Welcome to Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greetings! The Chamber Team (Danielle, Andi, Gabrielle, Maria & Marji) hopes that everyone had a Joyous Chanukah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. ### We welcome in our new 2012 Board of Directors (listed on the right). At our first board meeting in January, they will elect a new President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. ### Our 2012 Member kits with invoices have been mailed. Inside your kit is your M2M benefit card, your 2012 window cling for your door, and an overview of what we offer you. ### We have an exciting line up of mixers and educational programs in 2012. These are free for chamber members and a nominal fee charged for non-members. January 6 is our Legislative Breakfast at the Newsbank Conference Center in Chester from 8:30-9:30am. A continental breakfast will be served. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce will be discussing their upcoming legislative agenda and would like to hear from you as well. Please rsvp the chamber office if you would like to attend. 228-5830. ### Chamber Mixers are on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 5:30-7:30pm. See the schedule below and mark them in your calendars. If you would like to host a mixer in 2013, call the Chamber office to reserve your month. ### Upcoming Programs: January 24 from 8:30-9:30am Will be our first new member orientation and refresher course including how to use the Chambers website plus how to save money with special offers and benefits available to members. Hosted by Inn Victoria in Chester (continental breakfast will be served) Our next orientation will be in April. If you would like to host one of these morning meetings, please let the chamber know. We would need a screen and projector for some topics. February tbd- social media marketing March tbd- google analytics and google adword campaigns April tbd- how to use our mobile app and benefits for the end user May tbd- save on credit card processing June tbd- save on postage meters and ink July tbd- email marketing with Constant Contact August tbd- how to promote your business in our Okemo Valley Guidebook, Map and Blog ### Be sure to check our extensive calendar of events on our website. We need your event 2 weeks prior. |
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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.
Special Event:
January 6 - Legislative Breakfast - Newsbank Conference Center -Chester 8:30am-9:30am
2012 MIXER LINE UP All Mixers are from 5:30-7:30pm January 11 - Outback Pizza, Ludlow February 8 - Inn at Weston - Weston March 14 - Six Loose Ladies - Proctorsville April 11 - Papa Johns Sugar House - Mount Holly May 9 - Good Commons - Plymouth May 12 - Energy & Business Expo - Jackson Gore Inn (SWCRPC Energy Show combined with OVRCC's 4th Annual Business Expo) Ludlow June 13 - WestonVT & VT Country Store, Weston July 11 - WaterMusicArt and Hugging Bear Inn-Chester August 8 - Stone Hearth Inn - Chester
September 12 - Heritage Family Credit Union - Ludlow September 19 - OVRCC Golf Tournament - Ludlow October 10 - The Richards Group - Ludlow November 14 - Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow December 12 - Annual Meeting & Holiday Party at Echo Lake Inn - Plymouth
Already reserving 2013 dates. Call soon. July 2013 - Route 103 Auto Repair - Chester November 2013 - Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow |
Membership Committee News
New 2012 member kits were mailed out with your 2012 dues invoices. Included in your kit are 2012 M2M cards with benefit savings sheet, (call if you need more); 2012 window clings to be put on your door; and What We Offer You. Please use your card to shop locally and to save money. These savings more than pay for your chamber dues!
Our first membership committee meeting is scheduled for January 13 at 9am at Java Babas in Ludlow. We welcome you to join our committee.
January 24 from 8:30-9:30am will be our first new member orientation and refresher course including how to use the Chambers website plus how to save money with special offers and benefits available to members. Hosted by Inn Victoria in Chester (continental breakfast will be served) Our next orientation will be in April. |
Welcome New Members
The Chamber welcomes the following new members in December.
Friends of Ludlow Auditorium - Ludlow ralphpace@tds.net
Martel Mechanical Plumbing & Heating - Cavendish martelmechanical@yahoo.com
Mountainview Physical Therapy - Ludlow 228-4840
Sculpted Physiques - Chester sculptedphysiques@ymail.com
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Marketing Committee News:
Our next marketing committee meeting will be January 5 at 3pm at the Cool Moose Cafe in Ludlow. We'll be offering a lot of new marketing opportunities this year. For instance;
Do you have a facebook page? We will place a facebook icon next to your listing on www.yourplaceinvermont.com with a direct link to your business' facebook page. The cost is only $55 per year for this direct link to your page.
