Welcome to Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greetings!
I just returned from China along with 49 other Chamber Directors from across the country. There were 4 of us representing New England and I was the only one from Vermont. This was a free trip for us to learn about the Chinese culture, business and hospitality sectors. We made business connections and toured many factories. I'll be happy to share more information with you, just ask. We will offer this same trip (without the business meetings) to anyone that would like to "Travel with the Chamber in 2012". It will be $2200 all inclusive. Departure date will be March 26, 2012 from JFK. On May 16, 2011, Citslink will present a trip orientation. Please call the Chamber office if you are interested. ### On March 24 we had our byway hearing with the Vermont Scenery Preservation Council. They have recommended us to the Transportation Board. We are waiting for the final hearing date for our final designation. Our Scenic Route 100 byway begins in Andover and continues on Route 100 North to Pittsfield. We have spurs in Ludlow on Route 103 connecting to Route 131 and Route 100a to include President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. ### Deadline to be in our Summer/Fall Regional Guidebook is April 14. You must be a member in good standing to be included, which means at least half your dues ($125) needs to paid by 4/8. The remainder will be on a payment plan. Now is a good time to tell another business that might not be a member to join us. We need your events and music series submitted to Danielle to be included in the summer guidebook. ### Mobile App update: We are happy to report users are finding and downloading the official Okemo Valley app! You can still be part of this fun new app as we ramp up our mobile marketing effort here at the chamber. Over the coming weeks you will see advertising and promotion for our mobile marketing solution popping up around the valley. We will also be providing each member with web page links and material to show your customers that you are in the Official Okemo Valley mobile app. The chamber has embarked on a program to provide information that will help businesses understand, benefit, and successfully market in this new media. Keep an eye on your inbox for this information. Smartphone users generally are shopping for specific answers when they open an app while on the go. The most common information they are seeking is: "what is there to do?", "where can I find ...?", or "is there a special deal?". Being part of this app will ensure that your business is found when the user is making their purchase decision. This is why it is important for you to participate in making sure information in the Okemo Valley mobile app is current. We have about 185 apple downloads and 105 on Android. It's not too late to take advantage of our $100/year special offer. ### Thank you to Endless Creations Pottery Studio for hosting our March mixer. The food was great and the opportunity to create our very own piece of pottery was much fun! ### Thank you to Andy at the Castle Hill Resort & Spa Vermont for hosting the VtSBDC hospitality focus group. We had the best turnout of all the focus groups held throughout the State. Thank you to all the businesses who participated. ###
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Chamber Mixers
Join us for our monthly Chamber Mixers on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Bring a door prize if you can.
All Mixers are from 5:30-7:30pm
2011 MIXER LINE UP
April 13- Bonnie's Bundles Dolls - Chester
Lew and Bonnie Watters are delighted to host the April mixer at their stone house and gallery in the Stone Village in Chester. Their mascot, Silvio(cat) will greet the guests and perhaps follow you on a stone house tour, into the banquet area where offerings will include a variety of Bonnie's soups, salads and cakes. Wine, beer, cider and Chester water will be available as you are introduced to the nearly 100 original cloth dolls. It promises to be a special evening. Parking is available across the street at the Universalist Parish. Don't miss this fun event beginning at 5:30pm. You'll hear about the plans that Hugging Bear and Bonnie's Bundles have for the famous Big Little Wedding anniversary too.
May 11- Outback Pizza - Ludlow
May 16 - Citslink orientation to China
June 8- Canvasworks Floor Cloths - Weathersfield
July 13 - Fletcher Farm School for the Arts & Crafts - Ludlow
August 10- 3rd Annual Okemo Valley Business Expo at Green Mountain Banquet and Conference Center - Chester
Music by Adam Rosenberg. Call now to secure your $99 8' table.
September 14- The Village Green Gallery - Weston
October 12- Berkshire Bank - Ludlow
November 9- Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow
December 14- Annual Meeting at Stone Hearth Inn & Tavern - Chester
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Membership Committee News
The membership committee met on March 25 at 9:00am at Java Babas. Please contact Laura Williams if you want to join our committee.
New M2M Benefits were discussed: We're currently working with Staples: The Chamber will have a master account offering a core list of product savings. Every member will have the opportunity to customize for your specific business needs. More info to come. ### We discussed the upcoming August 10 Business Expo and will have sections: Health & Wellness; Services; Dining/Food; Shopping and Green Efficiency sections. Call the Chamber to reserve your $99 table. ### 
Please remember to add "Proud Member" button to your website for greater search engine optimization.
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Free coupon offer on www.yourplaceinvermont.com Call 228-7664 Spring River Marketing to get set up. One time $20 set up fee. ### Payment Policy / Collections: Any member with monies owed to the Chamber in dues and/or advertising, (that is over 90 days and not on a payment plan), is in jeopardy of losing their member benefits: listings in our regional guidebook, website, mobile app, advertising, insurance, etc.
