Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
December 2015
It’s December! Who can believe that? Where does the time go? We hope that everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving with their families and loved ones!
Check out this issue for our photos of some great ribbon cuttings and help us
Buy Local, Shop Local, Go Local! We are having a 3
welcome all of our new members.
day sale on our gift certificates December 1st, 2nd & 3rd!
Buy $100 worth and get $10 FREE! With over 120 retailers The Heart of the Valley Chamber would like you to look close to home when looking for that perfect gift for your loved ones. Gift Certificate sale is good at the Chamber office ONLY! Buy choosing local and independent businesses for your services, shopping, dining and other needs, you not only get real value and personal service, you’re helping to build a strong community and strengthen your local economy. We hear all the time that when you shop We hope to see you all at local, you receive better customer service. When you shop local, the business owner is our upcoming events listed usually directly connected to every employee in the store. That leads to a personal approach inside! that is something that is so valuable. By supporting local business, you are giving back to your community and making the Heart of the Valley a great place to live, work and play!
Member Spotlight: BLC Community Bank
In This Issue
Why You Need to Grow Your Personal Brand and It’s Not to Land a New Job
Ribbon Cuttings
Welcome New Members
Good News Is Worth Repeating
Upcoming Events Name: Emerging Leaders Marketing Trends for the New Year - Presented by Aaron Baer, Baer Performance Marketing Date: December 1, 2015 Time: 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM Location: Little Chicago Dining and Spirits N9650 Friendship Road Kaukauna Name: Business Before Hours: Chamber 101 Date: December 8, 2015 Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Location: Chamber Office Name: Business After Hours: Mr. Brews Taphouse Date: December 10, 2015 Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Location: 201 S. Riverheath Way, Appleton Name: Business Between Hours: EMV ''Chip'' Technology. Is your business ready? Date: December 16, 2015 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: Chamber Office Name: Business Card Exchange Date: December 17, 2015 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: Chamber Office Name: Non-Profit Roundtable Date: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Location: Chamber Office
To register for an event, go to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com call (920) 766-1616 or email jamie@heartofthevalleychamber.com.
Veterans Day Ceremony
Ribbon Cutttings IMPACT Management Services 119 McCarthy Rd. Suite E, Appleton (920) 858-5774 www.theimpactanswer.com
Clear Approach Optometry 1901 Crooks Ave., Ste. C, Kaukauna (920) 372-2555 www.clearapproachoptometry.com
4 Connecting People – Promoting Business
Why You Need to Grow Your Personal Brand and It’s Not to Land a New Job Business owners are as guilty as they come. Because they have their own businesses they rarely see a reason to build out things like their LinkedIn profiles. “I’m not looking for a job.”, is a common response when asked why they don’t have one. But in today’s uber-competitive business climate, where even mom and pops are potentially competing on a global level, it’s more important than ever to be able to differentiate your business, and yourself, from the competition. This is done through personal branding.
personal brand. Through a personal brand, through sharing helpful content under your name, by educating your customers so they can make the decision to buy, by getting out in front of your audience on social media, they are getting to know you, or the brand you’ve built, and you’ll amass a following. If you are simply the man behind the curtain, no one will identify with you and you will look like every other vanilla business out there. While some people like vanilla, very few LOVE it. Don’t be vanilla.
Welcome to the World of Publishing
To improve your connection to your target audience, create content that allows people to get to know you and solves their problems. The days of hard sell are done. Engaging the customer through content and conversations that educate and entertain will become the new, unique value proposition for most successful companies operating in the digital age.
