And the Award Goes to...The Atascadero Chamber of Commerce!

​Josh Cross, President & CEO, Atascadero Chamber of Commerce

While this phrase will always be music to my ears, I could sense a collective groan from the audience after our Chamber earned its fourth award at the 2024 WACE Conference in Anaheim earlier this year. And who could forget that we also received two awards at the 2023 WACE Conference! Bragging aside, we are truly honored to have received these awards, and we couldn’t have done it without the inspiration provided by many of your chambers, which motivated us to elevate our programs and communication platforms.

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Prior to 2023, our chamber had never received a WACE award. I initially believed we were too busy, too small, and didn't need recognition for the work we do. However, a Board member's remark, “It’s not about you… it’s about demonstrating our value to our members,” sparked a lightbulb moment. We began brainstorming an application plan, emphasizing the importance of having a strong website presence. We focused on strengthening our content and improving site architecture. We visited dozens of chamber websites across the nation, including many past winners, to pick out the best elements and discussed how they could apply to us.

In 2023, we earned an honorable mention award for our website, which thrilled and shocked us. The judges' feedback gave us a clear understanding of how to further improve the website. Using this feedback, we spent the rest of the year updating our website, newsletters, videos, and programs to be ready for the 2024 award season. Our efforts and approach paid off!
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More importantly, we now have tools to leverage as value for our members and our community. The news about our awards was picked up by local media outlets, and our members began expressing pride in being part of the Chamber. We reformatted our New Member Orientation classes from a PowerPoint deck to using our website as a presentation tool. A local business owner, impressed by our achievements, joined the Chamber at our highest sponsorship tier. The list goes on.
The process of applying for and receiving awards has also had a positive impact on our internal operations and has encouraged us to continuously assess and improve our programs and communication platforms, ensuring they meet nationally recognized standards of quality and effectiveness. This has led to increased member satisfaction, better engagement, and a stronger community presence. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team, who strive to make the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce a pillar of support for our business community.
I encourage you to embrace the awards process as a means to showcase your hard work and elevate your impact on your communities. Check out the award submission criteria on the WACE website and begin updating your content now! Remember, the key is to apply. The journey itself is rewarding, and the recognition is the cherry on top. Here’s to celebrating our collective efforts and striving for excellence together!

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