5 things that turn your customers off.

How to create a value proposition for your customers.

20 Facts About Manufacturing

Selfies are no longer the domain of duck-faced teenaged girls. (That’s not an insult. It’s a description. Google it.) They’re gaining in popularity among adults and businesses too. Selfies are a way of showing customers and potential customers a “behind the scenes” look at your business. They also are an effective way of telling your business story. In addition to selfies, photo bombs can be lots of fun as they are extremely shareable content. Photo bombs start off as portraits, similar to selfies, but the person in the

When you’re working long hours and the stress is compiling, your personal life doesn’t go on hold. You still have familial responsibilities, bills to pay, friends to see, and thousands of other things that are on your mind. Let’s face it. There are times at work that are just harder than others. Even the best job can feel…well, like work sometimes. It’s hard to be inspired and do your best on the job when your business mojo has taken a back seat to all the other pressing issues in your life. But if you’re going to be sa

Networking opportunities are everywhere. You no longer must leave your house to be able to network, but studies now show that online networking doesn’t hold the same power as in-person networking. Networking is critical to landing a job, learning about opportunities before they are broadcast, and getting more sales for your business. You need to do it, even if you hate it, and one of the easiest most effective networking groups is the chamber. But the chamber does more than just introduce you to others. It offers very s

As summer approaches, and it does every year at about the same time, business owners start to think about ways in which they can use the extra help of available college students. Back when I was a college student at a small liberal arts school in the Midwest, the undergrads waited each spring for the internship listings to be published. Once they were we poured over the ones that were in exciting cities with large stipends. The review took about three minutes because they just didn’t exist. “Exciting city” always equale

Celebrating our involvement in the America's Best Communities Contest. We are just days away from the announcement of the Semi-Finalists that will move on to the next phase of the ABC contest. On Wednesday, January 13th, we will learn if we become a Semi-Finalist and continue in the competition. The Connected Community Initiative consists of 4 separate initiatives that come together to address work force needs in our community. The Initiatives are: Sustainable Leadership - finding ways to enhance our current lead

Recently members completed a Membership Survey, we found that business growth was an important need for most businesses. Here is a tip for growing your business from Beth Bridges with a Networked Member Minute...Follow up. Too many times in our busy world, we meet someone, drop off information, touch base, or give a presentation and then we forget to follow up. The follow up is key to building relationships that in turn can turn into growth for you and your organization.

In this Minute in Business learn about the benefits of giving to others. Giving to others can bring big rewards to your business.

Many articles and books have been published on networking. Networking is an element each of our organizations are involved in to benefit our members. The key is to stay cutting edge in the field? Yes, like anything we do there’s a right way and a wrong way. Here are my thoughts on the ABC’s of networking from what I’ve read or experienced over the years in the business.

On April 5, 1988, an experienced skydiving videographer was filming an instructor and first-time student as they skydived from approximately 10,000 feet. The videographer had made two successful jumps earlier that day. With technology what it was back then, the recording equipment the videographer used was a heavy VHS deck stored in a backpack that he wore. The camera was unlike the smaller GoPro style cameras used today but was nonetheless mounted to his helmet in order to capture all the action. The videographer was

Just in time for another Chamber networking event. Get networking tips from Networking Guru, Beth Bridges - The Networking Motivator. Watch the video and then plan to join us for this months Business After Hours at the Troy Civic Theater.