Emphasis - Nov./Dec. 2012

Photos from our Annual Meeting 4-5

FAQs on The Chamber’s coming relocation 11

emphasis Don’t miss the final Taste!

From left are Noelle Reith of Club Soda, David Nowak of Comcast Business Class, Tony Hudson of Blue Jacket Inc., and Jesse Arnold of Club Soda.

See story on Pages 12-13 T H E G R E AT E R F O R T WAYN E C H A M B E R O F CO M M E R C E

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MAGAZINE November-December 2 012

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LETTER

FROM

Mike Landram CEO and President The Chamber mlandram@fwchamber.org

THE

PRESIDENT

Chamber members and friends, Recently, we announced the sale of the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce building to the University of Saint Francis.

As many of you know, the Chamber building was listed for sale in 2010. This is a bittersweet time for all of us who have called this historic building home as members, volunteers, board members, and staff these past 84 years.

Still, I can’t think of a better “second career” for this beautiful building than for it to become the Keith Busse School of Business as part of Saint Francis’s downtown campus. USF has an exceptional reputation for caring for and restoring historic buildings. I assure you this prized piece of business history is in good hands.

You probably have a few questions about what that means for The Chamber. Take a look at Page 11 for a list of frequently asked questions. You’ll find most of the answers to your questions about the move in those pages.

emphasis

MAGAZINE

Michelle Merritt Vice President Member Relations and Communications Deb Boyd Controller Derrick Sherck Graduate Retention Program Manager Katy StaffordCunningham Vice President Government Affairs

Jon Swerens Director of Communications and Emphasis Editor Emphasis Magazine is a publication of The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce.

826 Ewing Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802 (260) 424-1435 www.fwchamber.org communications@fwchamber.org Printed by KPC Media Group Inc., publishers of the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

INSIDE

THIS

ISSUE

4-5 Photos from our Annual Meeting

Volume 22, Issue 10 Mike Landram President/CEO

Of course, I’m a phone call away if there are more questions you would like answered. You can always call or email me directly. I promise to keep you informed as news becomes available.

As the tasty cover tells you, it’s also time for the Taste of the Chamber. This is the community holiday event of the year. In fact, this will be our final Taste of The Chamber, so you won’t want to miss it.

We’re putting together an extra special night to celebrate this year. With more than 40 restaurants and caterers, the return of the mini tree silent auction, and live entertainment for just $10 per person, you can’t beat it. Check out our article on Page 12 for all of the details.

Hope to see you in the month ahead!

Advertising in Emphasis Magazine is available exclusively to Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce members.

For rates and information, contact KPC Media Group: Lynn Sroufe Fort Wayne general manager lsroufe@kpcnews.net (260) 426-2640 ext. 304 Lynette Donley Fort Wayne advertising sales manager lynetted@kpcnews.net (260) 426-2640 ext. 305 Or visit the web site: fwbusiness.com/emphasis

6 D.C. Fly-in opportunity to present local perspective 7 Generational communication gaps 9 Hassle-free holiday travel at FWA 10 USF purchases Chamber building 11 FAQs on our relocation 12-13 Don’t miss the final Taste!

13 Get Saving Guide 14 Understanding the Summary of Benefits and Coverage 15 Get and keep email permission 16 5 ways to reduce printing costs

CO V E R P H OTO B Y J O N S W E R E N S

The mission of the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce is to create a vibrant economic environment by supporting business, advocating on behalf of the business community, and fostering community partnerships to advance a common economic vision.

17 Avoid social media failure by reviewing why it occurs 18-19 Ribbon cuttings

WEB

SITE

SPONSORS

21 New and renewing members 22 Calendar of events

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EMPHASIS MAGAZINE

3

ANNUAL

MEETING

More than 300 hear keynote Mike Pence BND Commercial Real Estate was honored as Small Business of the Year.

General Motors was honored as Large Business of the Year.

Dr. Arthur Snyder of Indiana Tech was honored as CEO of the Year.

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EMPHASIS MAGAZINE

Community Impact Award was given to Col. David Augustine and the 122nd Fighter Wing.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

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GOVERNMENT

AFFAIRS

D.C. Fly-in opportunity to present local perspective Katy StaffordCunningham Vice President of Government Affairs The Chamber kstafford@fwchamber.org fwchamber.org/gov

Follow us on Twitter Find us on Twitter at @FWGovConnect

The 2012 Chamber D.C. Fly-In was a great success! This year we partnered with the Indiana Chamber to bring our members to Washington to visit with the federal delegation. We had 12 northeast Indiana representatives attend and they were able to give a unique regional perspective to the impact of federal issues on our businesses.

In our meetings with the federal delegation, we highlighted some important issues that impact our area.

Support the continued funding of fighter jets at the 122nd Air National Guard Base.

Support a compromise to reduce the federal deficit and avoid sequestration of federal spending.

Automatic spending cuts in the Budget Control Act of 2011 will: Reduce Indiana’s GDP by $2.4 billion.

Decrease personal earnings of Indiana’s workforce by $1.22 billion.

Cost the Indiana economy 24,000 jobs.

The $500 billion defense cuts in the Budget Control Act of 2011 will: Cost Indiana 15,000 high wage, high-skill aerospace and defense jobs.

Decrease Indiana’s gross state product and personal income by 50 percent.

Urge the president to approve the Keystone Pipeline because it would bring jobs to the United States and make the country more energy independent.

The maximum capacity of the pipeline is 3 percent of current U.S. consumption (roughly 19 million barrels per day) and 0.7 percent of global consumption (roughly 85 million barrels per day).

