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 It's time for the Townsend Fall Heritage Festival being held at the Townsend Visitor's Center this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26. Crafters and demonstrations begining at 10 a.m. each day with live bluegrass music starting at noon and 11 a.m., respectively. Parking is $8 per day with proceeds benefitting the Townsend Volunteer fire department. In addition, there is also a free shuttle to take you from Cades Cove Cellars and Apple Valley to the Heritage Center where you can enjoy their Blue Ribbon Country Fair as well. For complete details of all the events in Townsend this weekend, go to
www.smokymountains.org.
We are also pleased to welcome two more businesses to Blount County as a groundbreaking and ribbon cutting ceremony are slated this week. Today at 4 p.m., Cornerstone of Recovery is holding its
groundbreaking at 4726 Alcoa Highway. Then on Wednesday, Sept. 23, ABRA Auto Body and Glass is holding its
open house and ribbon cutting ceremony from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. They will have food, beverages, raffle prizes, games and a photo booth. So please stop by both and welcome them to Blount County.
You will learn, the difference between LinkedIn and other social media sites, how to identify keywords so you can be found in LinkedIn searches, how to construct a profile that attracts prospects, how to be strategic adding to your skills, how to use LinkedIn to grow your network, how to secure your spot as the expert, how to put yourself where your clients are hanging out, how to post status updates and additional tips for setting up your profile.
Check the bottom of this news section for other TSBDC sessions.
BEST OF BLOUNT AWARDS NOMINATIONS CLOSE WEDNESDAY
 Nominations for the
Best of Blount Awards will be taken until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23. We've got some great nominees, but still need a few more for the Tourism and Bright Future Award. The awards program is coming up on Nov. 12 at the Clayton Center for the Arts at 6:30 p.m.
The Best of Blount, which focuses on the Blount County community as a whole rather than only on the business sector, celebrates those individuals and businesses that give their time and resources to make this area an outstanding place to live and work. Awards will be given for Philanthropist of the Year, Community Impact Award, Bright Future Award, Business of the Year and the Tourism Award.
Tickets to the awards program featuring comedian, actor and impressionist
Frank Caliendo are on sale now. Chamber members can get their discounted tickets for $25 until Oct. 26 by calling the Chamber at 865.983.2241 or
online. General public tickets are available at the Clayton Center for $30.
US CELLULAR'S PRIMETIME RETURNS IN OCTOBER
It's a Spooktakular Party at Primetime presented by US Cellular.
Primetime will be here on Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 4-6 p.m. at Maryville College's Alumni Gym. Admission is $15. Don't forget to bring a door prize.
This Halloween-themed event is your best opportunity to meet many Chamber members from all sectors of the community in one location. Use this event to network and meet new people in the business community!
To get your tickets or sign up to give away door prizes please call the Blount Partnership at 865.983.2241 or email
[email protected]
Come network at the largest networking event in Blount County.
PLACE YOUR AD IN THE 2016 BASICALLY BLOUNT
 Basically Blount 2016 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. 2016, along with distribution four times throughout the year via area professional offices, newcomers, visitors, and new businesses all looking to relocate to Blount County.
In addition to intriguing stories and area photography that highlight the best of Blount County, Basically Blount also includes a finger-indexed, color-coded directory and buyer's guide of all Chamber members. Chamber members consistently tell us that they keep Basically Blount on hand throughout the year in order to find business products and services when they need them. In addition to 5,000 lifestyle magazines, we will have a complete online version on both the chamber and economic development websites.
We are pleased to offer a variety of advertising opportunities at cost effective rates. 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.
ARE YOU PART OF OUR SAVE LOCAL NOW PROGRAM?
 Digital marketing has dominated small business budgets for years. It's our job to level the digital playing field. Contact Blount Chamber's membership representative
Rachel Coffman for complete access to SLN. It's a FREE digital marketing member benefit made exclusively for Chamber members.
For each and every member: An easy-to-use digital platform built to maximize online exposure.
Included in your SLN platform:
Content creation + publishing
Email marketing
Social sharing
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SLN empowers members to create content and share that content where it really matters: online, on social, and through email marketing. Take a few minutes to watch this
member intro video and learn more about what SLN can do for your business.
REGISTRATION CONTINUES FOR TWO SOFT SKILLS SESSIONS
 It's Your Career! That's the focus of 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 that are scheduled over the next nine months.
Registrations are currently being accepted for "Can You Have It All? Achieving Work-Life Balance for Business and Personal Success" and "Working Smarter: Keys to Career Success," on Oct. 16 and Nov. 20, respectively.
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. 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.
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
 Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
Make customers feel special. When someone makes a purchase from you include a small token of appreciation. It will make them feel special and remind them why they enjoy shopping at local businesses.
CHAMBER BENEFIT OF THE WEEK
 Offer your employees the opportunity to receive discounts on prescription drugs and other health care services, regardless of any health insurance program you offer. The
Prescription Drug Card is free and there is no enrollment.
FREE BUSINESS OPERATION WORKSHOPS
 The Blount County Chamber of Commerce and the Blount County Library have partnered with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center to present free business operation workshops on Google, social media, business marketing and planning, starting a business and government contracting for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Workshops are held at the Blount County Chamber, 201 S. Washington St., Maryville, TN, and at the Blount County Library, 508 North Cusick Street, Maryville, TN. Participants are free to bring their own lunch.
For more information or to attend any of the following workshops, participants are asked to register by clicking on the Training tab at
www.tsbdc.org.
| Location |
Date |
Seminar Topic |
Time |
| Chamber |
Sept. 24 |
Starting a Business |
9 a.m.-Noon Register Here |
| Library |
Sept. 29 |
Email Marketing |
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Register Here |
| Chamber |
Oct. 8 |
Leverage the Power of LinkedIn to Grow Your Business |
11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Register Here |
| Library |
Oct. 22 |
Growth Wheel - Ownership & Management |
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Register Here |
| Chamber |
Nov. 12 |
Business Planning |
9 a.m.-Noon |
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
We go back to this week in 1968 when country singer Jeannie C. Riley topped the Billboard Singles Chart with "Harper Valley PTA." The song made Riley the first woman to top both Billboard's Hot 100 and the U.S. Hot Country Singles charts with the same song, a feat that would go unrepeated until Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" in 1981.
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| Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie C. Riley |
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The Tennessee Small Business Development Center is host a free seminar on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. entitled
