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Mercer Island
Chamber of Commerce

Building a stronger Mercer Island through business advocacy, support and development.

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MERCER ISLAND
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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 Checkout our upcoming events and learn more about the Chamber's activities and plans.

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Promote the economic vitality of Mercer Island through advocacy, leadership and community building events ♦ Provide referral and networking opportunities which facilitate development of strategic partnerships between businesses ♦ Publish a newsletter of Chamber and community news ♦ Produce community events that bring people and businesses to the island ♦ Serve as information center, offering maps and demographic information ♦ Recognize achievements of the business community ♦ Provide advertising and sponsorship opportunities ♦ Introduce new businesses to the community

Front Door to Mercer Island

Founded in 1946, the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce has a long history of providing member advocacy and promotion, education resources and networking opportunities.


For Mercer Island Businesses

Representing a diverse collection of businesses, we work in partnership with our community and local government to help our members advance, grow and thrive. Through business education, networking, community events, advocacy and representation, the Mercer Island Chamber is committed to helping each member grow and prosper.

"Working with us opens an enormouse opportunity of growth"

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Latest Business Blog Post

Main Street Is Changing What the Remote Work Trend Means for Your Small Business

08 Apr, 2024
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Is This What’s Holding Back Your Sales?

01 Apr, 2024
Ask yourself a simple question—what’s holding your potential customers back from buying from you? You might think cost. Perhaps it’s ease of purchase (online ordering), location, or not knowing about you. But there could be something much easier to fix than cutting your prices, moving, or rebranding/launching a huge marketing campaign. While all these things are important—pricing, location, and top-of-mind recognition—there is something else you could be doing to get more people in your business. You could be setting expectations. What does that mean? There is likely a need for what you sell or do. Or you wouldn’t have gone into business, right? Maybe your marketing is really great, and you’ve created a desire for your product or service among your audience. But unless you sell something that is an instant emotional purchase, doubt could set it and kill your sale. This doubt occurs because the purchaser is unsure of your product or service, worries about the value, or is doing something they wouldn’t normally do/purchase (that includes purchasing from you for the first time). To avoid this, you need to ensure they have the confidence to purchase from you. Help them imagine what you (your product or service) can bring them. Do this by creating content. But not just any content. Content and Sales Let’s say you run a Facebook ad for a new service you’re offering or a discount to try your business. Hopefully, you’ve used the targeting features well and you get a lot of clicks on them. Potential customers are reading the info, and signing up for whatever webinar, service, discount, or info session you’re offering (gyms, I’m especially looking at you here). Congrats. That’s great. You’re probably ecstatic with those leads. But then they fail to convert to sales. What happened? The leads seemed interested. Something made them change their mind. Or did it? First, many people treat Facebook ads and events like a try-before-you-buy situation. Just like people tend to post the life they wish they had on “the Book,” they seem interested in events and services when really, they’re just trying out the idea in their head. Moving Potential Leads from Maybe to Gotta Go There To help close these leads, you need to send several reminders with the kinds of subject lines that scream “open me.” When they see you in their email inbox often, it will be harder to forget their commitment. But more importantly… You need to manage expectations. This person is new to your business. They don’t know what to expect from you. They enjoyed your ad, thought this is for me, but then doubt sets in. They start wondering, what will this be like? Can I do it? Is it really for me? And a hundred other concerns. As in Newton’s Law of Motion—an object in motion stays in motion—a potential customer stays “at rest” until a force is applied to it. In this case, the force you are applying is addressing their questions and concerns ahead of the potential customer voicing them. I recently signed up for an exercise class trial. It was a weak moment, a new exciting business in town, and I had a desire to get healthier. This particular exercise looked like fun but I’ve never done it. Then doubt set in. Would I be the oldest person in the class? Would everyone else look like Barbie in Lulu? What do I wear? Can I handle it without throwing up? The more questions popped into my mind, the more I thought about canceling. I dodged the business’ reminder phone calls. I didn’t confirm on their texts. I was 90% ready to hit the “unsubscribe to everything button” and then an email arrived. It was friendly and upbeat. It answered all my questions and then some. (Minus the Barbie one.) And I’m going to the class. That email got me over my concerns without the embarrassment of having to raise them in the first place. In your business content you need to do more than tell who you are and what problem you solve. That’s the beginning of the sales process. If you want to move people down that sales funnel, turning them into loyal customers, you need to address things that might be holding them back. You don’t do that by having a perky employee call and say, “let me know if you have any questions.” They won’t tell you. Instead, you need to anticipate those hesitations, address them ahead of time, and serve up the answers to them. If you do, they’ll not only be more likely to buy from you, but they’ll also see you as a business that “gets” them. And that’s the first step to building a loyal clientele.

