Are you considering attending a local Bergen County chamber of commerce event or possibly even becoming a member of a local chamber in 2024?
If your business has not been active with any of the area’s local chambers, you may wonder what these organizations are all about and how they can benefit you and your business.
In this mybergen.com business post, we will answer the following questions:
- What exactly is a chamber of commerce?
- How can membership in one of the many local Bergen County chambers of commerce help you to grow or improve your business or organization?
- How do you find the right chamber of commerce for your Bergen County area business?
- How can you get involved with a local chamber?
A regional chamber of commerce typically comprises local businesses from a defined geographic area.
Most chamber organizations in the Bergen County area are surprisingly close-knit networks that work collaboratively to support the interests of companies within each chamber’s region while also providing many of the following membership benefits:
- Business networking events and opportunities
- Small business education programs
- Customer referrals
- Business advocacy
- Community events designed to increase business for chamber members
- Exclusive member discounts
- Opportunities to present your business or organization to other chamber members
- Advice and support from experienced regional business leaders
- Guest speaker or blogging ‘thought leader’ opportunities
- Free or discounted advertising opportunities on chamber websites, newsletters, eblasts, annual publications, videos, etc.
- Special chamber advertising rates or added-value promotion with local media outlets
- Chamber social events
Chamber Membership is More Than Handing Out Business Cards
For many Bergen County area businesses, successful chamber of commerce membership is about developing long-term relationships.
Bonding and building solid relationships with like-minded business people who may need your help and can help you in return can be incredibly beneficial to any business or organization. As the old saying goes, it’s not what you know; it’s who you know.
Don’t just try to sell things to other chamber members; remember, the days of simply handing out as many business cards as possible are over!
Sure, you’ll always look for opportunities to attract new customers and grow your business, and yes, you will be handing out plenty of business cards. But it’s important to understand that building relationships with other chamber members is where you’ll truly benefit from your membership.
Just remember that as members of the same chamber, you and your fellow chamber members are there to help each other.
Sales and other new business opportunities are important benefits of chamber membership. However, remember that for many businesses, the most successful chamber membership involves finding opportunities to connect with other members to discuss ways you might be able to help each other. This is how you will build long-lasting and mutually beneficial business relationships that will prove to be valuable to you and your business over time.
Research Local Chambers to Find the Right Fit
Bergen County area chambers vary in size and offer a variety of different membership benefits and opportunities.
Larger ‘super-regional’ chambers serve an entire county or multi-county region. Smaller, more intimate groups may help businesses wishing to focus on one or two towns.
A larger chamber may provide exposure to a more extensive membership base, events, committees, etc. At the same time, a smaller organization may be more appropriate for businesses wishing to increase business relationships and increase business in a single community or cluster of towns.
Many Bergen County businesses of all sizes belong to multiple chambers. This is an excellent idea if you or your team truly have the time and bandwidth to engage actively in chamber events, etc. What you put into chamber membership is what you get back, so don’t spread yourself too thin!
Most chambers of commerce charge a membership fee, so research your options carefully to ensure the chamber you join offers the business membership mix and member benefits that best align with your business goals.
2024 Directory of Bergen County Chambers of Commerce
The following is a directory of Bergen County chambers of commerce.
We recommend that you look into these organizations, attend a few of their events (many offer virtual or in-person networking opportunities for non-members at nominal charges), and speak with chamber directors and members to better understand what each chamber has to offer your business.
The mybergen.com Events Calendar frequently includes local chamber of commerce events and networking opportunities.
This list of Bergen County chambers of commerce is updated frequently.
Allendale Chamber of Commerce
The Allendale Chamber of Commerce is committed to advancing the commercial, professional, industrial, and civic interests of Allendale, New Jersey.
In recent years, the Allendale Chamber of Commerce has produced a variety of popular community events, including the Allendale Holiday Walk in December.
This group welcomes new members from Allendale and other communities.
To learn more about the Allendale Chamber of Commerce, visit allendalenjchamber.org.
Bergen County Chamber of Commerce
The Bergen County Chamber of Commerce is committed to fostering new business relationships and forming strategic alliances.
The main focus of the Bergen County Chamber is to refer quality leads to members while promoting Bergen County as a desirable location for small and mid-sized businesses to thrive and for national and international corporate headquarters to be housed.
