eBlast for the week of  
June 13, 2016
This week at the Chamber:
 
Monday, June 13th - Thursday, June 16th
Chamber office Closed.

Thursday, June 16th 

9:30 a.m. - Chamber Coffee hosted by EagleMed @ Chamber

Noon - Chamber Ambassadors meeting at Chamber - bring Casey's for lunch

4-6 p.m. - Cash Mob at Mi Tierra Restaurant


This week in our area:
 
Monday, June 13th
7 p.m. - Hoisington City Council Meeting

2-4 p.m. - Hoisington Food Bank Open at 467 W 3rd

7:30 p.m. - K of C meeting

Thursday, June 16th
5:30 p.m. - City Court

Friday, June 17th
Clara Barton Hospital Foundation's 23rd Annual Benefit Golf Tournament, Dinner & Auction

5-7 p.m.- Barton County Young Professionals Network Mixer @ Golden Belt Printing with Office Products, Inc.

Sunday, June 19th
Father's Day

2 p.m. - KWEC - The Language of Flowers program

Monday, June 20th
4 p.m. - Walk to end Alzheimer's 

5:30 p.m. Clara Barton Auxiliary Meeting

Chamber News
Labor Day News
PHOTOS NEEDED

The Labor Day Committee is still searching for your favorite Hoisington Labor Day photos from the 50's - 90's (or earlier if you have 'em!). They are planning special displays around town that showcase these decades.

"Celebrating a Dozen Decades!"

With this fun theme, it should be a blast coming up with a float for the 100.7 Eagle Country Hoisington Labor Day Parade.

And we're adding a new "Decorated Cars" prize category to the parade float contest!

Here's some inspiration for you!






Chamber News

Member News
KWEC Summer Programs
Discover "The Language of Flowers"

     People have been sending "messages" with flowers for centuries, with each flower species holding a meaning, but what are flowers really telling us? Discover hidden messages and more about flowers during the program, The Language of Flowers, at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, from 2 to 3 p.m. on June 19.

     The first in a three-part series for adults delving into flowers, participants will discover the "meaning" of flowers in the KWEC pollinator garden, from messages to purpose. People in the Victorian era revived the custom of presenting nosegays or tussie mussies that conveyed messages. In this "language", grass alluded to the fleeting quality of life; rosemary, remembrance - each flower carried a specific meaning. Participants will create their own tussie mussies and learn how our native flowers fulfill their real purpose of attracting pollinators.

     Register by June 15 by calling KWEC at 1-877-243-9268.

Experience the marsh during Summer Camps

    Local children have the opportunity to explore Cheyenne Bottoms around the Wetlands Center during summer camps held in conjunction with the Great Bend Recreation Center.
    Aquatic Camp takes place June 24, with plenty of water filling the ponds there are lots of animals to find and catch.
   Sign up your child to discover a whole new world under the water's surface, as we find animals ranging from macro-invertebrates (adult and immature insects) to frogs and crayfish. We'll use several sampling techniques to collect specimens, then identify them and learn interesting facts about them. As always, the kids will also make a related craft, enjoy a hands-on snack and just have fun.
   During this year's Naturalist Camp on July 8, kids will enter the world of bats, exploring how they hunt, communicate and survive. They'll become bat scientists, play bat games and meet live bats. Students will enjoy other activities  and snacks in this fun-filled camp.
    Children will be taking part in outdoor activities and will be walking in mud and shallow water. Please have your child wear old shoes, socks, shorts and t-shirt for the morning session. They will be getting these clothes wet and muddy! Participants will eb required to BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHING in a plastic bag to change into after the outdoor activities during Aquatic Camp.
    Registration is required through the Rec Center and there is a small fee and a maximum of 25 children. Contact them at 620-793-6696 to register.


