Page 34 - MACC Guide 2019/2020

Creativity

in Crisis

Chamber CA$H Boosts Local Sales

The year 2020 has brought many ups and downs of membership, to participate in the program for the
for local businesses, but despite the rocky economic year. In 2021, the program is scheduled to return to a
outlook, local Madison businesses accumulated revenue member-only benefit.
through a new program released by the Chamber. This
program, entitled “Chamber CA$H,” provided a way to Local organizations use the Chamber CA$H eGift
keep spending local and create more personalized and Card for company-funded programs such as employee
sanitary ways of spending, which was greatt for during rewards, customer appreciation, and marketing. These
the COVID-19 crisis. companies value the opportunity to reinvest in the
community where our employees live, work, and play.
The Madison Area Chamber of Commerce announced In May of 2020, over $6,500 in local Chamber CA$H
their new “Chamber CA$H” during their 96th Annual was given to area teachers on Teacher Appreciation day
Dinner & Awards event in January. Chamber CA$H alone.
is a digital community gift card that makes it easy to
encourage local spending with our Jefferson County By supporting local businesses, more money circulates
merchants. This program is taking the place of the very in the community through a combination of profits paid
successful Good Cents Gift Certificate program which to local owners, wages paid to local workers, goods and
has been around since 2004 and generated over $100k services procured locally for internal use or resale, and
per year in local spending. charitable giving within the community. Civic Economics
published a study in 2012 called the “Andersonville
Anyone can purchase the Chamber CA$H eGift Card, Study of Retail Economics” which showed local
write a personal message, and send it to family, friends, independent retailers recirculate 47% of their revenue
and colleagues via email, text, or even printed for a back into the community vs 14% for national chains and
personal touch. Recipients can choose to spend it at a independent restaurants recirculate 73% of their revenue
growing list of participating merchants in the Madison back into the community vs 30% for national chains.
area. Activated merchants can process the cards through
their point-of-sale system. The Madison Area Chamber incorporated the Chamber
CA$H into a new networking event called CA$H MOB.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madison Area Businesses are given the opportunity to sponsor the
Chamber of Commerce allowed all businesses, regardless event and become the “MOB BOSS,” then the MOB

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