Sheri Heiney, Executive Director

Greetings!   

Remember to send us your "Good News!"  50 words or less should be sent to info@rrc-mi.com.   

ThinkTank October 2011  

October Think Tank
Successful Marketing Strategies

1.    Client appreciation events- Having speakers come in and help educate your clients.  Call all your clients personally to invite them to the event.  Getting current and prospective clients to talk.
2.    Utilizing Chamber Members to either come into your business or go to theirs to cross market.
3.    Network Reviews/ online marketing
4.    Volunteering- Making your services known while participating in events helping charities/ your community.
5.    Joining Community Groups- Groups that achieve a common goal collectively.  
6.    Community Events- Find out if there are any after school programs.  Visit your chamber of commerce and see if there are things you can lend your time/ expertise in.
7.    Sponsorship- Attach your business to events that you can sponsor and get your business name/ information out.
8.    Network Events- Get involved, be consistent, see if you can get your business involved through vendor or sponsorship.
9.    Co-OP- Find like companies that are targeting the same clients but not in direct competition with.  This can help cost in advertising/ marketing.
10.    1-to-1- Set up meetings and learn more about another persons company.  See if you would be a referral source or a referral partner.
11.    QR codes- Direct your clients from a QR code to your mobile website, facebook, linkedin, twitter, or call you.  Adding this to your marketing needs will let your customers/ potential costumers connect with you.  When you add them as a connection, them to like your facebook, or follow you on twitter this will let you be able to market to them from another format.  
12.    Reviews/ Recommendations- Get reviews from your clients to put on your website, facebook, linkedin, yelp, etc.  You can even offer some sort of promotion if they do.  
13.    Referral Program-Offer some sort of incentive to refer a friend.  Could be enter to win or refer a number of friends and get_____.
14.    Invite to your facility- Have some incentive if they come into the facility.  Either a percentage off, upgrade, or enter to win.  
15.    Accept connections/ friends on Linkedin and facebook.  This will let you market to them your business and events.
16.    Street Teams- Getting interns, volunteers, and or employees going out with a purpose of getting them into the community or places of business.  
17.    Give aways/ raffles- Getting contact info in order to promote and give contacts information about your company.
18.    Trade Shows- Specific goal to get contact information to contact later.  Let people attending the show more about you and the service you provide.
19.    Professionalism- Having people able to get in contact with you, dress for the role, have an office, professional website.
20.    Be consistent
21.    Educating people- You are helping others, you get to network, get contact info, etc.  You can educate by putting on events/ workshops, Lunch and Learns, your social media, newsletter, blog.  
22.    Linkedin groups-  Participate in linkedin groups.  Be active and consistent when connecting to members of the group.  Join a group that is not your same industry.  But the industry you are trying to connect to.  You can join up to 50 groups.  Interact with other members conversations, post product knowledge, ask questions.
23.    Twitter- Post different times a day.  Post a famous quote, info about your company, useful tip.  Interact with other members of twitter.
24.    Youtube- Set up youtube account and put 3-5 minute videos.  Educate your audience giving tricks and tips about your industry.  
25.    Local Media-  Contact the local media and lend your expertise and offer to either write a story, blog, or interview you.  You can help with current events, charity events, chamber events.
26.    Follow Up
27.    Facebook- Recognizing Birthdays
28.    Facebook/ Linkedin/ Twitter/ Google+- Special Quotes, Post about your business and who you are looking to connect with.
29.    Press Release- Every time there is something new you are working on, events, etc write a press release.  Email to local media.  
30.    Cards- Send a personal hand written letter or use send-out-cards. Take the time to write thank you, nice to meet you, thanks for the business, thanks for the referral, we miss you, happy birthday.
31.    Open House- Target new clients and market to old clients.
32.    VIP nights- Have special nights thanking your best clients.  
33.    Join Networking Groups- Be active in the groups.
34.    Email signature- Put your contact information, website, social media, your "ask."
35.    Trade Shows- At the trade show talk to the other vendors.  Connect with them and find out their goals at the show.  Find out how you can work together.  Get their information.
36.    Buy Target Mailing List
37.     Marketing Material- Make sure your marketing material is consistent.  Make sure your business card, brochures, website, social media all match.
38.    Facebook/ Linkedin/ Twitter/ Google+- Put interesting questions to get fans/ connections to communicate.
39.    Social Media- Have theme days.  Ex:  Michigan Mondays, Marketing Monday, Tips Tuesday etc.  
40.     Communicating on other fan pages as your fan page.  This will bring more awareness about your business.  It will help grow your brand.
41.    Leaving comments, testimonial, and reviews on other peoples fan pages, linkedin, yelp, etc.  On Facebook you can also leave a review as your company fan page. 

Step Up Before It's Too Late!

Advertise in the Winter Issue of the Greater Rochester Area Lifestyle 

Financial Forecast 

The Ice Breaker at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets 

Chief Financial Credit Union 

Michigan Internship Initiative 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney  

Discounted Tickets for Chamber Members! 

Genisys Credit Union 

Human Capital

Your Space Refined 

Liquidation Sale - Salon & Retail Furniture 

Buffalo Wild Wings  

Tuesday's at Buffalo Wild Wings just got Crafty.  Every Tuesday at the Rochester Hills Buffalo Wild Wings take advantage of $1 off Michigan Craft Draft Beers or sampling flights all day, every Tuesday! While you're enjoying your Michigan Craft Beer, try one our signature sauces with our 45 cent wings!   

