Member Services

• Promotion
• Networking
• Communication
• Trade & Export Services
• Advice & Information
• Training
• Conference Room Hire
• ChamberHR

Promotion

Promoting your business and increasing peoples awareness about what your business has to offer is important for any business. Galway Chamber provides plenty of opportunities to our members to market and promote what it is that makes their business stand out. Each opportunity is geared towards promoting your business to other key decision makers in and around Galway. Your business can actively be promoted by Galway Chamber through the following means:

Website Listing on Galway Chamber website
Your business is listed on the Members Directory section of this website where it is possible to search by name of company, sector or keyword. The key benefit of this is that this directory is regularly a first point for research by other businesses looking for suppliers or potential clients in Galway.

Listing in Membership Directory
All members of Galway Chamber receive a Membership Directory containing the names, addresses, contact details for the key contacts of all members. This directory is an invaluable source of contacts and potential leads for your business.

New Member Alert in Chamber Newsletter
All new members are introduced to the rest of the member network through the Chamber Newsletter which is distributed on a monthly basis. This newsletter is distributed to both the key contacts in our member network as well as elected representatives and key players in the region.

Direct Mail Promotion of your Business
Each month we offer members an opportunity to promote their business using our Direct Mail Service. This can be achieved by sending your marketing material (brochure/flyer/invites etc) to over 700 key contacts. You simply provide the marketing material and the chamber prints, packs and posts the mailing.

Website Listing on Online Business Directory www.shopgalway.com
If you have special offers or promotions which you want to promote to the wider public, Galway Chamber can list your business on the free www.shopgalway.com website. This website is a widely used source by locals and visitors looking for good deals and special offers in Galway.

Networking

Business in Galway is all about networking. Galway Chamber has a number of events and opportunities for members which are all geared towards ensuring you get to network and connect with new contacts. Each event we organise as a networking element to it and we encourage all our members to take full advantage of this very easy and effective means for promoting your business.

A number of specific networking opportunities are organised throughout any given year. These include:

Business After Hours
Every month a Business After Hours networking event in hosted by a chamber member in their own premises.  The format of the event is generally light on formality with the host company saying a few words about their business and the rest of the time dedicated to networking. After each event, the list of attendees is circulated so that you have a chance to follow up with the other guests.

Business Lunches
We host a series of lunches throughout the year with guest speakers on topical issues of relevance to business. Each of these lunches provide guests with the opportunity to network and exchange business cards. We encourage all our members to attend these events and make maximise use of the time available for networking - arrive early and bring lots of business cards.

Speed Networking
A new concept is Speed Networking, where attendees have a set time within which to talk about their business and build their contacts base. Everyone has a few minutes to introduce themselves and make an impression. After the bell rings, you move to the next table and start over again. The key to making this networking a success for you is to have 2-3 very good opening lines about your business. What is it you do, who do you want to connect with and how you are different!

Communication

Galway Chamber regularly communicates with its members, in the form of our monthly member's newsletter, email updates and from time to time via targeted mailshots.

Chamber Member Newsletter
Every month, Galway Chamber publishes its member's newsletter with information on chamber news, business opportunities, upcoming and recent events as well as Galway Chamber lobbying activities to influence decisions affecting business in the region. The Chamber Newsletter is circulated to all members and other relevant organisations at the beginning of each month.
  
Download the latest issue of Galway Chamber Newsletter. 

Contact Europe Newsletter
The Enterprise Europe Network, located at Galway Chamber, also publishes a monthly newsletter, with information on EU funding, tenders and other business related issues. 

Download the latest issue of Contact Europe Newsletter.

Email Updates
We will from time to time send email updates about upcoming events, news and notices. These updates will also have live links enabling readers to link to the website for further information or book / register their interest for upcoming events.

If your company is a member of the Chamber, all employees are entitled to receive our Chamber Bulletin by email. Please contact us to add your details to our bulletin listing. All email information that we received is used only for the purpose of Chamber communications and is never distributed to a third party. 

Trade & Export Services

Galway Chamber provides Trade & Export services to businesses engaged in international trade. Different countries have different requirements as regards to export documentation. Galway Chamber can assist businesses in determining their requirements and in processing of certain documentation. Galway Chamber is also an authorised agency for the Department of Enterprise charged with issuing and approving Certificates of Origin.

Advice & Information 

Galway Chamber provides a range of business information to businesses on a wide range of issues, such as business start up, business partnering, legislation, funding opportunities, European Commission programmes and general EU matters. This information service is provided through the Enterprise Europe Network at Galway Chamber.

Chamber Members are always welcome to speak to any of the chamber staff should you have specific queries about your business sector or local market conditions.

Additional Business Information is maintained on this website including guides for starting a business, useful links for business and other resources

Training  

Galway Chamber organises a range of training courses in Galway most of which are FAS or Skillnets subsidised. The training courses are typically short day courses and held in the chamber itself. The benefit of the training courses provided are that businesses can access training which is not always available in the West. Also, hiring in a trainer to your own business can be quite costly if there is only a small number requiring the specific training. By coming together with other businesses you can benefit from courses which the chamber can provide on a funded basis having already agreed the subsidies with the public bodies. A further benefit of the training courses provided by Galway Chamber is the learning from others and networking which takes place among the variety of participants.

Training Courses are always being scheduled subject to demand. We have a number of Upcoming Training Courses open for registration.

Conference Room Hire  

Galway Chamber has a conference and meeting room available to hire in its centrally located premises on Merchant's Road. Our hospitality service complements our facilities, which can be tailored to meet your particular needs.  Our roomhire service is offered at competitive rates and provides excellent value for money. Room hire is available to chamber members only. The room can service a variery of functions including training courses, interviews, board meetings, AGMs. For more information, please download our conference room details.