February 2014 Chamber Life - Farragut West Knox Chamber of

Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce
CHAMBER LIFE
“T HE
MISSION STATEMENT IS TO STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY BY PROMOTING BUSINESS GROWTH , EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.”
A NCHORED
Vol. 28, No. 2
IN
FARRAGUT
SERVING THE
C OMMUNITY
FOR
25
YEARS
A Publication of the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce
February 2014
Schroer
Kicks Off 2014
Breakfast Series
TDOT Commissioner John Schroer will
kick off the Chamber’s 2014 Breakfast
Speaker Series on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:30
a.m. at Fox Den Country Club. The
Chamber is excited to hear from this affable and dynamic speaker and looks forward to a great event!
Commissioner Schroer was appointed
Commissioner of Transportation by
Governor Bill Haslam in Jan. 2011. He is
the 29th commissioner of the state agency
that oversees a statewide transportation
system including highways, rail, airports,
waterways and transit. Immediately after
taking office, Commissioner Schroer
began a complete review of TDOT’s
organization and processes as part of his
commitment to make TDOT more efficient and in conjunction with Governor
Haslam’s “Top to Bottom Review”.
He encourages more innovation, professionalism and responsibility among his
staff as well as better communication,
internally and externally. In keeping with
The Chamber needs you!
The Chamber is actively seeking sponsorships for its 2014 Annual Dinner and
Silent and Live Auction, to be held at the
newly renovated Rothchild Catering &
Conference Center on Friday, April 11. As
the Chamber’s largest fundraiser of the year,
the Auction helps fund the Chamber’s
Continuing Education Grants and a charitable donation (taken from a portion of
ticket sales). The
2014 charity is
Junior
Achievement of East TN,
which strives to
provide area students with opportunities and motivation to set professional goals, then encourages them to stay
excited about their entrepreneurial future.
This year’s theme is “Once Upon A
Time.” A silent auction will precede a seated dinner, where guests will enjoy decorated tables. Each table will feature a stunning
centerpiece assembled and donated by a
member business and based on a story or
book of that business’ choice. The centerpieces, or “tabletops”, will then be sold dur-
ing the live auction. Prior to sale, tabletops
will be viewed and voted upon by the
expected 250+ guests; Bettye Sisco will
award the coveted “Best Tabletop” plaque
to the winning business.
Sponsorships are available at all levels—
Presenting, Event, and Community—and
are a wonderful way to highlight your business to 250+ attendees and beyond!
Sponsors are advertised in print, weekly emails and social
media as soon as
their commitment is
received and for at
least one month
beyond the auction.
The Chamber is
thankful to Event Sponsors Rothchild and
Town of Farragut; Community Sponsors
NHC Place Assisted Living, Pinnacle
Financial Partners, and Tennessee State
Bank; and Media Sponsors farragutpress,
Shopper News, and Cumulus. For details
on sponsorship, item donations, or tickets,
contact the chamber at 675-7057 or email
[email protected].
his goals of better efficiency, the
Commissioner toured thousands of miles
across Tennessee in 2011 and 2012, visiting TDOT projects and facilities to get
ideas from employees on how TDOT
could be more effective. Schroer will speak
about the future of TDOT, budget issues
and upcoming projects.
The Chamber thanks Presenting
Sponsor Town of Farragut; Events
Sponsors First Utility District and Lenoir
City Utilities Board; and Media Sponsor
farragutpress.
Sponsorships are still available for this
Breakfast and are a great way to highlight
your business! Sponsors are recognized in
print, weekly emails, in social media, and
at all networking events leading to the
Breakfast. Tickets will be $30 for members
and $40 for non-members and can be
reserved online at www.farragutchamber.
com or by calling the Chamber office at
675-7057. Reserve now as space is limited!