Be sure to check all Member Benefits on our website. Please call or email Denise to add or update your M2M Benefit. Let's all do business with each other at a discount. Keep it local and support one another.
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Marketing Committee News
The marketing committee met March 25 at 11am at the Cool Moose Cafe. Please contact Marji Graf, 228-5830 or mgraf@yourplaceinvermont.com if you would like to join this committee.
We discussed initiating Pay Per Click & google keyword advertising for our chamber website, setting a summer/fall and winter/spring budget. We also reviewed several advertising options from outside vendors that came to the Chamber and decided to focus online instead. ###
Advertising opportunity deadlines:
April 14 is the ad reservation deadline for our Summer-Fall 2011 Okemo Valley Regional Guidebook. You can download complete details at: OkemoValleyMedia.com
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May 9 is the deadline for next winter's Vermont Vacation Guide. $370. "Vermont Vacation Guides Go Far and Wide"
In addition to the VT Chamber's typical distribution as the state's core fulfillment piece through VDTM, the Berlin office also processes daily requests for tourism information. They have noticed a growing trend in requests for our Vermont Winter Vacation Guide and Vermont Summer/Fall Vacation Guide, especially for wedding planners and trip advisors.
Here is a small sampling of new distribution channels and numbers of guidebooks delivered by them in February
(one case = 40 guidebooks):
18 total cases to travel planning offices in TN, NJ, MA, RI, PA, CT, NH, NY, OH and VA.
15 total cases to local lodging properties and Realtors in Vermont, from Colchester to Ludlow.
27 total cases to local chambers of commerce in Vermont.
11 cases to businesses (including Amtrack and the US State Department) in VT, VA, SD, IN, and Washington, DC.
5 cases to individuals (includes people planning Vermont weddings) in RI, VT, Chicago, IL and Auburn, MA. And the Okemo Valley is on the inside front and inside back covers!! ### We are currently running co-op pages in: Winter/Spring 2011 So. VT Arts & Living Wedding Issue; February - April 2011 Travelhost Magazine; May - August 2011 Yankee Magazine; and a brand ad in the May 2011 issue of Connecticut Magazine. ### Banner Ads are still available and are a great bargain! Promote your business on www.yourplaceinvermont.com ###
It's not too late to get on our mobile app. Take advantage of the special pricing today and the opportunity to communicate directly with your customers in LIVE time. You will have your own user name and password so you can let customers know you're special offers, and be sure to list your menu. So far we have about 185 downloads on the apple platform and 105 on the android platform and growing!! ### Outside Television. (formerly RSN) "Okemo Valley-Your place in Vermont" Program Overview - 2011 The TV show is presented by the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce and WVBK, known locally as Outside TV20 and depending on where you're viewing our station; we're available on Comcast Cable on either Channels 12 or 20 reaching 60,000+ subscribers. If you don't have cable or haven't seen the show, Okemo Valley-Your place in Vermont provides interesting and useful information for the visitor. The program is a colorful way to highlight attractions, restaurants, shops, landmarks, destinations and activities. Video content from the show is posted seasonally on the Chambers website and our sponsors are visible to viewer's living-in and visiting our region and also around the world. - This season we're introducing a way to reduce the cost to individual sponsorships by forming groups that can split 2-minute sponsorships. These categories are for geography or business types. For instance, 3 merchants would each have 30 seconds for their individual businesses plus 20 seconds to open the category-segment and 10 seconds to close and reinforce the group, its location and contact information. Each sponsors investment would be $500, including commercial production and Internet cross-promotion. Some group examples are: retail merchants in a nearby town or located on a local street, restaurants of Okemo Valley, gift shops you can walk to, etc. This is a great way to keep costs down and let TV make your register ring.
