The Miramar-Pembroke Pines Chamber of Commerce Turns Its Annual Chamber Directory into a Non-Dues Revenue Success
The Miramar Pembroke Pines Chamber of Commerce in Florida had long produced its annual Community and Business Directory with a traditional turnkey publisher. The result was predictable—a nice-looking magazine, a small royalty check, and little control over content or creative direction.
However, that changed when former CEO Robert Goltz, who had since moved on to lead the Key West Chamber of Commerce, shared how partnering with Chamber Marketing Partners (CMP) helped him bring Key West’s directory in-house and dramatically boost non-dues revenue.
Patty Archer, President/CEO of Miramar-Pembroke Pines Chamber of Commerce
Intrigued, new CEO Patty Archer wanted to know if the same could be done in Miramar. Therefore, she reached out to Ed Burzminski at CMP to explore what the numbers might look like and what it would take to make the transition.
Building a Case for Change
CMP prepared a detailed projection showing that taking the directory in-house—while still outsourcing professional project management—could generate far more non-dues revenue than the royalty model offered by a turnkey publisher.
As a result, the Chamber decided to take control of its directory, starting with the 2022 edition. CMP managed production and handled ad sales on the Chamber’s behalf, while the staff focused on member service and growth. This collaboration allowed the Chamber to reduce risk, learn the process, and build confidence in managing its own project.
Moreover, CMP provided guidance on budgeting, scheduling, and vendor coordination, ensuring the Chamber could maintain professional standards from the very first edition.
Year 1: Laying the Foundation (2022)
The first year’s return on sales was about 10%, comparable to what the Chamber had earned from the turnkey publisher. However, this edition required a major investment in new editorial content since the turnkey publisher owned all previous material.
That investment laid the groundwork for future success—the Chamber now owned every word and every photo in the directory, giving them a valuable content library for years to come. In addition, they gained the flexibility to use those materials in digital campaigns, newsletters, and social media.
Even so, the first year’s modest results gave the Chamber a solid foundation and real data to build upon in future editions.
Year 2: Bringing Sales In-House (2024)
After reviewing the first project with CMP, Patty’s team decided to sell the ads themselves. With more staff on board and stronger member relationships, they believed they could connect more effectively with advertisers.
They were right.
Ad sales rose modestly—just under 20%—but the Chamber’s return on sales nearly tripled, jumping from 10% to 29%.
The difference? Dramatically reduced editorial costs and more direct engagement with members, which resulted in stronger relationships and higher overall margins. Therefore, even with only a moderate increase in ad sales, profitability improved significantly.
Furthermore, the Chamber gained new confidence in managing its own directory, proving that in-house control and local relationships drive better outcomes.
Year 3: Record-Setting Performance (2026)
By the time the 2026 edition rolled out, ad sales had increased another 39% compared to 2024. The Chamber’s return on sales remained a robust 26%, representing a 2.6× improvement over the original turnkey publisher model.
Rosalind Ramirez, Membership Director
Credit goes to Rosalind Ramirez, Membership Development Director, who took ownership of ad sales. Working with CMP through weekly Ad Sales Huddles, Rosalind tracked progress, overcame objections, and closed deals with confidence. Consequently, the Chamber maintained steady sales momentum and consistent communication with members.
In addition, the ongoing coaching and collaboration between CMP and Chamber staff made the process efficient, predictable, and rewarding for everyone involved. As a result, the Chamber was able to sustain strong performance while keeping expenses under control.
Anyoli “Angie” Bailey, Office Manager
In addition, Anyoli “Angie” Bailey, who managed the Chamber’s back office, played an essential role in keeping the directory on track. She handled advertiser billing, processed payments, and coordinated the editorial content that brought the community stories to life. Because of Angie’s careful attention to detail, the Chamber’s workflow stayed organized and efficient from start to finish. Her behind-the-scenes management ensured that sales success translated seamlessly into financial accuracy and timely production
A Directory They Fully Own
Today, the Miramar Pembroke Pines Chamber owns everything—the editorial, layout, and design. The directory has become far more than a list of businesses; it’s now a membership development tool, a business attraction asset, and a marketing showcase for the community.
