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.
 It's coffee club week, so join us July 27 at 7:45 a.m. for
the Blount Chamber Coffee Club at PCS (1720 Topside Rd., Louisville, TN). Coffees are designed to offer you the opportunity to build business relationships with other members and to gain exposure for your business or organization in an "open house" setting.
Coffees are open to anyone associated with a Chamber member business. Participation is not reserved to the representative(s) listed on the Chamber membership.
You also won't want to miss Mayor Ed Mitchell as he gives an update on Blount County at our
Local Legislative Briefing presented by Twin City Dealerships and First Tennessee Bank. This meeting is scheduled for July 28 from 8-9 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville).
Check out our 88th installment of The Dialogue at the bottom of this email where we visit with Tim Satterfield, Territory Sales Representative for
All Pro Supply.
REMINDER: The Pigs and Politics Legislative Day that was scheduled for August 2, has been canceled. The event will resume in the spring of 2018 as we head into a big election year in Blount County. Thank you for your support.
CHAMBER BOARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN
 The Blount County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for three positions (Construction, building trades and suppliers; financial and professional; and individual/non-profits) for its 2018 Board of Directors until August 15.
Please complete the online form of an individual you think would make a good board member.
CHAMBERRITAVILLE
SCHOOL SUPPLIES SOUGHT
 TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Knoxville is hosting a Christmas in July School Supplies Drive here in Blount County. Many parents are unable to provide the basic school supplies their children need to be effective.
You can drop off supplies at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville), until Friday, July 28 at 5 p.m.
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is collecting school supplies for underprivileged kids here in our Blount community. A school supply drive is an easy way to have a profound impact on students and their learning experience. Make school a better place for both students and teachers by the simple act of providing school supplies.
Here is a list of suggested supplies.
* Paper: lined paper, copy paper, construction paper, spiral notebooks, composition books, index cards
* Pencils & Pens: blue or black pens, #2 pencils, colored pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener, pencil case, colored markers, crayons, highlighters, dry-erase markers
* General Supplies: dry-erase boards, paper clips, 3-ring 2" binders, pocket folders, report covers
* Classroom staples: stapler, staples, rulers, protractors, glue sticks, scissors, tape, calculator
* Things you can never have too much of: tissues, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer
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.
CYBER SECURITY WORKSHOP
 Join us August 8 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Cate-Russell Insurance presents a
cyber security workshop at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). Janet Smith of Bailey's Special Risk will deliver a brief presentation on the alarming growth and trends of cyber attacks and what you should do to better protect your business. So, come learn more about the growing dangers of cyber crime and the liability it places on your business. RSVP to
lcate@caterussell.com
AUGUST MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS NEEDED
Turn in your August Member-to-member promotions this week for the big email that goes out August 1. In the meantime, check out the new special deals from The Soup Kitchen 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
BACK TO SCHOOL PROMOTION IDEAS
 July is here and students everywhere dread the feeling, but businesses are preparing for a boost in sales! The National Retail Federation conducted a survey and found that the average family will spend about $670 each year on school apparel and supplies (grades k-12). This survey also mentioned that over 17% are planning to seek out small retailers for their back to school shopping! So here are some ideas on how you could promote your business for this back to school season:
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!
You'll raise your property values. Lively, vibrant neighborhood shopping streets are considered an advantage when selling a home. They make your property more valuable.
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
"Everytime You Go Away" by Paul Young topped the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1985. The song was originally written and composed by Daryl Hall. It was first recorded in 1980 by Hall & Oates but was not released as a single. It was one of the songs Young played at Live Aid.
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