In a rush to get lunch today? Why not get lunch in 15 minutes or less at Buffalo Wild Wings! Try one of our many lunch combos including a drink that are available in 15 Minutes, or your next one is FREE. You'll be in and out before your boss even notices you're gone!  Stop by the Rochester Hills Buffalo Wild Wings across from Crittenton Hospital.   

Attention:  Chamber of Commerce Members. 

Once again, the Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce is happy to support the Salvation Army.  Donations collected help people in our community.  If your business is interested in collecting donations on behalf of the Salvation Army, please stop by the Chamber Office to pick up a Countertop Canister.  For more information, please contact Laura Lunnam at 248-334-3407 x 106.

Thank you!

ROCHESTER, Mich., November 2, 2011 As visitors walk through magnificent Meadow Brook Hall this holiday season, festoons will drape across fireplaces ablaze, ornate trees will twinkle with fairy lights, and the organ will call out favorite tunes. But this year, Meadow Brook Hall's annual Holiday Walk, November 25 through December 22, will go beyond beautiful decorations. For the 40th anniversary of the Detroit area's classic Holiday Walk, the estate will go "unplugged" with the theme "The Games People Played."
Remember life before iPads and Xbox?  From card games to board games, Lincoln Logs to Tinker Toys, visitors will see original games from the Meadow Brook collection. Also, on exhibit for the first time a rare carved-ivory chess set owned by the Wilson family. Learn about many of the cherished games we know and play today that have long and varied histories and their ability to bring people, especially families, together - making them enduring and popular pastimes.

New this year! Over the bridge and through the woods, visitors will stroll down the decorated path to tour Knole Cottage (weather permitting).  On Monday evenings for a special treat, join us for family game night and a unique craft in the Coach House. Then follow the soft glow of lanterns down the illuminated path to Knole Cottage for evening tours.  On the weekends, to make your visit a little sweeter, children of all ages can decorate a delectable holiday cookie to take home. Children can also participate in a coloring contest for a chance to win a just published Meadow Brook Hall coloring book.

The month's festivities also include tours, a pickle hunt, a chamber music concert, breakfast with Santa, an elegant holiday tea, a swinging Starlight Stroll and more.

MEADOW BROOK HALL'S 2011 Holiday Walk includes several special events:
*    Free visit with Santa at Knole Cottage, December 10 and December 11
*    Breakfast with Santa, December 11 and 18
*    Chamber Music Concert, December 11
*    Supper with Santa, December 12
*    Holiday Tea, December 13 and 20
*    Starlight Stroll, December 15

The cost for the both the Breakfast and the Supper events is $30 for adults and $25 for children. Cost to attend the tea is $50 per person.  Tickets to the Starlight Stroll are $75 per person and include an elegant strolling dinner, live musical entertainment, touring and more. Reservations are required for all Holiday Walk special events, excluding the free visit with Santa.  To make a reservation call (248) 364-6263 or purchase tickets online at www.meadowbrookhall.org.

THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAYED is open to the public from Friday, November 25 through Thursday, December 22, 2011. Tour hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last admittance at 4 p.m.), and Monday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. (last admittance at 8 p.m.) Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children 17 and under (accompanied by an adult); children age 2 and under are free. On Tuesdays and Thursdays seniors age 62 and older will receive $5 off admission. All tours are self-guided and reservations are not required.

Meadow Brook Hall is fully self-funded, relying on special events such as the annual Holiday Walk for the preservation and interpretation of this significant historic estate. For more information about the Meadow Brook Hall Holiday Walk call (248) 364-6200 or visit meadowbrookhall.org. 

There is nothing greater than the smile on the face of a child as they try on a new jacket and see themselves in the mirror, a jacket that is theirs and theirs alone.  Not one that has been handed down from an older sibling.  
For many disadvantaged elementary school children their faces will reveal the same smile as they enter a store like setting accompanied by an Assistance League® volunteer,  to select a new jacket, hat, gloves, pant, two tops, socks, underwear, hygiene items, a book, a shoe voucher, and a duffle bag to carry their new items home.
Children often have to share clothing and rarely get to buy things new so they are thrilled to have the opportunity to shop for themselves.  Children are pre-selected by school administrators and Assistance League volunteers do the rest to make a lasting difference in the life of a child.

This year Operation School Bell will make distributions in Warren, Hamtramck, Pontiac, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Detroit.  A total of 1800 children will be clothed.  In Fiscal Year 2010-11, 1736 students received the items mentioned above.   

Assistance League of Southeastern Michigan is a nonprofit 501 (3) (c) organization that puts caring and commitment into action through community-based philanthropic programs.  
To learn more about Assistance League of Southeastern Michigan visit our website at www.semich.assistanceleague.org or watch our YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2W8rPLVZlM  

 Swan for Life Cancer Foundation   

Pet of the Week - Rose

Meet Rose! This absolutely brilliant 8-year-old Pomeranian has travelled quite a long way to find her forever family. A 7.5 pound lapdog, Rose enjoys nothing more than curling up with you. One look at this cutie, and you may just need to call the Doctor! The adoption fee includes sterilization, age-appropriate vaccinations and much more. For more information, visit or call the Michigan Humane Society's Rochester Hills Center for Animal Care at (248) 852-7420 and provide the pet ID number, 700410. Photo by Chris Johnson.