Would you like your event publicized on Google search engines? We're incorporating online co-ops to go along with our existing print co-ops in Vermont Vacation Guide and May issue of Yankee Magazine. Let the experts at the Chamber do this for you!
We're now working on positioning for next Winter Vermont Vacation Guide. Distribution is 100,000 and the cost of your ad would be $370 on the inside front or inside back cover. First come, first served. We fill the inside front cover first. Deadline is April, 2012.
Other marketing goals for 2012 include:
We're continuing our banner ad on www.visitvt.com
We're investing in search engine optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) as well as paid search.
We're investing in social media marketing to include our blog.
We'll have downloadable coupons on our event landing pages as well as banner ads.
Mobile app users will be able to "push out" live offers.
We're going to have an interactive web photo contest of favorite things to do in the Okemo Valley. The winners (chosen from our web viewers), will have their photos on our website, 2013 Calendar and post cards. Tell all your friends and customers to send in their favorite pictures to info@yourplaceinvermont.com.
We're continuing our attendance at trade shows:
February 10-12, Boston Globe Travel Show;
March 2-4, New York Times Travel Show;
September, Big E in Agawam MA;
October, Vermont Wedding Associations bridal show.
Do you have an interest in a special topic for our free morning educational series? Please let Marji know and we can schedule a program around that topic.
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Upcoming Events:
Please let us know of your 1, 5 or 10 year celebrations. (or increments of 5). We would like to promote that for you!!
Do you have an event that would qualify for Vermont's Top 10 Summer or Winter Event? Let us know so we can nominate your event.
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 |
News From Our Members
CTM Media Group located on Route 103 in Chester, VT is very excited to be part of the Okemo Valley community. We offer various forms of media- from cost-effective brochure distribution blanketing top cities with over 11,000 locations - to digital marketing programs, indispensable visitor maps and trackable value driven offers; CTM Media Group connects your business with visitors who are looking for things to do.
With an office located in Chester, VT we service over 450 Central & Southern Vermont locations for several local businesses like Okemo Mountain Resort, Vermont Country Store, Green Mountain Railroad, Taylor Farm, Clearlake Furniture, Okemo Snowmobile Tours, Grafton Inn, Grafton Ponds Touring Center, Town of Weston and for 2012 the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber Guidebooks and the Regional Map.
A proven leader for over 29 years, CTM offers the highest exposure for your marketing dollar. Our strategically targeted network ensures your advertisement will be seen by the right audience, at the right time delivering the right results!
Okemo Valley Chamber Members- SAVE 20% on New Distribution Programs and up to 40% on CTM's wholesale print buying network- Also we would love to offer you a "free" basic profile on our www.ettractions.com visitor website. You can sign up at www.ettractions.com/register CTM's ettractions.com website fosters organic search results driving traffic to each individual profile as well as destination specific webpages like Vermont.ettractions.com
Any questions please contact Angela Hearne- Director of Sales at 802-440-3058 or ahearne@ctmmedia.com
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About Our Organization
Our Chamber provides the following member benefits:
*Health Insurance provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield *Dental Insurance provided by Delta Dental, *Free listing on our website with web link, *Free listing in our (twice/year) 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, *Google adword campaigns *Story ideas submitted to news outlets *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.
We are not affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. |
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OKEMO VALLEY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Marji Graf
CEO
mgraf@yourplaceinvermont.com
Staff
Danielle Lillard
Marketing Assistant
dlillard@yourplaceinvermont.com
Andi Smithmeyer
Membership Assistant
andi@yourplaceinvermont.com
2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tesha Buss
Good Commons
Patrick Ciriello
Hawks Mountain Consulting
Dan Cote
Inn Victoria
Liz Crowley
CZ Construction Management
Donald Dill
Images by Donald Dill
Sheldon Ghetler
Stone Hearth Inn & Tavern
Brian Halligan
Okemo Mountain Resort
Mary Knight
Knight Tubs, Pools & Spas
Barbara LeMire
People's United Bank
Ken Saccardo
Spring River Marketing
Jim Szabo
THe Vermont Counry Store
Mark Verespy
The Killarney
Laura Williams
Calm Moments Spa
Past President
William Dakin
Dakin & Benelli
missing in photo Tesha Buss and Liz Crowley |
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