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FOCUS on MEMBER VALUE
Coming off the celebration of a great 2011 year at the Annual Dinner event, we want to step up our efforts on our MEMBER VALUE with new initiatives in 2012. Our 2012 Chairman of Board Steve Hale spoke to the directors and asked for their support on a more engaged member retention plan. Stacey Dickson, Director of Member Services & Communication, outlined a three year plan of the goals and strategies at the January 25 board meeting. In the comprehensive member retention plan the measurable goals are to increase renewal rates for first year members from 68% to 72% by 12/31/2014. A second goal will be to enhance the perceived value of membership, increasing the overall member satisfaction from 81% to 85% within the three year plan. There are a number of key tactics that have been developed based on feedback from a member focus group and other detailed plans will continue to develop as the new committee (see the "Get involved and meet new members" article below) of volunteers is complete.
Looking forward to the 2012 chamber year!
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It's about relationships
One thing Paul Ridgway and Warren Pray agree on is that being successful in life hinges on the relationships you make and the type of people you surround yourself with. For both, involvement in the Shawnee Chamber has been an excellent way to meet people and build relationships.
"If you come to the meeting, eat a donut, drink coffee and leave, you're getting exactly what you deserve," says Warren, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones. "When you meet someone, you have to make the initial step to deepen the relationship, to learn enough about them to decide if you want to spend more time with them. The Chamber can be a catalyst to discover what that first common ground might be."
While the common ground for Warren and Paul, Insurance Agency Owner at American Family Insurance, was initially that they were both starting new businesses, Warren says it goes back to the basic core values of the person that you connect to.
"You refer people you trust," Warren said. "Paul is very trustworthy. He is relationship oriented not transaction oriented. It's not about what he can sell you, it's about how he can help you. I rely on Paul - he's my insurance guy - so I've got a lot of trust in Paul."
Paul too is quick to emphasize the importance of personal relationships.
"Part of why I am so engaged in the Chamber is because of the relationships I've been able to build. It's given me a lot of credibility, especially serving on the Board in the past," Paul adds. "I've built some great relationships with the people involved in the Shawnee Chamber, and my wife has enjoyed the people as well - we see quite a few socially. Being involved has been very worthwhile from both a business and social standpoint."
As one of the first people Paul connected with when he joined the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce in the early 90s, Warren ended up helping Paul with retirement planning for his office.
"We've referred a lot of business to each other over the years," Paul said. "It's been a very beneficial business relationship." Besides referring business to each other, both Paul and Warren refer a lot of business to other Shawnee Chamber members. Likewise, they've received a lot of business as a result of the relationships they've formed through their Chamber involvement.
"I remember hearing someone mention to me that it's always the same people that attend the coffees," Paul said. "But I kept going. Even if you meet someone who's not ready to buy then, sometimes two or three years later they are ready, and they reach out to me because they know who I am since I am active in the Chamber. The best word of mouth advertising you can get is by being involved in the Shawnee Chamber. My membership and the money I invest in the Chamber, I've recovered that many times over." Warren, who obviously enjoys connecting people, says the real value is the relationships.
"You measure richness in life by the people you have in it, not by the wealth you get," Warren said. "If I had not been part of the Chamber, half of those people would not be part of my life. My life wouldn't be anywhere near as full without those people."
Have a story to share? Call Stacey Dickson, Director Member Services & Communications, at the Chamber office to be featured in Member Connections.
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Have you been thinking about getting more involved in the Chamber? We are launching a new committee to help us better connect with members and are seeking volunteers to help out.
The committee will meet monthly and initially focus on engaging first year members. Committee members will call and email members, invite them to events, make introductions to other Chamber members, explain relevant marketing opportunities, etc. This could be a great opportunity for you to build and strengthen relationships with other Chamber members while gaining visibility for your business! Let us know if you'd like to help out by signing up for this new committee. Contact Stacey Dickson at 913.631.6545 or email SDickson@ShawneeKSChamber.com to join the committee.
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The Economic Development Council (EDC) and Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) have named new committee members. Additionally, the EDC Executive Committee has been named. Shannon O'Doherty, Commerce Bank is now serving as Chair; Tom Zarda, Zarda-Rieke Development Corporation is serving as Vice-Chair, and Pat Daniels, The Land Source is Past Chair. The executive committee of the CVB remains the same.
Please welcome the following individuals to the EDC and CVB committees.
New EDC Committee Members:
View the complete EDC Committee listing or CVB Committee listing.
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It's all the buzz on Facebook. If you've seen any of our member posts, you know that last Saturday's Annual Dinner was a huge success! Comments such as "Fun night with my Shawnee chamber peeps...always a great event!" "To much fun. Shawnee chamber knows how to throw a partyyyy!!!," and "RSVP us for next year, can't wait" were seen on members social media accounts following the event.
Members and guests enjoyed cocktails, dinner, and a silent and live auction, and dancing went on past midnight as members honored the 2011 Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, Jack Wagner, Shawnee Mission Medical Center for his service, and welcomed the 2012 Chairman of the Board, Steve Hale, Brotherhood Bank & Trust.