The pipeline is a 1,700-mile, $7 billion project that would bring 700,000 barrels of carbon-heavy tar-sands oil per day from Alberta, Canada, to refineries on the Gulf Coast. It would be an extension of a pipeline that became operational in June 2010 and already carries crude oil from Alberta to Illinois and Oklahoma.

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EMPHASIS MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

Chamber president Mike Landram with Sen. Richard Lugar.

It would create thousands of jobs in the United States during and after its construction If built, the pipeline would bring 700,000 barrels of oil a day to the U.S.—about half the amount the country imports from the Middle East It would open U.S. access to one of the biggest oil reserves in the world, and slash our dependence on oil from overseas Support the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act requires all businesses with 50 or more full-time employees to provide health coverage for their workers or pay a $2,000 penalty for each employee after the first 30 workers.

Some businesses have expressed that they are likely to avoid hiring so they don’t go over the 50-worker threshold for mandated coverage; also, they are likely to cut worker’s hours so that they don’t qualify as full-time to avoid the penalty.

Support the Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act of 2012.

This act would prohibit federal agencies from issuing the most costly regulations and rules, including those that have an annual cost to the economy of $100 million or more, until the unemployment rate drops to 6 percent or less.

Continued on next page X

G R A D U AT E

RETENTION

Generational communication gaps Sarah Plew Graduate Retention Program Coordinator The Chamber splew@fwchamber.org fwchamber.org/grad

Follow us on Twitter Find us on Twitter at @gradretention

Let me propose a situation for you: Your intern strolls into your office on a Monday morning wearing shorts and a golf shirt, clearly typing away on his cell phone as he settles into his desk 15 minutes late.

When you confront him about his casual behavior and dress, he responds with something like, “Well, no one told me not to.”

A great many of you are probably nodding because you have experienced a similar situation with a young employee or intern. Why do young people do that? Maybe because we think we can do whatever we want; but it’s more likely because our habits of communication differ immensely from the expectation of previous generations.

We spend all day glued to our electronic devices, carrying out entire conversations without hearing another person’s voice or seeing a facial expression. We break up relationships over texting; we vent our emotions in tweets. It’s no small wonder that we relate to people in atypical ways even in a work setting.

Don’t get me wrong: There are no excuses for inappropriate behavior in the office, especially when it falls into the “common knowledge” category like texting at work. However, when you are facing a communication gap as wide as the one between

X

Continued from previous page

Support a STEM visa bill that converts the visa lottery system into a visa program for outstanding STEM advanced degree graduates.

This reform prioritizes legal immigration status for those earning STEM degrees from American graduate schools without changing the annual number of legal permanent residents.

Oppose legislation which would eliminate secret ballot elections in union organizing and replace it with a card check procedure.

Oppose binding federal arbitration for union contract negotiations and financial penalties on employers but not on unions.

Support federal funding for an interoperability study at IPFW, which would

generations, you may have to adapt accordingly.

Try emailing your interns their guidelines and holding weekly one-on-one meetings with them to talk through the details. Make sure to ask them about the pace of their projects, and don’t be surprised if it turns out that they are bored with how little work you gave them (Millennials think at the rate of texting — that’s really fast). Give them more work than you think they can handle, and you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by both the results and their improving attitude.

Don’t let your impression of Millennials be that we are disrespectful or defiant — or that our generation cannot keep up with others. From one (responsible, poised, respectful…) Millennial to all you employers out there: Do not give up on us.

Once you find a way of reaching us, Millennials can be some of the best workers you have.

In fact, the very thing that can sometimes handicap us (our reliance on all things electronic) also makes us technology whizzes, marketing masters, speedy workers, and innovative thinkers.

If you have a superstar intern who embodies all that Millennials can be, nominate him or her for IndianaIntern.net’s Impact Awards. Check out indianaintern.net/impact-awards-2013 on the Web to learn more.

develop a method for testing and evaluating communication devices.

Support interoperability of military technology to improve and streamline communications.

Support Indiana and Ohio’s proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration for a testing site for unmanned aircraft systems which would include a site at Camp Atterbury.

It is important that we continue to inform our elected officials in Washington about the impact of legislation and regulatory actions on businesses in Fort Wayne and Allen County.

I encourage you to reach out to me or the local federal offices for Senator Coats, Senator Lugar and Congressman Stutzman. Their offices want to hear from you!

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Vote for Economic Growth The Greater Fort Wayne Political Action Committee (BizPAC) Board of Directors conducted written and in-person candidate evaluations of those running in local elections.

Endorsements were given to candidates who BizPAC believes demonstrated leadership in economic development and local business enhancement.

As a result of the candidate evaluations, BizPAC formally endorses the following candidates:

Indiana State Senate

District 16: David Long

Indiana House of Representatives District 50: Dan Leonard District 82: David Ober District 52: Ben Smaltz District 83: Kathy Heuer District 79: Matt Lehman District 84: Lee Jordan District 80: Phil GiaQuinta District 85: Phyllis Pond District 81: Win Moses Allen County Commissioner

District 1: Nelson Peters

Allen County Council At-Large Bill Brown Gina Burgess

About BizPAC The Greater Fort Wayne Business Political Action Committee, or BizPAC, is an organization directed by its own board. Board members are Co-Chairman Ben Eisbart, Co-Chairman Tom Kimbrough, Treasurer Fred Eckart, Chris Battell, Walt Branson, John Brogan, Gregg Kiess, Matt Kelley, Steve Piekarski, and Ric Zehr.

BizPAC supports, on a non-partisan basis, elected officials or candidates who are advocates for limited government, free enterprise and a pro-business, pro-economic growth environment in the greater Fort Wayne area.