In addition, the Chamber uses the directory as a conversation starter during member renewals and new business outreach. Distributed widely throughout the greater Miami area, the directory reaches newcomers, promotes member businesses, and reinforces the Chamber’s leadership in economic and community development.
Moreover, this ownership means the Chamber can update and repurpose content at any time without relying on an outside publisher.
The Bottom Line
By replacing a turnkey publisher with CMP’s in-house directory model, the Miramar Pembroke Pines Chamber transformed a low-royalty project into a high-performing directory with more than double the return on sales and full ownership of its content.
Ultimately, what began as an experiment is now a cornerstone of the Chamber’s long-term non-dues revenue strategy—proving that when a Chamber owns its directory, it owns its success.
Want to Explore What This Could Look Like for Your Chamber?
Let’s talk. Whether you want to boost your publication’s performance, create time to build member relationships, or just need a better way to manage the process—we’re here to help.
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FAQs
Q: What does “taking a chamber directory in-house” mean?
Taking a directory in-house means the chamber manages its community or business directory directly rather than outsourcing it to a turnkey publisher. With Chamber Marketing Partners (CMP) guiding the process, the chamber keeps control of its content, design, and advertising—and, as a result, retains a much larger share of the revenue.
Q: Why did the Miramar Pembroke Pines Chamber switch from a turnkey publisher?
The Chamber wanted more than the small royalty they had been receiving. They also wanted ownership, control, and a greater financial return. Therefore, when CMP showed that managing the directory internally could more than double their return on sales, the Chamber chose to make the switch and turn the directory into a sustainable non-dues revenue source.
Q: How did taking the directory in-house increase non-dues revenue?
With CMP’s help, the Chamber removed the royalty split and began keeping all advertising revenue. Even though ad sales increased only moderately, production expenses dropped sharply after the first year. Consequently, profit margins rose more than 2.5× compared to the turnkey model.
Q: What role did CMP play in the Miramar project?
CMP managed every stage of the project—from budgeting and scheduling to ad-sales support and vendor coordination. In addition, CMP provided weekly Ad Sales Huddles that coached the Chamber’s staff on how to track prospects, overcome objections, and close more sales efficiently.
Q: What were the biggest advantages of switching to in-house directory management?
The Chamber gained:
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Full ownership of its editorial, layout, and design assets
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Transparency into all project costs and revenue streams
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Higher non-dues revenue (more than double the prior return)
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Control over messaging to better reflect the Miramar–Pembroke Pines community
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Reusable content for websites, newsletters, and future directories
Moreover, the Chamber strengthened relationships with members through direct communication during ad-sales conversations.
Q: Does taking a directory in-house require a lot of staff time?
Not with the CMP model. CMP handles the production process and provides systems, vendors, and templates so the chamber team can focus on members and sales. In Miramar’s case, the Chamber’s staff managed ad sales while CMP handled everything else; therefore, the workload remained manageable.
Q: Can other chambers achieve similar results?
Yes, many chambers across the country have adopted CMP’s in-house directory model. Each one has achieved greater transparency, ownership, and stronger non-dues revenue. Furthermore, CMP’s proven system reduces risk and provides structure, allowing even small chambers to succeed.
Q: What happens to the editorial content after switching from a turnkey publisher?
When a chamber works with a turnkey publisher, that publisher usually owns the content. After switching, CMP helps create new material that the chamber owns completely. In Miramar’s case, this one-time effort built a reusable library of articles that can be updated easily for future editions.
Q: How long does it take to transition to an in-house directory model?
Most chambers make the transition within a single publishing cycle—typically six to nine months from planning to printing. During that time, CMP provides a detailed roadmap, frequent check-ins, and vendor support so the process runs smoothly from start to finish.
Q: What kind of results did the Miramar Pembroke Pines Chamber see?
The Chamber’s return on sales climbed from 10 percent to 29 percent, then leveled at about 26 percent in later editions—more than 2.5 times higher than the turnkey model. Consequently, the directory became both a non-dues revenue asset and a valuable membership development and economic development tool.
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