If You’re a Gig Worker (or use them) You Need to Know This

25 Mar, 2024
If you’re a gig worker, or you use them in your business, it’s important that you are aware of recent legislation that went into effect this month. What Is a Gig Worker? A gig worker (independent contractor, freelancer, or contingent worker) is someone who works on a temporary, flexible basis, often for multiple clients or companies. They perform specific tasks, projects, or assignments for a predetermined period, rather than being employed full-time by a single employer. The number of gig employees has grown exponentially over the past few years. In 2024, it’s expected there will be 76.4 million people working as freelancers and indie professionals). These people work in a variety of industries including ride-hailing (Uber, Lyft, etc.), food delivery, freelance writing, graphic design, consulting, and others. Gig workers enjoy a level of autonomy and flexibility in choosing when, where, and how much they work, something that has become more appealing (and practical) post-COVID. During the pandemic, many people were working from home. Once companies called employees back to the office, some decided to leave traditional work environments for more flexibility. The gig economy has also grown significantly in recent years due to technological advancements, changing labor trends/opportunities, and the desire for greater work/life balance. What You Need to Know About The Independent Contractor Rule The Department of Labor (DOL) introduced the new Independent Contractor Rule on March 11. It sets out six criteria for determining whether a worker should be classified as an independent contractor or an employee. This recent legislation has stirred up significant controversy among freelancers and businesses that rely on gig workers. Here’s why: This new rule, which replaces an earlier one from 2021 that designated two "core factors"—control over work and opportunity for profit or loss as the deciding factors for classification, poses new challenges for employers in categorizing their workforce. Companies that rely heavily on gig workers (like ride-hailing, food delivery, and creative services), may need to recategorize a significant portion of these independent contractors into unionized employees. According to the press release issued by the US Department of Labor, “‘Misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a serious issue that deprives workers of basic rights and protections,’ explained Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. ‘This rule will help protect workers, especially those facing the greatest risk of exploitation, by making sure they are classified properly and that they receive the wages they’ve earned.’” But not everyone thinks they’re being “exploited.” Many gig workers, small business advocates, trade groups, and lawmakers have likened this new rule to California's Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), which took effect on January 1, 2020. It required many businesses to treat gig workers as employees. That rule impacted many freelance journalists because it capped the number of articles they could get paid for. AB5 triggered widespread outcry, leading to the California legislature passing over 100 exemptions for affected industries. On March 21, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Education & the Workforce moved forward with a proposal to repeal the rule. The committee approved the resolution in a 21-13 vote, paving the way for consideration by the entire House. Additionally, the Independent Contractor Rule has prompted at least five lawsuits (at the time of this writing), including one with the US Chamber of Commerce and co-plaintiffs the Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated Builders and Contractors of Southeast Texas, American Trucking Associations, Financial Services Institute, National Federation of Independent Business, and National Retail Federation. The complaint argues this rule will make it difficult for businesses that require the flexibility to be able to scale up or down quickly depending on employment needs (seasonally or otherwise), while also impeding on the freedoms of millions of gig workers to chart their own course of independent work life. Many gig workers prioritize the flexibility and autonomy offered by contracted employment models, as highlighted in a study by the Harvard Business Review. Karen Anderson, founder of Freelancers Against AB5, strongly opposes the rule, describing it as 'disruptive and cruel.' According to Anderson, the law affects over 600 categories of professions within their membership, causing significant disruption and hardship. On the other hand, the DOL says the legislation aims to safeguard workers' rights and ensure consistency through the Fair Labor Standards Act. Organizations like More Perfect Union support the rule, anticipating that it will result in higher wages and overtime pay for millions of gig workers. In conclusion, the shift away from 2021’s simpler two "core factors" framework to a broader six-factor assessment adds uncertainty, leaving employers with challenges in accurately classifying their workforce. Whether you are a business using gig workers or are an independent contractor, this ruling—and the current lawsuits (and potential votes) surrounding it—will have a significant, precedent-setting impact on the independence of the worker. This ruling is just one more stop in the evolving landscape of employment classification but one that we should pay attention to.
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