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EMPHASIS MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

Roy Buskirk

Jessica Miller Marketing & Administration Assistant Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority

Hassle-free holiday travel begins at Fort Wayne airport With the holidays right around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about travel plans for the busy weeks near Thanksgiving and Christmas.

At Fort Wayne International Airport, we are all about helping our passengers save time and money on holiday travel, so here are a few tips to keep in mind before you take off: Do the Research Research your trip well in advance to secure the lowest-priced flights, rental cars and hotel stays – all of which sell out quickly during the holidays.

Remember, prices usually go up during the holiday season because demand is much higher.

Check-In Online Use your airline’s online check-in feature to check into your flight up to 24 hours in advance. You can print boarding passes, upgrade and change seat assignments, and print a receipt for your flight. Plus, when you arrive at the airport you can go straight to security if you aren’t checking any bags.

Arrive Early Airlines recommend that you arrive at the airport 1.5 hours before your flight. This is to ensure

that you get through check-in and security with enough time to spare. Remember, the ticket counters close 30 minutes before each flight.

Know the Rules at TSA You’ll need your boarding pass and a government-issued photo ID (i.e. driver’s license or passport) to get through security. Also, know the rules of 3-1-1: All liquids, gels and aerosols must be 3.4 ounces or less in 1 quart-sized, clear plastic bag, with 1 bag per passenger. Although the holidays warrant some delicious treats, there are certain foods that will not be permitted through the security checkpoint, like sauces, dips, salsas, and soups. These items should be placed in a checked bag, shipped ahead, or just left at home.

Remember these tips, and let FWA do the rest.

With shorter lines at the ticket counters and the TSA checkpoint, as well as complimentary shuttle service and baggage assistance, you’ll be on your way in no time.

Have a question about holiday travel? The Airport Authority is happy to help! Call them at 260747-4146 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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CHAMBER

NEWS

University of Saint Francis purchases Chamber building The University of Saint Francis is expanding its downtown Fort Wayne presence with the purchase of the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce building at 826 Ewing St., which will become the home for its Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership.

The purchase locates the business school near the USF Performing Arts Center at 431 W. Berry St. The university purchased the former Scottish Rite Center in January as a performance hall and as the location for its Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts (META) program.

“Locating the school of business near the USF Performing Arts Center supports the META program’s downtown momentum,” said Sister M. Elise Kriss, university president. “Since META intersects with business courses, locating the study centers near one another creates convenience for our students while partnering with the city to draw visitors to an enhanced downtown. The move also provides more space for the business school’s other programs and opens up main campus space for the School of Arts and Sciences.”

The Chamber building has been for sale since 2010. The Chamber is expected to remain in the building through the spring of 2013 while a search is undertaken for new office space in the downtown area.

“We certainly appreciate the historical significance of The Chamber building in so many of Fort

USF Downtown Campus Expansion facts New location for Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership Adjacent to USF Performing Arts Center and downtown business sector More than 38,000 square feet Commercial kitchens with dining rooms Historic district Three stories, stone, 1928, Spanish eclectic architecture Plans: classrooms, offices, business incubation center

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

Sister M. Elise Kriss with Chamber president Mike Landram.

Wayne’s business dealings over the past 84 years,” said Chamber President and CEO Mike Landram.

“Selling the building to the University of Saint Francis is the best and highest use of the building in service to the business community. We couldn’t be happier with this arrangement. We’ve been preparing for this day for quite some time. It’s now time to evaluate available spaces within the downtown area that will allow us best serve chamber members.” Questions regarding the sale of the building can be directed to Mike Landram at (260) 424-1435 or mlandram@fwchamber.org.

The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization with a membership of 1,700 northeast Indiana businesses. It supports economic growth through member business resources and facilitating strategic connections across business, education and government.

The University of Saint Francis, founded in 1890 as a comprehensive university in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, offers more than 60 undergraduate and 14 graduate programs in five schools: The School of Health Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership, School of Professional Studies and School of Creative Arts.

It enrolls more than 2,300 students from a broad geographic region. The university has a regional campus in Crown Point, Ind.

CHAMBER

NEWS

FAQs on our relocation Is The Chamber closing?

No. The Chamber will remain open and operational with the same products and services that are available to members currently.

Who is purchasing the building?

The University of Saint Francis.

Why did The Chamber sell the building?

Based on how The Chamber does business today, the building is too large for our needs. The financial cost to The Chamber of the unused square footage and upkeep of a historic building prove to be an ineffective use of member dollars. Our job is to use the dollars invested by members in the best possible manner to better the business community.

Relocating will allow us to better use those funds.

How much of a cost savings do you anticipate the relocation providing to The Chamber?

Until we determine a new location, we are unable to say for sure.

In what ways will The Chamber members notice the cost savings?

Members will see an impact in all areas of The Chamber. Additional funds allow us to improve our extremely dated technology, strengthen our programming and services, and help members promote their businesses better.

Will The Chamber remain in the building or relocate?

We will remain in the current building until late Spring or early Summer 2013.

Where will The Chamber relocate to?

We will remain in downtown Fort Wayne. We will be formally pursuing space in the near future.

How does the sale of the building impact members?

More member dollars will be available to enhance programs, services and events that directly impact members.

How soon will you be announcing a new location?

As soon as one is secured.

Will The Chamber buy or lease space?

We are planning to lease space. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not in the property management business and find leasing to be the best use of member dollars.

Why is The Chamber focused on downtown instead of other areas in Fort Wayne?

