Member Checklist

Make the Most of Your Membership

As a Chamber member, there are a multitude of opportunities at your fingertips to promote your business, engage with the business community to create meaningful, beneficial connections, and to give back to the community. At the heart of your membership, your investment dollars go toward our mission: to lead, support and influence economic vitality in the Newton, KS area. No matter what we do, our programs, advocacy and work all starts with one thing in mind: You. Our members.

So, we want to make sure you know about all of the benefits available to you, and how you can make the most of your membership. Below is an outline of steps you can take to maximize your benefits for your business, while benefiting our community at the same time.

Within the first month of joining:

Read our Membership Guide. We have created a membership guide that outlines some of the basic things you need to know to make the most out of your membership. It is available online and you will also receive a copy with your membership certificate.
Make sure you and your business representatives are subscribed to weekly Chamber emails. Every Monday, we send our Chamber “Keeping You in the Know” to our members. This email is full of info about upcoming events, important information from agencies offering educational programs or assistance to businesses, sponsorship and advertising opportunities, and a weekly calendar of meetings for Chamber Committees. When you are subscribed to our weekly email, you will also receive other updates, including city commission meeting reports and other important or urgent updates that are useful for our business community.
Attend monthly Chamber Breakfast. On the third Friday of each month, we host a Chamber breakfast at 7:15 in the morning. Our breakfast is our top networking event, as you have the opportunity to socialize with others over a meal and watch a presentation from the sponsor to learn more about a local business or organization. Our breakfast program also includes updates from community partners (including local government) that are good to know. Your first time attending breakfast is free, and we will introduce you as a new member and give you the opportunity to share a little about yourself and your business.
Check out our website to learn more about what we have to offer. Our Chamber website gives an overview of our organization and what all we have to offer. Typically, if you have any questions about the Chamber and don’t have time to give us a call, you can find your answers on our website. We keep and updated calendar of events, as well as useful business resources that you can turn to if you are in need of assistance. The website also allows you to keep tabs on Chamber programs, calendars, jobs, government updates, etc.
Take a look at our online calendar of events to see what upcoming events might interest you. Our online Chamber calendar keeps a listing of upcoming events (both public and members-only) that you can participate in. Our events offer networking, volunteer and sponsorship advertising that can really help you get plugged into the community.
Familiarize yourself with your Member’s Only account on our website.
Read the Monthly Newsletter: Our monthly Chamber newsletter provides a great summary of updates and various programs or events to become engaged in during the upcoming month. We issue the newsletter via Chamber email and our website during the first week of each month, making it available to both members and the public.
Like and follow us on Social Media: We share a LOT of information on our social media pages, so don’t miss out! Like/follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn! We regularly enjoy sharing posts from our members to provide an added promotion for members. If you ever have important posts you’d like us to share, just message us or email Kelsie Weaver at kelsie@newtonchamberks.org.
Choose a month to redeem your free business card ad in the Chamber Newsletter. As a new member, you have the opportunity to place a free business card ad in the Chamber newsletter within one year after joining. The newsletter is sent to over 600 contacts, so you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity for others to notice your business!
Display your membership certificate and sticker openly. Various research studies show that when individuals know that a business is part of their local Chamber, they perceive that business to be more credible. So, you can use your certificate and sticker to let customers or clients know that you belong to our organization!

Within 60 Days of Joining:

Check out sponsorship and advertising opportunities. The Chamber has a list of annual events that your organization can sponsor in exchange for recognition, and we also have various advertising opportunities that can help get your business stand out in the community and Chamber. Take a look at our membership guide as well to learn more about different options that can benefit your business!
Swing by our office to meet our staff, and bring literature to display outside our office. Our staff of 4 has a big heart for our members, and we’d love to get to know you! You are always welcome to stop by our office, and when you come you can bring literature (business cards, brochures, pens, etc.) to display in the outside hall. Please limit to one item, as we try to have room for all of our members. Visitors and new residents often like to swing by and pick up information about the community.
Consider hosting a Ribbon Cutting or After Hours event. Ribbon Cuttings and Chamber After hours are a great way to build community energy around your business, and to get people inside your doors. Even virtual ribbon cutting options help community members recognize your physical building and engage them in learning more about your business. As a new member, or even an old member who has had some big changes or transitions, we highly recommend having a ribbon cutting to help build traction in the community.
Familiarize yourself with Chamber programs, including Leadership Newton, Emerge: Harvey County (Formerly Newton Young Professionals), NetWork KS, and Downtown Promotions. As a part of the Chamber’s efforts to lead, support, and influence economic vitality in the Newton, KS area, we organize and facilitate several programs to give back to our community. Our Chamber programs have a lot to offer our members, both directly and indirectly. Additionally, our members are invited to take leadership roles in our various programs to help make an impact as well. To learn more about each program, visit the “Programs” tab on our website.
Learn more about our Chamber Check Program and see if it is a right fit for you. Our Chamber Checks essentially act as local giftcards, offering a great opportunity for our members to participate and receive more business from individuals with Chamber Checks. Also, if you are in need of a gift for your employees or co-workers, ordering Chamber Checks is a great way to support fellow members! Many others from the community order Chamber Checks as gifts for family and friends.
“Remember a member” – turn to other members for any goods or services you need. Start to think about some of the products and services your business needs. Are there any Chamber members you can turn to in support to fill those needs? One of the great things about being a part of the Chamber is that you join a network of fellow businesses who support one another. It really helps keep our community strong!

