Join the Pooler Chamber of Commerce

From ribbon cutting to day-to-day operations, the Pooler Chamber of Commerce is here to support local businesses of all sizes. President and CEO Courtney Rawlins is passionate about seeing small businesses thrive as Pooler grows. She took on the role of CEO in 2022 but has been dedicated to the Pooler business community for years prior, serving as both a chamber ambassador and a board member. Under her leadership, membership has more than doubled.

Why join the Chamber?

Joining the chamber grants access to a wealth of resources that go beyond hanging a sticker in the window. “The visibility, the networking, the resources and the advocacy are hands down the best benefits of being a chamber member,” says Courtney. “While you are working in your business, we are working for your business.”

Visibility

With more than 500 member businesses, you’re in good company when you join the chamber.

“If you’re a member, you’re getting highlighted,” Courtney says.

The chamber leverages local relationships to create programs like Pooler Eats, a partnership with Jesse Blanco and Eat It and Like It that is a digital dining guide to every restaurant in Pooler.

Pooler is also growing as a destination for visitors who stay at hotels near the airport and venture out to shop and dine. The chamber’s destination marketing arm, Visit Pooler, works to promote the city’s businesses to people outside of a 50 mile radius.

“We have relationships with magazines all the way down to Miami, Florida, and up to North Carolina. We're running digital marketing campaigns that highlight our restaurants, shopping and hotels all over the USA.”

Through a partnership with the Tourism Leadership
Council, a hardcover book titled Pooler: Discover the Charm is placed in every hotel room in the city. With a blend of editorial and advertising content, Pooler’s businesses shine on every page. 

Networking

Part of being a member of the chamber is connecting with your peers. The chamber organizes networking events that unify members and build relationships, no matter what your schedule looks like. Small Business Trending Topics is a bimonthly morning coffee meeting that educates members on local issues and common business challenges like digital marketing and hiring. Knowledge Now luncheons also happen every other month for those who prefer to connect at an afternoon event. Business After 5 events provide evening networking opportunities at a different location each month.

Larger events like Taste of Pooler, Women’s Wellness Luncheon, the Pooler Economic Outlook Luncheon and the State of the Chamber draw a crowd and feature sponsorship opportunities to give further exposure to your business.

“You can come to all of our events without being a member, but once you come to one of our events and you see what we're doing, you're going to want to be a member,” says Courtney.

Resources

Members have access to valuable benefits like a health insurance plan to offer employees and a complimentary membership to the Georgia Chamber Federation that represents members on the state level. Other benefits of membership include:

• Membership Directory Listing on the Chamber Website and access to full member directory
  
  
• Members-only pricing for events and programs
  
  
• Opportunity to serve on a Chamber Committee
  
  
• Post job openings on Chamber website
  
  
• Event & Program Sponsorship Opportunities
  
  
• Use of Chamber logo for your business's advertising
  
  
• Post company events on Chamber website calendar
  
  
• Complimentary admission to select chamber events (number of tickets depends on membership tier)
  
  
• Access to the Chamber’s Private Business to Business Facebook Page

These are some of the base membership benefits, but there are several other tiers with additional perks and ways to ensure involvement with chamber events.

The biggest resource of all is the support of the chamber team. “There's nothing this team can't do. We are small, but we are mighty,” says Courtney.

Advocacy

As President and CEO of the Pooler Chamber, Courtney also serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. In that capacity, she is able to stay aware of what's going in front of the general assembly and share information or comments from local businesses that can potentially shape specific legislation.

The chamber team also maintains a strong relationship with city of Pooler officials. They attend city council meetings and planning and zoning meetings to keep members up to date with developments that might affect their businesses.

Future Plans

Next year, the chamber will launch its first ever visitors guide and a website for Visit Pooler. It will also produce a publication that highlights the chamber team and economic statistics for Pooler distributed to new members, new residents and people applying for business licenses. The team will also continue its forward momentum with the annual events that keep them top of mind in the community.

“When you partner with us to do an event or for some programming, you're answering a bigger call than just giving the chamber some money. It shows that you're engaged and committed to your community,” says Courtney.

Upcoming Events:

11/7 - Member Appreciation Oyster Roast

12/7 - Holiday Festival in the Park