Monday, August 9, 2010

Buy Local- Make a Difference!

Do you want to make a difference in today’s tough economic climate? You can, by supporting your fellow Chamber members. Many companies in our area are struggling, some are even closing their doors. We need to support our friends and neighbors. We can do this by shopping locally. If the community has a strong business base, it encourages new growth and jobs in the area. It’s environmentally friendly because there is less traffic and pollution.

The money spent at local businesses is reinvested back into our community. This, in turn, helps other local businesses, creating greater product diversity while maintaining our communities unique appeal.

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture if every household started spending $10.00 of their grocery budget per week on locally grown foods, we would keep more than $37 million each week circulating in Michigan’s economy. Many local stores carry Michigan grown/made products. Check to see where the products you are buying are produced.
Over the past year, I have really made an effort to shop locally. Instead of shopping as I have in the past, I consult the Chamber’s member directory and make it a point to shop with one of the Chamber members.

Within the past few months alone I’ve made purchases from at least five Chamber members that I hadn’t patronized in the past. This was money I was going to spend anyway, but by making a choice to use a Chamber member, I can be sure the money stays in our community.
When $1 is spent locally, that $1 impacts three to seven different local businesses before leaving the local economy.

Just think what a difference it would make in our local economy if one person at each of the 639 businesses in the Chamber did the same.

Visit our online directory at www.clarkston.org or the printed member directory to find some Chamber members you can support.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Promoting your business at Taste of Clarkston



If you’ve been a Chamber member for any length of time, I hope you’ve noticed that the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce is all about BUSINESS!




Every activity/mixer/meeting/committee that we do focuses on one thing and that is promoting business opportunities for our members.



Taste of Clarkston, while seemingly all about food and restaurants on the surface, is no exception to our business focus. Taste of Clarkston is the most effective way to reach over 18,000 of our community members on the day of the event (September 26, 2010 Noon to 6pm.)




We have surveyed our crowd in past years and found that the vast majority of participants are from Clarkston and the surrounding areas. We have surveyed our members in past years and found that the majority of our members are interested in reaching consumers.



Taste of Clarkston has opportunities for members of all sizes to participate and take advantage of this consumer audience that we have built. Any of our members can participate by exhibiting downtown during the Taste of Clarkston ($1000/$500/$250 levels.) We have structured the pricing so that any size business can participate and get the benefits of this consumer audience during Taste of Clarkston.



We also have opportunities for businesses that cannot exhibit but wish to show the community that they are involved and support this event through Restaurant Sponsorship ($500/$350) and also through Shuttle Sponsorship ($100). Anyone can participate at these levels and the reason we want you to be a part of this event is so that you can see the increase in BUSINESS that will result! If you have any questions on how you can be involved, please contact us and we can work with you and answer any questions.



Restaurant sponsorships and Booth spaces are assigned on a first-come first-served basis, so for the best spot, get your paperwork in to the Chamber quickly.



WE NEED YOUR HELP
As we move through August and into September, we realize that to build our event and increase our crowd to record numbers to the benefit of all of our members, we need to continue to promote this event. We are focusing on Clarkston and the surrounding areas to promote this event and we need your help:
 Do you have a location you can post a yard sign?
 Can you help us by displaying a poster in your office/store?
 Will you hand out flyers with your invoices/receipts or at your counter?
 Is there a newsletter you can post an announcement in?
 Can you email the information to a list you belong to?
 Will you take the time to help us by volunteering at the event itself?



PLEASE consider helping us with the promotion of the event so we can benefit ALL of our members and our community with this flagship event that has gained recognition state wide. We look forward to seeing all of you downtown for the event and please let us know if you can help us!