There are many great areas for businesses in Fort Wayne. Our members are in every corner of the Greater Fort Wayne Community. The best way for us to be centrally located for all of our members is to be in the heart of our city in downtown.

What criteria will The Chamber use in selecting a new space?

The Chamber is looking for professional office space with offices and meeting rooms that meet the needs of the organization.

What would you say to those who believe The Chamber should remain in this historic location?

We are confident Saint Francis appreciates the historic importance of the Chamber building. This beautiful building is in very good hands. Saint Francis has a proven track record of preserving historic buildings. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of a better use of The Chamber building then furthering the education and careers of future business leaders in Fort Wayne.

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CHAMBER

BENEFITS

Vendors (as of press time in early October) Club Soda Champions Sports Bar & Restaurant Fort Wayne Off-Track Betting Hyatt Place Fort Wayne Chocolate Fountain Edible Arrangements The Landmark Conference & Reception Centre Nelson’s Catering Ceruti’s Granite City The Olive Twist Orchard Ridge Country Club Five Star Distributing Honey Baked Ham Pine Valley Country Club Satek Winery Calhoun Street Soups, Salads & Spirits Qdoba Mexican Grill AALCO Distributing Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Nutcracker Sweet Shoppe Office Depot (coffee) Splendid Fare Sam’s Club Crazy Pinz

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Coming Dec. 6

Don’t miss the final Taste!

With the sale of The Chamber’s historic building to the University of Saint Francis, this year’s Taste of the Chamber will be the last.

The community holiday party of the year will be Thursday, December 6, from 5-8 p.m. Since this is the final Taste and we anticipate a large crowd, The Chamber encourages attendees to purchase their tickets online soon!

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Purchase your tickets online at fwchamber.org/taste or at the front desk of the Chamber building. We guarantee entrance to the Taste for those who buy tickets in advance. Because of fire code limitations, those who purchase tickets at the door may have to wait for others to leave before entering. Cash and credit cards will be accepted at the door.

All three floors of the Chamber building at 826 Ewing St. will be overflowing with an array of meats, sweets, beverages, soups, and finger foods. Each floor will also offer a cash bar.

Attendees can enjoy all the complimentary hors d’oeuvres while networking with hundreds of area business professionals.

Some features of this year’s event: Food and drink: At press time, most vendors were still setting their menus. But look for Olive Twist and Fort Wayne Chocolate Fountain to return with their specialties, and Qdoba is bringing Chicken Gumbo. For beverages, Five Star Distributing and AALCO Distributing will be offering a variety of seasonal and craft beers, and Satek Winery will be giving samples of not only wine, but also wine fudge sauce.

Mini Christmas trees: The silent auction for these one-foot-tall symbols of the holiday spirit is returning. The decorated trees will be

EMPHASIS MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

Purchase your tickets online or in person!

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Purchase your tickets online at fwchamber.org/taste or at the front desk of the Chamber building. We guarantee entrance to the Taste for those who buy tickets in advance. Because of fire code limitations, those who purchase tickets at the door may have to wait for others to leave before entering. Cash and credit cards will be accepted at the door. auctioned off during the Taste. Any Chamber members interested in decorating a tree for the auction should contact Katy Stafford-Cunningham at (260) 424-1435 or kstafford@fwchamber.org by Friday, Nov. 2.

Two entrances: As we did last year, to help with crowd control, The Chamber will use the entrances on Wayne Street as well as the entrance on Ewing Street. The door on Ewing Street will be for those who purchased advance tickets; the one on Wayne Street will be for those who need to buy them at the door. Signs will direct every guest to the appropriate entrance.

Any Chamber member restaurant, caterer or food vendor interested in taking part in this year’s Taste of the Chamber should contact Liz Struckholz at 424-1435, extension 259 or by email at lstruckholz@fwchamber.org.

Special thanks to Taste of the Chamber sponsor Comcast Business Class.

GET SAVING GUIDE PHP member discount If your business has 2 to 50 employees, you qualify for a discount of up to five percent on your small business insurance premiums from PHP. Average annual savings is $3,300. To receive a quote, call PHP at (800) 982-6257 or visit phpni.com and click on the Chamber Discount Program link.

Office Depot savings Chamber members can save 60 percent on “core catalog” items and four percent off retail catalog purchases. The average member using this discount saves $534 a year. Contact Chris Michaels at (260) 249-3977 or Eric Sponable at (260) 249-8799.

Cirrus ABS savings Chamber members receive 10 percent off any new product or service from this nationally recognized Fort Wayne Web design and development, marketing, and business consulting firm. Read more at fwchamber.org/cirrus.

Comcast Business Class This program provides Chamber members with exceptional Internet services at a substantial discount of up to $29.95 per month. Info: fwchamber.org/ comcast.

Sam’s Club savings Chamber members receive a $25 gift card for a Plus membership or a $10 for a Business membership.

Info at samsclub.com/membership.

Constant Contact savings Get a discount of up to 25 percent off its entire suite of online marketing tools. Get 20 percent off for six months when you pre-pay. Get 25 percent off for a year when you pre-pay.

Event discounts and admittance Every employee of each of our members receives the member price for Chamber events. Also, all employees of members can attend member-only events, such as the Third House Forums.

Promotion and referrals Members can create and offer member-to-member coupons on the web site. Members also get free promotion to a readership of 24,000 through Emphasis and free phone and web referrals.

Notarization and certification of origin Free for members by our front desk staff.

Get complete details online at fwchamber.org/getsaving NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

EMPHASIS MAGAZINE

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CHAMBER

BENEFITS

The Chamber discount If your business has 2 to 50 eligible employees, you may qualify for a discount of up to five percent on your small business insurance premiums from PHP. Average annual savings is $3,500.

