Voice of Business Newsletter

April 2010

Photo by David Szabo Photography

IN THIS ISSUE

April Survey

Manager's Report

Economic Development Report

Penticton & Wine Country Tourism Report

Membership Services

Business Fraud Awareness Tips

Monday Morning Memo

Monthly Survey Question

The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce wants to know what you think!

Click on the question mark to view this month's survey question regarding our Members Support Members Discount Program.

Thanks to all those who responded to last month's survey question.

Here are the stats from last month's survey:

Are you having any issues in regards to hiring and retaining skilled labour for your business?

Yes 38%

No 62%

Manager's Report by

Lorraine Renyard

The Literacy Now 1st Annual Spelling Bee was a great success with over 80 spelling bee participants and volunteers. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of literacy issues in our community; raise funds for Literacy Now projects and programs, and last but not least, to offer a fun entertaining event with community involvement.

Joining us were teams from Interior Health, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, Okanagan College Tutoring Program, Ministry of Housing and Social Development and other individuals from the community. The teams stepped up to the challenge in a big way. They generously donated funds, came in costume and brought creative team names - 'Public Spelth', 'BEEautiful Babes', 'Bee Happy Honeys' and more.

Congratulations to the Whizbangs, from the Ministry of Children and Family Development. It was this team that was named the 2010 Champions and received the coveted gold medals around their necks.

Thank you to the sponsors and businesses who supported the event: FortisBC, Penticton Golf and Country Club, Astral Media, the Penticton Western News, Whole Foods Market, Art Knapps, Staples, Hooked on Books, and Seat of Serenity.

Start now to recruit your team and challenge others in the community. Imagine - an entire year to find the 'ringer' for your team and develop your skills.

Economic Development Report by David Arsenault

On April 10th, 2010 the Bank of Canada announced that Canadian firms expect sales growth to pick up over the next 12 months. Further, they reported that most businesses plan to increase investment spending and employment. The target of this investment strategy seems to be expansion for the sake of improving efficiency to promote future growth. Improving efficiency is often a product of tough economic times. While many businesses are looking for better ways to decrease the costs associated with manufacturing, others are seeking expertise in supply chain management, customer retention and the expansion of market penetration.

This positive economic news will provide some measure of assurance for local business as it shows us all that the economy is rebounding after a dismal year. Many business people have been sitting on the fence when it comes to making new investments. Others have been cash strapped and operating just to keep the lights on. Moreover, they have not been confident on what direction to take in these troubling times. Hopefully, this positive economic news will be the catalyst to spur growth in our local economy.

In Penticton, we have seen some positive changes in direction in our local economy. A number of companies are taking a bold step forward retooling and building again. Since the introduction of Penticton's Economic Investment Zone strategy (EIZ) a number of businesses are planning for future growth. The EIZ program, which was introduced to Penticton in March of 2010, is now starting to generate some interest as a positive tool for enhancement and attraction of investment in our community. Penticton Economic Services has answered many inquiries about the program. As an organization, we are working to get the message out both locally and domestically that Penticton is truly open for business.

This EIZ "Made in Penticton" economic stimulus program has encouraged two businesses to invest in our community. Recently, Coast Hotels made an announcement to expand its property on Westminster Street. The Coast Penticton Hotel plans to transform the Coast Penticton Hotel into a 185-room luxury resort as part of a $25-million, three-phase expansion plan. This new property in our hotel inventory will go a long way in creating new space to our travel and convention business customers. In addition to this investment another business in the downtown core will soon be open in the summer of 2010.

Penticton World Junior A Hockey Challenge

Hockey Canada in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League and the City of Penticton has announced that Penticton will host the 5^th annual World Junior A challenge. This announcement sends a positive message to our community and the hockey world that Penticton is truly a hockey Mecca. The overall economic value of this tournament in our community has been estimated at over a million dollars. The event takes place November 1-7, 2010 and will be a perfect opportunity to showcase our City and all it has to offer. The Gold medal game will be broadcasted worldwide via TSN. Get your tickets soon before it is sold out!