Mike Hammond
joins Breakfast Speaker Series
The Chamber is excited to announce
confirmation of Breakfast Speaker Mike
Hammond, scheduled to speak on Tuesday,
May 6 at Rothchild Catering & Conference Center at 7:30 a.m. Hammond currently holds the Commissioner At Large
position for Seat 10, winning with 86% of
the vote. Also a programming director at
Journal Broadcast Group, Hammond has a
lengthy career in broadcasting, having been
named Broadcaster of the year by the
Associated Press and inducted into the
Country Radio Hall of Fame by singer
Taylor Swift in 2010.
Hammond is running for the Criminal
Court Clerk position in 2014. He has
commented that, “I feel like I can bring
stability to that office and make
improvements to the office. I’ll look forward to that and hope the citizens of Knox
County will give me the chance to do it.”
Please make plans to sponsor or attend this
event. Contact the Chamber at 675-7057
or info@farragutchamber for more
information!
Mike Hammond with Taylor Swift after
being named Broadcaster of the year
by the Associated Press and inducted
into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in
2010.
ENTERPRISE CLUB
These Chamber members generously contribute to the Chamber and the Continuing Education Grant Program above and beyond their annual dues.
ADMIRAL ELITE
CAPTAIN
ANCHOR
ADMIRAL
2 • CHAMBER LIFE, February 2014
Networkings
Matlock Tire Service & Auto Repair has its roots in a small Lenoir City service station dating back to 1953, founded by Joe Matlock, who built
his business on treating customers fairly and providing excellent service. His son, Jimmy Matlock, continues that tradition 60 years later, providing the same impeccable service to clients. Matlock Tire Service covers all of your auto needs; including brakes, oil, filter and lube, scheduled
maintenance, wheel alignments, shocks and struts, routine repairs, batteries and full tire services.
Matlock Tire celebrating 60 years in business hosted an evening
networking at their Farragut location. Pictured from left to right:
Senator Stacey Campfield - District 7, Jimmy Matlock - Matlock
Tire/State Representative – District 21 and Mayor Tim Burchett.
Attending the evening networking on Oct. 17 at Matlock Tire are
Justin Smith - Irontribe Fitness, William Camelot - My Morning
Coffee, Julie Predny - FWKCC, and Josh McGuire - Irontribe Fitness.
Cook Bros. Construction, LLC specializes in residential projects, custom homes, custom remodeling and home additions in the Knoxville area.
They offer commercial remodeling and build-out services. They separate themselves from the competition by providing exceptional service and
quality craftsmanship without compromise. United Capital Lending has uncommon control over the entire mortgage lending process; when you
work with them, you deal with a direct lender. You never deal with middlemen or their fees. They are the state’s only privately owned lender that
funds Reverse Mortgage products for senior citizens.
Enjoying a light breakfast are Beth Ann Carter - Michael Brady Inc.,
Jim DeTar - Heritage Investors, Mary Lynn Payne - Clarity Pointe
Knoxville, Julie Predny - FWKCC and Suzanne McCarter - Cook
Bros. Construction.
John Cook - Cook Bros. Construction, Bettye Sisco - FWKCC and
Roger McGee - United Capital Lending proudly smile for the camera
at this Oct. 24 event.
Anytime Fitness is truly unique as far as gyms go. They offer state-of-the-art workout equipment, amazing amenities and the bonus of being open
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are committed to fitting your busy schedule and on-the-go lifestyle. Anytime Fitness equipment vendors are
the best in the industry, and club owners stay current with the latest technology! They offer a wide variety of cardio, strength and free weight equipment to ensure that you get the best possible workout. Safety is a priority, with integrated access and security through remote facility surveillance
systems.
Chamber members John Coombs - Wells Fargo Home Mortgage,
Mimi Bacilek - SuccessBuilders, LLC, Louise Povlin - Anytime Fitness,
Led Gardner - Prudential Insurance Company, Debby Nohe - Designs
For You, Inc. and Dr. Chris Talley - HealthSource Chiropractic &
Progressive Wellness.
Anytime Fitness owner Louise Povlin, Jen Celeste (staff) and owner
Jay Povlin are eager to greet Chamber members on Nov. 7 at their
morning networking.