To receive a free quote, call PHP at (800) 9826257 or visit www. phpni.com and click on the Chamber Discount Program link.

I M A G E CO U R T E S Y W W W. H E A LT H C A R E . G O V

Understanding the Summary of Benefits and Coverage Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health insurance companies and employers must create and distribute a consumershopping tool called the “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” or “SBC.” This free tool is intended to make it easier for health insurance shoppers to understand and compare the benefits they can expect to receive when buying health insurance.

Think of the SBC as the Nutrition Facts label of the health insurance industry. Like those wellknown nutrition labels, SBCs are nearly identical in appearance and structure, even from one insurance company to another. They must be no longer than four double-sided pages, written in easy-tounderstand language. “Fine print” is prohibited.

The SBC contains information describing a plan’s coverage for each category of benefits, exceptions limiting the coverage, renewability and continuation of coverage provisions, cost-sharing provisions like deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, appeals and grievance rights, contact information about the plan, and more.

In addition, each SBC contains “coverage ex-

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amples,” which are intended to show how a plan might cover medical care in certain situations, such as having a baby or managing type 2 diabetes.

The SBC rules apply to individual, group, and self-funded insurance coverage. SBCs must be distributed to participants, beneficiaries, prospective enrollees and special enrollees. With fully-insured group plans, both the employer and the insurer are tasked with distributing the SBC. However, the two will likely agree beforehand which will do the actual distribution. In the self-funded market, the responsibility falls to the employer, who can look to their TPA for assistance, if needed.

From an administrative standpoint, the tasks of creating and distributing are significant. The penalty for noncompliance is steep. The amount of the penalty may vary, but if SBCs are not properly distributed, the typical penalty would be $100 per day per affected individual. However, it can be as much as a $1,000 penalty for each failure. Consult your insurance broker or health insurance carrier with any questions to make sure you are compliant with this new mandate.

CHAMBER

The Chamber discount The Chamber has teamed up with Constant Contact to bring you an exclusive discount of up to 25 percent off its entire suite of online marketing tools. Get 20 percent off for six months when you pre-pay. Get 25 percent off for a year when you pre-pay: it’s like getting three months free!

Find out more online at fwchamber.org/ constantcontact.

BENEFITS

Learn how to get — and keep — permission for your emails The increased focus on spam in email marketing also means an increased focus on permission. Sure, we’re all waiting and hoping for a solution to the spam problem but a foolproof solution has not yet been created. So, in the meantime, as permissionbased email marketers, we need to stay diligent in our efforts to earn and keep the permission of our subscribers to the best of our ability.

What are the best ways to earn and keep permission?

These 10 tips are guaranteed to help: Be Straightforward. Remind recipients why they are receiving an email from you. Whether they are a valued customer, a prospect who expressed interest, or a client you want to keep in touch with, the reminder will add credibility to your email and put it into context, thus differentiating your communications from unwanted email.

Be Specific. When people sign up to be on your email list, allow them to select—precisely—their areas of interest (e.g. newsletters, sale notifications, new product or service announcements, event invitations etc.). You can make subscribers feel more comfortable by specifying what they will receive and when they will receive it (e.g. “Sign up for Our Weekly Concert Announcement”).

Also, you need to identify yourself to your subscribers in the “From:” line, and use the name they recognize most easily–yours, or your company.

Be Respectful. Permission can be given, and it can be taken away. It is very important that every email you send has the option for the recipient to unsubscribe or “opt-out.” Interests may change over time and communications may no longer be valuable to a given subscriber. Those subscribers are entitled to withdraw their permission at will.

Be Trustworthy. Your privacy policy should be clearly posted. It adds credibility to your company and your email even if recipients do not click on the link.

Be Interested. Are your email communications of value? Is the frequency right? A survey is an inexpensive, easy and immediate way to find out how your customers really feel about your company and your email communications. So, when you do a survey, don’t forget to ask how your customers feel about your emails.

Be Current. People change ISPs, jobs and email addresses at random. Often, you’ll be the last to know. Ask for updated information and give subscribers an easy way to change their email address.

This will ensure that your communications continue to be received if, and when, they make a change.

In addition, provide a way for your subscribers to change their interests and preferences. This will help you continue to provide the information most valuable to them, and target the right audience for each campaign.

Be Considerate. Respect the privilege of communicating with your customers and prospects by taking care not to communicate too often. Gratuitous emails are not met with gratitude. Think carefully and plan how many, and what kind of communications you send to your subscribers.

Be Diligent. Some subscribers will reply to an email to unsubscribe instead of using the automatic unsubscribe link. Monitor your inbox for unsubscribes, and complaints, then make sure you remove unsubscribe addresses right away and take action on any grievances.

Be Observant. Look at your reports! There’s a wealth of information just waiting to be discovered. Always pay attention to your unsubscribe rate to ensure that your churn rate remains positive. If you are losing more than .5% of your subscribers per month, take a look at all of the elements of your campaigns, make sure you’re following the other 10 tips in this issue, and make adjustments where you’re falling short. Opens and click-throughs can also indicate where you might be missing the mark.

Beware. Beware of strangers bearing lists! Permission is not transferable. Today, subscribers want to receive email from those companies they have subscribed to, not an unknown third party.

When searching for a list, don’t be fooled by offers of targeted, clean lists for sale on a CD or otherwise. If anyone claims you can “Blast your ad to over 1,000 safe addresses for only $5!” or “Buy a CD with 10,000,000 email addresses for only $99!” this is too good to be true. These lists are not permission-based—they are spam lists.

