Send Us Your ACES - The annual ACES awards nomination process has begun, and we encourage you to let us know about your business successes in 2013 so we can recognize your efforts (or those of one of your loyal customers or suppliers).  Read up on the ACES program and submit a nomination for your company today. This program is an important part of our economic development program; a community that wants to cultivate growth must celebrate the achievements of its businesses.  Please help us be that kind of community and give us the chance to thank you and other businesses for your investments and improvements.

Marketing Hits and Misses - HubSpot is offering a free report on Marketing Hits and Misses from 2013.  As you make plans for 2014 it might be informative to look at what they think worked and what didn't last year.  You have to provide your email address, but we have done this before with HubSpot and the resulting junk email is not TOO bad.

Here's the download link.

How's Your Customer Service? - The quality of your customer service can make your business or break it, and that's why we are offering a live seminar to help you improve it.  It will be held on Friday, January 31 from 9 am to 12 noon. The presenter will be Lisa Kristensen, who is the Guest Relations Manager at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium & Zoombezi Bay.  Lisa manages the 350 employee guest relations department at the Zoo and will share with us their approach to customer experience and satisfaction.  The admission fee for Chamber members will be $20 for members and $40 for non members.  Visit the Chamber's web calendar to register online and for more details.

Webpage Hits - The online member directory and buyers guide on www.zmchamber.com sees a lot of traffic.  In the last month, member listings were viewed more than 8,200 times, and the directory search function was used over 1,000 times.  Member listings received almost 107,000 hits in the past 12 months.

Buy Local TV Series - The Chamber of Commerce has again partnered with WHIZ-TV to produce three 30-second television messages to promote both local buying and the American free enterprise system.  Each message will feature seven representatives from participating businesses and they will air during the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics on WHIZ-TV.  f you would like to appear on TV and to be associated with these positive messages, contact Jenni at jmasterson@zmchamber.com.  Here is more information about this opportunity.

Grow & Save -A Chamber Marketing Package is a bundle of Chamber services that help you promote your products or services.  When you buy a Marketing Package in advance you save BIG compared to purchasing the services one at a time. These services are a great way to target other area businesses. Marketing Packages are good for a 12 month period, and you can start any time.  Visit this webpage for all the details, including examples of what you get with a Marketing Package.  

Submit an Event - If you have an event coming up you should enter it in our online events and meetings calendar at zmchamber.com as a way to promote it.  It's free to members and it's simple to use.  There is a "submit new event" link on the right side of the calendar page.  Click it and fill in your details.  You can also find the calendar link at any time on the homepage of zmchamber.com.    

Resources - Take a look at the buttons at the bottom of this email.  These are quick links to services and information that will be useful to you.  These buttons appear in each edition of the THIS WEEK message from the Chamber.

 THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS 

 CHAMBER RESOURCES