QUOTE OF THE ISSUE DEPT: "What you have
brought to the community is remarkable. Had I not experienced it, I would not
have believed it.
As a business person focusing almost
entirely on communities in the Flint Hills Region I have had the opportunity to
be part of
Sincerely,
Bruce McMillan, AIA
Buce
McMillan Architects
MILITARY DEPT: Frank
Feild moved from President of the
He also discovered that
many in the business community take our current, past, and reserved Armed
Forces and their families for granted.
“I made the
calls to Chambers all over the country that have a
large military population in their community,” said President Frank
Field. “ My Chairman made similar calls to the
bases themselves to see if we could find any existing programs to use as a
model. We found none, so I developed a concept plan.
I worked directly with the Base Commander
at Robins Air Force Base, who tasked his Family Services Director to develop,
maintain, publish, and distribute a list of area businesses that offer
discounts to service members and their families. Our Military Affairs
Committee organized a Task Force to call on local businesses and encourage them
to participate in the program.”
The Program would offer
real discounts to active, retired, and reserve members of our Armed Forces and
their immediate families.
As stated succinctly by
President Frank Field, “In addition to taking care of our service members and
their families, this program makes good business sense. Offering a military
discount will generate more business by attracting a broader customer base.
Businesses will also get a lot of free advertising by becoming participants.
Finally, the public will see these businesses as patriotic and supportive of
our armed forces, which will encourage more patronage from patriotic citizens.”
The Chamber’s Military
Affairs Committee is providing free 5”x8” store entrance decals (“We Support Robins
Air Force Base By Offering a MILITARY DISCOUNT”) to
any Warner-Robins business that wants to participate, Chamber member or not.
The Chamber has the
business fill out a card listing the discount or discount options it will offer
to the military. The Chamber keeps the card on file in case it gets calls about
who has what discounts.
Although the program is
still evolving, there are now over 60 businesses participating with the Chamber
and the base.
If you have a military base in your Chamber area or
even if you just want to support the military and think this program is for
you, contact the Warner-Robins Area Chamber of Commerce at
www.warner-robins.com, phone 478/922-8585, or fax 478/328-7745. The Chamber
will be happy to send you information on the program they have put together.
(Ed. Note; I just
wish all businesses had a military discount, especially the entertainment and
sports facilities. Our fighting men and women deserve all the extras they can
get!)
CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS: WHY DEPT: We
always try to ask our clients why do they want to do a membership drive, and
why did they contact YCC
for a Membership Event?
The answers to the first
part certainly vary from budgets being short and needing an influx of dollars,
to the need for more members to surpass that imaginary ceiling of a 500, 1000
or 1500 member Chamber.
Lately there has been a
new reason repeating itself (and fairly often). More and more Chambers are
seeing the need for Capital Campaigns but are short of “seed” money. In Capital
Campaigns, the adage: “It take money to make money,”
seems to be a truism. So Chambers are using their Membership Events to increase
both their bank balance and the volunteer “bank.”
Now there is even
another reason for having YCC facilitate a Membership Event prior
to a Capital Campaign. Tom Manskey, President of the
Capital Campaigns and
Membership Events can go hand in hand and complement each other. The only
question is: which one should precede the other? Seed money and a knowledgeable
volunteer base, or…….?
MARKET-ING DEPT: Are
your Membership Sales people marketing the Chamber correctly? One of the
reasons our Membership Events are successful is we emphasis selling the Chamber
honestly. We don’t instruct the volunteers to say, “Join the Chamber and you
will get more business!” No one can guarantee that. But we do say, “Join the
Chamber for the opportunity to increase your business.” “Chamber members know
the value of the Chamber and tend to give their business to other Chamber
members.”
We want the volunteers
to sell the Chamber based on four major divisions, and we suggest your
Marketing Department do the same.
The divisions are:
Networking – The Chamber has many networking opportunities for all members.
Community – The Chamber
instills a loyalty for the community and enhances the growth of the community.
Economic Development –
The Chamber works to advance the economic health of the business community.
Advertising – The
Chamber is consistently and constantly making people and businesses aware of
the opportunities with the Chamber’s business community.
Within each of these divisions, there are other areas
of importance for the prospect to join the Chamber. Whether it’s
education or political clout, there are many good reasons to join the Chamber.
Just make sure your people aren’t selling make-believe advantages. Review their
“pitch” often and clean up their “act,” or you will have no excuse for a poor
retention rate.
It’s that time of year again. I don’t mean tax time,
but that time to review your goal setting. You sat around the table with your
board members last fall
at that special retreat to set your 2005 goals. Now is the time
to go over those goals one more time to see if they are realistic for 2005 or
restate them for planning in 2006.
Like the weather, goals
change too. Priorities change because of both practical needs as well as
business climate changes. Technology improvements create changes faster than a
politician needs to raise money. Well, maybe not quite that fast, but faster than you need to
change an infant’s diaper.
The price
of gasoline skyrockets making you change priorities in order to conserve
and preserve your budget. Interest rates change making you reconsider the
addition you planned for the Chamber building. Membership drops making you
reconsider adding another person for the office.
