Marketing Tool for Business Exposure – Valpo Chamber Partnership Program!

The 2012 calendar year will be an excellent time for Valpo Chamber members to consider participating in the Chamber Partnership Program to market their business brand to other businesses in greater Valparaiso.  

2012 is the Valpo Chamber Centennial Celebration, marking 100 years of service to the business community of Valparaiso. 

The Valpo Chamber Partnership Program provides a great opportunity to promote your business brand at specific chamber events throughout the year. The higher the partnership level, the greater the opportunity for exposure. There are four levels to the program: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.  

In 2011, 21 members utilized the Partnership Program:

Platinum

Porter Health System

Gold
Centier Bank
Frontier Communications
Teachers Credit Union
Silver
1st Source Bank
Citizens Financial Bank
Comcast Business Services
Harris N.A.
Laciak Accountancy Group
NIPSCO
REGIONAL federal credit union
The Times Media Company
Uzelac & Associates, Inc.
Bronze
Berglund Construction
Burke Costanza & Carberry
Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLP
Horizon Bank
MacLennan & Bain Insurance
Peoples Bank
Rittenhouse Senior Living of Valparaiso
Scannell Wealth Management Group

Please contact Danielle at (219) 462-1105 or oeding@valparaisochamber.org with any inquiries about the 2012 Valpo Chamber Partnership Program. 

Rex G. Richards 

President
richards@valapraisochamber.org

 

Another great benefit to being a Valpo Chamber member? Referrals!

Did you know that the Valpo Chamber office fields more than 1,000 phone calls each month? Many of those calls are individuals inquiring about a variety of services.

For instance, do we know someone who can clean their gutters, fix their broken furnace, or list their house? We also have people call to ask where they can go to pick pumpkins, have professional photos taken, eat a good meal, have furniture refinished, board their pet, and the list of inquiries goes on and on and on.

For every question we’re asked, we refer callers and visitors to Valpo Chamber members ONLY.

Several weeks ago, all members were mailed a verification form. One purpose of this form is to keep our database up-to-date so that we can make accurate referrals. The information included on our verification forms is also posted on our website, so anyone can get up-to-date information about our members. Referrals are just one of the countless benefits of being a member of the Valpo Chamber.

Julie Gaskell
Vice President, Operations
gaskell@valparaisochamber.org

Do you get SPAM-A-LOT?

Have you ever received an e-mail and wondered how in the world you got on that mailing list? I have. It is annoying. I am sure that at times e-mails from any business can be an annoyance, including the chamber….Yes, we know we send out lots of e-mails to you, but it is only because we want you to be able to get the most out of your chamber membership.
My problem is not the number of e-mails received, it is receiving e-mails that I don’t want nor know how to stop receiving. In 2010, the Chamber signed up for a service called Constant Contact, a web-based company that assists in e-mail marketing. The benefits of this service are numerous….

Constant Contact allows you to (1) keep an up to date database of e-mail contacts, (2) view who is opening your e-mails,(3) who is clicking any links on them, and (4)check who is forwarding them to others. Constant Contact offers easy templates that allow you to create nice looking e-mails (I have to admit it took a bit of time for me to figure out how to remain creative while using these templates, but it’s possible.)

All the above benefits are worth signing up for Constant Contact, but the most important is the fact they help keep our e-mails LEGAL. There are so many people/companies out there who are sending e-mails that don’t fall in line with the federal CAN-SPAM Act. This Act sets rules for commercial e-mail use including: Don’t use false or misleading header information; Don’t use deceptive subject lines; Identify the message as an ad; Tell recipients where you’re located; Tell recipients how to opt out of receiving future e-mail from you; and Honor opt-out requests promptly.

I don’t want to beat anyone over the head with legalities on this blog, so if you want more information, click the link below for everything you need to know about CAN-SPAM.

http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business 

Now here is my added extra plug for Constant Contact….this company is so great, they are offering a discount to any Valpo Chamber member if you sign up….and you thought you had to have an American Express Card to have privileges.

If after reading this e-mail you would like information on signing up for Constant Contact, visit www.constantcontact.com/chambermembers.

Kurt Gillins
Programs Director
kgillins@valparaisochamber.org

 

Who do you know that has a business and is NOT a Chamber member?

But they should be!?

Invite them to the second annual Member/Guest event on Thursday, September 22 from 4:30 – 6:30 pm. This is a FREE event to all members bringing a guest. We will serve cocktails and appetizers upstairs at the chamber office. Nonmembers will have an opportunity to learn a little bit more about the Valpo Chamber, in a casual, social environment.

The 2010 debut of this event was fun.

