If you or someone you know is looking for a job, please check out www.BlountAreaJobs.com. Additionally, if you need employees, please utilize the job board to advertise your open positions. Click here to get started.

 

Check out our 86th installment of The Dialogue at the bottom of this email where we visit with new chamber member, Randy Connor, owner of C & C Mowing & Landscaping (731.608.6248).

 

AFTERNOON MIXER AT DANCING BEAR LODGE

Get out of the office after work and unwind at the Blount County Chamber of Commerce Afternoon Mixer this Thursday at 3:45 p.m. at Dancing Bear Lodge (7140 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Townsend). The format for afternoon mixers are the same as the morning coffees Participation is not reserved to the representative(s) listed on the Chamber membership.

 

MAXIMIZE YOU CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP

Learn more about the Chamber, the many opportunities that go along with being a member and how to make the most of the benefits afforded to you. Join us on July 13 from 2-3 p.m. at the Blount Partnership, 201 S. Washington St., in Maryville. RSVP to Amy.

 

Remember, your membership is a corporate membership. Please encourage co-workers to get involved, educated, network and promote your company via Blount Chamber events and opportunities.

 

WHERE'S THE MONEY?

If you are a woman owned small business, you can position your company to bid on federal government set asides for WOSBs and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs). We invite you to attend the Where's the Money Workshop to learn about the eligibility criteria, view a listing of the designated industries, and engage the www.fbo.gov website to find WOSB/EDWOSB opportunities.

 

This seminar is from 9-11 a.m. on July 14 at the Blount Partnership, 201 S. Washington St., Maryville. Jacqueline Merritt, Small Business Administration, is the presenter. To register, please email or call Mr. James Jenkins at or 615-736-5091.

 

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Make plans to attend our next Women in Business meeting at noon on Monday, July 17, at the Airport Hilton. This session is led by Sharon Hannum.

 

This is a Dutch Treat lunch from Cooper's Restaurant. You can either do soup or salad bar for $8.95 + tax, this includes drink, and dessert or the whole buffet for $12 (Including tax) and includes drink, buffet and dessert. Please RSVP to Amy by Friday, July 14 if you plan to attend.

 

HR FOCUS GROUP: EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

Make plans to attend our next HR Focus Group on Tuesday, July 25 at 8:00 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). The topic will be "Effective Feedback: Breakfast of Champions?" by Kurt Greene of Vistage. RSVP to Amy if you wish to attend.

Nine of out 10 conversations between managers and employees miss the mark, according to leadership author Judith Glaser. Yet these days, it's hard to know what you can even say and how to say it-leading many managers to feel like they have to walk on egg shells when it comes to feedback. This interactive and slightly irreverent session will provide some simple approaches, techniques, and tips that will drastically improve your feedback conversations, both positive and otherwise.

 

ETPA's ANNUAL BUSINESS MATCHING & TRADESHOW

The 12th Annual Business Matching Event will be on July 20, 2017, at the Rothchild's Catering and Conference Center in Knoxville. Event attendance is free but on-line registration is required. To register simply go to www.etpanews.org.

 

The East Tennessee Purchasing Association (ETPA) is the trade association for governmental procurement officers in east Tennessee. Our membership consists of cities, counties, universities, public housing authorities, public building authorities, utility districts and other types of governments. Each year ETPA hosts a "Business Matching Event" to bring small, woman, minority, veteran owned and all other types of businesses together with governmental procurement agents and larger vendors. The overall purpose is to foster relationships between local businesses and local governments so that together we can strengthen the regional economy while helping local businesses grow.

 

JULY MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS

July's Member-to-member promotions are in. Check out the new special deals from Louisville Mercantile, First Light Home Care, Swagtown and All Pro Supply. See these and other promotions at member-to-member promotions. New offers are being posted almost daily, so check out the Blount County Chamber of Commerce Member-to-Member promotions online. This Member-to-Member Promotional Program offers you and your company the opportunity to market your products and services to the membership.

 

Here's how it works:
1. Submit a PDF of a service, product or discount you'd like to offer to the Chamber membership to jmuir@blountpartnership.com. Be sure to include an expiration date.
2. An email with all the promotions will be sent out on the final Monday of every month to our member database.
3. All promotions will be posted on www.BlountChamber.com

 

PRINT MARKETING VS DIGITAL MARKETING

It may seem as though the answer is an obvious one, that digital marketing success far exceeds traditional marketing success. Although we are in year 2017, traditional marketing is still being used even if at a decreasing rate. Consider all the times one runs into traditional advertisements: magazines you see while waiting in line at the grocery store, billboards that you drive by on your daily commute to work, flyers displayed at your favorite coffee house...traditional advertising is endless. Read more

Learn more about marketing your small business in a digital world, ask questions about social media, and take the time to discuss future campaign ideas. What are you waiting for? It's free with your chamber membership. Schedule your FREE session today.

 

If you have any questions regarding your free digital marketing member benefit ( Save Local Now), your digital platform, or online marketing in general please reach out the Blount Chamber's Rachel Coffman.

 

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!

 

Small businesses can offer a more enjoyable and personal shopping experience that allows time for more browsing and exploring, rather than scrambling to beat other shoppers to the shelves.

 

Find what you're looking for in the Chamber Directory.

 

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, please email Ashlee so she can post it on www.SmokyMountains.org.

 

Also, please send us any news releases or good news about your business. We'd love to share it with the community.

 

REMEMBER WHEN

"Step by Step" is the biggest-selling hit single from New Kids on the Block, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1990, capping a three-week run as a No. 1 song. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight. Danny Wood sang "Step 1", Donnie Wahlberg sang "Step 2", Jordan Knight sang "Step 3", Joey McIntyre sang "Step 4", and Jonathan Knight sang "Step 5."