Superior Carpet and Rug Cleaning has been in business for 20 years, and they bring that experience to the table with a work ethic and commitment
to customer satisfaction that is unbeatable. They are equipped to handle jobs large and small, from ornate rugs to family room carpets to upholstery.
They also offer truck-mounted steam cleaning, oriental rug cleaning and water damage restoration. Carpet cleaning is essential for creating a healthy
indoor living environment and Superior Carpet and Rug Cleaning uses a 6-step process to make sure your surfaces are as clean as possible.
Kerry McDuffie, owner of Superior Carpets and Rug Cleaning is
happy to pose for the camera with fellow Chamber members Viren
Lalka - Lalka Tax Services, Thierry Sommer - Thierry V. Sommer &
Associates, prospect Greg Reynolds - Reynolds Restoration &
Cleaning, McDuffie, Don Ball - BMC of East Tennessee and Debbie
Moss - NewsTalk/Sports Animal.
Steve Jergesen - ROK Financial Services, John Haney - Trotter &
Company, Daniel Monday - Slamdot, Chris Talley - HealthSource
Chiropractic and Progressive Wellness, and Alex Dumas - Alexander
Dumas Art Gallery had great conversation at this morning networking
on Nov. 14.
Correction from the January Chamber Life Publication: The picture from the Panera Bread networking incorrectly referred to Mark Davis of Trademark. The
corrected name is Marc Davis of Tradebank of Knoxville, Inc.
CHAMBER LIFE, February 2014 • 3
Networkings
Josh Ellis State Farm has been in the business of providing great service to customers for five years and continues to do so today. They provide
a wide array of services, including auto, home, renter's, umbrella, life and health insurance needs as well as helping with all of customers’ financial service needs. Once clients have experienced the value of care they provide, their excellent and devoted staff and their 24/7 availability, they
will realize their commitment to customers and dedication.
Happy Chamber members take a moment from networking to smile for
the camera: Cynthia Moore - Aflac, Leslie Godfrey - First Citizens
Bank, Josh Ellis - State Farm, Jim DeTar - Heritage Investor,
Stephanie Barnes - American Trust Bank of East Tennessee and Kim
Bertolo - Josh Ellis State Farm.
Enjoying the morning networking on Dec. 5 are Barry Jenkins Painting with a Twist, Christa Early - Staffing Solutions, Lisa Coram Office Suites PLUS, Tim Williams - Matlock Tire and Rena Amerson Amerson Group.
Smoky Mountain Brewery, part of the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants, opened its 1st location in Gatlinburg. Since 1996 the restaurant/brewery combination has been a fun place to take family with fresh micro-brewed beer plus traditional pizza, one-of-a-kind subs and sandwiches. With over 25 TV's, Smoky
Mountain Brewery is a natural gathering place for any televised sporting event or just a great meal. The outdoor patio gives guests a choice spot to enjoy a "cold
one" and don't forget the live nightly entertainment!
Member
Briefs
Left: Brenda Herron and Todd Fleming, part of the Copper
Cellar Family of Restaurants, were happy to host a networking on Nov. 21 at Smoky Mountain Brewery for
Chamber members.
Above: Chamber member Jeannie Garrett - American
General Life Insurance chats with Chamber prospects
Sheridee Rodgers and Jennifer Thompson, with support from
Chamber members Christa Early - Staffing Solutions, Rena
Amerson - Amerson Group and Kristina Killebrew - Journal
Broadcast Group.
Welcome Back Renewing Members
The Farragut West Knox Chamber welcomes back these businesses who have renewed their investment in the Chamber. We are
privileged to count them as Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce members. We urge members to patronize one another when
the goods or services a member can provide are needed. It is also our hope that area residents recognize the commitment a business makes to its community when it becomes part of its local chamber of commerce and reward that commitment with their
patronage.
Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop
Choice Directory
Country Inn & Suites – Campbell Station
Express Employment Professionals
Farragut Cleaners
Holiday Inn Express – Campbell Station
Image Matters, Inc.
Inova Payroll
JCPenney
Koko FitClub – Farragut
Lange Animal Hospital
Mary Kay Cosmetics – Marianne Morse
Mortgage Investors Group
ORNL Federal Credit Union – Farragut
ORNL Federal Credit Union –
Farragut Kroger
Painting With a Twist
Rotary Club of Farragut
Sandler Training – Herzog & Associates
Saratoga Technologies
Shangri-La Therapeutic
Academy of Riding
Shrimp Dock of Farragut
SpringHill Suites by Marriott
Tennessee State Bank – Turkey Creek
(Thank you for your Enterprise Membership!)
Tennessee Strategies
Tennessee Valley Fair
Walmart at Turkey Creek
Wieniewitz Financial
Roger McGee
General Manager
Years of Experience!
10420 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37922
The Chamber wishes much success to Lori Berryhill in
her new position as Marketing Director of the Kingston
Overlook and Turkey Creek Chick-Fil-A! Lori has attended
many chamber events as the previous director’s assistant
and has worked in both stores. We look forward to working
with her!
Beat the winter blues at Jammin’ in Your Jammies, a
family pajama party to benefit East Tennessee Children’s
Hospital. Jammin’ in Your Jammies is a fun-filled overnight
event with activities and entertainment for the whole family! Activities include dancing, indoor swimming, face painting, karaoke and a PJ contest for children and adults. Enjoy
your choice of a Friday, Feb. 21 or Saturday, Feb. 22
overnight stay at the Holiday Inn World’s Fair Park, all activities and a delicious brunch for just $150 per family of four.
Space is limited; reservations are required! Register at
www.etch.com and click on the Events tab. For information,
call Children’s Hospital Volunteer Services & Programs
Office at 541-8745.
Jefferson Federal Bank and HomeTrust jointly
announced the signing of a definitive agreement under
which HomeTrust will acquire Jefferson Federal. Tony
Carasso, Knoxville Regional President of Jefferson Federal
said, “We eagerly anticipate the merger as our companies
share similar business and cultural philosophies.” For more
information on the merger visit www.jeffersonfederal.com.
Cook Bros. Construction has purchased and relocated
to a 3600 SF building at 3571 Louisville Dr. in Louisville, TN.
The new facility includes a conference room, 12 offices, and
will include a future design center to aid clients in selecting finishes. The property includes acreage that will allow
construction of a future warehouse as well, bringing additional savings to clients through bulk purchasing of commodity items. Congratulations to Cook Bros. on their new
facility!
The Tennessee Smokies hope to WOW 2014 baseball fans
with $6M in capital improvements to their stadium!
Upgrades include a new playing field and sod, a renovated
Kid Zone, and quadrupling the capacity of the Party Deck
plus providing cover to half the deck. Season ticket holders
will enjoy remodeled Suites featuring hardwood flooring,
granite counters and the addition of an exclusive Club on
the Suite level. The space is intended to be perfect for
entertaining clients or business gatherings. We can’t wait to
see the new improved stadium at their June networking!
865-934-1400
www.UnitedCapitalLending.com
Tune in to “Mortgage Matters” on News Talk 98.7 FM
For the Latest in Real Estate and Lending News
State-of-the-art compounding services
with highly trained pharmacists with
Congratulations to Colby McLemore of Colby’s
Photography! In 2013, Knoxvillians awarded him the News
Sentinel Reader’s Choice award for Best Photographer and
Cityview magazine award as a Best of the Best
Photographer. McLemore was recognized over hundreds of
area photographer nominations in both competitions over
the past two years. His peers have also chosen him as
Tennessee’s Professional Photographer of the Year and
named him among the Top Ten Tennessee Professional
Photographers—along with bestowing the prestigious
Kodak Gallery Award and Fuji Excellence Award.
