Being a citizen of the United States of America is awesome.

We live in a country with freedom. The freedom to not have to be afraid that something we say is going to land us in jail or worse. This is a freedom that other people in the world risk their lives to get.

At MainStreetChamber, we try and stay politically neutral. Without getting into idealogical debates it is important to keep our members informed on matters that could greatly impact their businesses. A matter in front of Congress right now is the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). The name and goal sound like good things; the execution of the legislation is unacceptable. The proposed legislation would result in the land of the free and home of the brave to use the same techniques to censor the internet as Iran, Syria and China.

If you like the internet and you like not having your access to content restricted, take action and learn how this legislation will impact you and get involved.

http://americancensorship.org/

Bob Firestone COO

MainStreetChamber

___________________________________

Measuring Offline Vs. Online Word-of-Mouth Marketing

The now commonly held notion that social media-related marketing is a requirement for business success may not carry as much water as once thought.

Despite all the technological advances in recent years, especially in the realm of social media, a recent study suggests that the vast majority of public discussion about products, brands and services occur in everyday word-of-mouth encounters with others, not online.

A yearlong study from the New Brunswick, N.J.-based research firm the Keller Fay Group, which included more than 32,000 participants, found that 91 percent of respondents' information about brands came as a result of face-to-face conversations or over the phone. Just seven percent of word-of-mouth conversations about brands occurs online.

The report shows that a well-rounded approach to word-of-mouth marketing and consumer participation is every bit as important as blogs, Facebook posts and tweets in getting the message out, says Chris Laird, CEO of Tremor, Procter & Gamble’s in-house word-of-mouth marketing organization, which commissioned the study.

 Tis the Season to Support Your

MainStreetChamber

Discount Providers

Before you walk out the door with your Holiday list of names and gift ideas, check your local MainStreetChamber Discount Providers that give VIP card holders generous savings on goods, services and products.

There are over 1300 businesses (and growing) across the U.S. advertising for FREE and passing the savings on to you. Find businesses near you spreading the holiday cheer. Go to mscVIP.com. Click Member Businesses and enter your zip code in the search bar.

If you don't have your VIP card yet...contact your Chapter President and start saving money this holiday season!

If you would like to advertise for FREE in our VIP Directory and offer members a discount click HERE.

 _________________________________

What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Costco's CEO

The recent news that Costco Wholesale CEO Jim Sinegal plans to retire next year brought back a flood of memories for me. I covered the company for nearly 7 years as part of a full-time retail beat at Seattle's regional weekly business paper.

For me, Sinegal always seemed like one of the good guys -- an outstanding example of how to be a CEO. He played a major role in building Costco into the third-largest retailer in the country, creating a model that rewards workers handsomely even while competitors cut benefits.  

Here are five CEO traits Sinegal has that I wish more business leaders would acquire:

Click HERE for entire article

 ____________________________________________

A Complete Resource Guide to Start a Business in 2012

Use this list of free -- or almost free -- tools to turn your business idea into a reality in the new year.

If you're planning to launch a business in 2012, you'll need every last penny you can get your hands on. That's why we put together a guide to free and low-cost resources to help you ease smoothly into the world of entrepreneurship.

It's still tough out there. Credit remains relatively tight, and consumers are cautious. So arm yourself with valuable information that will help you to get off to a winning start. We're here to help. Here are the essential steps you'll need to take to get your new business off the ground.

Figure out the right concept. To be successful and happy in your own business, you need to think seriously about how you like to spend your time and where you want to live. After you've come up with a business concept that suits you personally, the next step is to research the competition, your prospective customers and the cost of getting started.

Click HERE to read entire article

       _______________________________________________

Have you ever wondered why so many businesses fail?  Why do most business owners struggle to…just get by? Is it lack of funding?  Is it the economy? Is it lack of planning?

 __________________________________________________

Print Our Member Certificate 
and customize it with Your Company Name 

Download & Print the Badge of Credibility needed in today's Business World 

Click HERE for 

Program Overview

CLICK HERE FOR

DECEMBER

SPECIAL OFFERS
_______________  

_________________

With In-House Financing, 
You Create Sales & Customer Satisfaction

Click HERE for

We Know You Want 

More Business

We Know You Want

More Customers

We Will Give You

FREE Advertising

We Will Give You

FREE Promotion

Become A

VIP Business Discount Provider