New Members - Putnam Chamber
Transcription
New Members - Putnam Chamber
Your Business is Our Business Marty Chapman, President At the Chamber of Commerce, we take this slogan seriously. We know our members deserve, require and expect our support. That’s one reason why we host our Annual Business Expo. This year’s Business Expo is Thursday, November 10, 2011 at the Joint Forces Reserve Center (Armory) in Eleanor from 4 pm – 7 pm. This is our second year hosting the Business Expo and Business After Hours at this location. Not only does the Joint Forces Reserve Center (Armory) provide double the amount of exhibit space, but it also provides more room for networking at Business After Hours. As usual, the November Business After Hours will be held during the Business Expo and is sponsored by Frontier Communications. Additionally, we will be offering a Small Business Workshop on this same day, beginning at 2:00 p.m. This year the topic will be “What to Know Before You Grow” presented by Justin M. Gaull of the WV Small Business Development Center (WVSBDC). Please refer to the articles in this newsletter for information about exhibiting in the Business Expo, attending the Small Business Workshop and/or participating in Business After Hours – all on Thursday, November 10. Thank you to our Renewing Members for your continued support of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce! Your investment demonstrates your willingness to support and build a better business climate in which to live, work and play in Putnam County. New Members Boy Scouts of America (Pioneer District) William Reyes 2829 Kanawha Blvd. East Charleston, WV 26505 (304) 340-3663 [email protected] Buffalo Drug Jackson Noel 1905 Buffalo Rd. Buffalo, WV 25033 (304) 937-3000 [email protected] www.buffalodrug.com Young Life Putnam County Scott Spence Box 544 Teays, WV 25569 (304) 942-8197 [email protected] www.putnamcounty.younglife.org Harbortouch POS, Inc. Jim Herndon (866) 563-3045 ext. 187 [email protected] The 2011 Putnam County Chamber Consumer & Relocation Guide with a complete list of Chamber members is always available free of charge at the Chamber office. You can also find the guide on our website, www.putnamchamber. Congratulations to Sowers & Company, A.C. Chamber Business of the Month for November! Sowers & Company, A.C. has been providing businesses in Putnam and surrounding counties with high quality accounting services at affordable prices for over 29 years. We strive to give each client the close personal attention that they need to maintain or start a successful business. Sowers & Company, A.C. is located in the heart of Teays Valley, and has two Certified Public Accountants on staff to meet all the accounting needs of a small business. At Sowers & Company, helping businesses to become more profitable is not only our job, it’s our passion. Call today for a free consultation to see if we can find ways to reduce your taxes and accounting bills (304) 757-6989. Services offered at Sowers & Company, A.C. include: Financial statement preparation QuickBooks setup and consultations Bookkeeping Accounting system setup & implementation Business tax return preparation Financial forecasts & projections Reviews & compilations Individual tax services Consulting services (tax planning, buying/selling a business, business entity selection, financial & retirement decisions, and much more) For more information on Sowers & Company, A.C., please call (304) 757-6989 and ask for Joe, or visit their website at www.sowerscpas.com Businesses selected for “Business of the Month” are drawn from the names of Chamber members attending Business After Hours. Join us for: Business Before Business Friday, November 4 Mattress Warehouse in Liberty Square 7:30 am – 9:00 am Please join us at this new networking event for the sunrise set. Free to Chamber members. Complimentary continental breakfast, prepared by Tudor’s Biscuit World, will be provided. Win a free e-Billboard in the business card drawing. Please reply by Thursday, November 3 to [email protected] or at www.putnamchamber.org Please Join Us! 2011Business Expo & November Business After Hours Sponsored by: Thursday, November 10, 2011 Mark your calendar and make plans to participate in the Chamber’s Business Expo & Business After Hours, scheduled for Thursday, November 10th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Joint Forces Reserve Center (Armory) in Eleanor. The Business Expo registration fee is $150 and includes a 6’ table, tablecloth and admission for two representatives to attend the concurrent Business After Hours event. Registration forms are still available by contacting the Chamber office. Frontier Communications will be sponsoring the Business After Hours portion of this event. The combination of the annual Business Expo with the monthly Business After Hours allows exhibitors the opportunity to more extensively promote their business to each other and to guests in attendance. For non-exhibitors, the cost to attend is $15 per person with RSVP, pre-payment is preferred. This event is also open to the public. For more information, to register as an exhibitor, or to RSVP for the Business After Hours, please contact [email protected] or call (304) 757-6510. RSVPs are required; pre-payment is appreciated. Business After Hours is open to members and their guests. The cash drawing sponsored by BB&T is valued at $500; you must be present to win! RSVP on the Chamber website www.putnamchamber.org , call 304.757.6510 or email [email protected] “What to Know Before You Grow” Small Business Workshop Thursday, November 10 Joint Forces Reserve Center, Eleanor 2 pm – 4 pm WV Small Business Development Center (WVSBDC) will be presenting a workshop – “What to Know Before You Grow” for Putnam Chamber members on Thursday, November 10 from 2 pm – 4 pm at the Joint Forces Reserve Center in Eleanor. This free workshop for Chamber members will address the following two topics of small business operations: 1. Elements required for a small business loan package for start-up or for expansion of a current business. 