Priority changes create
goal changes. Loss of income means a lot more losses in every area. But there
can be a remedy!
If it is a membership
problem you face, YCC
can help you. If it is a budget problem you foresee because of your goals
reassessment, YCC
can help you.
We don’t know all the
answers, only because we don’t know all the questions. But in our areas of
expertise, membership and money or “Reality Check” Retreats, we can help you.
Call us at 800/678-6241;
you won’t be disappointed.
YET ANOTHER QUOTE
DEPT:
"First, I wanted to
say thanks for your time and energy at our recent Chamber event!
I have been involved in a variety of chamber events in recent years at
I had a great time! Lots of fun to see some of our more reserved members loosen
up their ties and get with it.
Thanks again, and best regards, "
-George Philip
Superior Industries
Chamber Volunteer
BAKER’S DOZEN DEPT: 2004 was a very
good membership year for these top 13 Chambers:
1.
–
2.
–
3.
–
4.
–
5.
–
6.
–
7.
–
8.
–
9.
–
10. –
11. – Port
12. –
13. – Houston (N. Channel,) TX with 211 new members.
There are some changes
if you look at the dollars raised, but you can check that out at www.chambercon- nect.com/updates.
SENIOR MOMENTS
DEPT: A group of seniors was sitting around the pool talking
about all their ailments.
"My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee,"
said one.
"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts are so bad I can't
even see my coffee."
"I couldn't even mark an 'X' at election time, my hands are so
crippled," volunteered a third.
"What? Speak up, I can't hear you," said a fourth.
"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a
fifth, to
which several nodded weakly in agreement.
"My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy I can hardly walk,"
exclaimed
another.
"I forget where I am and where I'm going," said an elderly gent.
"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old,"
winced an old man as he slowly shook his head.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Well, count your blessings," said one woman cheerfully. " THANK GOD WE
“SERVICE” DEPT: In my life, I
thought I had a handle on the meaning of the word "service." "The act of doing things for other people."
Then I heard the terms: Internal Revenue Service; Postal Service;
Telephone Service; Civil Service; Selective Service; City/County Public
Service; Customer Service; Service Stations, and I became confused about the
word "service." This is not what I thought "service" meant.
Then today, I overheard two farmers
talking, and one of them mentioned that he was having a bull over to
"service" a few of his cows.
SHAZAM! It all came into perspective. Now
I understand what all those "service" agencies are doing to us.
It’s that time of year again. I don’t mean tax time,
but that time to review your goal setting. You sat around the table with your
board members last fall
at that special retreat to set your 2005 goals. Now is the time
to go over those goals one more time to see if they are realistic for 2005 or
will you have to restate them for planning in 2006.
Like the weather, goals
change too. Priorities change because of both practical needs and well as
business climate changes. Technology improvements create changes faster than a
politician needs to raise money. Well, maybe not quite that fast, but faster than you need to
change an infants diaper.
The price
of gasoline skyrockets making you change priorities in order to conserve
and preserve your budget. Interest rates change, make you reconsider the
addition you planned for the Chamber building. Membership drops making you
reconsider adding another person for the office. place
the embezzled funds.
Priority changes create
goal changes. Loss of income means a lot more losses in every area. But there
can be a remedy!
If it is a membership
problem you face, YCC
can help you. If it is a budget problem you foresee because of your goals
reassessment, YCC
can help you.
We don’t know all the
answers, only because we don’t know all the questions. But in our areas of
expertise, membership and money, or “Reality Check” Retreats, we can help you.
Call us at 800/678-6241,
you won’t be disappointed.
MILITARY DEPT: Frank
Feild moved from President of the Brownsville (TX)
Chamber of Commerce to President of the Warner-Robins Area (GA) Chamber of
Commerce and discovered he needed another hat to wear. He had hats for
accounting, membership, HR, begging, courage, groveling, etc, but now needed to
put a familiar one back on for military affairs as Warner-Robins has one of the
largest active military bases in the country.
He also discovered that
many in the business community take our current, past, and reserved Armed
Forces and their families for granted.
“I made the
calls to Chambers all over the country that have a
large military population in their community.” Said President
Frank Field. “ My Chairman made similar
calls to the bases themselves to see if we could find any existing programs to
use as a model. We found none, so I developed a concept plan.
I worked directly with the Base Commander
at Robins Air Force Base; who tasked his Family Services Director to develop,
maintain, publish and distribute a list of area businesses that offer discounts
to service members and their families. Our Military Affairs Committee
organized a Task Force to call on local businesses and encourage them to
participate in the program.”
The Program would offer
real discounts to active, retired and reserve members of our Armed Forces and
their immediate families.
As stated succinctly by
President Frank Field, “In addition to taking care of our service members and
their families, this program makes good business sense. Offering a military
discount will generate more business by attracting a broader customer base.
Businesses will also get a lot of free advertising by becoming participants.
Finally, the public will see these businesses as patriotic and supportive of
our armed forces; which will encourage more patronage from patriotic citizens.”
The Chamber’s Military
Affairs Committee is providing free 5”x8” store entrance decals (“We Support Robins
Air Force Base By Offering a MILITARY DISCOUNT”) to
any Warner-Robins business that wants to participate, Chamber member or not.
