In the wake of a shaky economy, local chamber officials say businesses are keeping a tighter hold on their purse strings.

“People still want to promote their businesses, but they’re having a hard time with it,” said St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Director Lori Hewitt. “They’re thinking twice about spending money.”

“Businesses are concerned,” said David Frazza, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce chairman-elect for 2008. “One minute (you hear) the stock market’s going to crash. The next thing — it goes up.

“It’s very confusing to know what to believe or who to trust.”

Frazza said what affects businesses most is a lack of consumer confidence in the economy.

“When the media and politicians get into a frenzy like this, it seems like consumers, in general, tend to sit back and wait to see what happens,” he said.

Diane Hubberts, executive director of the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce, said many small businesses in her area are wrestling with the economic downfall.

“The mom-and-pop shops that aren’t supported by a chain network and have to exist on their own are the ones struggling the most,” she said. “They don’t have the backing of a large corporate franchise.”

To combat the effects, chamber officials are reaching out to businesses through their Web sites.

Many allow business owners to link to them and list their company’s special events or deals.

“It’s a nice return on their investment,” Jean Gaines, president of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, said. “We have a pretty solid base of services in the Chicago area.”

Chamber officials agree the key to helping businesses stay strong is to bring more dollars into a community.

“We’re always trying to get people to shop in their own backyard first,” said John Quigley, president of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce.