Communication That Connects

A Look at Strategies Shaping Engagement

According to ACCE’s Public Opinion Poll, 40% of U.S. adults say they are familiar with which businesses in their communities are members of their local chamber of commerce. Moreover, 70% of U.S. adults wish they knew more about what chambers do in their communities. Strong communications can help chambers of commerce bridge these knowledge gaps and boost their reputation.

Read on to see how the Best in Show-winning entries of this year’s Awards for Communications Excellence competition combined creativity with smart strategies like storytelling, visual design and multi-channel promotion to raise visibility for their members, amplify their stories and strengthen community connections.

Engaging the Community via Storytelling

The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.) launched its video podcast, Business LNK in 2022. “One of the chamber’s biggest initiatives is to expand our storytelling to a national and international audience,” said Chris Whitney, the chamber’s communications coordinator. “We felt a podcast would be a fun way to get to know the people who are helping make Lincoln what it is.”

What started as an idea for an audio-only podcast is now a professionally produced video series and a dynamic digital storytelling tool. Its conversational and accessible format engages the community, attracting top CEOs to community leaders, while also amplifying the voices of Lincoln's small businesses and startups.

“The podcast has redefined digital storytelling for our organization,” said Whitney.

Its year-over-year audience growth (2023: 187% increase in views and listens compared to 2022; 2024: 77% increase compared to 2023) proves Business LNK’s increasing influence. Today, in addition to Business LNK, the chamber hosts additional podcasts, including Latino Connect, a Spanish-language series engaging Lincoln's Latino business community; Lincoln Visits, a tourism-focused podcast promoting Lincoln as a destination; and Talent LNK, a workforce-focused podcast attracting and retaining talent in Lincoln.

In Colorado, the Longmont Area Chamber leaned into visual storytelling for a comprehensive advertising campaign to promote its 2024 Unity in the Community event, inviting the community to “party like it’s 1999” in celebration of 25 years of Unity.

“This summer festival puts businesses and non-profits in front of thousands of Longmont residents and has been frequently cited by our members as a key reason for participation in the Longmont Chamber,” said Leah Winkler, the chamber’s communications director. “We wanted to convey the energy, inclusivity and spirit of connection that makes this event so special.”

The chamber ensured that every detail of its marketing reflected the spirit of community, incorporating the nostalgia of '90s pop culture through engaging visual storytelling elements. With a limited marketing budget, a team of five designed a cohesive campaign that included promotional and behind-the-scenes videos accompanied by story polls, social media posts, photos and tangible collateral reminiscent of the '90s.

“Video marketing performs well with our audience,” said Winkler. “Our staff wrote, directed and edited videos styled after summer blockbusters and classic boy-band music videos. We also featured event sponsors in the videos to boost their visibility.”

Community is also at the heart of the Lancaster Chamber’s (Pa.) work, and it’s reflected in their belief statement: “We believe our community thrives when our businesses thrive.” The chamber’s Elevating Your Business advertising and media kit demonstrates the chamber’s commitment to delivering impactful solutions that support its members. The kit connects marketing opportunities to a larger narrative of growth, visibility and community impact. It allows members to elevate and strengthen their market presence and engage in the community while reinforcing the chamber’s mission to amplify the voice of business across Lancaster County.

“In our community, our chamber is regarded as a long-standing, respected organization,” said Justin Johnson, director of marketing and communications at the Lancaster Chamber. “In developing this piece, we used our position as a trusted source to help elevate our members even more. We wanted to share with them all the other ways they could promote their business, not just through advertising or sponsorship, but also, for example, by hosting a chamber event, posting a digital article on our blog or being highlighted on social media.”

Visual Identity as a Communication Strategy

Thoughtful design helped create a setting for the Lincoln Chamber’s podcast that feels inviting and conducive to meaningful conversations. The studio is a former office in the chamber with limited space. Their production partner, CueMotion set up the lighting and positioned their two cameras to elevate the podcast’s visual quality.

“We were looking for something simple but with a mix of upbeat and brighter colors to complement the logos from our partner organizations—Visit Lincoln, the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development and Lincoln Young Professionals Group—featured on the podcast,” said Whitney. “The AOI (podcast sponsor) logo is prominently displayed above the logo of whichever organization is tied to that episode, ensuring strong brand visibility on camera,” he explained.

Branding was also a priority for the Lancaster Chamber when designing its advertising and media kit.

“Over the past two years, we have focused on creating more brand consistency across our organization,” said Johnson. “For this piece, we made sure that people would immediately associate it with our brand.”

The kit, which was designed and printed in-house, incorporates colors from the chamber’s logo and features pictures of members. Attention was also given to presenting key information in a visually organized and cohesive manner. Infographics, QR codes and visual mockups were also included. 

For Longmont’s 25th anniversary celebration of Unity in the Community, branding was front and center as the chamber fused the established Unity brand with a new '90s aesthetic, incorporating retro fonts, bold shapes and flat colors derived from the original Unity brand.

“With a limited marketing budget, we had to get creative, ensuring that every touchpoint, from social media to signage, from sponsor materials to event swag, felt seamless and inviting,” said Winkler.

The chamber’s goal of evoking the familiar comfort and warm nostalgia of '90s pop culture was carried across all advertising pieces, including video. “The videos in particular took an incredible amount of work,” said Winkler. “Everything from the choreography to the color-grading in post-production was an intentional choice made by our team to capture the energy we wanted to inspire in our community.”

Reaching Audiences Where They Are

To maximize reach, the Lancaster Chamber integrated their advertising and media kit into a broader marketing strategy, including a dedicated website landing page, targeted email campaigns and in-person promotions at chamber events.

“We’ve been intentional about showcasing this piece and other marketing assets at a marketing table at our larger events,” said Johnson. “Because the kit is quite substantial, discussing it in person allows us to highlight the opportunities most relevant to each member.”

Johnson also reported that his members are increasingly expressing interest in printed pieces versus digital versions. As a result, the chamber has a printed version of the kit. They mail it to every new member, and the chamber’s business development team shares it when prospecting or doing check-ins with current members.

For the podcast, the Lincoln Chamber relies on social media for promotion and engagement, often posting short-form video clips and social media teasers. They also include chamber newsletters in the mix for visibility and collaborations with media and businesses to expand reach.

According to Whitney, promotions through social media and newsletters tend to drive the most listeners and viewers to the podcasts. “Our most successful podcasts have also been reshared by the guests and their organizations through social media, usually on Facebook or sometimes Instagram,” said Whitney.

Social media was also the preferred vehicle for promoting Longmont’s festival. “Our 60-day digital marketing campaign, leveraging YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, reached a total of 117,000 users, with 8,800 engaged users, demonstrating strong audience interest and an impressive engagement rate,” said Winker.

The chamber’s marketing approach proved that creativity, not just dollars, drives impact. “We allocated a total marketing spend of just over $3,500 and generated a net profit of nearly $66,000,” said Winkler. “Generating $18 in profit for every dollar spent is nothing short of incredible. The results speak for themselves.”

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Chambers today are not just promoting their members. They are fostering meaningful community engagement. These winning entries show how thoughtful and strategic communication can be a powerful tool for strengthening connections between businesses and the communities they serve.

It’s what motivates Justin Johnson in Lancaster. “I’m always thinking about all the possible ways our chamber can feature our members. My goal every day is to elevate as many businesses as I can.”