I'm Still Pushing Social Media

Attended the Social Media Summit today, hosted by the BBB. Have to tell you that it was well worth my time and money to attend.

I have been encouraging (well, maybe pushing) our members to use this stuff. Some of you have, but many of you have not. I'm here, once again, to tell you that this is not something that is going to go away any time soon.

Where Should I Start?

If you are trying to test the waters and you want to know where the most people are, here you go:

(As of December 2009)

• 87% YouTube
• 83% Facebook
• 49% MySpace
• 32% Classmates.com
• 30% Twitter
• 25% LinkedIn

* Note - Twitter is growing at very fast pace, while Classmates is steadily declining.

You may be wondering why use it? The top reason businesses use it is to respond to customer questions/concerns. It's like on-line customer service. If your customers are happy, they will tweet about it or post it on Facebook. But if they are unhappy, they will blog it, Facebook it, post it on LinkedIn, tweet and re-tweet about it, etc. Have you considered that since your customers are using it to talk about you, wouldn't it be beneficial for you to be on there listening and responding? Don't be fooled into thinking that your customers aren't there. They are. And so are your potential customers.

Need someone to walk you through setting up a page or profile? Just google the How-To videos on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Or better yet, contact me. I would be happy to help in anyway I can. Just jump in and do it. You won't be sorry.

-Posted by Cheri

New Drug Free Safety Program Is Here

To learn about the new Drug Free Safety Program (DFSP) through the BWC, go here. This new program will replace the old one beginning July 1, 2010.

Good stuff to know.

The Way It Should Be

Everything seems to boil down to customer service. Want to build loyalty with your customers? You don't have to have the cheapest prices in town. What you do need is people like Carol.

Nice post Sean. Oh, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves donuts!

- Posted by Cheri

Facebook Stats and Blogging

FACEBOOK

If you or your company have a page on Facebook, you should be receiving a weekly update with some stats from the week. Here is the most recent one I received:

Hi Cheri,

Here is this week's summary for the Facebook Page: Licking County Chamber of Commerce

+2 Fans this week (119 total Fans)
3 Wall Posts, Comments, and Likes this week (10 last week)
407 visits to your page this week(382 visits last week)

Not a bad week.

BLOGGING

I started this blog almost two years ago and still haven't perfected what I would like it to be. I also started a personal blog around the same time. Crazy, I know.

There are so many blogs out there where you can find some great advice if you are thinking about starting a blog or if you are trying to improve a current one. CulturalOffering links to this post at Execupundit which has some guidelines for bloggers. I am a frequent violator of most of these, I'm afraid.

-Posted by Cheri

"Administrative Professional Day"

I can remember years ago when "Secretaries Day" meant that my bosses would take me out to lunch. I had many of them, actually too many. I was hired to be a secretary to the VP of Operations, but a year later was the secretary not only to him, but also to the Plant Manager, Assembly Plant Manager and Engineering Manager. I also did inventory for the Shipping Department on the weekends and when the Payroll Department needed help, I was the one they called.

Today, I don't have a "secretary". I answer my own phone, type my own letters and schedule my own meetings. Sometimes I will get asked why I do these things when I have staff that could do them. My answer is because I want to.
And because they all have a lot of work to do. Plus it makes me work harder. I like that.

But even though I do many things myself, they are always there to help me when I need it, just as I am there to help them. That is how we operate. Each of us performs multiple tasks each day, yet we collectively work together to get the job done.

I am taking the Chamber ladies to lunch today as a small token of my sincere appreciation of their hard work and dedication to the Chamber and to me. I consider myself a very fortunate person not only because I love my job, but because I love working with Vicky, Jennifer and Mandy every day. What a great feeling it is to get up each morning happy to go to work.

Take time today to thank those around you who have made your days a little easier at your job. They don't have to be "secretaries or administrative assistants". Look around you. Surely there is someone who deserves to be recognized today.

Membership Directory now ONLINE!

We are excited to debut your 2010 Licking County Chamber of Commerce Membership e-Directory! The e-Directory may be accessed by clicking here.

