Monthly Chamber Luncheon Cancelled

This winter weather just won’t go away yet.

Due to the inclement weather the February 9 Chamber Business Luncheon is cancelled. We will announce a reschedule date for today’s speaker soon.

Innovate, Renovate and Celebrate!

As the holiday season is ramping up so are the plans for the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce in 2011. So many exciting changes have occurred this past year and the Chamber continues to grow and thrive thanks the Board of Directors, Ambassadors, and all the volunteers who commit time to various committees that work hard to provide programs, products and services that bolster our business community.

I love new beginnings and the start of 2011 is a chance at a new beginning. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to succinctly capture what we will be doing at the Chamber in 2011. And the three words that I feel best describe our plan of action are: Innovate, Renovate and Celebrate!                                                                                                                            

Innovate: Just like any business, the Chamber as an organization cannot lose the entrepreneurial spirit that allows for creative new ideas. In order to remain relevant in the 21^st Century we must focus a portion of our efforts to innovation. Doing the same programs, events, and offering the same services only keeps us operating at an average pace. If we don’t adapt we run the risk of becoming a tired organization. We are dedicated to brainstorming innovative programs that help the business community prosper.

Renovate: The Chamber has several legacy programs that have been instrumental in building a solid economic climate in Rowlett. As we continue to build on the programs and services that have made this Chamber great, we will look to ways to “renovate” or improve them.

Celebrate: There are so many reasons to Celebrate in Rowlett. Despite a downturn in the national economy, the Rowlett business community as a whole continues to grow and add more jobs. We’ve all felt the pain of current economic conditions, but companies and organizations have pulled together to survive and thrive in this economy. Celebration is an integral in keeping that “can do” community spirit and pride that Rowlett is known for. We will celebrate accomplishments no matter how large or small and encourage one another to strive to success.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Chamber Staff, I wish all our membership a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Lisa Ferrell, IOM

Rowlett Chamber President

Don’t waste networking events by doing all the talking – Tips for successful networking

Does this scenario sound familiar? You get to a networking event with a full stack of business cards and a huge smile on your face. You’re ready to meet new people and find potential new clients. You walk up to the first person you see, introduce yourself and give a firm handshake. Then all of sudden you realize the other person said their name and company and you were so busy thinking of the next thing you were going to say that you didn’t catch it. Your mind is racing with how to transition to your sales pitch so you can hand over your business card and hopefully get a new customer or referral.

Most people who attend networking events don’t know how to use them effectively to bolster their business.  Over the years of attending numerous networking events and observing successful business people, I have a few suggestions for building a large network and cultivating key contacts.

Expectation: Instead of focusing on new clients and expecting that you will receive business from each networking event you attend, consider making new connections (rather than customers) and building relationships with people. Not everyone you meet will need your product or service right away, but at some point they might or they may know a potential customer. Learn more about the person you are speaking with – ask more questions and find out what their needs are rather than trying to sell yourself. The saying “you get what you give” is very true. Practice being valuable to other people and you will begin seeing how much you will receive in return.

Be Prepared: Before entering a networking event, think through what you want to say about yourself. Remember that less is actually more. It’s beneficial to answer these questions before walking into the event. What does your ideal client look like? What are you looking for in a strategic partner? Can you explain your business in 30 seconds or less?

Follow-up: Don’t just leave your acquired stack of business cards in your brief case or desk. Periodically touch base and see how your contacts are doing. If at all possible, send referrals their way. There are so many ways to stay in communication so use them! Phone, email, social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook are all great ways to stay in touch with new people you have met.

Building your network is like gardening. You plants seeds and then work to water them and cultivate them so they will grow and bloom. Then you will be able to reap the benefits of what you have sown.

Think Local. Buy Local.

As consumers we all have choices when it comes to making purchases for products, service, food, etc. Many times we make those choices based on convenience, price and customer service. All are good reasons to pick a particular company to do business with, however there are a few other reasons that consumers should consider. It’s important to think about shopping local businesses first. Rowlett businesses contribute to the community in a variety of ways.

1. Many local companies hire local workers. When you do business with a Rowlett company, you are helping to keep your neighbors working.
2. Customer Service. When you know who you are doing business with, customer service tends to be paramount. It’s easy to build relationships with people you know and frequent often. That in turns means these businesses can fill your request for a particular product you may desire. They will go the extra mile to keep your business.
3. Sales tax dollars stay in our community. When you make a local purchase, a portion of your sales tax (1 percent) stays in Rowlett. This helps to supplement property taxes and goes to fund essential services like police, fire, parks, public works, roads, etc. Keeping that money in Rowlett is an investment in your community.
4. Local businesses will support local non-profits and charitable organizations. That means when you spend money in a Rowlett business there is a good chance a portion of it could go to aid a local non–profit organization that is working to better the Rowlett’s overall quality of life.
5. Keep our dollars circulating in our town. Making local purchases goes to improve the economic base of our community. Local businesses will many times do business with other local businesses. That keeps our economy stimulated even in a down time like we’ve been facing.

