The Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce

Old is new again: Advantage Nights
By Jesse D. Smolin
Record-Journal staff
SOUTHINGTON — Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce President Art Secondo believes telling people about the benefits of networking starts with the name of the networking event.
That is why the chamber has changed the name of its occasional evening networking sessions from Business After Hours to Advantage Nights.
Advantage Nights include social events, seminars and grand openings, often at a member’s business. The first Advantage event is tonight at the twin grand openings of Shelly & Company, a salon, and Art Rich Photography’s new digital production facility, both at 30 Eden Ave.
“Advantage” was chosen to remind members and prospective members of the benefits of joining the chamber. Membership allows business owners access to insurance, piggyback mailings, network events, marketing assistance, Web site exposure, economic development resources and overall visibility, Secondo said.
“I think it is a big advantage. I joined when I opened in April after a friend told me it would be a great way to attract clients,” said Shelly Fournier, the owner of Shelly & Company.
Secondo said people have become so familiar with the old Business After Hours name that it no longer served its original purpose, which was to promote events

that allow members to network with other businesses.
“It is a long-used cliché that has been around forever, and people have gotten too used to it,” he said.
Although it will take time for members to get accustomed to Advantage Nights, Secondo said the name change would differentiate Southington’s chamber from others.
“I don’t know if it will increase membership, but it will set us apart. It will say Southington is a proactive chamber,” Secondo said.
To complete the change, a new yellow and blue Advantage logo will be unveiled, along with the chamber’s new official logo at a press conference in a couple of weeks Secondo said the change in logos would keep the chamber’s image fresh and signify the changes it has gone through. In the last three years, membership has increased from 342 to 520 businesses
jsmolin@record-journal.com (203) 317-2234