Nominating Petition forms are available for the non-partisan Town of Farragut Municipal Election scheduled for
Aug. 7. The deadline to file is 12-noon on Apr. 3. The seats
of mayor and two aldermen, one each from Ward I and Ward
II, will comprise the slate. Information about candidate
requirements or voter registration can be found at the Knox
County Election Commission at 215-2480 or www.knoxcounty.org/election.
Member Briefs See page 4
4 • CHAMBER LIFE, February 2014
resident
P
Quotes ‘n Notes
“You are what you do!”
~From Leo Buscaglia’s book
“ BORN FOR LOVE”
by Bettye Sisco
In the comic strip
Peanuts, Snoopy walks up
to Charlie Brown and his
sister Sally, and gives them
each a great big hug. When
he rests his head on their
shoulders a little heart
floats up into the air around them. In the last
panel as Snoopy walks off smiling from ear to
ear, Charlie Brown says to the puzzled Sally,
"You can always tell when he's been listening
to his Leo Buscaglia tapes."
Leo Buscaglia was a professor at University
of California who wrote many books dealing
with the experience of love. His approach was
always vital whether directed toward families,
friends, lovers or casual acquaintances. What
he suggests is more than a love style - it is a
life style.
Since February is the month of love, I
thought it would be nice to remember him
and his writings to remind us to create a better lifestyle for ourselves as well as those
around us.
From Leo Buscaglia’s book “BORN FOR
LOVE”: You are what you do!
If everyone who claimed to be a lover were
to put it in action, what a better world this
would be. It is an old truth that if we really
want to know someone, we should be less concerned with what they say, and more alert to
what they do. What is going on inside of us is
revealed by what we are doing on the inside.
If we care deeply for our friends, family and
children, how are we making it evident? If we
are honestly concerned with hunger, poverty, and loneliness, how are we showing this
concern?
I once sat on an airplane next to a man who
complained across the entire continent. The
flight attendants were useless, the food was
terrible, the seating was cramped, the movie
was lousy. Then he went deeper…the government was corrupt, society was rotten, people
were not to be trusted and on and on!
During our conversation I mentioned that
my focus was the study of life and enhancement of love. He snapped to attention. “That’s
great! What the world needs now is more
love!” he assured me. Then without pausing,
he added “It’s a good thing that there are still
people like you and me who understand that.”
Member Briefs From page 3
Please join Office Suites PLUS (owned by
Regus) at their Open House on Mar. 12 from 3:00
to 5:00 p.m. Office Suites PLUS offers fully
equipped ready-to-work offices with no long-term
lease, a receptionist to answer your business’
calls, professional meeting rooms, videoconferencing, and more. For more information, contact
Lisa Coram at 824-2700 or [email protected].
Welcome to our new Farragut
West Knox Chamber members!
The Chamber is excited to serve the 65 business that joined in the first half of
our fiscal year and welcomes these businesses who have joined us recently.