“Last year Methodist Hospitals attended the Member/Chamber Guest Event, and decided to become a Valparaiso Chamber member,” commented Evelyn Morrison, Marketing & Corporate Communications Manager, Methodist Hospitals. “I was very impressed by the number of businesses that belong to the Chamber and the number of other programs they offer to their members. We are delighted to be a part of the Valpo Chamber.”

The 2010 event was attended by about 50 people. Eight attendees won door prizes, and one lucky nonmember won a $100 certificate to apply to a chamber membership.

Please consider coming out for another great Member/Guest event this year. Contact Danielle Oeding for more information, or to RSVP for the event.

Danielle Oeding
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
oeding@valparaisochamber.org

Valparaiso Notecards and Postcards exclusively at Valpo Chamber!

Recently, my friend Susie told me that one of her friends was moving from Valpo and she wanted to get her a going away gift and asked me if I had any gift ideas. I told her I knew the perfect gift – Valparaiso Note cards offered exclusively by the Valpo Chamber. These note cards are sold as a set of six cards each with a lovely – and different – photo of Valparaiso on the front. The inside of the note card is blank to allow for the recipient to add whatever greeting they’d like. In addition, the set of cards come packaged in a beautiful blue ribbon making it perfect to give as-is. Susie took advantage of my idea and was so happy with the gift cards she bought for her friend, that she bought a set for herself!

These note cards are perfect as thank you cards, invitations, professional notes, personal stationary, and hostess gifts. And thinking way ahead, they even make a perfect stocking stuffer! An additional benefit to purchasing these note cards (with envelopes) is they are very reasonably priced – a set of six for only $7.00! The note cards can also be sold separately.

In addition to note cards, the Valpo Chamber is also now selling postcards. Choose from one of the six available postcards, each featuring the same photo displayed on the note cards. The back includes information about the photo and a space for the recipient’s address. Postcards are $1.00 each.

If you would like to purchase either the note cards, postcards, or both, please contact the Valpo Chamber office at 219-462-1105 or e-mail us at info@valparaisochamber.org.

Julie Gaskell
Vice President, Operations
gaskell@valparaisochamber.org

Promote Your Business to the Community!

Try these easy, quick, and fun ways to get your business more business!

EASY - Has your business taken advantage of the free brochure rack in the Valpo Chamber lobby? Our high-traffic lobby has an area for your marketing information to be displayed - and it is for Chamber members only!

Do you have news you want to share? Send in your information for our monthly “Members in Motion” e-Blast (1,300 recipients) or to our quarterly “Around Town” feature in Valparaiso Magazine (17,000 readers) Submit your business articles in paragraph form - i.e. awards, new additions to staff or promotions of title, change of business location, events - that are 130 words or less. Articles are subject to approval and may be edited. Due to space constraints, articles will be accepted on a first-come/first-serve basis.

QUICK - Want to network with other businesses affiliated with the Valpo Chamber? Promotional items representing your business may be placed in the new member tote bags. These tote bags are distributed at the New Member Welcome – about 100 each year. You never know what connections could be made!

FUN - As a chamber member you have the opportunity to host a Business After Hours at your place of business and showcase your services to all the members of the Valpo Chamber! Is your business new to the greater Valparaiso area? Why not schedule a ribbon cutting to introduce your business to the community!

For more information on any of these ways to gain exposure for your business, contact the Valpo Chamber at (219) 462-1105 today!

Susan Antoszewski

Marketing & Communications Specialist

santoszewski@valparaisochamber.org

Get the most out of your membership!

New members often have the same question. “If I were to devote my resources to one event during the year, which one would you suggest?”

Mike and Rob Moreth, Simko Signs

I always encourage every member to be involved in as many events and programs as possible, but if I had to choose the most important of the year, it would be Chamber Network Night. Many members view this event as the Valpo Chamber’s premiere event.

On the fourth Thursday of October of each year, over 1000 business professionals invade the Porter County Expo Center for the largest business-to-business networking events in Northwest Indiana. Over 170 booths showcase some of the best businesses in the region with their new products, services or just a healthy reminder that they are ready to do business with you.

Unique to many of the other business expos in the region is the fact that we market this event as business-to-business networking. We don’t restrict the attendance to only business professionals, but we don’t advertise to the general public either. This event is to help you build relationships with other businesses in the area and grow through those relationships.
Please consider reserving your booth for Chamber Network Night this year on Thursday, October 27. Every year the booth space sells out and there is a waiting list. Booth prices vary, so make sure you check out the reservation form on our website and call me if you have any questions.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE ONLINE!

Chamber Network Night
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Porter County Expo Center
215 E Division Rd
Valparaiso, IN 46383

Must be 21 to attend.

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Booth-to-Booth Networking
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Doors Open
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Special Business After Hours featuring 12 restaurants from Porter County

Kurt Gillins
Programs Director
kgillins@valparaisochamber.org