Follow these 10 permission tips, and “Be” a part of the spam solution!

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CHAMBER

BENEFITS

5 ways to reduce printing costs The Chamber discount Chamber members can save 60 percent on “core catalog” items and four percent off “retail catalog” purchases. You can also monitor expenses with monthly reporting, and order online, via phone or fax, and through retail stores.

For more info, contact Chris Michaels at (260) 249-3977 or Eric Sponable at (260) 249-8799.

By Eric Sponable All of us are being asked to do more with less. In your search for ways to do things more efficiently and cost effectively, an area that is often overlooked is printing.

Although many organizations enjoy great relationships with their printers and are not looking to make a change, it always makes sense to continue to explore how you can maximize your time and minimize your costs. Here are some tips from the Copy & Print Depot team at Office Depot to help you do just that.

Save time Outsource manual tasks to increase your team’s efficiency, including: presentation and booklet printing, long-run copies, hole punching, finishing, assembly, etc.

Send files to Office Depot via the upload service at business.officedepot.com, or drop them off in any store, whichever is more convenient.

Organize all your print asset files in one place by using the Office Depot Online Print Center or File Cabinet.

Reduce print and storage costs Use the Print On Demand option from Office Depot to print only the quantity you need.

Integrated billing Set up flexible billing options to fit your organization’s budget and payment process.

Delivery and distribution Take advantage of FREE delivery on qualifying orders of $50 or more within Office Depot’s many local delivery areas, excluding promotional products (Other restrictions apply. Visit business. officedepot.com for details.).

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Save time and shipping costs by setting up distribution through Office Depot’s warehouse and distribution network.

From choosing the right paper to determining the best distribution method, having fully-trained professionals available to help is critical. You should always expect high-quality printed products that meet your business and budget requirements.

And remember, if your printing doesn’t look great, then it isn’t a bargain!

Your Chamber Program offers you exclusive pricing on Copy & Print Depot services. Enjoy the benefits of membership! For more information, contact Chris Michaels at (260) 249-3977 or christopher.michaels@officedepot.com, or Eric Sponable at (260) 249-8799 or eric.sponable@ officedepot.com.

P H OTO CO U R T E S Y S XC . H U

Optimize your pricing structure Negotiate a “per piece” price, regardless of order size.

Bring printing jobs/quantities purchased from multiple locations under one umbrella agreement.

Use the Office Depot Store Purchasing or Procurement cards for all purchases made at any of the 1,100 stores nationwide to receive your contract pricing.

TIPS

AND

TRICKS

Avoid social media failure by reviewing why it occurs Kevin Mullett Director of Product Development Cirrus ABS

The Chamber discount Find out about the Cirrus ABS discount for Chamber members by contacting Tom Carroll at Cirrus ABS, 3213 Stellhorn Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46815, (260) 420-2222, tcarroll@cirrusabs.com

Trying social media seems to be all the rage.

Why do I say trying? Because many are jumping in without solid social media direction, strategy, commitment, or follow-through.

This, of course, has the potential to yield the same substandard performance as “trying” to lose weight. The unfortunate side affect of social media failure is the questioning of its place as a viable marketing channel for your business when it most likely wasn’t social media that failed.

Over the past several years I’ve run into a multitude of examples of companies who are likely not seeing the results they should from their online marketing campaigns. In fact, I’ve found enough bad examples to create several presentations focused exclusively on social media failures. (You can find them at slideshare.net/cirrusabs.)

Let’s take a look at an example of one company that almost got it right.

A local ice cream shop franchise created its own Facebook account and developed a campaign to promote that page from their physical locations.

They provided signage that, while not sexy, gives us clear direction on what they want us to do and where we should go to perform said action. They go on to tell me what is in it for me to “Like” their page, which is something most companies leave out. This is where I normally would drone on about the importance of the all-powerful WIIFM concept: that’s “what’s in it for me,” for those who have not heard it before. But let’s look instead at why their execution fell short.

Upon liking their page and checking in via my Facebook mobile app, I asked the cashier what I get (holding up my phone) for this Facebook deal.

She turns to another gal in the back and asks, “Hey what do they get for…” Long story short, neither of them knew what I was supposed to receive.

After informing them of their own offer by showing them the details, then ordering, I asked if she wanted the code from the phone to mark that the offer had been redeemed. To my surprise she said, “No, I just over-rode the pricing.”

The significance of this action is critical. The restaurant now has no idea that social media was a factor in this sale. Because the marketing method that brought me in was not tracked, no attribu-

“Social media is free to use, not free to do.”

— Kevin Mullett tion will be given to social media. This, of course, means belief in its value will not be reinforced and, subsequently, the program is likely to be canceled.

Here are a few of the most common social media failures to avoid: Failing to promote social media channels via traditional channels like radio, TV, and print.

Slapping social icons on printed materials with no WIIFM call to action. Icons are just notifications and are inadequate for compelling people to take action.

Not articulating a reason or incentive to participate with your business socially.

Forgetting to make everyone in your business aware of all offers available to customers and how to assist them in the redemption of those offers.

Failing to record redemption codes and anecdotal evidence of wins, such as asking, “How did you hear about us?”

Using some new technology, network, or tool, like QR Codes, because everyone is doing it instead of it fitting with your strategy, goals, objectives, and resources allocation priorities.

Unreasonable performance expectations, when little effort or resources are allocated to the initiative.

Placing a higher burden of proof on social media ROI than your other forms of marketing.

While it would be easy to pass any one of these things off as an isolated incident or one that is limited to small businesses, failures like these routinely occur with large multinational companies and small businesses alike.