The Chamber has the
business fill out a card listing the discount or discount options it will offer
to the military. The Chamber keeps the card on file in case it gets calls about
who has what discounts.
Although the program is
still evolving, there are now over 60 businesses participating with the Chamber
and the base.
If you have a military
base in your Chamber area or even if you just want to support the military and
think this program is for you, contact the Warner-Robins Area Chamber of
Commerce at www.warner-robins.com, phone 478/922-8585, or fax 478/328-7745. The
Chamber will be happy to send you information on the program they have put
together.
(Ed. Note; I just
wish all businesses had a military discount, especially the entertainment and
sports facilities. Our fighting men and women deserve all the extras they can
get!)
CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS: WHY DEPT: We
always try to ask our clients why do they want to do a membership drive, and
why did they contact YCC
for a Membership Event?
The answers to the first
part certainly vary from budgets being short and need an influx of dollars, to
the need for more members to surpass that imaginary ceiling of a 500, 1000 or
1500 member Chamber.
Lately there has been a
new reason repeating itself (and fairly often). More and more Chambers are
seeing the need for Capital Campaigns but are short of “seed” money. In Capital
Campaigns, the adage; “It take money to make money,” seems to be a truism. So
Chambers are using their Membership Events to increase both their bank balance
and the volunteer “bank.”
Now there is even
another reason for having YCC facilitate a Membership Event prior
to a Capital Campaign. Tom Manskey, President of the
Fort Smith (AR) Chamber of Commerce said it quite succinctly; “We had over 100
volunteers calling into our community and telling their business friends what
the Chamber does and what it represents to our community. If each of those
volunteers only contacted 5 friends, that is 500 businesses that are now aware
of who we are, and what we do. We cannot buy that kind of advertising! Not only
that, but we now have 100 plus ambassadors that are more aware of us, what we
do, and they continue to tell our story. We can’t put a dollar value on this!!”
Capital Campaigns and
Membership Events can go hand in hand and compliment each other. The only
question is; which one should precede the other? Seed money and a knowledgeable
volunteer base, or…….?
QUOTE OF THE ISSUE DEPT: "What you have
brought to the community is remarkable. Had I not experienced it I would not
have believed it.
As a business person focusing almost
entirely on communities in the Flint Hills Region I have had the opportunity to
be part of
Sincerely,
Bruce McMillan, AIA
Buce
McMillan Architects
MARKETING DEPT: Are
your Membership Sales people marketing the Chamber correctly? One of the
reasons our Membership Events are successful is we emphasis selling the Chamber
honestly. We don’t instruct the volunteers to say, “Join the Chamber and you
will get more business!” No one can guarantee that. But we do say, “Join the
Chamber for the opportunity to increase your business.” “Chamber members know
the value of the Chamber and tend to give their business to other Chamber
members.”
We want the volunteers
to sell the Chamber based on four major divisions, and we suggest your
Marketing Department do the same.
The divisions are:
Networking – The Chamber has many networking opportunities for all members.
Community – The Chamber
instills a loyalty for the community and enhances the growth of the community.
Economic Development –
The Chamber works to advance the economic health of the business community.
Advertising – The
Chamber is consistently and constantly making people and businesses aware of
the opportunities with the Chamber’s business community.
Within each of these
divisions, there are other areas of importance for the prospect to join the
Chamber. Whether it’s education or political clout,
there are many good reasons to join the Chamber. Just make sure your people
aren’t selling make-believe advantages. Review their “pitch” often and clean up
their “act” or you will have no excuse for a poor retention rate.
“SERVICE” DEPT: In
my life, I thought I had a handle on the meaning of the word
"service." "The act of doing things for other
people."
Then I heard the
terms: Internal Revenue Service; Postal
Service; Telephone Service; Civil Service; Selective Service; City/County
Public Service; Customer Service; Service Stations; And I became confused about
the word "service." This is not what I thought "service"
meant.
Then today, I overheard
two farmers talking and one of them mentioned that he was having a bull over to
"service" a few of his cows.
SHAZAM! It all came into
perspective. Now I understand what all those "service" agencies are
doing to us.
BAKERS DOZEN DEPT: 2004 was a very good
membership year for these top 13 Chambers:
1.
–
2.
–
3.
–
4.
–
5.
–
6.
–
7.
–
8.
–
9.
–
10. –
11. – Port
12. –
13. – Houston (N. Channel,) TX with 211 new members.
There are some changes
if you look at the dollars raised, but you can check that out at www.chambercon- nect.com/updates.
A group of seniors were
sitting around the pool talking about all their ailments.
"My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee,"
said one.
"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts are so bad I can't
even see my coffee."
"I couldn't even mark an 'X' at election time, my hands are so
crippled," volunteered a third.
"What? Speak up, I can't hear you," said a fourth.
"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a
fifth, to
which several nodded weakly in agreement.
"My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy I can hardly walk,"
exclaimed
another.
"I forget where I am and where I'm going," said an elderly gent.
"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old,"
winced an old man as he slowly shook his head.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Well, count your blessings," said one woman cheerfully. " THANK GOD WE