Welcome to The Blueprint The Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce works to help our members build up to their best professional selves, their biggest goals, and their business’s future. Building up such important things requires a blueprint. The Sarpy Chamber’s Blueprint is a guide to the work that’s been the done, the projects in process, and future goals. Continued inside on page 2
FROM THE PRESIDENT
one of the highest in the nation.
The first quarter is at an end, but our first run of a quarterly report is just beginning. Welcome to the first issue of The Blueprint, a quarterly
We work hard to provide real value to our members and it’s gratifying to see we’re accomplishing that goal. Read through The Blueprint to
publication on the development
learn what else we’ve been up to
of the Sarpy Chamber and local
this past quarter and what we look
community!
forward to in the next.
We’re ending this quarter with a membership retention rate of 91%,
Karen Gibler
WHAT’S INSIDE
MEMBERSHIP STUDY...........................1 EDUCATION.......................................2
MAXIZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP
BUSINESS SUPPORT
Get insight into all the resources
What can the chamber do for
available exclusively to Sarpy
you? The answer goes beyond
Chamber members.
networking opportunities
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RIBBON CUTTINGS.............................3 UPCOMING EVENTS...........................4
402.339.3050 WWW.SARPYCHAMBER.ORG 7775 OLSON DRIVE
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Value of Chamber Membership While there is plenty of evidence to show the impact of chambers of commerce on their communities, it is much harder to find data that quantify the impact of belonging to a chamber. This study, commissioned by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives with support from Small Business Network, Inc., is designed to do just that: determine the real value to companies in terms of consumer outcomes of joining and being active in their local chamber of commerce. Do consumers really support businesses because they are chamber members? What makes the study unlike most, however, is that almost every question on it is part of one of several imbedded experiments. This means that respondents were randomly assigned to different groups at several points during the survey. Each group reads something slightly different—like a description of a company that changes only a little for each group—but then everyone is asked the same questions thereafter, NUMBER OF STUDY PARTICIPANTS regardless of which company description they just read. Therefore, when there are statistically significant Data for this study differences in how different groups answered the same comes from a sciquestions, we know exactly why it happened. entific web-based
2,000
Survey of 2,000 adults nationwide.
PERCENTAGE OF CONSUMERS
70%
70% of consumers in the study believe being actively involved in the chamber is an effective strategy for enhancing a business’ reputation and for demonstrating good business practices.
PERCENT INCREASE IN AWARENESS
51%
If respondents know a small business is a member of its local chamber, the business enjoys a 51% increase in consumer awareness.
• Most consumers (59%) think that being active in the local chamber of commerce is an effective business strategy overall. • It is 29% more effective, however, for communicating to consumers that a company uses good business practices and 26% more effective for communicating that a business is reputable. • When consumers know that a restaurant franchise is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 40% more likely to eat at the franchise in the next few months. • When consumers know that an insurance company is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 43% more likely to consider buying insurance from them. • When consumers know that a small business is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 44% more likely to think favorably of it and 63% more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future. To read about the study in its entirety visit sarpychamber.org/news
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SCCC Education Expansion Education opportunities at the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce are set for serious growth. Thanks to an unprecedented number of partner sponsorships and additional staff support, the chamber is committed to rolling out several new and revamped educational resources through spring of 2019. Classes designed to help small business owners will be brought back and expanded into a program that focuses on the first few years of small business ownership. These initial years are critical to a small business’s success and SCCC classes will help owners develop the skills they need to not only grow, but plan for growth.
their needs. Classes will be aimed towards retired and current military members or spouses, and will cover entrepreneurship, community engagement, and financial/career planning. The chamber also plans to create a series of education events through its Government Affairs group. An educated constituent is more likely to vote and engage in local and federal government. These events will cover mayoral campaigns to some races at the federal level throughout 2018.
Support from our members and partnerships with local non-profits, business leaders and coaches will make it possible for the Sarpy Chamber Veterans make up a significant portion of the to continue its commitment to keeping these Sarpy County population and the Sarpy Chamber resources, even as they grow, at little to no cost is developing education resources specific to
Blueprint Continued from Cover With a staff that is now larger than ever before, the Sarpy Chamber is closer to accomplishing some of those goals. Additional staff makes our resources more available to members, but they also act as a catalyst for growth. Next Quarter the chamber will hold a Membership Blitz to enable us to serve more of the community. We are excited to be in a position to successfully handle a significant increase in members. The event’s Mardis Gras theme will keep teams in high spirits as they call on local businesses to join the Sarpy Chamber. The results of this membership blitz, along with other major events like the Grand Giveaway, will be shared in future issues of The Blueprint.
The Sarpy Chamber is committed to a culture of recognition and transparency and we look forward to giving you year-round comprehensive views of the work we’re doing as your chamber.
Ribbon Cuttings
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate March 15th
Your neighborhood mortgage experts.
