9-11 can never be far from our minds, and as the time for  gathering our families together for Thanksgiving approaches, I thought I would pass on to all our friends what our close friend and former daughter-in-law sent to us the night before the 9-11 one year anniversary.

”Dear Family and Friends,

I am thinking of all of you as I prepare to begin what promises to be a difficult work day. Covering September 11th has been the biggest challenge in my career as a journalist. It has also been a time of personal growth and change.

As I reported on people's grief and fear, God began to work in my heart. Last year at this time I knew no one in Boston and on 9-11 I felt totally alone. Many of you offered your support and love long distance. I thank you. I kept thinking, if the worst were to happen, I would be at work and not with the people I care about.

That day it was never so clear that the people you love are what matters, not overtime or award winning stories. Love brings many risks, but we must be brave enough to walk through our fear so we don't miss out on God's greatest gift. I have met so many people who wished they had one more day, one more conversation with their loved one.

I am particularly haunted by a college student named John. His university had cancelled classes, and he stopped me in front of the state house to ask for an update. He said his brother worked at the World Trade Center, and the last thing he heard was that a plane had hit one of the towers. At that point, both towers had collapsed, but I could not bring myself to tell him. Instead, I said he should go home and call his family. My reporter instincts said, “Ask for his phone number for a follow up story.” My human instincts said, hope and pray. I often wonder if his brother got out.

I hope you never have to wish for a second chance. Today, reach out to a colleague; hug your family closer; forgive a past hurt; contact an old friend; and thank God for all your blessings.

Love today and always,

Shelli”

 

 

                      

MEMBERSHIP DEPT: YCC Membership Event “Total Volunteer Experience”

Fun, exciting, competitive, informative, and educational are just a few of the words we hear after a successful membership event.  Why these words instead of “I’ll never do that again,” or “Been there, done that, don’t ask again”?  Because a membership event should be for new members, but, just as important, it should be for the volunteers!  Let’s face it, it’s their chamber and their business community so it should be something they want to do.  New members = a stronger chamber.  The experience should be something they talk about months after the event is over.  The volunteers should leave educated and entertained.  YCC Events are geared toward a “TOTAL VOLUTEER EXPERIENCE”.  It doesn’t make a difference what size your chamber is or what kind of community you are in.  People are people, and that’s our specialty.  We create an experience for your volunteers that can’t be copied, and it’s a win, win for you at the chamber; more members, more money, and volunteers (members) that not only want to work another membership event but want to be  involved in the chamber.  Isn’t that nice!  Call us at 800/678-6241 for more information.

 

RETENTION DEPT: Adding Value To Membership.

The days have long passed when you joined an organization, any organization, because “it was the thing to do”. Having someone convince you to join for the good of the community doesn’t fly any more. Chambers increase their membership because they give good value to the members. The McAllen Chamber of Commerce, deep in the valley of South Texas, believes strongly in offering value to membership. Maybe that’s why NAMD looks to them as an example of a strong and growing membership Chamber.

President Steve Ahlenius and VP of Membership Nanette Palermo recently put together a slick 4-color brochure, aptly titled “Adding value to your Membership” that shows 34 organizations the Chamber either created or enthusiastically partners with to bring business into the McAllen business area. This shows the prospective new member and the existing Chamber member that supporting the Chamber with their membership is good business! Give Nanette, a call (877-622-5536) and she will gladly send you a copy.

 

 

 

Once is not enough DEPT: It’s hard to prove sometimes that your columns are read and used for constructive purposes. The only way we know that is through feedback from our readers. We have had emails about Lorraine’s feature articles, and this article on Jimmy’s retreats brought in 6 inquiries.

Realizing that retreats are planned for almost every month by different Chambers around the country, we thought it would be to your benefit to publish this article one more time.

 

WHAM!  POW!

 

BOARD RETREATS DEPT: You have heard facilitators proclaim their programs as “a High Energy Retreat”, “a High Powered Retreat”, “a Retreat Designed for the New Century”, or even “You can’t afford to miss this Retreat,” but have you ever heard of the “Badda Boom, Badda Bing” Retreat? Unless you have participated in a YCC Membership Event, you would not have a clue. Even with the wild suits, the laughter, and the cross table dares, there is substance and meaning behind everything we do.

YCC’s half-day board of directors and committee chairs retreat offers a fresh and energetic approach to everyday Chamber affairs. “Outside the box” thinking for board members, committee chairs, and interested volunteers provides new direction for Chamber strategies and community perceptions.

YCC’s Jimmy Cusano’s style is all his own. He is direct and to the point, hence the “Badda Boom, Badda Bing” title. Jimmy sees the good ideas from all over the country and implements them into a very informative and entertaining 2 hour and 53 minute session that will have your Chamber attendees talking for months! Jimmy also sees the questionable ideas and practices that you should be wary of. He tells it like it is!

So if you’re looking for someone to come in, shake some branches, and make your ordinary, extraordinary, then give Jimmy a call. He truly has a vision and a passion for the Chamber of Commerce profession. Jimmy can be reached through our office at 800/678-6241, or call Jimmy directly at 817/946-3578.

 

 

 

 

 

DEEP THOUGHTS DEPT: A Woman’s Five Secrets to a Great Relationship......