This e-Directory (flip-book) is rather user-friendly. A couple of toolbars that may help you locate members include:

- A-Z (takes you directly to the alphabetical listing of members)
- Categories (takes you directly to the "buyer's guide" listing of Chamber members by category)
- Search (this is the best feature! You may search by company or person's name, just be sure to use all lower case as it states)
- Mfg's (takes you directly to the Manufacturers Guide)
- Thumbnails (a snapshot of the pages of the directory)
- Zoom (this feature will definitely be of assistance when reading detail; you may zoom and user the "hand" to move around the page)
- Arrows (the arrows will take you a page back or forward, if you click on the bottom corners of the page, this will also move forward and back)

The e-Directory will have a link directly from the Member Page of our website, www.lickingcountychamber.com. This will enable users to find information 7 days a week, 24-hours a day. Users may also email or print the directory. This will enable a larger amount of potential clients, relocators, developers, and individuals with access to information about Licking County Chamber Members!

Thanks to our advertisers who made this e-Directory possible. I hope you will bookmark the Directory and make it a priority to do business with Licking County Chamber Members.



Posted by: Jennifer McDonald, Communications & Marketing Director

The PNB Enterprise

Just couldn't resist posting this. . .I now present to you Captain Kirk DeLawder and Mr. Spock Trautman:

"The Economy Is Recovering"

This was one of the first statements today of the mouth of Andrew B. Busch - Global Currency and Public Policy Strategist for BMO Capital Markets' Investment Banking Division in Chicago. I attended the 11th Annual Heartland Bank Economic Forum where Mr. Busch was the keynote. Some interesting take-aways for me were:

• A study conducted by the Kauffman Foundation found that from 1980 to 2005, companies five years old or younger created over 95% off all new jobs in America.
• If the federal government keeps spending at the current rate, we will see Trillion dollar deficits over the next ten years.
• It is a strong possibility that the U.S. could lose its AAA rating by 2014 if current spending continues.
• The Health Care Reform Plan recently passed does anything but encourage job growth. Why would a company at the 50 employee threshold want to hire and go above the 50, since they will now have to cover 100% of the health care coverage for every employee at $8,000 a head? And for those already above the 50, it would be cheaper to pay the $4,000 fine instead of the $8,000 coverage. It just doesn't make any sense.

He also discussed how to create job growth: Lower corporate taxes. He asked how we (U.S.) plans on beating the competition from China when their corporate tax is roughly 12% while ours is 40%. We are not on a fair playing field to start with.

A big thank you to Heartland Bank for the invitation today.

- Posted by Cheri

The High Five

Check out this great video I found at Matt's place which created over 2,000 smiles. What a great way to start the day and the week!

Thanks Matt.

Win free passes to Biz Fest Safari & Taste of Licking County

Hey Chat with the Chamber fans - from today through next Friday, April 23 - if you walk into our office and say the phrase that pays... "It's a Jungle Out There" (the theme of this year's Biz Fest Safari), you will receive 2 FREE PASSES to the Biz Fest on May 6 at Cherry Valley Lodge! We will update you on who stops by! Our office is located at 50 West Locust Street in downtown Newark behind the Eatery Restaurant. Hope to see you soon!

Posted by: Jennifer McDonald

Issue 12 Needs Your Support

I am pleased to report that at the April 12, 2010 Board of Directors meeting for the Licking County Chamber of Commerce, Issue 12 - the county library levy - was given the endorsement from the Board.

This is a 1 mill, 5-year operating levy. This is the fist time in the library’s 100-year history to request a local tax to support operations. Your library is supported by a percentage of the tax revenue received by the state of Ohio and is NOT supported by local property taxes. The funds raised will go towards purchasing books, videos, audio books, magazines, newspapers and computers and will also restore library hours. This levy is not just for the Newark downtown library, but is a county-wide levy serving other libraries such as Hebron, Johnstown, Utica and Buckeye Lake.

Did you know that every day 300,000 Americans get job-seeking help at their public library?
Did you know that every day, Americans borrow 2.1 million DVD’s?

Just like the C-TEC Levy, the cost to a homeowner would be $31 per year (based on owning a $100,000 home). That is quite a bargain when you consider what they provide to all ages.

Still uncertain about supporting this issue? Please take time to read this post from CulturalOffering. Our libraries are more than physical buildings filled with books. They are part of our lives. They add to our character and give us the knowledge and opportunity to be whoever we want to be.

Ohio Issues Report

The Secretary of State has just released the Ohio Issues Report which gives you an opportunity to review the full text and ballot language of the two state issues appearing on the May 4, 2010 ballot.

Here is a summary:

Issue 1 - Extends the Third Frontier Program, which is a job growth and important economic development tool - The Licking County Chamber has endorsed this issue.