This group organizes a variety of business networking and other business-to-business events and community events throughout the Bergen County area.
To learn more about the Bergen County Chamber of Commerce, visit bergencountychamber.com.
Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce
The Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce is one of Bergen County’s oldest and most active chambers. This organization is committed to working with local government and other entities to stimulate development and improve the quality of life for its members and the community.
The Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce has a large, active, and close-knit membership of businesses from Fair Lawn and neighboring communities. Chamber events tend to be well-attended and productive for members and guests alike.
To learn more about the Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce, visit fairlawnchamber.org.
Fort Lee Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Fort Lee Regional Chamber of Commerce is an organization of business people collaborating to make the Fort Lee, New Jersey community a better place to live, work, and play. This organization strives for innovative ways to blend resources to provide a prosperous, healthy, and desirable environment for all area residents, workers, and visitors.
The Fort Lee Chamber manages a very active calendar of events for members and non-members and often collaborates with other regional chambers to produce some of Bergen County’s most successful business-to-business mega-events.
The Chamber also works closely with Fort Lee schools and local community organizations, such as the Fort Lee Business District Alliance, to support successful Fort Lee community programs and events.
To learn more about the Fort Lee Chamber of Commerce, visit fortleechamber.com.
Franklin Lakes Chamber of Commerce
The Franklin Lakes Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to inspire its members to promote, facilitate, and cultivate continuous economic growth in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
The Chamber aims to build unity in the Franklin Lakes community with connectivity and charity at the forefront of everything they do. Since its inception in 2015, the Chamber has supported many community causes, including the Franklin Lakes Girl Scouts, local food drives, and other charities.
This group offers unique member benefits, including its own iHeart Radio program.
To learn more about the Franklin Lakes Chamber of Commerce, visit franklinlakeschamber.org.
Glen Rock Chamber of Commerce
The Glen Rock Chamber of Commerce represents the retail and professional business community in Glen Rock, New Jersey.
The Glen Rock Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting local and member businesses and organizations and to supporting and giving back to the Bergen County community to enrich the quality of life in Glen Rock.
To learn more about the Glen Rock Chamber of Commerce, visit glenrockchamberofcommerce.com.
Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce was established more than 40 years ago to promote the business and community interests of the towns that make up Bergen County’s Pascack Valley.
The Chamber holds monthly breakfast and quarterly lunch meetings, frequent networking events, and other opportunities for members to connect and share.
The Chamber also supports a variety of community events and projects, including supporting borough social services, community hospice, Center for Food Action, Pascack Valley Historical Society, Spectrum for Living, the American Legion, high school scholarships, Citizen of the Year, and more.
The Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce welcomes businesses from the Pascack Valley and offers individual membership to residents not associated with any company within the Pascack Valley.
To learn more about the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit pascackchamber.org.
Hackensack Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Hackensack Regional Chamber of Commerce has long been a regional leader in producing programs to support the well-being of the business community, the City of Hackensack, and surrounding communities.
This Hackensack Regional Chamber is a voluntary group of business and professional people dedicated to promoting civic, business, and community success. The Chamber harnesses the considerable potential of the private enterprise system, enabling its members to accomplish collectively what may not be possible individually.
As one of the region’s most prominent organizations of its kind, the Hackensack Regional Chamber provides a robust, friendly, and helpful membership and an impressive calendar of networking events, educational opportunities, committees, and many other valuable and unique member benefits and business resources.
To learn more about the Hackensack Regional Chamber of Commerce, visit hackensackchamber.org.
Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce serves over 550 members from 95 New Jersey and New York State local communities.
As one of the region’s most active chambers, the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce presents many opportunities throughout the year to help you build your brand, expand your network and interact with your community. Chamber membership provides instant access to various benefits, including networking events. In fact, the Chamber offers 40+ networking events annually, as well as an impressive list of signature business-to-business and community events.
Getting involved is the key to success with any chamber membership. The Mahwah Regional Chamber offers many opportunities to do so by joining well-run and productive committees.
To learn more about the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce, visit mahwah.com.
Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce
The Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce accelerates economic, community, and business development throughout Bergen County, New Jersey’s Meadowlands region and surrounding communities in Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties.
The Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce offers more than 50 networking, educational and informational events and opportunities annually.