Like it or not, social media has given us all big platforms. If you’re not building, refining, and using yours, you’re missing an opportunity to connect with your potential customers. A business owner who’s not sharing insight about the industry or the product she sells, will just be one of the many. While you don’t need to write a book, you do need to publish content through your website and social media. Producing helpful resources is one of the most effective ways of differentiating yourself from your competition. Your customers will ask, “Why should I do business with you?” Your content will answer for you, “Because I’m helping you to be successful.” Be an Expert I’ve worked with a lot of business owners who are afraid to “publish” their thoughts. Most of them built their businesses through hard work, not philosophical musings, so making that switch from business owner to thought leader is a large jump. However, that jump is a necessary one if you want your business to continue to grow somewhere other than your local neighborhood. You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar penning the evolution of your industry. A simple knowledge of what you’re selling, and imparting it your ideal customer, suffices. Check out the story of Gary Vaynerchuk and the Wine Library. If People Don’t Like You, or Know You, You’re Dead to Them People do business with people they know, like, and trust. They have to know you’re out there to buy from you. They don’t have to like you the way they do their best friend, but they do have to like something about you. But they don’t even know me personally. How can they like me?, you might ask. That’s why you need a
6 Connecting People – Promoting Business
Welcome New Members! Fox Valley Cab Igor Leykin - President/Owner 719 West Frances St. Appleton, WI 54914 (920) 734-4545 igor@foxvalleycab.com
St. Luke Lutheran Church Ron Szep - Pastor 705 E. Greenfield Drive Little Chute, WI 54140 (920) 788-4408 office@stlukeslittlechute.com
Edward Jones Brian Asendorf, AAMS 2301 S. Oneida Street Appleton, WI 54915 (920) 738-9252 brian.asendorf@edwardjones.com
Impact Management Services Jamie Mayer - Area Director 119 McCarthy Rd. Suite E Appleton, WI 54913 (920) 858-5774 jmayer@theimpactanswer.com
Truyman-Haase-ZahnTrey Neher 420 E. Northland Ave., Ste. A Appleton, WI 54911 (920) 730-0123 路 (800) 236-6871 tneher@thzins.com
Kimberly Area School District Bob Mayfield 425 S. Washington Street Combined Locks, WI 54113 (920) 788-7900
Clear Approach Optometry S.C.David Vanderloop - Optometrist 1901 Crooks Ave., Ste. C Kaukauna, WI 54130 (920) 372-2555 VanderloopOD@gmail.com
Creative Juices Artisan Shoppe Alissa Henrickson 309 E Kimberly Ave Kimberly, WI 54136 (920) 858-9393 CreativeJuices@GetYourJuicesMoving.com
Learning Rx Jacci Knutsen W3169 Van Roy Rd., Ste 11 Appleton, WI 54915 920-882-2006
Tuffy's Auto Service Center Matthew Safranski - President 2940 E. College Ave Appleton, WI 54915 (920) 954-8500 tuffyinappleton@gmail.com
Member Spotlight
BLC Community Bank BLC Community Bank (formerly the Bank of Little Chute) has been facilitating economic growth in the Fox Cities for over 100 years. Strong performance, prudent lending and community focus have enabled BLC to remain independent and locally owned since 1906. BLC Community Bank’s strong financial strength allows the flexibility to meet the changing needs of our customers. Decisions are made by board members, local business owners who know and care about our communities. We have competitive products and the latest technology which allow us to meet the needs of personal and commercial clients. BLC Community Bank continues to be a strong community leader committed to serving the needs of the people and businesses throughout the greater Fox Cities area. We attribute one aspect of our success to our dedicated employees, who strive to provide exceptional customer service. The 30 plus employees of BLC Community Bank maintain their visible presence in the Fox Cities by participating in many community and business organizations and events. BLC Community Bank is committed to providing competitive rates and fees, but most importantly financial solutions that are tailored to each customer. As we continue to grow, our lending area has expanded throughout the entire Fox Valley. BLC’s areas of expertise are business lending and consumer mortgages. Our primary objective is to assist in the stability and growth of area businesses. We do this through providing flexible commercial lending options and business banking products. We also offer in house servicing on our consumer mortgages, to go along with very competitive rates. BLC was voted Best of the Valley Finalist – Best Mortgage Lender (2015 & 2014), as well as 2014 Best of the Valley Finalist – Best Bank. Our employees all agree the most rewarding part about working for a community bank is seeing the smiles on our customer’s faces when given the opportunity to finance their first home, new construction or to help a small business get started. At BLC, we believe that we are here to serve our customers and communities and to make banking an enjoyable experience.