Walk to End Alhzeimer's Kickoff

 
Clara Barton Hospital to Receive Award


 
Clara Barton Benefit Dinner and Golf Tournament




Weekly Business Article
 Create Killer Subject Lines for More Opened Emails

� Can Stock Photo Inc. / PaulPaladin

If you've turned to email marketing and list building for your business, you might dread seeing the open rates. While it's hard to understand why every customer doesn't immediately open the email from you - especially when it contains such beneficial information - sometimes it's not you, it's them.

For most people there are simply too many emails to get to in the course of the day. That's why the subject line is incredibly important. Most people base their decision to open an email on two things: the name of the sender and the subject line.

What an Email Recipient First Sees
Since most people decide to click or not to clock based on the sender name and the subject line, here are a few things you should keep in mind:

Provide worthwhile content. If you develop a reputation (in the opener's mind) of sending junk, he or she will stop opening your emails. If you're lucky (in this case) s/he'll throw your email in the trash. If you aren't, you'll be reported as spam, making future chances of delivery difficult.

Use subject lines that induce action. It's essential for your emails to have a strong subject line and interior call-to-action (which won't be seen unless it's opened, thus the importance of a strong subject line). The copy merely supports these two things so the bulk of your time should be spent developing these pieces.

Avoid certain words. Your audience can't open an email it never sees. If you use certain common spam words, you'll be thrown right into the spam folder never to be heard from again.

Who it's from matters. People are more apt to open emails from humans instead of noreply@company. If you don't want one member of your staff inundated with responses or inquiries, either create a fun, friendly mailbox name like fixmyproblem@company or use the staff member's name and set up rules to assign emails to folders.
 
How to Craft a Strong Subject Line
There are a number of ways to catch someone's eye. Some are more straightforward than others and the success of any of them largely depends on your audience's preferences. The best way to figure out what works is to test it with your audience. In the meantime, start working on ways to improve your subject lines:  
 
Be Blunt
Cutesy and funny don't work with every audience. Sometimes what they want is a clear description of what they'll find inside the email like this suggestion below:
Re: April Newsletter: diabetes symptoms and new testing  
 
Use Familiarity
Using a friendly approach, and casual words, gets opens as does establishing a relationship in the email. However, trickery only works once or twice. Don't make misleading people part of your everyday communications.
Re: Best news you'll get all day
 
Personalize It
Names have been used in personalizing things since mail merges in the 90s but now many email services allow you to personalize on a much more detailed scale, like inserting a recent purchase.
Tim, how's the new Lexus?
 
When you send an email you're competing with a lot of others for attention. If you don't have a concise, yet strong, subject line or if you don't have a good reputation in the mind of the recipient, your email will be tossed in the trash. Take the time and craft an effective, interesting message that stands out and you'll see your email open rate improve.
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Christina R. Green teaches small businesses, chambers and associations how to connect through content. Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives' Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.com and Event Manager Blog.
She's a bookish writer on a quest to bring great storytelling to organizations everywhere.
 

Barton County Young Professionals Corner
BIKE RACKS TO BE INSTALLED 
Thanks to YP5K Race Proceeds! 


Last fall, the first ever #YP5K and Half Marathon raised over $3,000 for health and wellness initiatives. The committee in charge of that event decided that bike racks would be a great way to participate in the Bike & Pedestrian Master Plan being coordinated by Be Well Barton County. The committee has since researched bike rack options, gotten approval by the City governing bodies, and placed the order for 20 bike racks that will be installed in Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood, and Claflin at locations to be determined by the City staff in accordance with their portions of the Bike & Pedestrian Master Plan. We are very grateful to these governing bodies for coming alongside our group and helping with the concrete and labor for installation. You can look for these bike racks to be installed before the end of summer!
 
The next YP5K and Half Marathon has been scheduled forOctober 15, 2016 and will raise money to pave the jogging trails at Veterans Memorial Park. Like the race page onFacebook to stay up-to-date on event details.

Leadercast Was a Huge Success!
 
On May 6th, the Young Professionals group partnered with First Christian Church and a number of local business sponsors to put on a local simulcast for the national leadership training event known as Leadercast. More than 160 people attended in Great Bend, and heard from world-renown speakers such as Henry Cloud, Andy Stanley, and Steve Wozniak. Dozens of BCYP members attended the workshop, and we received LOTS of great feedback. Plans are already underway for the 2017 Leadercast event, so stay tuned for next year!

