CHAMBER News:
Every small business owner knows they need a social media and marketing strategy, but finding the hours in the day to execute it is a different story. Today, the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce is launching an expanded Subsidized Marketing Program for small businesses and nonprofits, thanks to funding secured through a New Mexico Economic Development Department LEADS grant.
The Subsidized Marketing Program provides hands-on guided marketing strategy assistance for small businesses. This includes providing direct marketing expertise to help businesses implement specific marketing tasks, process learning and possible AI use for content creation.
While the program was supported early on by Century Bank, the newly secured LEADS grant now enables Los Alamos to expand its services to small businesses and nonprofits in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Santa Fe counties.
By extending marketing expertise beyond the immediate Los Alamos community, the Los Alamos Chamber anticipates enhanced partnerships, new tools, educational opportunities, networking events, and business development efforts that directly benefit the local business community and region. Working with regional organizations also broadens the Los Alamos Chamber perspective, allowing the Chamber to bring fresh ideas, proven strategies, and best practices back to the businesses it serves locally.
Every regional partnership and business admission into the program is evaluated to ensure it aligns with the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce mission and values. This includes how the Los Alamos Chamber can possibly integrate a businesses’ respective services into the Los Alamos and White Rock communities, and encourage potential business expansion into the area.
“Our priority remains the success of local businesses in Los Alamos and White Rock, and any work we undertake outside our community is intended to reinforce—not distract from—that commitment,” Los Alamos Chamber Director Sandy Jones said. “This isn’t another seminar where we tell you what you should be doing and send you on your way. This is about putting an actual marketing expert in your corner, working with you one-to-one, to build your campaigns, set up your socials, and get the work done, removing the execution bottleneck that holds so many brilliant local businesses back. By choosing to work with us, regional businesses are not only investing in their own growth but also contributing to a stronger, more resilient local business ecosystem.”
How the Program Works:
- Build Your Blueprint (Free): To make sure clients get the absolute most out of their expert sessions, it is highly recommended that businesses first meet with a New Mexico Small Business Development Center (NMSBDC) Advisor to map out a basic marketing plan. Free, confidential counseling sign-ups are available at nmsbdc.org.
- Match with an Expert: Clients choose a vetted professional from the Chamber’s approved marketing provider list to schedule up to three deep-dive implementation sessions.
- Lock in the Subsidized Rate: Clients pre-pay the Chamber just $20 per hour, prior to each session. The Chamber handles the rest, compensating the marketing providers at their negotiated $80/hour rate. This is hands-on, high-level marketing consultation at a 75% discount. Additional marketing providers interested in getting involved in the program should contact Chamber Director Sandy Jones at sandy@losalamos.org.
- Track the Growth: To measure the program’s real-world success, clients agree to share financial data (total revenues and Gross Receipts Tax remittances for 2025, 2026, and 2027; non- profits will share total donation data for the same period) and other data and testimonials, as required. All data is strictly confidential and aggregated, and used solely to assess the program’s economic impact.
Ready to grow? Space in this subsidized pilot program is limited.
Interested businesses and organizations can apply or ask questions by visiting Marketing Subsidy Program.
About Los Alamos Chamber Commerce
The Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce is a program of Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC); a private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization serving the Los Alamos area since 1983. LACDC serves as the umbrella organization for the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, Los Alamos MainStreet and Creative District, Discover Los Alamos, Los Alamos Small Business Center, and Los Alamos Research Park.