AdvoCare
Sarah Molter
P.O. Box 23684
Knoxville, TN 37933
www.advocare.com/130949118
AFLAC
James F. Hill
11350 Gates Mill Drive
Knoxville, TN 37934
Arlene’s Fun Travel
Arlene Weinstein
1037 Spy Glass Way
Knoxville, TN 37922
www.arlenefuntravel.ptstn.com
Aspen Title and Escrow,
LLC
Teresa Collins
121 S. David Lane, Suite 2
Knoxville, TN 37922
www.aspentitleandescrow.com
501 Delft Way
Knoxville, TN 37923
www.cooks4u.com
3225 Rolling Hills Lane
Knoxville, TN 37931
www.makeitapalombi.com
Holiday Inn Knoxville at
Cedar Bluff
Michael Parisi
9134 Executive Park Drive
Knoxville, TN 37923
www.holidayinn.com/cedarbluff
Planet Beach, A
Contemporary Spa (Turkey
Creek)
Nina Morgan
11657 Parkside Drive
Knoxville, TN 37934
www.planetbeach.com/tn0020/
Knoxville Appraisal
Company
Jeff Sims
108 Hayfield Road, Suite 202
Knoxville, TN 37922
Provision Center for Proton
Therapy
Nancy Howard
6450 Provision Cares Way
Knoxville, TN 37909
www.provisionproton.com
Milestone Event Center of
Farragut
Tonya Alsobrooks
11909 Kingston Pike
Farragut, TN 37934
www.clickeventcenters.com
Asset Realty Management
Company
Dan Sigler
4420 Whittle Springs Road
Knoxville, TN 37917
www.armtn.com
Northwestern Mutual
Joe Djurdjevic
110 Triplett Lane
Knoxville, TN 37922
www.J.Djurdjevic.nm.com
Brenda Beaty Cooks 4U:
Personal Chef Service
Brenda Beaty
The Palombi Team at The
House Store
Dean & Janet Palombi
Smoky Mountain Financial
Counseling
Dale Powers
5731 Lyons View Pike, Suite
120
Knoxville, TN 37919
www.smokymountainfinancial.com
The Welcome Company
Crystal Burton
P.O. Box 32674
Knoxville, TN 37930
www.knoxvillewelcomecompany.com
Ribbon Cuttings
Celebrating Farragut ENT’s new location with a Dec. 16 ribbon cutting are Dr.
Leonard Brown, U.S. Representative Jimmy Duncan, Jr, Farragut Mayor Ralph
McGill, Dr. Clyde Mathison, Dr. William Merwin, Chamber members and guests.
The practice focuses on treating sinus and allergy disorders as well as pediatric
ear, nose and throat issues.
Wild Wing Café wants to help customers keep
New Year’s Resolutions with their Skinny
Wednesdays! From 4:00-10:00 p.m. enjoy halfpriced salads and half-priced “skinny” cocktails.
Visit their Campbell Lakes Drive location (just off
Campbell Station Road) for full menu details!
Farragut West Knox
Chamber of Commerce
11826 Kingston Pike,
Suite 110
Farragut, TN 37934
865-675-7057
865-671-2409 Fax
This newsletter is published monthly by the
Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce.
by Andrew Ward
When shopping for
jewelry for a spouse,
girlfriend, or a loved
one, no one wants to
find just any ordinary
gift. You want to discover the perfect gift,
the one that will make that person fall
head over heels. At M&M Jewelers, they
fully understand that need and offer only
the best selection of estate jewelry to their
customers. “We have everything from sterling silver to 10-18 karat gold to platinum
jewelry,” says Mike Holober, president of
M&M. With such a large assortment, you
can almost certainly find what you were
looking for or something better.
M&M has become a trusted name for
anyone seeking information about precious metals. “As a team, we have about
115 years of experience in our field,” says
Holober. While this level of experience is
no doubt impressive, the reason customers enjoy visiting M&M is that the
service is outstanding. M&M prides itself
on “giving every customer prompt and
friendly service of the utmost integrity”.
As a locally owned business, their customers are their neighbors, and so they
have a vested interest in treating them
well in hopes that they return again and
again. Many businesses say that they put
their customers first; M&M is determined
to prove they mean it.
M&M’s services also go above and
beyond only selling merchandise. They are
one of the premier buyers of scrap gold
and silver in East Tennessee. Their jewelers are experts on appraising precious
metals and giving you the best possible
price available. Holober declares, “Our
appraisals are always 100% accurate. We
assure that you get the most money for
your sale and you receive your cash immediately!” M&M also provides all types of
repair for watches and rings in case that
special something gets broken or damaged. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, stop in to M&M Jewelers located at
10551 Kingston Pike in the shopping center directly behind Biker Rags next to
Christmas Lumber for all your jewelry
needs!
by Laura Overstreet
Small Business Development Centers: Tennessee
Lonnie Jones Agency celebrated 40 years with Allstate by hosting a ribbon cutting on Dec. 17. Jones was joined by Chamber members, family, business associates and friends.
