Case study · Business Membership Organisation

Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Ruby and the team are looking forward to a new era of working with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Scope: PR & Comms · Content Management · Social Media

The brief

How we turn Chamber membership into measurable marketing return

Since 2018, You Do Better Ltd has been a member of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce. Membership has never been treated as passive networking. Instead, it has been integrated into a long term PR and marketing plan designed to strengthen visibility as well as build authority and generate commercial opportunity across the two counties.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest business membership organisations in the region. It represents hundreds of businesses and provides events, policy representation, training and editorial platforms including Business Direction Magazine. Membership offers access, but access alone does not create return. We’ve found that a clear strategy is required to turn involvement into measurable outcomes.

The objective

The focus has always been to align Chamber activity with wider business development goals. Every article, event, forum and campaign needed to contribute to positioning, relationship building and inbound enquiry rather than sit separately from core marketing.

This meant identifying where visibility would have the most impact and using Chamber platforms intentionally.

The work

Editorial contribution

Regular contributions to Business Direction Magazine have positioned You Do Better as a marketing specialist within the regional business community. Articles have focused on practical guidance, PR insight and strategic marketing advice relevant to growing businesses.

The decade of membership article reflected on long term involvement with the Chamber and demonstrated how sustained engagement supports commercial growth while strengthening regional relationships.

International Women’s Day content aligned with Chamber initiatives and wider business conversations, reinforcing support for female leadership and linking directly to involvement in Chamber forums and networks.

Relevant blogs include International Women’s Day and A Decade of Membership.

Forum involvement and speaking opportunities

Active participation in forums including the Women’s Business Forum has created opportunities to share marketing expertise directly with Chamber members. These sessions have led to meaningful follow up conversations and new business discussions.

Engagement has also extended to membership sessions designed to help businesses maximise their own Chamber involvement, ensuring marketing thinking is embedded within networking activity.

Explore Chamber forums and events.

Introduce us campaign

The Chamber’s Introduce Us campaign encourages members to proactively connect businesses within the network. This initiative supports referral based growth and strengthens the value of community.

By participating in and promoting this campaign, You Do Better has supported relationship building within the membership while also benefiting from structured introductions aligned with commercial objectives.

Learn more about the campaign:

As seen in the November/December 2019 issue of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s Business Direction Magazine, we wrote a joint piece with Beth Collett and Lucy Allen: Don’t forget to introduce us.

Member visibility

Client stories have been shared through Chamber channels where appropriate, increasing exposure within a trusted regional network and reinforcing results led marketing.

The results

Consistent regional visibility through editorial and event platforms
Increased inbound enquiries from Chamber members and regional businesses familiar with Chamber activity
Speaking opportunities leading to new client conversations
Strengthened credibility through long term membership and visible contribution to the business community
Ongoing referral opportunities through structured introductions and campaign participation

The outcome

The commercial impact

Chamber membership has generated sustained visibility, supported inbound lead generation and strengthened positioning within Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

By aligning membership with a defined PR strategy, activity has delivered measurable return rather than informal networking value.

Explore our services or view more case studies.

Now as a Partner with Crosby Associates Media, Ruby and the team are looking forward to a new era of working with the local Chamber, who together will relaunch the already popular Business Direction magazine in October 2025.

Find out more about the collaboration between You Do Better and Crosby Associates Media here.

Membership advantages

Chamber membership has always delivered a wealth of support to our growing business: we’ve maximised our membership and our clients’ too. For example, together with our clients, we’ve been speakers at Maximise your membership events and the Women’s Business Forum. Indeed, on Thursday 23rd October 2025, Ruby will bring together her contacts from the emergency services, as per a featured article for International Women’s Day 2024, at the Women’s Business Forum in Hereford.

Together, we’ve featured in BD Magazine on many occasions and also placed countless pieces for our clients: looking at forward features to ensure the right fit, and seen them showcased in Member News and via social media streams.

We’ve encouraged clients to join up too: not only do they gain membership to an accredited and recognised professional body but they also stand to gain a wealth of experience as well as opportunities to learn, network and grow their business.

The future

As we look ahead to the future, it’s clear that the relationship between businesses like You Do Better and the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is more important than ever. The Chamber continues to offer opportunities for businesses to thrive, from networking events to HR support and legal advice. For Ruby, the Chamber’s impact on her businesses over the past decade has been invaluable and she encourages other local businesses to explore the benefits of membership.

Testimonials

I have worked with Ruby when You Do Better PR supported a business in Worcester and currently manages my personal PR. She develops a strategic programme for PR and Marketing that is amongst the best available in the region. Her network of associates allows You Do Better PR to provide a basket of services. I would have no hesitation to recommend Ruby as a great provider of PR and Marketing. She makes sure you meet your deadlines too!

Ruby has great knowledge of the local environment and her very affordable and flexible ‘pay as you go’ policy is excellent value.

Mike Forrester | Chair Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce (2024)

In addition, You Do Better have gained a variety of new clients directly from the Chamber and continue to work with them on a regular basis to increase their brand awareness through member news and social streams as well as to interact with like-minded business people and share knowledge, experience and contacts within the group. For more about the local Chamber head to: hwchamber.co.uk.

Ruby continues to contribute a fantastic level of support to the local business community, despite the challenges of 2020. Ruby took the initiative to continue promoting businesses, success stories and local people during the pandemic, helping to promote a positive mindset in one of the most difficult times. Ruby always thinks of new and exciting interviews and I look forward to reading her updates on local people achieving great things. Obviously Ruby’s services are so much more than writing articles and I encourage any businesses to continue to use all PR and Marketing support services to continue to promote their businesses during 2021.

Sharon Smith | Chief Executive Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce (2022)

Now more than ever, PR and effective communications are the driving force for businesses needing to secure market share, credibility and reputability. Ruby is an exceptional communicator with a deep understanding of varying business types, needs and challenges and can effortlessly transform ideas into compelling story telling.

Gabriella Fryer | Marketing & Communications Manager | Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce (2020)

Ruby has an innovative approach to making business connections, putting collaborative working at the heart of the business. It was this pioneering approach that to led to the start of a brilliant working relationship with Worcester Web Studio, and its Head of Digital, Ray Gillespie.

Lucy Allen | PR Executive Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce (2020)

Ruby is a fantastic lady who is extremely competent at her job. Her personality shines through and she always has a smile on her face. Ruby was the first member of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber Of Commerce to speak at the Maximise Your Membership event to which she spoke brilliantly about her relationship with the Chamber and how members can maximise their membership to make the most out of our services.

Sam Holdaway | Account Manager Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce (2019)