Save the Dates - Upcoming Events for Young Professionals Members

The next two events for Barton County Young Professionals will be a Networking Mixer on Friday, June 17th and a Family Pool Party on Sunday, July 24th.
 
Networking Mixer at Golden Belt Printing
Office Products Inc. and Golden Belt Printing are co-hosting a joint Chamber After Hours and Young Professionals Networking Mixer on Friday, June 17th from 5-7 p.m. in the parking lot of Golden Belt Printing at 1125 US Hwy 281 Bypass. They're providing free hamburgers and bratwurst along with adult beverages and over $500 in door prizes! And remember, wear your nametag for an extra door prize ticket. Join the Facebook Event.
 
Family Pool Party Sponsored by Farmers Bank & Trust
Farmers Bank & Trust is sponsoring our annual Family Pool Party on Sunday, July 24th from 5-7 p.m. at Club West in Great Bend, Kansas. Join us for Papa Murphy's pizza, kid-friendly refreshments, and pool fun. This event is FREE for members and their families. RSVP to Special Events Team volunteer Katie Lear, [email protected], no later than Wednesday,July 20th at 9 p.m.! Join the Facebook Event.

JUST LAUNCHED - #BCYPproud Social Media Campaign

In an effort to raise awareness for the Young Professionals group and our mission, the Steering Committee and Public Relations Team for Barton County Young Professionals are excited to announce a NEW Public Relations Campaign that just launched with our hashtag #BCYPproud. The big picture goal is to encourage YP members, supporters, employers, and the public to share stories and photos about the group in a positive way. Members receive these newsletters, and are more aware of what we do to serve the community and develop leaders. But the public at large may not be so aware, and we want to change that. When you volunteer for a BCYP project or attend one of our events, we encourage you to post on social media to raise awareness about our networking group and brag about all the great things BCYP is doing to give back. Don't forget to use the hashtag #BCYPproud!

 
Area Events



Bike Brew Q 
Cycling, Craft Brew Expo, BBQ Trucks
Great Bend Expo Complex 
455 West Barton County Road


Cycling, Craft Beer, and Charitable giving, a first of its kind event for Central Kansas! Bike Brew Q is a Cycling Event, Brew Expo, and Barbeque Truck amalgamation! Where else can you Cycle 62 miles, recover with BBQ and wash it down with the best craft brew around? Only at Bike Brew Q! This event is in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! CFF has been working for years to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with the disease the opportunity to lead full, productive lives by funding research and drug development, promoting individualized treatment and ensuring access to high-quality, specialized care. Tickets on sale Monday June 6th @ 8am!


Date: July 30th, 2016

6:30 AM EVENT DAY REGISTRATION

7:15 AM  RIDE SAFETY MEETING

7:30 AM RIDES BEGIN

11:00 AM FOOD TRUCKS BEGIN SERVING

1:00 PM  CRAFT BREW EXPO DOORS OPEN
4:00 PM  Event Ends

For more information vist bikebrewq.com

Contact information: [email protected]
 
Now Hiring
In the interest of keeping the eBlasts and Newsletters manageable in size, the Job Opportunities from our investment members will be listed on our website under the "About Hoisington" link under "Employment".

TO SEE WHAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE FROM OUR MEMBERS.
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                    Call for Content eBlasts and Newsletters

 

If you have exciting news that you would like to share in our monthly newsletter or weekly eBlasts with nearly 200 individuals in our business community, please send it to the Chamber office at [email protected] three business days prior to the 1st of the month.

 

If you would prefer to get a printed copy of the monthly newsletter, please let the office know.

Hoisington Chamber of Commerce
123 N Main St
Hoisington, Kansas 67544
620-653-4311
[email protected]
Open Monday - Friday  9a.m. -12 p.m. & 1-4 p.m.