Thierry V. Sommer &
Associates celebrated Sommer’s new
location alongside
Chamber members
with a ribbon cutting
on Dec. 3. They are
wealth managers who
specialize in working
with pre-retirees and
retirees.
Casey Duncan, marketing director for Canterfield of Oak Ridge, happily greeted
Chamber members and guests to their ribbon cutting on Dec. 11. Canterfield of
Oak Ridge offers assisted living residents the flexibility to choose how they spend
each day. Their diverse and engaging programs provide something for everyone!
Calendar of Events
Please call the Chamber office at 675-7057 for information
February 20, 2014
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Networking
Pinnacle Financial Partners - Farragut
241 Brooklawn Lane
February 27, 2014
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Networking
Wellsley Park at Deane Hill Apartments
7302 Sir Walter Way
March 6, 2014
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Networking
Calhoun’s (at Pellissippi Pkwy)
10020 Kingston Pike
March 20, 2014
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Networking
Comcast Spotlight
410 N. Cedar Bluff, Ste 200
e-mail: [email protected]
www.farragutchamber.com
M&M Jewelers
4 Marketing
Resolutions to Make
SouthEast Bank offers Free Small Business
Checking accounts which are perfect for most
businesses. There is no minimum balance, no
monthly service charge, 500 free monthly transaction items and up to $10,000 deposited per month
free. Or bring in your debit cards and unused
checks from your current bank when opening any
new checking and SouthEast will buy them for up
to $10! Visit them in the Renaissance shopping
center in Farragut.
Help Pellissippi State Community College’s
Rotoract and Culinary students raise $2,000 to
send three veterans to Washington, D.C. for a day
trip to show the community’s respect for their
service! The HonorAir Fundraiser will take place
on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at the UT Visitors Center
(2712 Neyland Drive). Tickets are $25 and
include hors d’ouvres prepared by the Culinary
Arts School, entertainment from PSTCC’s
choir and Hardin Valley Thunder Bluegrass
Ensemble, and a silent auction. Register at
www.pstcc.edu/rotoract.
Who’s who…
I resolve to make a
marketing plan. Many
small business owners
market haphazardly,
throwing time/money
at one marketing
method and when it
doesn’t pay off immediately, switching gear to
the “next big thing.” This approach wastes
resources leaving you frustrated and convinced that marketing doesn’t pay off.
Resolve to sit down and set marketing goals.
What do you want to accomplish? More
leads? More sales closed? More inquiries?
Once your goals are written, find methods
that are most likely to get results. Then figure
out how to track results from each method to
see what’s working.
I resolve to market consistently. It’s easy
to fall into the trap of marketing only when
you’ve got the time for it (which often means
“never”). Maybe you market right before your
busy season, doing nothing later. As a result,
your sales pipeline slows down. Keep your
pipeline full by marketing all year. That may
not mean at the same level of marketing yearround—i.e. a toy retailer would market more
before and during the holiday season—but it
does mean to use some level of all year.
Create a marketing calendar that sets out
what you’ll do each month. Put someone in
charge of making sure it’s carried out.
I resolve to keep learning new things. Is
your marketing stuck in one area?
Advertising only in the print Yellow Pages
might work, but many go online to market.
Keep up with the (marketing) times.
Regularly read industry blogs and publications, attend networking events or conferences, and take webinars or seminars to
learn about new marketing trends and how
they’re affecting your industry. Pledge to
learn something new monthly, and try some
of it. Marketing is moving fast; you don’t want
to get left behind.
I resolve to do market research. Many
small business owners market research
once—when starting their companies. But
what happens when your market changes?
Keep tabs on the demographics of your target
market so you can adjust your approach to
changes in their incomes, lifestyles, media
consumption habits and buying behaviors.
Use secondary research from other sources
and primary research—and ask your customers what they want and need.
These simple resolutions will make a big
difference in your results—I promise.
Source: Rieva Lesonsky (Guest Blogger for the SBA
and widely recognized small business expert & advocate)