I could tell you about the banana shake Foursquare incident with Rally’s, the Ruby Tuesday door icon and drink coaster, or even the Orlando Airport QR Code failure, but I will save those and hundreds more for another day.

Are your social media efforts generating results?

Do you see businesses making poor social media decisions? Maybe it’s time to stop “trying” social media, and get a professional involved.

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RIBBON

CUTTINGS

Chamber member Yolo Event Center celebrated the new Yolo’s Outdoor Patio at 4201 N. Wells St. with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, August 9. The 20,000-squarefoot banquet facility employs 30 people.

Yolo Event Center adjoins the Early Birds nightclub, meaning it’s a convenient spot for wedding ceremonies as well as receptions.

Chamber member DSW – Designer Shoe Warehouse – celebrated its grand opening at 4310 Coldwater Road with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, August 16. DSW offers a wide selection of brand name and designer dress, casual and athletic footwear and accessories for women, men and kids.

P H OTO S B Y J O N S W E R E N S

Chamber member The Loft Hair Skin & Nails hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate its five-year anniversary on Friday, September 28, at its location at 2894A East Dupont Road, in Dupont Plaza off Interstate 69 next to The Trolley Bar. The 2,000-square-foot establishment employs 18 full-time and 6 part-time employees.

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RIBBON

CUTTINGS

Chamber member Eyemart Express celebrates its new location at 515 E. Coliseum Blvd. with a ribbon cutting on Monday, August 20.

The new location is in the Coliseum Shoppes shopping plaza shared with Carlos O Kellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Half Price Books.

Chamber member Fort Wayne Strength and Conditioning celebrated the renovation of its facility at 158 E. Collins Road with a ribbon cutting and open house on Saturday, August 25.

The 4,000-squarefoot facility employs 5 people. The store is on Collins Road, half a mile west of Coldwater Road in Collins Center, Unit 158/156.

Chamber member Bridgewater Gasway celebrated the ground breaking of its convenience store/gas station on Tuesday, August 28.

The property is located at 13935 W. State Route 14, Fort Wayne, in what will become the Bridgewater Retail Center, at the southeast corner of Route 14 and Rock Dove Road, which is between West County Line Road and Hamilton Road.

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NEW

AND

New members August 2012 A P I C S Fort Wayne Chapter Arab Termite & Pest Control Arrow Fence Company, Inc. Circle Logistics, Inc. E Z Cut Tool, LLC Eisaman Roemmich Property Management Eyemart Express Federoff Kuchman LLP Hess Brothers Company, Inc. NE Indiana Genetics Counseling Center Raja Real Estate Ruoff Mortgage Co., Inc. SCS Associates, Inc. STAR 88.3 Radio

Renewing members August 2012 1st Source Bank Advantage Direct 365 Allen County Builders Supply, Inc. Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic Ambassador Enterprises,

New members September 2012 For Rent Media Solutions Carriage Paper Products Ingram Book Company Caliente LLC Sunrise Café Renewing members September 2012 1st Source Bank Abacus Child Care & Early Learning Center Accu-Label, Inc. Aegis Sales & Engineering, Inc. Agri Stats, Inc. Alpha Rae Training Center Inc. Aptimise Aquatic Management, Inc. Arbor Mortgage Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum Automotive Hardware Service Autumn Ridge Golf Course, Inc. Baker Street Office Furnishings Benco Dental Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano Bond Records Management

RENEWING

MEMBERS

LLC American Red Cross Blood Services Anthony Wayne Business Exchange Aptera Software, Inc. Aqua Indiana Best Blinds Best Value Inn Big Brothers Big Sisters of NE Indiana, Inc. Bobilya Law Group Brown Mackie College-Fort Wayne Busch Chiropractic Center C.L. Schust Co., Inc. CC Realty Chamberlain Insurance, Inc. Chestnut Hills Golf Club ChosenLan Technology Group, Inc. ChromaSource, Inc. City Carpet Outlet Concordia Lutheran High School David J. Galbraith & Sons, Inc. DaVinci Dental Spa Deluxe Glass of Fort Wayne,

Inc. Ear, Nose & Throat Assoc.

P.C. Embassy Theatre Foundation Emergency Radio Service, Inc. Fort Wayne Medical Oncology & Hematology Fort Wayne Printing Company G3 Technology Partners General Dynamics C4 Systems GIS, Inc. Golden Years Homestead, Inc. Graber & Graber Contractors Granite Ridge Builders Gregory R. Lowe, Ph.D., P.C. Guardian Relocations, Inc. Hilton Garden Inn Homewood Suites by Hilton Hunt Suedhoff Kalamaros, LLP Indiana Golf Advertising & Marketing Service Indianapolis Colts, Inc. IOI Interlogic Outsourcing, Inc.

Johnson Controls, Inc. Jophiel Kaiser Tool Company, Inc. L.H. Industries LandArt Landscaping Lifeline Youth & Family Services, Inc. Lincoln Financial Group Mad Anthony Children’s Hope House Medical Informatics Engineering, Inc. Miller’s Merry Manor Monarch Capital Management, Inc. NAPA Ridge Co. NE Indiana Innovation Center, Inc. New Haven Print Ottenweller Company, Inc. Palm Engineering & Sales, Inc. Panera Bread Company Patriot Engineering Pitney Bowes Mailing Systems Q3 Business Technology Corp.

