The Blount Partnership encourages its members to attend an information session regarding gang awareness in Blount County on Friday, March 18, from 8:30-9:30 a.m., in its boardroom. Knox County Sheriff detective Thomas Walker will lead the presentation which is free and open to the public. The main focus is on what business owners should know about gangs in the area. RSVP to Amy.

 

Also, join us for a pair of ribbon cuttings this week. The first is Thursday, March 17 at 3 p.m. at Watts Chiropractic Clinic (1011 W. Broadway, Maryville) as it celebrates the renovation of their office with an open house. The second is Friday, March 18 at 11 a.m. at Schriver's (106 E. Broadway, Maryville), a women's clothing boutique.

 

Be sure to check out the 14th ediion of The Dialogue featuring Rebecca Kiger, franchise co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care. This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member.

 

PARTICIPATE IN THE BLOUNT CHAMBER'S JOB FAIR

The Blount Chamber is hosting a job fair on April 29 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Second Harvest Food Bank in Alcoa. To make this a success, we need your participation as either an employer with a booth or as a sponsor of the event.

 

Participants receive an eight-foot table, two chairs and linens if needed for $150. Premier event sponsorship is $2500 and receives top billing on all promotional materials and signage at the event.

 

So sign up today: Participation Form | Sponsor Form

 

Participating Businesses (as of March 11)
@Work Personnel Services
Blount County Library
Del Conca Usa
DENSO
Express Employment Professionals
GEAR, LLC
Harrison Construction
Hubbell Lenoir City, Inc.
K12, Inc.
Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation - Fairpark
New Horizons CLC
Ruby Tuesday
Tennessee Career Center
Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Tusculum College
RT Lodge
Walmart
Blount Memorial
Danny Davis Electrical Contractors

 

THE POWER OF THE IN BOX

What is the first impression you give when they see you in their email inbox? And when they see you there, what do they do?

This free powerful seminar takes you step-by-step through the keys to effective email marketing

From revealing why regular email doesn't work, to insider tips and techniques like automated list building tools and the design elements that work (and those that don't!), this seminar will give you the keys to the most effective marketing you can do: email marketing.

Join us at the Blount Partnership on Wednesday, March 23 from 9-11 a.m. Register Here.

 

GLENN SHEPARD SEMINAR RETURNS APRIL 14

Glenn Shepard's seminar "Hire With Confidence, Fire Without Fear, Tame Toxic Employees and Put Your Team on the Fast Track to Record-Shattering Success" is coming to the Blount Chamber on Thursday, April 14.

In the seminar, Shepard shows you how to motivate your people, not just manage them. How to get them to follow you because they believe in your goals, your skills as a leader, and they are committed.

He'll also explain why The Millennials require such a different supervisory style than Gen X or Baby Boomers, and how to apply Dr. Ken Blanchard's (author of The One Minute Manager) principles of situational leadership to get all the different generations to work together as a team.

If you were fortunate enough to attend Glenn's seminar last year, this seminar will be the PEREFCT continuation to take you to the next level of excellence in management expertise, leadership development, and building a culture of teamwork that encourages cooperation that leads to success for your entire team.

If you missed last year's seminar, the April 14 seminar will offer you the opportunity to sharpen your supervisory skills and become a more effective manager and stronger leader than you've ever been. After completing this seminar, which has been certified for additional HRCI credit by SHRM, you'll have the tools for leading your team to achieving goals much faster than ever before.

The seminar runs from 8:30 a.m.-Noon (arrive by 8:00 a.m.). Print the flyer to register.

 

EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT ALONG WITH ACCOUNTABILITY

Join us for a free seminar on Tuesday, March 29 from 8-9:30 a.m. as Jim Rose from EQ Consulting Services will help managers effectively utilize the human potential in their organization. This session will focus on how to empower individuals and work groups throughout the organization along with a means for holding them accountable. The goal is to ensure that all resources in the organizations are focused on how they can improve their performance and collectively when accomplished will improve the effectiveness of the entire organization. RVSP to Jim Rose.

 

MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM

The Blount County Chamber of Commerce presents a new Member-to-Member Promotional Program which 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 [email protected]. 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

 

SOFT SKILLS CLASSES OFFERED THIS SPRING

It's Your Career! That's the focus of two free soft skills sessions offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.

 

With more and more millennials entering the workforce, employers have noticed many workers in a variety of professions are lacking in several areas, including problem solving, conflict resolution and critical observation. But, even though they possess the hard skills to get an interview, it's the important soft skills that will land the job and help them keep it.

 

All classes are conducted at the library located at 508 N. Cusick in Maryville and limited to 30 participants. Those interested must register online at www.blountchamber.com/community/soft-skills. 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.

 

Registrations are currently being accepted for:
March 18 - Team Building
May 20 - Mentoring

 

POWER UP YOUR BUSINESS WITH SAVE LOCAL NOW

Digital marketing is a challenge for every small business. It's our job to level the digital playing field. Through the Chamber, you receive access to $LN, a FREE member marketing platform built to maximize your online exposure, and increase sales through Content Creation + Publishing, Email marketing, Social Sharing and Search Engine Optimization.

The $LN platform allows you to enhance your digital footprint, create content, and share that content where it really matters: online, on social, and through email marketing.

SLN provides everything your business needs:
Easy-to-use platform
Mobile optimized web presence
Digital marketing training
Social media consulting
Bi-weekly Marketing Tips
Content Creation + Inspiration
Customer Support

 

Here's Two Reasons Why You Should Be Using Email Marketing:

 

Email Marketing is Quick
With SLN, you can share a published post to your email list in a matter of minutes. Their email platform does the work for you, bringing in your image and copy so you don't have to. SLN has also integrated Google Maps into their responsive template (just to make it THAT much easier for consumers to find you).

Email Marketing Delivers Retention
You're focused on improving customer experience and retention. Stats prove that email marketing is still the #1 way to do this. Make sure that when you're sending out an email, you have something purposeful to say. Educate and reward the customers who open your emails every week.

 

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. She is here to help you in the year ahead and will keep you on track as you fulfill your resolutions in 2016.

 

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

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

 

Local business anchors the neighborhood infrastructure and supports the city and county tax base. Because they don't outsource, dollars are recycled back into the community. This adds value to the neighborhood by increasing its income.

 

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

""Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen was in the midst of a four-week run atop the Billboard Music Chart this week in 1980. It became the group's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and would be the start of Queen's popularity in America.