1. It is important to find a man who works around the house, occasionally cooks & cleans, and who has a job.

2. It is important to find a man who makes you laugh.

3. It is important to find a man who is dependable and doesn't lie.

4. It is important to find a man who's good in bed and who loves to love.

5. It is important that these four men never meet!

 

 

 

 

OFFICE SERVICE DEPT: Number 4 in a series by Lorraine Deitchman, Pres. YCC.: Ten Things Your Members Want From You:

1        Express Care and Concern; Show them you care by setting up (if you don’t have one now) a mentoring program. Your current members have the knowledge; use it.

2        Provide Timely Responses to Requests; Have a system to respond to member inquiries faster than they expect the answer. If you can’t get it quickly, let them know, but don’t stop looking.

3        Provide Assistance to Requests; If you don’t know the answers (because it is beyond your areas of expertise), try to give your members possible areas they can research for the answers.

4        Express Sincere Appreciation; A thank you goes a long way! One Chamber we know gives out Kudos (the cereal bars) as a tangible thank you. Many Chambers will hand write  thank you notes to the volunteers after one of our Membership Events. Time consuming – yes. Appreciated – yes, yes!

5        Give Flexible and Personalized Treatment; The business of the Chamber has many facets forcing you to wear many hats. You have to be flexible to change hats, so be personal when dealing with your members.

6        Impress the Members; If you are asking a volunteer for a commitment such as committee chair or board member, let the asking fit the job. Don’t say to him at an after hours networking opportunity, “Have you got time to head up a committee?” Make an appointment to sit down in his office, explain the role and what would be expected of him. Be honest about your expectations. Don’t blindside him after he accepts. Let him know how much you can back him up. As leaders, you must lead.

7        Educate Your Members; Bullet points can be more effective than long paragraphs. Get out Chamber information and facts in more original ways. (We keep telling you to think outside the box.) Use postcards instead of letters. Use email instead of postcards. Limit your faxes to special announcements.

8        Empower Your Chamber Staff to Solve Problems; You hired them to solve problems, not create more. Use them! Keep everybody up-to-date with weekly staff meetings, using the meetings to inform and to delegate.

9        Have Member Friendly Policies and Procedures; Use your staff to back up staff. Don’t be afraid to hire temporaries when needed. Your full time staff will be ineffective if they have to take away time from a very important assignment to do something a temp could do as quickly and in a more cost effective manner. We always encourage Chambers to hire temps to input and verify information resulting from a Membership Event.

10    Keep Your Word; When you promise to give someone a ten point list do it!

(My thanks to Dr. Robert Raspberry, who is Director of Communications Services, Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and was one of my favorite instructors at Chamber Institute. His “Ten Things Your Customer Wants From Your Company” was the basis for this writing.)

 

 

 

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY DEPT: Recently the Corsicana (TX) Chamber of Commerce had an idea to instill leadership responsibilities in the youth of the community. Here’s a report from Daryl Schliem, the President and CEO of the Chamber, on the results.

Corsicana Navarro County Chamber of Commerce / Corsicana Independent school district 2002 Summer Youth Leadership Camp

“The Corsicana / Navarro County Chamber of Commerce teamed up with the Corsicana Independent School District for the first annual 5th and 6th grade leadership program.  This program was designed to help today’s students become informed on how to become our future school and community leaders.

Fifteen students from each elementary school were invited to participate in each camp.  The first day of camp, students were divided into six groups of 10 and assigned one high school student and four facilitators to work with them throughout the week.Each session was kicked off with a brief overview led by the Chamber of Commerce Director, CISD representatives and Mayor April Sikes on community leadership, community pride, and community beautification.

The following goals were accomplished during the week:

¨·Peer Mediation

¨·How to Work with Cooperative Learning Groups

¨·Cultural Diversity

¨·Communicating with Adults

¨·How to Avoid Overreacting

¨·Community Concerns/Involvement

¨·Community Beautification/Ecosystem

¨·Make New Friends

¨·Self Discipline

I feel the most beneficial part of this program was turning the students loose with 27 exposure cameras and asking them to take pictures of things they liked about their community and things they disliked.  I was amazed at the pictures, seeing our community through their eyes. 

We used these photos to take to our Chamber Beautification Committee and are currently working on cleaning up areas photographed as things the students disliked.  Because of this initiative, the City has hired a full time code enforcement officer with a staff of four people.

This program was so successful that we are looking at adding the 7th grade class next year.”

(Ed. Note: If you have any questions, please call Daryl W. Schliem at the Corsicana / Navarro County Chamber of Commerce.at 903/874-4731)

 

 

 

 

GOOD ADVICE  DEPT:  PRINT THIS FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP: The next time you order checks, have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them.

If someone takes your check book he will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

Put your work phone number on  your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address.

Never have your Social Security number printed on your checks. You can hand write it in if it is necessary, but if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine; do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. Then you will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel, if it is lost or stolen. Keep the photocopies in a safe place.

Anything and everything could happen to you if your wallet is stolen. To be safe, cancel your credit cards immediately. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. Do these few critical moves, and you will have stopped the thieves in their tracks.

The numbers for the credit reporting services are: 

> Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

> Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

> Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289

> SSA (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271