Chamber Provides
- Promotion of Your Mixer – We create a Chamber Event on Facebook, LinkedIn and on our website. Then, the event will be promoted for approximately one month ahead of time in our newsletter and via social media posts on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as other communications to the Chamber member community. After the event, images and reels from the event will be posted and promoted on social media to gain additional exposure of your Chamber and community involvement!
- Check-in Table – Chamber Ambassador(s) will greet your guests & provide name tags and information
- A Chance to Address Attendees – As the host of the event, you will have the opportunity to “have the floor” and speak about your business during the Chamber’s presentation portion of the event.
- Door Prizes – Mixer guests will enter the drawing for door prizes (donated by the host as well as other Chamber members) using their business cards and you can help hand out the items to our winners.
Host Provides
- Adequate/safe parking for guests: Parking should be conveniently located if not adjacent to the venue. Let us know if there are special parking arrangements so that we can inform attendees.
- Hot & cold appetizers: Food choice is at the discretion of the host. Plan on approximately 40-60 guests (filtering in and out throughout the evening). Don’t forget that many guests will feel that this is one of the most important components of the mixer! A suggestion for food is co-hosting with a chamber member that is a restaurant or caterer. The host may also work with a “sponsor” to share the cost of the event and the sponsor will be promoted and have equal exposure to the host. All paper goods and utensils are the responsibility of the host.
- Beverage service: The host needs to have alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available to guests. The host may choose to provide guests with a complimentary drink(s). If needed, the Chamber can provide drink tickets to Chamber members to redeem their complimentary drink(s).
- Door Prize(s) for guests: It is highly recommended that mixer hosts provide an item to be given as door prizes during the mixer. Gift items, gift certificates, etc. generally make great door prizes.
- Personal Invitations: The Chamber will actively promote your mixer; however, personal invitations from you to colleagues, friends and other members goes a long way in boosting attendance. Show them why you belong to the Chamber!
Optional Idea
- Ice-breaker/Activity: It is not necessary, but we welcome your ideas for a fun activity or ice-breaker.
Benefits
- Personalized Business Promotion: The Chamber actively promotes Business Mixers to the Chamber Member community. The host member’s information and logo (if applicable) are included on all promotional materials. Promotion of the event begins prior to the event through the day after the event, promoting images from the event. With thousands of social media followers, hosting an Olney Chamber of Commerce event is great advertising of your community involvement and commitment.
- Marketing: The host member has an opportunity to showcase their business and to make a brief presentation. Chamber Members who have attended a Business Mixer tend to patronize that business more, are more familiar with the host’s business activities and are more likely to refer others to the host business.
- Networking: Opportunity to network and get to know local community leaders and business people on both a personal and professional level.
- Community Enrichment: Mixers create a venue for networking and business promotion for all attendees. Business and personal relationships are strengthened and enriched.
Mixer Schedule
The Olney Chamber of Commerce holds Monthly Networking Mixers, January through November, from 5:30 – 7:30 PM, generally on the third Thursday of the month. Requests to host a Mixer may be made by completing the Mixer Host Request Form and returning it to the Chamber office via email at Chamber@olneymd.org.
Host/location for each mixer is awarded based on geographic and industry diversity and the Chamber’s ability to accommodate the member’s request. The Mixer schedule is developed several months in advance and it may take 6-12 months lead time to arrange for your hosting date to occur.