2. Establishing a plan to assess the market and tactics for local marketing and publicity. Our workshop facilitator will be Justin M. Gaull, Business Coach. Services and programs provided by the WVSBDC help West Virginia small businesses grow by strengthening profit margins, improving cash flow, increasing sales & market share, promoting more efficient business planning, improving access to capital, cultivating a more productive staff and assisting with research and implementation of new technology. To register or for more information please call (304) 757-6510 or email [email protected] For This We Give Thanks Tuesday, November 15th Sleepy Hollow Golf Club 11:30 a.m. The Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, Putnam County Rotary and the Teays Valley Lions Club Annual “For This We Give Thanks” Luncheon will take place on November 15th at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The cost of lunch is $20 per person. This event serves as an opportunity to gratefully acknowledge significant events and community progress in Putnam County during the past year. The general public is encouraged to attend this special luncheon. Advance reservations are required and should be made by contacting the Chamber office at (304)757-6510 or [email protected] by noon on Friday, November 11th. Member News! Thank you to Toyota Motor Manufacturing WV, Inc. for hosting a very well-attended Business After Hours in October! The Toyota Motor Manufacturing WV, Inc. staff provided a wonderful atmosphere for networking along with a video presentation and delicious food and beverages. Congratulations to the winners of the door prizes provided by Toyota. The winner of the BB&T Sponsored drawing valued at $400 was Brian Bowling had he been present! Photos by: Ben Calwell, Metro Staff Writer, Charleston Newspapers Calvin Broyles Jewelers will host a Grand Reopening for their new Teays Valley location on Thursday, November 10. This daylong event will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by light refreshments. Refreshments will again be served at 4:00 p.m. Those present throughout the day can also register to win some amazing jewelry giveaways. The winners will be drawn on Saturday, November 12. Calvin Broyles Jewelers is located in Scott Junction Plaza, just a few doors down from their previous location. For more information call (304) 757-3920. Poca Valley Bank is pleased to announce that John Fowler has been hired as Vice President-Branch Manager of the Winfield Office. He has 12 years of experience in retail banking. John has a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia State University and an MBA from the University of Charleston. Generation Putnam Found Success in 2nd Annual Healthy Kids, Healthy WV Generation Putnam launched a week long service project during the week of October 15 th through the 22nd to promote healthy living in Putnam County. The basis of this campaign was to inspire communities to eat right, get fit and live well. On Tuesday, October 18th, families gathered at the Commons of Putnam County to participate in a “Lunch and Learn” focusing on dealing with picky eaters and the best ways to serve a family style meal. Then on Saturday, October 22 nd, the day began with the 3rd Annual Spooktacular 5K Race sponsored by Teays Physical Therapy Center. Following the race families joined Generation Putnam at the Commons of Putnam County for the Healthy Kids Fair where they took part in healthy cooking taste testing, health screenings, family exercise classes, dance clinics and various other activities to promote healthy living. All events were free to the public! Generation Putnam would like to express their gratitude to the many businesses, organizations and volunteers that helped make this event a success, this includes; CAMC Teays Valley, City National Bank, The Greenhouse of Teays Valley, Healthy Kids, Inc., FireSide Grille, Ginos/Tudors, Kelly’s Dance Studio of Cross Lanes, Kroger, The MOMS Club of Teays Valley, Nelson Brothers, Sleepy Hollow Golf Club, Teays Physical Therapy Center, University Pediatrics, Quantum Sports Center, Teays Valley Pediatric Dentistry, WVU Extension, Brazilian Jujitsu, LLC, Zumba Instructor Andrea Cunningham and Zumba WV. Masquerade, Music & More 2011 The Third Annual Masquerade, Music & More event hosted a variety of guests from little old ladies and fairies, hippies and convicts, to super-heroines and gangsters, flappers and cartoon characters. Some guests even came dressed as Chamber Board Members! Delicious food and beverages were served up by The Greenhouse of Teays Valley and rock-solid dance music was provided by The Lost Cause. The silent auction provided a terrific selection of celebrity memorabilia, merchandise and services – all at great bargain bidding! Congratulations