Stuart A. from Boulder CO. Joined the Boulder Chamber 6 months ago mainly for networking. Xcel Energy serves most businesses here on Schedule SG or Schedule SGT but getting past the small talk at events is tough. Anyone having success turning chamber connections into utility audit clients?
Chamber of Commerce networking actually working?
Carl N. in Denver here. Denver Metro Chamber has been great for me. Met a commercial real estate broker who introduced me to 3 property management companies. One of them hired me to audit their whole portfolio - 23 Xcel accounts on various schedules. The membership pays for itself.
Sylvia D. from Harrisburg PA. Our local chamber has monthly breakfast meetings that are perfect for elevator pitches. I focus on talking to property managers and facility directors about PPL billing. Found my biggest client there - $67k in savings on Schedule LP-5 Large Power accounts.
Randy Dawson here. Chamber networking is definitely a long game but can be very effective. The key is positioning yourself as the utility billing expert rather than just another consultant. I always carry simple case studies showing specific dollar savings with tariff details. People remember concrete examples better than vague promises. Also volunteer for committees if possible - gives you more face time with potential clients.
Tina B. in Grand Rapids MI. Consumers Energy customers at chamber events are usually pretty receptive when I mention Schedule GP-2 demand charge issues. I've gotten 3 clients just by explaining how billing periods don't align with calendar months. Sometimes education is the best sales pitch.
Bill T. from St. Louis. Ameren Missouri territory here. Chamber networking led to my first big audit - found $34k in errors on Schedule LPS Large Power Service. But it took 14 months of regular attendance before that connection materialized. Patience is key.
Ted N. in Spokane WA. Avista customers are everywhere at our chamber meetings but most small business owners don't think they have enough usage to benefit from audits. I've started focusing on Schedule 25 General Service accounts - even smaller facilities can have power factor or demand billing errors.
Great advice everyone. Carl, I'm definitely going to focus more on the real estate connections. Stuart A.