The Rowlett Chamber encourages you to think Rowlett first when making a purchasing decision. We are launching a Shop Rowlett Now program to increase awareness of the benefits of buying locally. As part of the program, many retailers, restaurants, and businesses in Rowlett are participating in a discount card program. For $10 you can purchase the Shop Rowlett Now discount card that contains over 30 (and growing) special discounts at local merchants. For more information about the card and the program, contact the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce at 972-475-3200 or visit www.rowlettchamber.com.

So, what exactly is a Chamber of Commerce?

So what is a Chamber of Commerce? Let’s clear a few things up …  a chamber is a non-profit business trade association. Not all chambers are exactly alike and depending on the community in which they operate, their main line of work could vary.

In Rowlett, we are strictly a business trade association – supported by our Chamber Members. They are like stockholders in our organization. We receive no tax dollars and our focus is to help our Member businesses be successful and grow. If each of our Members grew and hired one new person a year, that would mean over 400 jobs in Rowlett.

The Rowlett Chamber of Commerce works to provide networking opportunities, enhance your marketing efforts, increase your company’s visibility, be a business resource center by providing educational opportunities and access to information that would benefit your business as well as advocate on behalf of the business community – monitoring public policy to ensure a positive business climate for our companies to be successful.

Because the world we live in is ever-changing, the Chamber works to adapt its programs, products, and services to meet the needs of its Member businesses.

Are Chamber Member Businesses More Credible than Non-Members?

One of the benefits of being a Chamber Member is that consumers tend to view Members of a Chamber of Commerce as being a credible, reliable business. Because a Chamber Member invests money into an organization like the Chamber of Commerce, they are viewed as being a stable company and a credible place to do business.

That perception is perhaps enhanced by a new study that correlates credit scores between Chamber Member businesses and the average business score. The results are interesting and show that Chamber Member businesses have a higher credit score and are therefore a “safer bet” when it comes to business credit risk.

Check out this story and tell us what you think: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/New-study-shows-chamber-of-bw-4213143679.html?x=0&.v=1

Top 10 for 2010 – Checklist for Business Success

2010 will be  a fantastic year for Rowlett and for the Rowlett business community! As we strive to increase revenues, grow business and propel our companies and the community forward, several Chamber members submitted tips, advice and strategies.

You too can share your knowledge and offer advice to help your fellow Chamber Members. Just post a comment below with your words of wisdom and be sure to learn your name and company name and contact information.

TOP 10 for 2010:

1. Use the Chamber as Your One-Stop Business Resource for marketing opportunities, networking and educational resources. —Lisa Ferrell, Rowlett Chamber

2. Minimize your debt load. Too many companies operate with such a large amount of debt and debt payments, that when their revenues slump, the majority of their net income is used to pay debt instead of growing the business. —Kevin Lawson, Lawson & CO CPAs

3. Advertising is a crucial element in surviving  the current economy.  —Nora O Bollman, Lakeview Image Magazine

4.  Health insurance continues to be an expense that is ever increasing. We are recommending Dual Coverage Options including Health Savings Account or Health Reimbursement Accounts when they will work for your employees. —Robbie Ryan, The Ryan Insurance Agency

5. Exult (rejoice greatly) in the success of others! Your employees are the backbone of your     business. Respect, Rejoice. Reward. —Tangela Patrick, Pecan Creek Day School/Country Club Treehouse

6. Put laughter in your life, go to an ACTOR play in 2010.   —Suzan Fulton, ACTOR

7. Know your customer. Sit down with a friend or business contact and get them to put themselves’ in your customers’ shoes. Try to come up with ten new ways to market and promote your business. It’s really difficult to come up with these ideas yourself as sometimes you can get too close to your business, but someone else can often give you fresh ideas.—Cliff Hand, Marketing  Specifics

8. Provide excellent customer service and a quality product at a reasonable price. —Amy Wiggins, My Computer Guy

9. Get involved in your community from day 1. Become genuinely interested in the well being of your community rather than looking at it solely as a source of business. If you do this, customers will naturally follow. —Pamila Minatrea, Texas Family Insurance

 10. Take time to get your personal estate in order … review your wills, insurance policies and consider options for future end of life expenses. If you don’t have anything to review then make a decision to explore and get these necessities in place! Remember it wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark!  - EC Umberger, Rest Haven Memorial Park and Funeral Home

Let’s start chatting

Welcome to the Rowlett Chamber Chatter! The strength of a Chamber of Commerce has always been in its members. The amount of expertise, knowledge, and experience spanning a diverse group of businesses creates a powerful organization. With our new blog, members can easily post comments and communicate with one another sharing information, knowledge, tips and resources.

So, let’s start chatting!