Pricing remains the same, to fit every budget: 15-second commercial in show: $ 700 30-second commercial in show: $1,100 60-second commercial in show: $1,300 2 minute segment sponsorships: $1,500 The show air times remain the same: 8:30am, 3:30pm and 8:30pm. Summer- Fall Season: 16 Weeks from July 4, 2011 - October 23, 2011 21 plays / week, for a total of 336 airings per season Our Host: Marci Francis Call Dan Carbonara 802-258-2200 or danwvbk@comcast.net ### |
Okemo Valley #'s from State
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Year
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Retail Sales
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Meal Sales
| Rent Sales | Alcohol
Sales |
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2007
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54,709,222
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17,072,832
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16,823,410
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3,449,516
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2008
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62,283,381
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17,633,259
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17,459,172
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3,545,025
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2009
| 59,994,678 |
17,147,811
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13,428,032
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3,662,360
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| | 2010 |
62,142,389
| 19,067,030 |
15,304,233
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4,049,124
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If you would like to see monthly breakouts or more information regarding these numbers, please feel free to contact Marji for an appointment. |
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News from our Members
Elise from Gallery 103 would like to form a committee to coordinate a "road re-opening" party. Ideas may include a street party on 103 with bands, a parade, balloon rides, Governor to cut ribbon opening the road, a shop tour with map & tickets to be stamped at each store, food of course, tastes of the local restaurants. Please note this event would require some money to be spent - we would need sponsors and donations and people to help organize and coordinate it. If you would like to help, please call or email Elise at gallery103@vermontel.net or 875-7400. ### Katharine Otto from the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission is working on promoting the Way to Go Vermont Commuter Challenge week (May 16-20) and I have been asked if I can find prizes and coupons from our region. This statewide effort is to encourage commuters to use alternative ways to travel (walk, bike, bus, carpool or telecommute) to work other than by driving by themselves. These participants sign up and keep track of the cost, mileage and greenhouse emissions they are saving. We're providing incentives by giving out prizes (coupons and raffle prizes). I thought by reaching out to the Chambers would be a great resource to the business community. I'm asking businesses if they would like to donate coupons or raffle prizes. People will receive a PDF of coupons when they're done registering online. An appropriate level for a coupon might be free appetizers/coffee with another purchase or whatever you think is appropriate. Prizes could range from small store gift certificates to perhaps larger items. The event coordinators have already received the really major prizes, such as iPods, snowboards and electric mowers, so we're not looking for anything too big. If you are willing to donate a prize or coupons, please let me know by calling Katharine at 802-674-9201. The big push advertising the event will be starting later next month, including advertising in local newspapers, on the radio and maybe local tv. I will also have some information about Way To Go opportunities in the local region on our website - Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission . |
Upcoming Events:
Please submit your events to us 2 weeks in advance.
If you don't see your event in the calendar, please call us.
www.YourPlaceInVermont.com |
About Our Organization
Our Chamber provides the following member benefits:
*Health Insurance provided by Cigna,
*Dental Insurance provided by Delta Dental,
*Free listing on our website with web link,
*Free listing in our regional guidebook,
*Free listing on our mobile app,
*Free placement of your business brochures in our welcome centers in Ludlow and Chester,
*Free monthly chamber mixers,
*Free educational programs,
*Member to member discounts,
*Referrals,
*Co-op advertising opportunities
*Marketing and Promotion
*Events publicized,
*And much, much more!!!
Our Vision Statement:
The Okemo Valley region, consisting of the Towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Mount Holly, Plymouth and Weston, is recognized as a four-season sustainable Vermont destination to be enjoyed by all.
The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce is recognized as an organization providing leadership, support and services vital to the health and future growth of the member businesses in the communities that we serve.
Chamber members are ambassadors for the Okemo Valley region, promoting the area as a vibrant place to live and to visit.
Our Mission Statement:
The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit, member-driven organization. It is the voice of its members and the business communities in the Towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Mount Holly, Plymouth and Weston, Vermont. It provides advocacy, support and unified regional marketing to promote and enhance our regional businesses and four-season economy. |
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Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director
Marji Graf
mgraf@yourplaceinvermont.com
Staff
Danielle Lillard
Marketing Assistant
dlillard@yourplaceinvermont.com
Denise Cote
Membership Assistant
dcote@yourplaceinvermont.com
2011 Board of Directors
William Dakin
Dakin & Benelli
President
Lynne Reed
Misty Valley Books
Vice President
Barbara LeMire
People's United Bank
Treasurer
Mark Verespy
The Killarney
Secretary
Jessica Alberty
Hawk Inn & Mountain Resort
Michael Alon
DaVallia Art & Accents
Tesha Buss
Good Commons
Dan Cote
Inn Victoria
Liz Crowley
CZ Construction Management
Donald Dill
Images by Donald Dill
Sheldon Ghetler
Stone Heath Inn & Tavern
Brian Halligan
Okemo Mountain Resort
Laurie Marechaux
Fletcher Farm School
Jim Szabo
The Vermont Country Store
Laura Williams
Calm Moments Spa Services
Past President
Jim Kubec
The Governor's Inn
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Pictured l-r Marji Graf, Executive Director, Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, Ludlow, VT, Tricia Cunningham, Executive Director, Greater Mystic CT Chamber of Commerce, Mystic, CT, Lisa Konicki, Executive Director, Greater Westerly Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce, Westerly, RI, and Kelly Clark, Executive Director, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Cambridge, MA We represented the New England Chamber of Commerce Executives in China.
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Our group at the Great Wall
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