With great rates and low processing fees, buy your first or next home or refinance with confidence. Centris mortgage loans are underwritten and serviced locally, and we take pride in ensuring all home loans close on time, every time. Talk to our Sarpy mortgage service reps: n Janette R. Calabro • NMLS 400320 8250 S. 99th St., La Vista • (402) 697-6748 jcalabro@centrisfcu.org n Dan Harris • NMLS 663506 2207 Pratt Ave., Bellevue • (402) 758-6515 dharris@centrisfcu.org Federally insured by NCUA www.centrisfcu.org • Corporate NMLS 490617
Chamber Group Events Major 2nd Quarter SC WOW Event SCYP vs. Ambassadors Female Entrepreneur Panel Supermarket Sweep SCCC Date: Tuesday, April 24th Date: Thursday, May 3rd Location: Karen’s Fireside Location: Hyvee-Papillion Events Ambassador Quarterly SCYP Pop-Up Date: Wednesday, April 11th Location: SCCC Office Ambassador Event Date: Wednesday, May 9th Location: TBD SCYP Pop-Up Date: Thursday, April 5th Location: Phoenix 370
Date: Thursday, June 7th Location: TBD
Government Affairs Date: First Wednesday of each month Location: SCCC Office Please visit www.sarpychamber.org/events to check on updated event details and to learn more about our many other networking events.
Leadership Sarpy Graduation Date: Tuesday, May 8th Location: Bellevue Event Center Mardi Gras Membership Blitz Date: Thursday & Friday, May 17th - 18th Location: Bellevue Event Center
State of the County Date: Tuesday, May 22nd Location: Nebraska Christian College
Wisdom of Women SC WOW is a resource for professional women navigating the unique challenges and opportunities in the work world. Join us for events designed to promote advocacy, education, leadership, and connection between working women. To learn more about joining email membership@sarpychamber.org
Be a leader in any industry with the Master of Arts in Management and the Master of Business Administration from Doane University. doane.edu/sccc
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Insight into Making your Membership Work for You! Maximize Your Membership In Person
Maximize Your Membership Online
Sarpy Chamber groups are very active and their events are consistently well attended because joining one is a great way to maximize the benefits of a membership. In turn, SCCC groups provide a unique marketing opportunity to their sponsors by giving them a spotlight in a setting where an audience is focused and engaged.
Sarpy Chamber’s online member directory is the 3rd most visited page on its website with the home page and events page coming in 1st and 2nd respectively. Google Analytics reveal that the directory is a very high source of organic website traffic, which means users are coming to it through a search and visitors are coming from all over the country, not just Nebraska. Ultimately, the online directory is like a tradeshow that’s open 24/7 and gets traffic from all over the country.
Group Sponsors, of course, have their logo prominently displayed online and at group events, but they also get the opportunity to speak for 3 minutes and hand out marketing materials at each event. This is a way for you to consistently connect your business to an audience in a personal way. Contact president@sarpychamber.org to learn more.
Just by being a member, you’re included in this high-traffic platform but you can boost your visibility even further with an Enhanced Listing. For $299 a year an Enhanced Listing helps you stand out in the directory with a logo and description. Your listing itself becomes a homepage for your business within our site through expanded text space, media galleries, and special linking features.
(Screenshot of of Enhanced Listing)
Contact marketing@sarpychamber.org to learn more.
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Creative Solutions and Support Helping a business community grow is a complex venture that calls for creative and critical thought. This is especially true in Sarpy County where economic development comes in the form of all sizes and types of businesses. The Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to creating this growth and taking on that task involves offering resources beyond networking opportunities. The Sarpy Chamber’s success is built on understanding that different businesses require different solutions; Solutions you might not think the Sarpy Chamber provides.
“How do I start a business in Sarpy County?” It’s a question many people are ready to ask when they walk through the doors of the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce. They may be new to the state or even new to the country, but they’ll find immediate connections through the chamber. In addition to learning the basics of the process of starting a business, individuals will get the right contacts to the SBA, NBDC, SCORE, and any other appropriate business mentor. Moving an already existing business into Sarpy County is another challenge the Sarpy Chamber is ready to take on. Chamber representatives
toured across the county with PenFed to ensure they made the right connections in their search for a location in Sarpy County. Five different locations were analyzed and ultimately PenFed found the right fit in Midland’s Place. Of course, the Sarpy Chamber is not a fairweather business resource. Business owners have come to the chamber with struggles, big and small. Even in some cases where an entire business model needs to be restructured, chamber staff have fostered effective relationships between struggling owners and business coaches. The Sarpy Chamber’s office is not filled with experts for every single challenge a business may encounter, but the SCCC team is ready to take on those challenges with you and find support and solutions through their extensive connections to business resources. Contact president@sarpychamber.org to learn more about the variety of support the chamber offers.
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SARPY CHAMBER STAFF Karen Gibler President
OUR MEMBERS PUT THE HEART IN SARPY!
Annisa Visty Vice President Candice Jacobs Membership Engagement Manager Celeste Pille
“Being a chamber
Communications & Design Associate
member has expanded my
Jessica Philippus
me build that network into a
Membership Specialist
greater client base.”
Brian White
-Mike Streubing with Headley
Membership Specialist
acquaintances and helped
Financial Services
Brian Kamin Administrative Assistant
“We’re working to get the word out that
Adam Vande Ven
Doane has facility rentals and I appreciate
Event Support
that the Sarpy Chamber met with us to go over all the marketing resources we have
Jim Masters
with them as well as which efforts that
Leadership Sarpy
would work best for us.”
Facilitator
-Vicki Pribil with Doane University
EVERY NEED, EVERY DAY, EVERY WAY. logistics logistics is is our our business. business.
402.339.3050 WWW.SARPYCHAMBER.ORG 7775 OLSON DRIVE