It is already time to prepare for the 2023 Business After Hours lottery. This annual registration period allows businesses to vie for a month in 2023 to host this popular networking event.
First off, what is a Business After Hours (BAH)? This networking opportunity is open to chamber member businesses. A BAH is held typically the 4th Wednesday of the month except for holiday months when they are moved up and no BAHs in January and September due to the Chamber’s annual meeting and ColorFest. Chamber member businesses and their employees and the host’s invited guests are welcome to attend. BAHs are held by most chambers around the country as a way for a business to promote themselves while attendees can network, meet other professionals and find an avenue to communicate with Chamber staff and board members.
Signing up for this lottery is a simple process. From now until Friday, November 18, contact the Chamber at (970) 264-2360 or email membership coordinator, Kim Hartfiel at info@pagosachamber.com. When contacting us, give us your first 3 preferred months that you would like to host the event. Make sure that you include your business name and contact information such as the person in charge and email or phone number. The lottery drawing will take place on Monday, November 21. Chamber staff will begin looking at the requested months and try to format a schedule and contact the submitting businesses.
When thinking about hosting a Business After Hours, consider partnering with another chamber business in your location for a “block party” or partner with a chamber business that doesn’t have a bricks and mortar location, or partner with a non-profit agency. What the benefit of partnering – lots of benefits! First off if partnering with other near-by businesses, all your businesses get exposure. You create a “block-party” atmosphere where there is more engagement, more activity, more exposure. You all also help share the costs of the event. You can create fun activities to get people into all the businesses. It a high-energy engagement process. When you partner with a business that does not have store-frontage exposure, all of you get exposure, you can partner for a like-minded business theme, product or activity, and again, you can help share the costs.
The same holds true if you partner with a non-profit agency. You bolster a community-based organization, you demonstrate your philanthropy, and everyone gets exposure and wins. The other great thing about partnering, is you also increase your chances of winning since each business can enter the lottery.
If you haven’t been to a Business After Hours in a while, think about coming out. Take an hour or even 30 minutes to visit and support another business, network with your peers, and work ON your business, not just IN your business. In all my years of hosting and attending this event, I NEVER walk away without learning something new, meeting someone new or being able to help someone or someone help me! These relaxed networking events are more beneficial than most people realize. Business is conducted in a relaxed atmosphere where business owners and managers can relate to each other and help themselves and their businesses.
With questions about hosting a Business After Hours, contact Kim at the Chamber at (970) 264-2360. She will be happy to walk you through the process and answer your questions.
Mary Jo Coulehan is Executive Director of the Pagosa Springs Chamber of Commerce, and also serves on a number of local and state boards.