December E-Newsletter

President's Message

Dear Chamber Members,

I trust that you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving! I did a little shopping on Black Friday and it was great to see all the shoppers out supporting our local businesses. The KVOK Christmas in Kodiak drawing is in full swing and I encourage you to get out and shop at our local businesses for a chance to win prizes!

Special thanks to the Johnsons and the Best Western Kodiak Inn who sponsored our November Business After Hours. It was a phenomenal event, as usual. Chef Tim Chonokow served a variety of delicious hors d'oeuvres to accompany the wonderful selection of wines. During the event, Susan Johnson let us know that, “fingers crossed,” the Kodiak Compass Suites should be up and running by the end of March or early April. We cannot wait!

As you may know, the Chamber recently conducted a survey of our membership to get input on our strategic planning process. Thank you to those who participated. We have received some very useful feedback, but we need some more. Please take a moment to complete our quick survey .

If you haven’t already checked out our News and Views online , I encourage you to do so. This is a weekly spotlight of a Chamber business or nonprofit member, explaining what they offer to the community. The most recent interviews were with Frontier Micro Systems and The Great Alaska Flooring Company. You can also continue to catch the show on local radio stations KVOK and KMXT throughout the week.

Our next Business After Hours will take place tonight, Friday December 1st, at the Senior Center. Stop by and learn about everything Senior Citizens of Kodiak offers to seniors and their families. The Kodiak Area Transit System will also be there to answer questions about its use.

While you are out doing your holiday shopping, stop by Henry's for some great food and try your hand at pull tabs, all the while helping to support the Chamber of Commerce.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Stacey Simmons

President

Our Sponsors

Chamber Hires New Administrative Assistant

Stop by the Chamber Office and you will likely see a new face. The Chamber is excited to welcome aboard Anastasia Painter as our new Administrative Assistant. Anastasia was born and raised in Kodiak so is very familiar with our town and community. After graduating from Kodiak High School, she has worked at three local businesses and organizations including the Alutiiq Museum, MWR Bear Valley Golf Course, and Painter Management and Investments.

“I am really excited to start working for the Chamber because I get the chance to help promote local businesses and in turn strengthen the community.” said Anastasia.

As Administrative Assistant, Anastasia will be the go to staff member for day to day operations of the Chamber; assisting with billing and book keeping, answering email and phone correspondence, and selling our Crab Festival merchandise.

Need a meeting space? Don’t hesitate to contact Anastasia to reserve our conference room!

Open Call for Local Photography

The Kodiak Chamber of Commerce is currently seeking local photography submissions for our 2018 Relocation Guide. Each year the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce produces a booklet filled with information on our community. It includes business and organization listings, facts about Kodiak, and local photography! Our guide is freely distributed at Chamber events, on the Coast Guard Base, and to anyone requesting information on Kodiak through our office.

Photographs sought include anything showing life on Kodiak, uptown and downtown shopping districts, local flora and fauna, landscape shots, and community or cultural events. All photographs will be credited.

Photographers wishing to participate can submit an entry form online . Digital images should be sent to to Dana Haynes, Community Relations Director at crd@kodiak.org by Dec.15th, 2017.

#ShopLocal: Tips & Tricks for Small Businesses

Studies have shown that for every $100 spent in a local business $45 or more stay in that local community. The holiday shopping season can be an opportune time to find new customers through messaging about the importance of shopping local. There are many ways to be part of a cultural shift, building a community that takes pride in supporting local entrepreneurs.

Beyond Small Business Saturday: Small Business Saturday which fell the Saturday after Thanksgiving, developed as a day of shopping local in foil to Black Friday, which typically is associated with shopping at large box stores. While popular, there are other national shop local campaigns that give the benefit of promotion beyond just one day. Connecting your business to a national campaign can give your business extra exposure.

Two examples are the Shift 10 and the 3/50 project. Shift 10 encourages shoppers to commit to shifting just 10% of their regular spending to a local business. The 3/50 project challenges consumers to spend 50 dollars at their three favorite local retailers. Both are simple messages of feasible calls to action that have been shared nationally with the hashtags #Shift10 and #3/50Project. You can find resources and more information at shift10day.com and the350project.net

You may also choose to identify as a member of the Chamber with our Kodiak Chamber of Commerce window decals. Displaying your membership lets customers walking through your door know you are a local business involved with positively impacting the local economy. Any members needing a window decal can stop by or contact the Chamber office.

Highlighting the Personal: The greatest strength of any local business is the people who run it. Encouraging local shopping demands that business owners and their staff form personal bonds with consumers. Use casual interactions with customers to solicit feedback on products offered, pricing, or any new ideas you have in mind. Being able to then offer services and inventory that are responsive to your community’s desires adds value to your business.

Stories can help highlight the personal aspect of shopping local. Let the community get to know your business through sharing personal stories in your marketing. For example a facebook post about an employee whose reached a professional milestone like 5 years with the company, or including a quote from a well known community member about a positive experience in your store on your website.

Chamber Members can participate in News and Views, a short two-minute interview that airs on our weekly local radio stations. This can be a great way to put a personal voice to your business, sharing details on your background and what expertise you bring to your profession. Interested Members can contact Community Relations Director, Dana Haynes .

Building Community: Helping build the community you want to be a part of can produce a boost in the valuing of your business. Look for civic minded ways to get involved, such as sponsoring a youth sports team, or partnering with a local nonprofit. Donating your time, money, or space can raise your business’s profile dramatically in a small community. Community members will feel more inclined to patronize the business that supported their child’s soccer team or hosted a fundraiser for a cause they also identify with.

When giving a donation be sure to inquire about what publicity you will be receiving in return. Maximize the exposure of your donation by being listed as a sponsor, having your logo included on marketing materials, or in other visible ways.

Walk to the Walk: It is important that while encouraging local shopping you too are making conscious decisions on your spending habits. Business to business spending is substantial, and developing local purchasing habits can encourage other business owners to do the same. Start by tracking where your spending goes and then identify products or services you could begin sourcing locally. For a list of local businesses and organizations visit the Chamber’s Member Directory .