SUPPORT BLOUNT COUNTY BUSINESSES ON SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
 This November 30, the Blount Partnership wants to celebrate Small Business Saturday with you! It's a special holiday created so communities can show love for small local businesses. And it wouldn't be a celebration without businesses like you joining us!
The day was setup to help businesses with their most pressing need -- getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before.
We encourage everyone to shop small and shop local this holiday season.
View the Small Business Saturday list of discounts offered.
SAVE THE DATE FOR CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE
 Put December 11 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. in your calendar and join us for the Blount Partnership Christmas Open House (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). It's the staff's way to thank all the members for their support. Food is prepared by the staff along with a visit from Santa and photos by
Jamie Weiss Photography and her
Gigglebox.
READ THE DIALOGUE
Check out the latest edition of The Dialogue in this email where we visit with new Blount County Chamber member Anne Williams, Operations and Development Director for
WDVX radio.
SMART TRIPS WANTS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS BECOME A BEST WORKPLACE
 Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) is an innovative membership program that provides qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits. Employers and developments that meet the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits can get on the list of Best Workplaces for Commuters. The application deadline for the 2020 BWC list is December 30, 2019.
Smart Trips has partnered with Best Workplaces for Commuters to encourage employers to apply for this national recognition opportunity. Our program would love to cover the application fee ($230 value) for our Chamber's members. If you know of any members interested, please let them know this is available until the application deadline.
For more information about the application process, please
visit our website.
MENTORS NEEDED FOR TNACHIEVES
 Become a tnAchieves mentor! 12 hours a year is all it takes to help Tennessee students on their journey to higher education. The December 6 deadline is approaching fast. We need 67 more mentors locally to meet our goal of 192! Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to apply at
http://tnAchieves.org/mentors/apply
GET PLACEMENT IN 2020 BASICALLY BLOUNT
 The 2020 Basically Blount lifestyle magazine and membership directory is entering production once again. This annual, full-color lifestyle magazine and chamber membership directory is initially distributed to all Chamber members starting Feb. 2020, along with distribution four times throughout the year via area professional offices, newcomers, visitors, and new businesses all looking to relocate to Blount County.
We are pleased to offer a variety of advertising opportunities at cost effective rates through our
media kit. We have contracted with Marcon Marketing Consultants, a local Chamber member, to handle production and ad sales.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Basically Blount, the importance of supporting the Chamber, and how to get your business involved, contact:
Rick Ford of Marcon Marketing at 865-705-8580 or
Vicki Hawkins of Marcon Marketing at 865-310-2963
SIGN UP FOR THE DECEMBER SOFT SKILLS CLASS
 It's Your Career! That's the focus of a free soft skills session offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.
Registrations are currently being accepted online at
www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Creating Infographics for Promoting Your Business on December 13. Learn the basics of what makes a good infographic and explore free tools for making them.
All participants will earn .5 CEUs per session for participating. They will also receive an email survey two months after workshop participation to assess application of new ideas.
All classes are conducted in the Blount County Library's learning lab located at 508 N. Cusick in Maryville and limited to 50 participants. A complete class description is located on the registration site. All classes run from 8-10 a.m. with networking beginning at 7:30 a.m.
YOU CAN POST YOUR OWN MEMBER-TO-MEMBER DEALS
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
 Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
GOT AN EVENT OR NEWS? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT
Is your organization hosting an event in the community? Submit it
here on our community calendar. If it's a tourism event or any good news about your business, please
send it to us. We'd love to share it with the community.
REMEMBER WHEN
Topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week in 1980 was "Lady" by the Kenny Rogers. The song was written and produced by Lionel Richie and ranks among Kenny Rogers's biggest hits. It became the first record of the 1980s to chart on all four of Billboard magazine's singles charts - country, Hot 100, adult contemporary and Top Black Singles.
|