Issue 2 - Changes the location of the Columbus Casino facility from the Arena District to a redevelopment site in the Columbus area formerly owned by General Motors and Delphi Automotive that has been vacant since 2007.

These are the only two State Issues for the May election. Please remember to take time and vote on May 4.

American Prosperity

We are a forgetful nation. In many ways. We forget who fought for our freedoms. We forget to whom created all things. We forget what principals our country was founded on.

And then something or someone comes along promising to cure all of our troubles. Promising that it will make us feel good. Promising it will taste a little sweeter in our mouths.

And we fall for it.

We are a forgetful nation who needs reminded. Here is a great video that I took the time to watch this morning (9:27 minutes long, but worth it).

Thanks for the reminder Todd.

Are You Still Happy?

This was a question that I was asked today about my job. "Very happy" I answered.

I then found this interesting post called How To Lower Productivity by Joining Dots.

It was an interesting read. Check it out.

Found it via Bate, by the way.

Are You Still Happy?

If You Build It They Will Come

And they came. Another Licking County success story - Wilson's Garden Center held their ribbon cutting ceremony this morning in a building large enough that they will now be open year round. This S.R. 16 show piece is impossible to miss as you drive east of Newark, so stop by and see what they have built. Many community members turned out at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday and waited in line to get a first hand glimpse of this garden center.

Congratulations to the entire Wilson Family on a job well done, you have every reason to be proud of this accomplishment.

The first purchase made today at Wilson's was by Mr. Dan Delawder, pictured above.

Grand Opening at Buckeye Winery

What a success story! The Buckeye Winery has outgrown their previous space and recently celebrated with moving to a new location. Stop by and visit this great downtown shop and winery.

Alert! Gaum Could "Tip Over and Capsize"

I think I want a new job. I want to sit in committee hearings in Washington. But only if I am allowed to stand up and shout: "Are you kidding me? Do you even know and realize what you just said?"

Check out this video clip. I truly have no idea how the commander kept a straight face while listening to Congressman Hank Johnson.



Thanks Todd.

- Posted by Cheri

The 4 Most Important Words

Great Leadership is running a five-part series on things that make a difference in a Leader.

Part 4 is on the 4 most important words - What do you think? How many times have you been part of a meeting only to be told what the direction or decision is without having been asked what your opinion of the situation is? We always read and hear about how important being a team player is, but what does it say about your team captain if he or she doesn't solicit the other players input?

And sometimes we may think we know how our employees, co-workers or even our friends feel about something when in reality they may feel completely different. Wouldn't it be nice to know their true feelings? You may even get some brilliant ideas that you didn't think of.

Is This "Pushing the Limit"?

Check out this sign posted at a doctor's office in Orlando, FLA:

You can read the story here.

Thanks Todd.

- Posted by Cheri

The Wait Is. . .Posted

Have you ever been in a situation where you have to decide whether to go to the ER or Urgent Care instead? I have. It would have been helpful to me if I knew how busy the ER was before I made my decision to go.

Well, now you can find out just by logging onto www.lmhealth.org. Posted on their home page is the wait time for the ER and for their Urgent Care Center in Pataskala.

What a novel idea. Good job Licking Memorial Health Systems.

Ohio Chamber To Offer Free Business Symposiums

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring two FREE business symposiums on April 6 and 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce headquarters, 230 E. Town St., Columbus, OH 43215.

Both symposiums are open to all interested business owners and managers. Those interested can attend just one symposium or both! Refreshments will be served.

The April 6 symposium focuses on the “Top 10 Employment Issues Impacting Small Business” presented by Jan Hensel, Partner, Disnmore & Shohl, LLP

The April 8 symposium focuses on “Tax Code Money Saving Strategies” presented by former Ohio Tax Commissioner Tom Zaino, Managing Member, McDonald Hopkins LLC

Attendees will also get to learn how to save their businesses money through the Ohio Chamber’s numerous cost-savings programs.

There is no cost to attend either or both of these symposiums, however reservations are required by contact Devin Scribner or call him at 614-228-420. More information is also available by clicking here.

Some News/Dates From The BWC You Need To Know

Here is the March newsletter from Compensation Solutions Inc., our endorsed company for group rating through the BWC.

Note: It is the March newsletter and has some dated information on Safety Congress, but the other stuff is worth a read.