree?

I will tell you… I’m not seeing enough chambers doing it.

AI is a game-changing value you can be providing to your members.

They WILL have a loyalty toward the organization that puts it in front of them.

I’d go so far as to say that if you don’t have a ChatGPT/AI training on your calendar for March yet, you’re already behind… It’s that important.

Fortunately, we have a solution for you.

As a result of our webinars, we had a number of requests from chambers to do ChatGPT sessions for their members.

But there’s only so much of us to go around.

CHATGPT FOR SMALL BUSINESS WEBINAR – MARCH 12

So… On Tuesday, March 12, from 11 a.m. – noon (EDT), we’re holding an “all-chambers” ChatGPT for Small Business webinar.

It’s a plug-and-play solution for you – for chambers who want to participate, we will:

1. Provide all promotional materials (customized) you need
2. Put your name into the drop down menu, so we can tell who came from your promotion
3. Give you a roster of your attendees, pre-meeting
4. Split revenue for anyone you send.

Here’s the link to the session: https://www.simpletix.com/e/ai-for-small-business-building-momentum-wi-tickets-159559

I’d get in ASAP, so you have time to promote.

Just let me know that you’re interested in presenting the webinar to your members, and we’ll take care of everything.

I guarantee you, they’ll be thankful to you for sending them our way.

In fact, here’s some feedback I received immediately via LinkedIn messaging following one of our recent sessions:

“Amazing presentation today!”

“Your ChatGPT presentation was amazing!”

“Your presentation was truly unique and informational for me, most impressive!”

“Great ChatGPT presentation, Craig”

“It was such a great presentation!  I sure hope we can have you back again.”

I’d get in ASAP, so you have time to promote.

Ask Your Manufacturers

Not sold yet?

Go ask your manufacturers the benefits of being able to do the same exact job five times faster than your competition.

Not only does it free up time for, as we said, “higher-value activities,” but people want to work with other people who are forward-thinking.

There was a reason I mentioned above that diving into ChatGPT has opened many, many doors for us.

When I started making AI a focal point, people gravitated toward the conversation.

REAL WORLD IMPACT FOR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE – HERE’S A GREAT EXAMPLE

In our training, we run a prompt, where we upload an Excel spreadsheet containing a bunch of fictional contract manufacturers.

The prompt is that our chamber has been approached by a company that has an idea for a new toy, and they’re looking for recommendations on a contract manufacturer.

We ask the AI to evaluate the list, based on our criteria, and make a recommendation.

It spits out the top three choices, with explanation.

Take that in for a moment.

Can you imagine the impact it would have on your member if you reported back to them that you, the chamber of commerce, used AI to help them identify manufacturers to take their idea forward?

They will tell everyone.

Chambers are in such a great place to be the messengers here, because the applications are limitless.

We say it in our training – your use of ChatGPT/AI is limited only by your imagination.

But, if you use it (and you probably don’t even have to use it well, at this point, to be honest), you’ll create an environment of innovation that people want to be around.

Let’s Get Started

In conclusion, we have two ChatGPT sessions coming up, specifically designed for chambers of commerce – and one of them is TOMORROW (Feb. 28)…

“Engage, Serve and Grow Your Membership with ChatGPT” (Beginner)
Wednesday, February 28 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EST)
https://www.simpletix.com/e/webinar-engage-serve-and-grow-your-members-tickets-158162

“Stepping Up Your Chamber of Commerce’s AI Game”
Wednesday, March 13 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
https://www.simpletix.com/e/webinar-stepping-up-your-chamber-of-commer-tickets-158164

Again, our “all-chambers” ChatGPT for Small Business webinar is coming up in mid-March, as well:

“AI for Small Business? Building Momentum with ChatGPT”
Tuesday, March 12 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
https://www.simpletix.com/e/ai-for-small-business-building-momentum-wi-tickets-159559

Can’t wait to see you there!

***

FAQs

1. How Can AI Tools like ChatGPT Benefit Chambers of Commerce? AI tools such as ChatGPT offer chambers of commerce a competitive edge by significantly enhancing productivity. These tools can automate routine tasks, freeing up time for high-level activities, thus enabling chambers to better serve their members and strengthen their competitive positioning.
2. What Types of AI Solutions Does Momentum Offer to Chambers of Commerce? Momentum provides a range of AI solutions tailored for chambers of commerce, including ChatGPT trainings, AI productivity bots like Webinar Wizard, Event Promoter AI, and Minutes Maker. These solutions aim to streamline operations, improve event planning, and enhance communication efforts, contributing to more efficient chamber management.
3. Why is it Important for Chambers of Commerce to Adopt AI Technology? Adopting AI technology is crucial for chambers of commerce to stay relevant and competitive. AI can help chambers become smarter, better, and faster by optimizing processes and offering innovative services. It also positions chambers as forward-thinking leaders in the business community, enhancing member value and engagement.

For a deeper dive into how AI technologies like ChatGPT can transform chamber operations and member services, visit the full blog post​

 

Want to talk more about how Momentum can help you make ChatGPT help you save time,
tell a bigger story, and help you take better care of your members? Set up a 15-minute Zoom call with us!

 

* GPTs created on OpenAI’s ChatGPT are accessible for free with a ChatGPT Plus subscription