8 Connecting People – Promoting Business
BLC Officers
Good News is Worth Repeating Stellar Blue Technologies, a Fox Valley, Wis. based digital marketing firm, has promoted Andy Hablewitz to a full time Web Programmer. Stellar Blue also launched 4 custom websites for companies this October. Hablewitz
P.A.R.T.Y. AT the P.A.C. educates area teens about safe choices. In 17 Years, Program has Reached 50,000 High School Students.
Home Builders Association of the Fox Cities (HBAFC), serving as the local coordinating organization for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program in the Fox Cities, announced today that it seeks business locations in the Fox Cities to serve as collection sites for donated toys during the upcoming holiday season’s Toys for Tots campaign. KELLER, Inc., a Design/Build General Contractor with offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau announces the hiring of Nikki Schroeder as an Operations Administrative Assistant and Michael Prosser as a Project Manager. KELLER, Inc,. will also design and build a 1,052 square foot car wash for Moto Mart under the direction of Keller Project Manager, John Elrick and Schroeder Architect, Steve Klessig, they will build a 17,000 square foot battery storage facility for Interstate Battery under the direction of Keller Project Manager, Dale Hulce, and Architect, Steve Klessig, they will build an 8,000 square foot storage building for All Seasons Storage under the direction of Keller Project Manager, Dave Stubbs will design and build a 35,000 square foot showroom, office and Prosser production facility for Tri City Glass and Door under the direction of Keller Project Manager, Mark Nysted and Architect, Steve Klessig. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley today names Messiah Morning the 2015 Youth of the Year, the organization’s most prestigious Club member award. Attorney Daniel J. Walsh, Shareholder with Stellpflug Law, S.C., has been selected as a 2015 Wisconsin Super Lawyer. Attorney Walsh has demonstrated excellence in the Elder Law practice and is receiving this honor that is limited to no more than five percent of the attorneys in the state of Wisconsin. Attorney John D’Angelo, a Shareholder with Stellpflug Law, S.C., has been named, by Super Lawyers, to the Wisconsin Rising Stars 2015 list as one of the top up-and -coming attorneys in Criminal Defense. Attorney Christina Peterson, with Stellpflug Law, S.C., has been named, by Super Lawyers, to the Wisconsin Rising Stars 2015 list as one of the top up-and-coming attorneys in Business Litigation.
Home Builders Association of the Fox Cities recently welcomed Cathy Skell as its Business Development Specialist. Among other duties, Skell will be working with new and current members to get the most out of their HBA Fox Cities' membership. Skell joins HBA Fox Cities from Knight Barry Title Services where she was an Account Executive.
Skell
Invest in Wisconsin, a collaborative of four Wisconsin-based community development financial institutions (CDFIs), has been awarded a $2.68 million grant by JPMorgan Chase & Co. The Draw, located at 800 S. Lawe Street overlooking the Fox River at Appleton Eagle Flats will host a grand opening Nov. 28 from noon to 8 p.m. PLEASE NOTE THAT CAP'S APPLETON OFFICE IS MOVING EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1! New Address: CAP Services, Inc.821 E. First Avenue, Suite 3 Appleton, WI Please join Epiphany Law for Morning Business 60 - Understanding Wisconsin’s Workers Compensation which will be held on Thursday, December 10th, 2015 from 7:30 – 8:30 am at Cambria Suites in Appleton, 3940 N. Gateway Drive. Registration is required; contact Amanda at 920-996-0000 or afredrick@epiphanylaw.com to register or for more information. Wild Ones is having their First Thursday event on December 3rd. Please come to the WILD Center at 2285 Butte Des Morts Beach Road in Neenah, just before you reach Stroebe Island, at about 3:30 or 4:00pm.
Contact Us Give us a call for more information about our services and products Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce 101 E. Wisconsin Ave. Kaukauna, WI 54130 (920) 766-1616 info@heartofthevalleychamber.com Visit us on the web at www.heartofthevalleychamber.com
101 E. Wisconsin Ave. Kaukauna, WI 54130 920.766.1616. www.heartofthevalleychamber.com