to Karen Mundy (Fifth Third Bank) and Doug Mundy – winners of the costume contest (see photo). We would like to thank our event sponsors (in bold) and silent auction donors: AEP John Amos Plant Berry Hills Country Club Calvin Broyles Jewelers Chapman Funeral Home City National Bank Edgewood Country Club The Greenhouse of Teays Valley Hampton Inn, Winfield Traci Higginbotham The Magickal Connection Marriott Charleston Town Center J.R. Marshall Midway Ford J. P. Owens Parkline, Inc. Power Up Sports & Wellness Prestige Memorabilia Professional Floor & Wall Covering Sherri’s Avon Beauty Center Sleepy Hollow Golf Club Snowshoe Mountain Teays Valley Chiropractic Toyota Motor Manufacturing Tri-County YMCA Walmart, Hurricane Warnick Dental, St. Albans West Virginia Symphony Orchestra Winterplace Yeager Insurance Thanks also to the planning committee – JR Marshall, Glenn Yeager, Melissa Bias and JP Owens and to Jim Strawn, Highland Hospital, for providing emcee services! Monthly Marketing Tip: Does Your Business Website Measure Up? The Internet was supposed to level the playing field, but according to a recent Demandbase survey, 80 percent of marketers and IT professionals feel like their website is not living up to its lead generation potential. If your own website isn’t living up to its potential, below are some areas I’d first focus on when attempting to boost your marketing power. Think of this as your customers’ wish list for your website. 1. Know Your Visitors-While 61 percent of respondents said they knew their prospects “well” or “extremely well,” all small business owners would benefit from focusing on creating specific content for consumers in the different stages of buying cycles. Survey your customers continuously to get to know them better. 2. Be More Intuitive-It’s a simple fact: The more intuitive your website, the more comfortable users are going to feel navigating it. We want to land on a website, immediately know what we’re supposed to do, and immediately see information that is relevant to our interests. You’ll want to concentrate on giving visitors a simple navigation, providing clear calls to action, and not sacrificing usability for “flashiness.” Focus on giving visitors the simplest experience that you can. 3. Invest In Portability-Last week a report from the Pew Research Center told us that nearly half of adults get local news and information via mobile devices. That’s a pretty good indicator that your website must be accessible to users on the go. It’s also why your website should be as lightweight as possible. Invest in these features now, and reap the benefits today and in the future. 4. Be Interactive-Give your users something that allows interaction. Let them see the latest posts from your blog directly on your home page, use the Twitter widget so they can see your interactions there, provide a link to your company Facebook page, show off your Flickr or YouTube account, and so on. 5. Look Trustworthy-Customers are instinctively looking for certain cues to determine whether or not they feel comfortable on your website. When a visitors sees that you’ve taken the time to develop an active presence on social media, it lets them know you’ll be easy to find should they have a problem or concern, and that you didn’t just set up shop yesterday. We all want to make sure we’re getting as much out of our investments as we can — and that includes your corporate website. Focusing a visitor’s Web experience around the five things listed above can help ensure that you are. B.G. Hamrick is an author, speaker, Internet marketing consultant, and website developer. He is dedicated to helping businesses use powerful new online and mobile marketing platforms to get visibility, traffic, leads, customers and raving fans. B.G. lives in Scott Depot, WV with his wife Jill & two daughters. Visit: www.BGHamrick.com Community News Veteran’s Appreciation Day Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011 2:00 p.m. Putnam County Courthouse Parking Lot Moving tributes to men and women who have worn their country’s uniform Bring your lawn chairs and spend the afternoon honoring those to whom we owe so much For more information contact Joe Haynes at (304) 586-0201 Calendar of Events for November 2011 Friday, November 4 Business Before Business; 8:00 a.m. Mattress Warehouse, Liberty Square Wednesday, November 9 Portfolio Fair; 8-11 a.m. Poca High School Wednesday, November 9 Education Committee; 12 noon Putnam County Chamber Office Thursday, November 10 Small Business Workshop; 2-4 p.m. Joint Forces Reserve Center, Eleanor Business Expo & Business After Hours; 4-7 p.m. Joint Forces Reserve Center, Eleanor Tuesday, November 15 For This We Give Thanks; 11:30 a.m. Sleepy Hollow Golf Club Thursday, November 17 NOW Monthly Meeting; 8:00 a.m. Putnam County Chamber Office Thursday, November 17 Generation Putnam Election Meeting; 12 noon First State Bank Friday, November 18 NOW Bell Ringing; 10 am- 8pm Kroger, Teays Valley Putnam County Chamber Staff Marty Chapman, President [email protected] Gretchen White, Project Director [email protected] Mary Jo Hendricks, Administrative Assistant [email protected] Ashley Alford, Public Relations [email protected] Office Hours: 9:00 am—4:00 pm, Monday-Friday Physical Address: 5664 St. Rt. 34, North, Winfield, WV 25213 Mailing Address: PO Box 553, Teays, WV 25569 Phone: 304.757.6510 ~ Fax: 304.757.6562 [email protected] www.putnamchamber.org