Within 90 days:

Look for potential business connections in the online Membership Directory. To whom can you potentially refer business?
Get engaged. Support a fellow Member business with a visit, follow-up with a someone you met at a chamber function.
See if you are interested in becoming more involved in Chamber committees and programs. The Chamber offers several programs that our members can become involved with – both in leadership and organization, and participation!
- Downtown Promotions: Regardless of whether or not you’re retail, a restaurant, bank, or any other service provider – if you are a downtown member, you are invited to become involved with our downtown promotions committee! This committee plays a part in organizing shopping promotions campaigns, as well as taking on projects to help benefit the entire central business district of Newton. If you are interested in joining this group, contact Dyan Roberson at dyan@newtonchamberks.org.
- Chamber Ambassadors: Our ambassadors are our advocates. As a Chamber Ambassador, you can volunteer to help our Chamber staff connect with members and organize and run events. Our ambassadors are our helping hands, and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them! If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador, talk to Terri Anderson, Director of Membership Investments, at terri@newtonchamberks.org.
- Emerge: Harvey County: If you are a young adult who is looking to grow your skills and networks, engage with other young adults and businesses, and serve our county, you belong in Emerge. Emerge: Harvey County is our Young Professionals organization with a purpose to connect emerging leaders to build a thriving Harvey County. Emerge members have monthly meetings, as well as special events and service projects throughout the year. For more information, visit www.emergeharvey.com, or contact Kelsie Weaver at kelsie@newtonchamberks.org.
- Leadership Newton: The Chamber’s Leadership Newton Program exists to build up strong leaders who will drive the future of our community. Leadership Newton programs are open to all, as we believe that everyone has the capacity to be a leader. Each year, our Leadership Newton council hosts a leadership class, various leadership book studies, hot topic luncheons, and the opportunity to connect with the Kansas Leadership Center to access the great programs they have available. Learn more about our leadership program.
- NetWork KS: As an E-Community through NetWork KS, we have made a commitment to cultivate an entrepreneurial environment by identifying and developing resources to help local entrepreneurs start or grow businesses. Through our partnership with NetWork KS, we will be able to offer various programs to our community, including the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, and the Ice House Program. If you are interested in learning more about what we have in store through NetWork KS, contact Pam Stevens at pam@newtonchamberks.org!
Reach out to Chamber Staff, Board Members, or Ambassadors with any questions you might have. We understand that when you first join the Chamber, things can feel like a bit of a whirlwind. If you have any questions, reach out to us! We have staff available in our office for a visit or phone call. Also, we encourage you to get to know our board members and ambassadors as well! They can help answer many questions you have from the perspective of a member.
Consider Sponsoring a Chamber Breakfast, or any upcoming Chamber Events. Our sponsorship opportunities offer great ways to promote your business through our events! Check out a list of sponsor opportunities. If you have any questions, or if you’re interested in sponsoring an event, contact Terri Anderson at terri@newtonchamberks.org.

Throughout the Year:

Communicate any special accomplishments. We LOVE to celebrate member accomplishments. Whether you have a new building addition or new opening, new hire, etc., let us know so we can share with our members and the community! Send any press releases or communications to our marketing director, Kelsie Weaver, at kelsie@newtonchamberks.org, and she will make sure you get the recognition you deserve!
Take a look at your directory listing once a year to see if there are any updates you would like to make. After time, it can be easy to forget that you have a free business directory listing on our website. However, we have so many people search for businesses in our directory that we want to make sure you keep updated information posted! So, about once a year or so, please peruse over your listing and let us know if there is any outdated information, or information you’d like for us to change. You can send any changes to Terri Anderson at terri@newtonchamberks.org.
Attend an event hosted by another chamber member, take advantage of another member’s deal, and more. One of the best parts of being in the Chamber is the relationships you form with other members, and the community support that results from members rallying behind other members. So, set a goal for yourself to attend a few events or to take advantage of deals that other members offer to show them some support. It makes a world of difference to our community.

Once you’ve been around for a little while:

Consider serving on the Chamber Board of Directors, or chairing a sub-committee. For our members who have been around for a little while, we know you have so much to offer through your leadership. So, we invite you to consider applying for the Chamber Board of Directors, or to even participate on or chair a subcommittee in the Chamber. Serving at this capacity is so greatly appreciated by the Chamber, and offers great opportunities for you to grow in your leadership and connections. If you are interested, or want to know what opportunities are currently available, contact Director Pam Stevens at pam@newtonchamberks.org.
Think about any connections who could benefit from Chamber membership, and encourage them to join. While we try to reach all of the businesses in our community, it is always a great help to our businesses and the Chamber when members refer others to join. So, take time to think about some fellow businesses owners you might know who could really engage in and benefit from being a Chamber member, and connect them to us! We’d love to get them the information they need.