Metro Chamber of Commerce promotes savings program

Metro Chamber of Commerce officials are touting a new savings program they say will give their small businesses the buying power of large companies.

Member businesses will receive discounts on services such as shipping, computers, office supplies and rental cars.

Chamber spokeswoman Cara Clarke said the program arose after Chamber leadership examined typical expenses of its members and came to a conclusion.

“Why not save some money off of that off of the chamber’s collective buying power?” Clarke said.

Included in the savings are up to 30 percent on UPS shipping and Dell computers and up to 70 percent at Office Depot. There are also discounts on email marketing software Constant Contact, legal service LegalShield and workers compensation, dental and vision insurance.

Brian Mosko, owner of Bacon Boys, a food-truck business that sells paninis and pressed sandwiches, is taking part in the program. Mosko called the printing bills “incredibly significant,” reducing bills of $180 to as little as $30 or $40 for menus or coloring pages for children.

“We can give away a coloring page, and the effect on the bottom line is very minimal because of a program like this,” Mosko said.

Chamber officials hope businesses can apply savings from the program elsewhere, such as increasing advertising or marketing budgets, hiring a new employee or making capital investments.

“Every time you can help your bottom line in terms of reducing your overall overhead, you can apply that somewhere else, and that’s important for a business,” Clarke said.

Mosko said Bacon Boys plans to start using the UPS shipping discount to offer packaged rubs and sauces online for customers who like the product at his truck.

“We knew what we were going to do in the future, and that was one of the things we obviously want to take advantage of,” Mosko said.

The savings program is the first of several initiatives scheduled for roll out during its “Summer of Small Business” campaign, Clarke said. Others include a credit card processing benefit and a program to assist members optimize their websites for Google searches.

For more information call 702-641-5822 or visit www.lvchamber.com/perks-discounts.

Contact Knowles Adkisson at kadkisson@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5529. Find him on Twitter: @knowlesadkisson.