Windward Software YE Competition

Penticton high school entrepreneur teams are working on the final phase of their businesses ideas. Overall six teams are still in the running for the final prize of $2,500 in start-up capital for their business venture. The final announcement will be made at an awards luncheon and trade show May 20, 2010 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. Tickets are available at the EDS office to attend this event.

Penticton Rotary Salute to the Industrial Sector

The heart of every community is the dedicated group of local entrepreneurs that provide employment that drives the local economy. Tourism in Penticton is avid and thriving, but what many may not know is that Penticton is much more than a tourist destination. The Penticton Industrial sector is the key driver of our local economy. In dollars and cents this sector accounts for a majority of our tax dollars and high paying jobs. As a community we are fortunate to have a diverse industrial sector that produces goods and services to a global audience. Penticton is more than a one industry city and this is why we continue to prosper as a community. The Penticton Rotary will be recognizing the Penticton Industrial Development Association with an award to show its appreciation for its positive contributions to the growth and wellbeing of our community on May 12th.

Watch for more information on Penticton Economic Services and check out our website for more local business announcements. Stay Tuned!

David Arsenault MBA is Penticton's Economic Development Officer and a former college professor with Okanagan College. If you have good news stories related to business in Penticton contact 250-493-3323 or email darsenault@penticton.org

Penticton & Wine Country Tourism Report by Kelly Reid

Join us at the Wine Country Visitor Centre Boardroom for the Tourism Advisory Council Committee Annual General Meeting Reception on Wednesday April 28, 2010 at 3:00 pm.

Linda Lee, from Strategex is our keynote speaker. See the exciting marketing activities that are in place to drive visitors to Penticton & Wine Country in 2010. From online marketing to television to targeted publications, find out how Penticton & Wine Country plans to continue to outperform other destinations in BC. Learn how your business can best benefit from these initiatives.

Also with us is Caterina Papadakos, Sport Tourism Coordinator for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and she will be presenting the Sports Tourism Strategy.

The new members of the 2010/2011 Tourism Advisory Council will also be announced.

Appetizers will be supplied by Earl's Restaurant. Thank you Earl's!

If you will be attending the AGM, please RSVP to 250-492-4103 or admin@penticton.org

Membership Services Report by Andrea Davison

Introducing the Chamber of Commerce "Business Excellence Seminar Series"

Starting in May, we are pleased to announce the implementation of our ongoing educational Business Excellence Seminar Series. These are a series of workshops offering a broad range of topics to enhance and educate you on the latest topics and trends. Designed for business owners, staff and individuals, these seminars offer everything from brushing up on your service skills, to social media, tax information, human resources, conflict resolution and more! Each seminar is offered at a cost of $45 + GST for members and $65 + GST for non-members and is held in the Chamber of Commerce boardroom.

Below are a few of our upcoming seminars, watch for more in the near future.

Introducing Social Media-Tuesday May 11 2010, 9am to 11:30am If it was a country, Facebook would be the third-largest in the world. In 2009, Twitter grew an astounding 1300 percent. If you're new to social media, join us for this crash course; we'll focus on the two most popular tools: Facebook and Twitter. Our facilitator, Allison Markin, will walk you through the process of creating a Twitter account, and discuss the differences between personal profiles, groups and pages on Facebook. We'll touch on the social networks FlickR, YouTube and LinkedIn, and we'll delve into the world of privacy issues on social media, and how to protect yourself.

Under Promise & Over Deliver-Thursday May 27 2010, 9am to 11:30am A two and a half hour workshop that targets business owners and employees to expand on their definition of service and creates a refreshing approach to the important customer service issue that affects your bottom line.

Social Marketing: The Power of Networks-Tuesday June 8 2010, 9am to 11:30am Have you noticed? More and more companies are asking their consumers to "fan" them on Facebook, or "follow" them on Twitter. Marketing has fundamentally shifted with the advent of social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. No longer is marketing a one-way conversation, it's a two-way interactive chat between businesses and their customers. Allison Markin of All She Wrote Consulting will teach you some tips and tricks on effective social marketing, demonstrating the most popular social media sites, and will share some case studies showing how companies have used social networks to grow their brand. Familiarity with Facebook and Twitter is recommended!

Call the Chamber office to register, space is limited so don't delay! Payment is required when registering.

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