Once again a major highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the 2011 Citizen of the Year. Awarded since 1972, this distinction is awarded to an individual who has worked hard to make Shawnee a better place to live, work and grow. Last year's winner, City Manager Carol Gonzales, spoke of goodness and generosity when describing the 2011 Citizen of the Year, Joe Vohs, Farmers Insurance, who donated his kidney in December altruistically via the National Kidney Registry.
"Through this selfless act and as a result of his generosity, three individuals have already been given the life redeeming gift of a kidney...with more yet to come," said Gonzales. "Giving someone not just a good start, but a new start, reflects a goodness that is nothing short of amazing. Shawnee is proud to call this amazing giver our own."
Another highlight was the champagne toast from the Annual Dinner committee to celebrate the Annual Dinner's 10th Year at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel, and the Sheraton's 10th anniversary!
It takes time, talent and resources to pull off such a fantastic event, which just gets better each year. Thank you to the Annual Dinner committee, our many generous sponsors, auction donors and attendees. Please see the event's press release to view a complete listing of all those who made the gala such a success.
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The Shawnee Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applicants for its annual Betty Charlton Scholarship award. If you know a high school senior that is a Shawnee, Kansas resident who is involved in the community and has at least a 3.0 grade point average, please encourage them to consider applying for the Betty Charlton Scholarship. And with only a three page scholarship application, this is perhaps one of the easier opportunities for potential help with those upcoming college expenses!
To be eligible, students must demonstrate involvement in community leadership and have the equivalent of a 3.0 grade point average or higher. In addition, students must:
This scholarship was founded in memory of Betty Charlton, a long-time chamber employee, to provide education assistance to area students. Each and every year a portion of the proceeds from the Chamber Annual Dinner auction directly benefits the Betty Charlton Scholarship fund and continues to support future community leadership.
View criteria or download an application. Please call the chamber office at 913.631.6545 with any questions.
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Are you taking advantage of all the ways you can promote your events through the Chamber?
First, members can share their organization's events with others through the Member Company Events Calendar for free. You just login to members only and fill out the online form. Once it's been approved, it will display on both the website and the Go2Shawnee mobile app, which has nearly 250 users so far.
Another tool you may want to consider to promote your event is our quarterly direct mail program. For $250, you can reach 1,400 Chamber member contacts. Just supply 1,400 copies of your event promotion flyer and it will be mailed out with the next KS Magazine or Shawnee Magazine. The deadline for the first quarter is February 24, for a March distribution.
You might also consider purchasing a web ad to help get the word out. Thousands of visitors come to the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce website each month. You can advertise on the Chamber website and get some of this important traffic starting at $100 for a quarterly ad.
Finally, we try to connect with members social media accounts, Facebook, and Twitter. If you post events on your accounts we try to share them through the Shawnee Chamber's social media accounts. If we haven't connected, please let us know so we can help promote your event.
These are just a few of the ways you can increase visibility for your business. |
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Get connected in person at the February Chamber events. Interested in hosting an event? Call us - we would love to help you set up an event!
Each Wednesday Morning - Wednesday Morning Networking | 7:30 a.m. | HomeTown Buffet, 7317 Quivira Road, Shawnee, KS 66216. Presenters change weekly. Let us know if you are interested in speaking at a morning networking event, we would love to hear you speak!
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February Shawnee Chamber of Commerce member anniversaries:
1 year - Anderson Chiropractic, Ixtapa Family Mexican Restaurant, Maurices, Olathe Dodge Chrysler Jeep, Sentry Insurance, Trustpoint Insurance
2 years - Alpha Title, LLC 3 years - Cates Service Co. 4 years - Hissong Dowling, LLC 6 years - Farmers Insurance - Joe Vohs, UMB Bank 7 years - Terracon Consultants, Inc. 8 years - Choppers Hair Studio 9 years - LA Graphics 10 years - State Farm Insurance - John Wills 14 years - Johnson County Museum 16 years - Parkway Real Estate 18 years - Hoefer Wysocki Architects, L.L.C. 19 years - Enterprise Car Sales 22 years - Mattes Appraisal Company, Inc. 24 years - NCS Precision Manufacturing, Wonderscope Children's Museum of K.C. 26 years - Shawnee Gardens 27 years - Argentine Federal Savings 29 years - Kiwanis club of Shawnee, State Farm Insurance - Pat Lyles 31 years - Cross Points Church 32 years - Penny's Concrete, Inc. Thank you for your membership investment in the Shawnee Chamber!
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Country Club Bank is a locally-owned community bank. The bank has served the greater Kansas City area since 1953 through its nine financial service centers, and through its affiliates Country Club Trust Co., Country Club Financial Services, Tower Wealth Managers and the Capital Markets Group.
Thank you for your continued Investors Guild support and dedication!
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In good business,
Shawnee Chamber of Commerce
email:
info@shawneekschamber.com
phone:
913.631.6545
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