People regularly ask questions about the Chamber. "What is it? What does it do?" Recently we updated the wnswers to those questions and have adopted the following "Elevator Speech" that describes the Chamber to a tee!

" The Adrian Area Chamber is a living breathing social network that enables members to create personal and professional relationships. It is a resource for information and learning, a collaborative partner and a venue for interpersonal interaction. Members are often only one degree of separation, one phone call or one introduction away from many of the people they want to meet - potenetial customers and vendors, community, political and business leaders."

If you don't have an effective, descriptive "Elevator Speech", start working on one today. It's one of your best marketing tools.

Ann Hughes
President & CEO
Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce
www.adrianareachamber.com

Resolve to utilize your membership in 2010!

Limitations of time, staff and energy can make it difficult to get involved with Chamber activities. but we encourage you to make use of Chamber services, access benefits and attend networking events whenever possible in the coming year. The Chamber works for you regardless of your level of involvement - website presence, referrals, brochure distribution, directory listings, etc. - but you get more from your membership investment when you are present at events and programs and take the opportunity to do some face-to-face networking. The Chamber is all about marketing - yourself, your products, your services - and we are available daily to sit down for a one-on-one conversation about helping your business succeed. Call me anytime at 265-2320. We are here to serve you and your business. Remember that your membership covers all of your employees and they may attend and/or participate in any Chamber program, committee or event!

Ann Hughes
President and CEO
517.265.2320
517.270.1818
www.adrianareachamber.com

Every day is a chance to learn

We're never too old to learn and we don't have to wait until the beginning of another school year to tackle learning new skills or absorbing new facts and information. There are varied thoughts on ways to acquire needed knowledge and information that is pertinent to the work we do and I wouldn't begin to issue an opinion on what might be the most effective.

But I did have an opportunity to sit in on a what proved to be enlightening in terms of the exchange of ideas and information, participant excitement, and generation of solutions and ideas. These were aimed at assisting individuals at the gathering identify effective solutions to their marketing challenges and questions.

I believe that a group of individuals sitting around a table and brainstorming can be among the most valuable tool any of us can access. Last Friday's Marketing Conversation was the perfect example of people working together to generate ideas not only for themselves but for others in the group as well. They all realized that when one is successful, we are all more successful. Great work and thanks to our marketers: Linda Gentry, Carla Ayers and Gaynor Mielke.

Marketing Roundtable starts this week

Following a number of conversations with Chamber members, we have decided to re-format the First Friday Forum into what appears to be a much desired Marketing Roundtable. Meetings will continue to be held on the first Friday of each month from Noon until 1 pm, but will move to the Board Room at the Chamber office. The first meeting, this Friday will be primarily to determine what those present want in terms of marketing topics, speakers, discussions etc. This program is a Members Only benefit and there is no charge. Feel free to bring your lunch and, if you can, call and let us know you are coming - 265-2320. No, more than ever, marketing is critical to business success - come and talk about it. Share ideas on what has worked and what hasn't. Ask questions. We are all seeking the same successful outcome and this is an opportunity to work together to achieve common success. Thanks to Lori Sallows, WLEN for agreeing to facilitate the monthly Marketing Roundtables!

Ann Hughes
President and CEO
517.265.2320
517.270.1818
www.adrianareachamber.com

Thinking of cutting back on marketing?

Just finished an article from www.businessbrief.com/recession-marketing that addressed the question of whether or not it pays to not cut back on marketing during recessionary times. The author researched a 2005 study, "Turning adversity into advantage: Does proactive marketing during a recession pay off?" and discovered reliable information that pointed to active marketing during a down economy does indeed produce good results following the recession. "The most referenced study, one by McGraw-Hill about the 1981-1982 recession, concludes the b2b companies that increased marketing during the recession averaged much higher sales growth for the following three years than those who decreased marketing."

The author concluded by saying that if you have to decreasing marketing budgets, retain those marketing initiatives that have the biggest pay off for your business. Become smarter with your dollars and your marketing activities that will produce the greatest impact.

Ann Hughes
President and CEO
517.265.2320
517.270.1818
www.adrianareachamber.com

Marketing through social networking sites

If you, like all of us at the Adrian Area Chamber are interested in driving traffic to your website and marketing your products and services to a broader market, them log on to http://www.startupnation.com/forums/16641/1/1 for some practical and easy-to-implement strategies and tips. The article contains solid information and easy-to-understand directions.