WEEKLY NEWS - NOVEMBER 2016
November 28, 2016   


Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations,
 & Economic Development Groups









Hello Chamber member,

We want your input. Spruce Grove & District Chamber of Commerce is conducting a survey to gauge the outlook of Spruce Grove area businesses. We'd like to get your thoughts on your company's outlook and your view of our region and Alberta as a place to start and grow a business.  

To thank you for your time, the survey gives you the option to receive a  pre-release of the overall results prior to the official release.

This survey is being conducted in cooperation with the Baker Strategy Group, a consulting firm focused on supporting business startup and growth. If you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to contact me or reach out directly to David Baker.

Sincerely,

Brenda Johnson
President & CEO
Spruce Grove & District Chamber of Commerce
780-962-2561
David Baker
Baker Strategy Group
o: 734-786-3342
c: 734-355-8232



TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH
11:30AM - 1:30PM
THE LINKS GOLF COURSE CLUB HOUSE

Donations of non-perishable food items, gift cards to purchase perishables and gifts for children 17 and under will be accepted at the luncheon.


NEWS WE ARE FOLLOWING   Nov 21, 2016  by Alberta Venture Staff
Alberta's Airbnb Effect    As the home-sharing service explodes in popularity, hotels take a hit. Should we use regulations to level the playing field?

After thumbing through her janitor-style key ring, Natasha  Stenzel op ens the door to number 506, Liberty Quarters. The six-storey a partment 
build in g   neighbours Edmonton's Chinatown and is a  stone's throw from the new downtown Hyatt Place. She takes off her shoes before entering but 
discourages me from following suit. "It's just something I do," she says.

The apartment is spotless: gleaming granite countertops and a patio door you could walk through if you weren't careful. Even the grout between the tiles doesn't show signs of visitors. "Our cleaners get in there with a toothbrush," Stenzel says. She takes a wine glass out of the cupboard, holding it up to the light. "Not a spot on it."

Stenzel is a master of real estate. She completed her master of business administration at Athabasca University and now sells real estate for St. Albert's Reality Executive Masters and owns her own rental company. But in Alberta's downturn economy, not all is well with real estate. read more
4 Fast Fixes to Jumpstart Your Social Media Strategy
September 21, 2016 b y  











Social media networks are fantastic resources for businesses of all sizes looking to promote their brands online. The platforms themselves are free to use, and they also have paid advertising options specifically for brands that want to reach even more new audiences. But just because your business should be on social media, that doesn't mean your business should be on every network. It's important that you choose and nurture the social platforms that work best for your business so that you don't spread yourself too thin.

If you want to create a successful social strategy, you need to familiarize yourself with how each network runs, the kinds of audiences you can reach and how your business can best use each platform. We profiled the top social media platforms so you can learn more about them and market your business better. read more
   
CALL TO ACTIO N:   Phase III 
Minimum Wage Survey


The Alberta Government raised the provincial minimum wage to $12.20 per hour on October 1, 2016. It has also reaffirmed its intention to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018.

Given the tremendous response we received on our first two surveys, the ACC is conducting a third phase survey to identify the impacts to business as a result of the most recent increase and the anticipated impacts of a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2018.

The Government recognizes the ability of the chamber network to connect with members of the business community, and has asked us to provide and update on impacts to date and expected impacts of further changes to the minimum wage.

The input of our members is invaluable. The ACC received over 2400 responses to Phase I and Phase ll of our Minimum Wage Survey, 5.8% of which represented our business members.. it is our goal is to surpass this level of participation and we need your help to do it.
It takes approximately 10-15 minutes.

The survey will close on Friday, December 16, 2016
We appreciate the participation of your members and thank you in
 advance for your help in conducting Phase IIl of the survey.
Last chance to benefit from an Enhanced
 listing in your Community Directory.
null

As the face of our Community Directory is changing from print to online, it has never been more important than now to support and advertise with your Chamber.  At the same price as advertising in our directory alone, you will be listed in an *enhanced (see below) format on our website, in our community app which lists businesses, hot deals, local events, and local job postings. 

SUPPORT YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE  & don't miss your chance to promote your business as we connect your label with customers through our Directory, our Website and our Community App! *Through your enhanced  business directory listing, you receive :

*  1600 Character Web Description
*  200 Character Search Results Summary
*  100 Character Hours of Operation
*  200 Character Driving Directions
*  5 Additional Bulleted Description
*  20 Keywords
*  Search Results Icon
*  Logo on Member Page
*  Photo Gallery
*  You Tube Video Uploads
*  Map  

Prices start at just $415 but hurry; deadline is Nov 30, 2016! 
Spruce Grove District Chamber of Commerce
  supports our local Kinette's Christmas Hamper Program.
 
Let us know what your business and employees are doing to support the efforts of filling the 900 hampers needed this year, and enter to win free banner advertising from December 15th until January 30th. To increase your recognition, we will also inclu de an advertor ial in our newsletter and social media recognition showcasing your commitment to our community. 

Value of the draw- $200. Value to our community - Priceless . 
To have a collection bin placed in your workplace,  or for more inquiries, please contact Carolyn .  For More information on Kinnette's Christmas Hamper Program:

Your Opinion Counts
Spruce Grove Public Library wants your feedback!  They want to know what you think about how they can make the library the best it can be. Take a minute to fill out the survey and help them decide on the library's future. Survey will be running from November 27 to December 10/16.  Click here to access the survey.  To learn more about the Spruce Grove Public Library, click here.

Della Saunders,  Marketing Coordinator
Spr uce Grove Chamber of Commerce 
Hot Deals Job Postings Update your profile