Quality Applied Systems,

Inc. Remedy Live Robert Sheets Plumbing Schaab Metal Products, Inc. Schroeder Associates, Inc. SES Environmental Sherry Laboratories Sipe Steel Rule & Die, Inc. STARBASE Indiana, Inc. Superior Auto, Inc. The Hearth at Sycamore Village, LLC The Verbal Edge, LLC Thompson International, Inc. Tuthill Transfer Systems University of St. Francis Valbruna Slater Stainless, Inc. Vera Bradley Designs, Inc. VFP Fire Systems Vorderman Motor Werks, Inc. W.W. Williams WorkOne Northeast Wright & Lerch Zoom Information Systems

Brady Benefits & Associates, LLC Braun Wealth Management Group LLC Brogan Outdoor Advertising, Inc. Bud Miller Supply, Inc. Bushey’s Windows & Doors Calhoun Street Soups, Salads & Spirits Catholic Charities Cavanaugh Consulting Christine M. Schaefer/North Eastern Group Realty C. J. International Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Community Transportation Network Connolly’s Do It Best Hardware Consumer Credit Counseling Convergence Technologies Copper River Cabinet Co. Cosmic Soup Digital Crosby Excavating, Inc. Crossroads Courier, Inc. Crumback Symons Chevrolet David Kirk Photography Digital Hill Multimedia, Inc. Eilbacher Fletcher LLP Elvis’ Services, Inc. Endodontic Associates, Inc.

Engineering Resources, Inc. Farmers & Merchants Bank First Federal Bank of the Midwest First Federal Savings Bank Five Star Distributing Fleming Excavating, Inc. Foellinger Foundation, Inc. Forge Industrial Staffing Fort Wayne Area Youth for Christ Fort Wayne Orthopaedics, LLC Freedom Academy Gabbard Environmental Services Garcia Concrete Construction, Inc. Gasoline Equipment Service Co. General Credit Union Get Rollin, Inc. Great Lakes Pediatric Surgeons, Inc. Group Insurance Services of Fort Wayne, Inc. GT Automation Group GVC Mortgage GW Micro, Inc. H & H Sales Company, Inc. Health Insurance Inc. Hospital Laundry Service, Inc.

Indiana Refractories, Inc. Invisible Fence of Fort Wayne IWM Consulting Group Jensen Cabinet, Inc. Kanak Exports India, LLC Kingston at Dupont Lake City Bank Mad Anthony Brewing Co./ Munchie Emporium Martin Luther King Montessori School Mill Supplies, Inc. Moreau & Sons Concrete, Inc. Moss Building Products Murphy Ice & Koeneman Needham & Associates North Side Plumbing & Heating Company, Inc. One Lucky Guitar, Inc. Orchard Ridge Country Club Parkview Hospital Peters Body Shop, Inc. Phil’s One Stop’s Preferred Anesthesia Consultants, P.C. Premier Glass Quality Inn QuikCut, Inc. Raytheon Company ScreenCheck North America, LLC

Select Specialty Hospital of Fort Wayne Shelton Financial Group Sikich LLP Snyder Distributing, Inc. Star Financial Bank State Farm Scott Robinson Summit Logistics, Inc. Technical Operations Corp.

The Family Business Consulting Group The Landmark Conference & Reception Centre The Literacy Alliance The Rescue Mission The Torres Team Thomandram S. Sekar, MD, P.C. Three Rivers Apartments Tinkels, Inc. US Cellular Volunteer Lawyer Program of Northeast Indiana W. C. Borchelt & Sons, Inc. Wallen Baptist Church Web Graphics, Inc. Weigand Construction Co., Inc. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. WFCV Bott Radio Network Xcel HR America Yeoman’s Service Center

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CHAMBER

NOV

15

NOV

19

DEC

6

DEC

12

DEC

13

CALENDAR

Meet Me @ 5 at Lake City Bank Enjoy an evening of networking with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar Cost: Member: $5 | Nonmember: $10 Thursday, Nov. 15 | 5-7 p.m.

Lake City Bank, 6851 W. Jefferson Blvd.

President’s Lunch with Mark Millett Every month, meet a local business leader Chamber President and CEO Mike Landram hosts lunch with Mark Millett, president of Steel Dynamics Inc. Cost: Open to the first 10 members who register: $25 Monday, Nov. 19 | noon-1 p.m.

BakerStreet, 4820 N. Clinton St.

Taste of The Chamber Don’t miss the final Taste!

Join The Chamber for the community party of the year! Three floors of networking, food, and beverages, plus a cash bar on all three floors.

Cost: $10 in advance, $15 at the door Thursday, Dec. 6 | 5-8 p.m.

The Chamber, 826 Ewing St.

President’s Lunch with Chuck Surack Every month, meet a local business leader Chamber President and CEO Mike Landram hosts lunch with Chuck Surack, president of Sweetwater Sound.

Cost: Open to the first 10 members who register: $25 Wednesday, Dec. 12 | noon-1 p.m.

Club Soda, 235 E. Superior St.

Meet Me @ 5 at Tower Bank Enjoy an evening of networking with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar Cost: Member: $5 | Nonmember: $10 Thursday, Dec. 13 | 5-7 p.m.

Tower Bank, 116 E. Berry St.

Sign up for our events!

Get details and register at fwchamber.org/events.

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CLICK & CONNECT Download our free app for iPhone and Android

Business directory of Chamber members Touch-to-call option Chamber calendar of events Community calendar of festivals and events Sponsored business listings near you And much more!

Get the community app for Fort Wayne from The Chamber: fwchamber.org/app

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Don’t miss the final Taste!

TASTE OF THE CHAMBER

Three floors of networking, delicious food and beverages

Thursday, December 6th · 5-8 p.m.

The Chamber, 826 Ewing St. · Advance tickets: $10 at fwchamber.org/taste or at The Chamber · At the door: $15