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LENOX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. General Assembly Meeting 2016. AGENDA. Welcome Lenox Selectman – Channing Gibson Marketing Committee Update Membership Committee Update Events Committee Update Wrap Up. Welcome New Chamber Members. Design Menagerie Second Home Berkshire Home Towne Gallery
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LENOX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE General Assembly Meeting 2016
AGENDA • Welcome • Lenox Selectman – Channing Gibson • Marketing Committee Update • Membership Committee Update • Events Committee Update • Wrap Up
Welcome New Chamber Members • Design Menagerie • Second Home • Berkshire Home • Towne Gallery • Casablanca • Mary McGurn Media • Hilton Garden • Berkshire Wedding Collective • Willowbrook Home
Lenox (Berkshire County) Economy is encouraging but remains challenging + Unemployment is down + Increase Tourism = Hotel and meals tax + New business and investment Vs - Demographics - Labor shortages? - Loss of young people
2016 Chamber Key Strategies • Continue to invest in marketing assets- website and mobile app • Expand tourism outside of Summer Season • Represent business interest and be members voice in town hall • Engage our membership
Membership Committee Tina Bartini Kim Flynn Rob Murray Carlene Toole
Goal #1 Improve communication to Membership Key initiatives: • Implement new software tool to track members…update emails and phone numbers • Utilize Mail Chimp to track and monitor emails • Engage members with monthly newsletter • Include Board Members Contact info on website • Rerun survey monkey Q4 this year
Goal # 2 – Revamp Mixer Program Key Initiatives: • More Lenox only events • Engage with Speakers – Selectmen, BVB, State Rep • Special Topics: ‘How To’ Website advertising, social media, good practice sharing, etc.
Goal #4 Grow Membership to 200 members by 2017 • Better member service through online system • Develop Communication plan: • Effective & Consistent • Board meeting highlights • Calendar events, programs, opportunities • Membership Newsletter • Clean data base of members
Marketing Committee Matthew Chester Laurence Oberwager Carl Pratt
Membership Opportunities • All members can receive free sidebar ads on Lenox.org (site had over 250,000 viewers in 2015) • Member events are free to add to online and app calendar • Lenox Facebook Page can share business news (Page “likes” are up 17 percent over Jan. 1 2015)
New Marketing Goals • Cultivate Relationships with Media • More traffic to website • Improved events calendar • Increase information distribution
What we need from you • Sharing and spreading social media • Updated events for Lenox Calendar • Advance knowledge of events to promote them • Participation in Co-op Advertising
Events Committee Elizabeth Aspenlieder Doris Barsauskas Laurie Donovan Tim McCaffery Suzannah Van Schaick
Our Goals • Support and develop our thriving local economy • Plan/support exciting & eclectic events for visitors from near & far • Create unforgettable experiences • Engage and inspire visitors as they explore and enjoy the shops, services, restaurants, lodgings, and cultural attractions • Keep locals engaged; keep visitors coming back year after year
A TASTE OF LENOX Slated for June 2016 (Date TBA) • NEW (and savory!) INITIATIVE • Reinforce the diversity and flavor of the area • Restaurants, Lodgings, Businesses, and Culturals have opportunity to participate • Guest chefs/bartenders/servers; inspiring theatre • Discounts and specials
GILDED AGE WEEKENDSeptember 10 & 11 • Step back in time; experience a celebration of the Gilded Age • Destination Weekendexpands upon the popular Tub Parade • Special readings & performances of works by Gilded Age authors • Flower exhibits/displays • Themed specials shops & restaurants
APPLE SQUEEZESeptember 25 - 27 • Build on past successes • 10,000 visitors currently; Goal = 15,000 • ADD: Farm to Table Harvest Dinner 3-day celebration • Vendors locations: Goal = expanded to include more streets • Parking: Move vendor parking outside downtown area • Close-in parking for visitors and attendees • Rates: Planned increase in rates for vendor’s participation
TRICK OR TREAT THE STREETSOctober 28, 29, 30 & 31 • Lure visitors to spend the entire weekend in the area • Offer a weekend-long event for “locals” and “almost locals” • Offerings include: • The Mount’s annual ghost stories event • Spooky self-guided walking tours of Lenox • Luminary lined streets with shops open late • Spooky treats and themed libationsat shops/restaurants • ‘Spook-tacular’ Costume contest • Haunted Pub Crawl • Annual Halloween Town Parade
MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHTDecember 2, 3 & 4 • Destination Weekend event--build on successful 2015 event • SHOP LOCAL: participate in this exciting weekend • Expand event to involve more businesses • Lodging, restaurants, shops, Culturals! • Events include: • Holiday tree-lighting and Santa visit; Caroling • Santa Pub Crawl; Pop Up Shakespeare; • Photo Booths; Children’s Choir; Shops Open late • Luminary lined streets and more!
GO LENOX CHAMBER VOLUNTEER TEAM! • How do we • Make a lasting impression on our visitors? • Make them want to come back year after year? • It goes without saying … We need you!!!. • Please Volunteer