This large and influential chamber presents exceptional opportunities to network, build connections, access valuable business intelligence, and align your business with an organization that helps promote business growth and quality communities.
To learn more about the Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce, visit meadowlands.org.
North New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
The North New Jersey Chamber of Commerce covers Bergen and Hudson County towns that the Englewood and Gold Coast Chambers served, including Alpine, Closter, Cresskill, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Leonia, Edgewater, North Bergen, Guttenberg, West New York, and Weehawken.
This organization promotes business growth in its core towns, serves its members with personal and professional development opportunities, affects public policy decisions to the benefit of the region’s business community, and actively develops and promotes community events to enrich the quality of life in Eastern Bergen County and the Hudson Waterfront.
To learn more about the North New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, visit nnjchamber.com.
Paramus Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Paramus Regional Chamber of Commerce is one of the area’s fastest-growing chambers, with over 300+ members. The Chamber is committed to uniting the efforts of business and professional individuals to ensure a healthy economic and socio-economic base to benefit its community.
Increasing membership, enhancing member benefits, giving back to the community, and creating exciting new events throughout the year are among the Paramus Chamber’s priorities.
Membership benefits include educational and networking opportunities with other chambers and networking sub-groups, advertising opportunities via the Chamber website, e-mails and mailings, trade show opportunities, free business referral services, and more.
To learn more about the Paramus Regional Chamber of Commerce, visit paramuschamber.org.
Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, one of the largest and oldest chambers of commerce in the United States, is dedicated to advancing Ridgewood, New Jersey’s commercial, professional, civic, and general interests.
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting integrity and good faith; equitable principles in business; uniformity in commercial usages; acquiring, preserving, and distributing industrial, commercial, and civic statistics and information of value; discovering and correcting abuses; preventing or adjudicate controversies; to cooperate with similar organizations in Ridgewood or other communities; and to have a role in representing Ridgewood, in the decision-making of state and national organizations affecting the Village of Ridgewood.
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce produces, manages, and promotes many of the region’s most popular community events, including holiday festivals, sidewalk sales, and more.
To learn more about the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, visit ridgewoodchamber.com.
Teaneck Chamber of Commerce
The Teaneck Chamber of Commerce was created to help the businesses and residents of Teaneck, New Jersey.
Teaneck is one of Bergen County’s largest communities, and Cedar Lane is among Central Bergen County’s most popular shopping and dining destinations. This organization is committed to presenting and promoting Teaneck as an attractive community that serves the business community’s needs and its residents.
To learn more about the Teaneck Chamber of Commerce, visit teaneckchamber.org.
Tenafly Chamber of Commerce
The Tenafly Chamber of Commerce comprises over 70 Tenafly, New Jersey, business owners.
The primary goals of the Tenafly Chamber are to serve its Northern Valley area members by assessing the needs of local business owners and to create programs and events that deliver solutions to those needs.
In 2023, this chamber was behind some of the most popular community events in the Bergen County area.
To learn more about the Tenafly Chamber of Commerce, visit tenaflynjchamberofcommerce.org.
Waldwick Chamber of Commerce
The Waldwick Chamber of Commerce promotes the benefits of living, shopping, and doing business in Waldwick, New Jersey.
Waldwick boasts one of the most active and innovative chambers in Bergen County. The Chamber helps to promote local businesses and connects with the community through its business-to-business networking and educational activities, street fairs, seasonal festivities, a popular 5K run, and many other events and programs.
To learn more about the Waldwick Chamber of Commerce, visit thewaldwickchamberofcommerce.com.
Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce
The Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce membership consists of more than 100 merchants and professionals who do business in the Wyckoff, New Jersey area. The Chamber promotes the benefits of living, shopping, and doing business in Wyckoff.
In addition to ongoing promotional opportunities, the Wyckoff Chamber enjoys an open exchange with Wyckoff township officials. The Chamber also sponsors many local Wyckoff civic events and activities.
Wyckoff Chamber member benefits include multi-chamber networking events, meetings with guest speakers, website business listings, special advertising rates with local media, and more.
To learn more about the Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce, visit wyckoffchamber.com.
More to Come!
The mybergen.com directory of Bergen County, New Jersey-area chambers of commerce will be updated and expanded throughout 2024 as more information becomes available from local chambers.
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