eNewsletter April 2013

BUSINESSCONNECTION

a publication ofthe O’FallonChamber of Commerce

Celebrating 60 Years

APRIL 2013

IDEAS FOR INEXPENSIVE & FREE MARKETING

ust effective marketing always eat up signifi cant amounts of your small business operating expenses? Fortunately, no. A lot of low-cost and

even free-to-use marketing options are available for your business, smart ways for you to reach your customers. No method is entirely free because you need to consider your time involved as a cost factor. Yet, by investing dedicated time on a regular basis for cheap marketing solutions, the return on your investment can yield signifi cant dividends.

Get SocialSome of your best customer contacts may be through the Internet,

MVISION ST. CHARLES COUNTY PROGRAM GRADUATES TOMORROW’S LEADERS

ision St. Charles County Leadership held the graduation ceremony for the class of 2013 on Thursday, March 28, 2013 at Community Commons at the Spencer

Road Library. Alumni were invited to honor the 2013 Visionary of the year Barb Griffi th, 2013 Mentor of the Year Mark Hollander, Class of 2013 Board Representative Jay Herigodt and induct the Class of 2013 into the alumni association.

Class members include Alison Tucker, St. Charles

VContinued on pg 11 Continued on pg 4

2 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | APRIL 2013

Don’t miss the O’Fallon Chamber’s

General Membership LUNCHEON Tuesday, April 2311:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.@ Elks Lodge 25871163 Tom Ginnever, O’Fallon, MO 63366Join us for our April Luncheon as our very own David Harrington with CFG Wealth Services/MetLife talks with us about Business Killers. We’ll also be joined by Traci Everman with the St. Charles County Association of REALTORS who will update us on the current real estate market for our area.

Don’t forget to register in advance and save $5! Call 636-240-1818 or email [email protected]

Sponsored by:

O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

Rise & Shine...to join us for the O’Fallon Chamber’s Morning

Schmooze, a FREE monthly, networking event open to Chamber members. Arrive ready to network

with a pocket full of business cards and a 1 minute infomercial.

Thursday, April 187:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Garden Villas of O’Fallon7092 S Outer 364 | O’Fallon, MO 63368

O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, April 94:30 to 6:30 p.m.

JAN’S TRAVEL & CRUISE7326 Village Center Dr | O’Fallon, MO 63368

Stay for 5 minutes or 2 hours, whichever fi ts into your schedule best. Our free monthly Business After

Hours are a great way to build relationships with many of your fellow Chamber Members. Average

attendance at these free events is around 60 Chamber Members!

APRIL 2013 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 3

2145 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr.O’Fallon, MO 63366Phone: 636-240-1818Email: [email protected]

Mission Statement:The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting economic vitality in O’Fallon and the St. Charles County Region while providing members with networking opportunities, education and advocacy in public policy decisions affecting business.

Vision Statement:The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce will be the catalyst for the prosperity of our community as a valued resource for businesses, organizations, and residents.

Offi cers:Adam Hopper, PNC Bank, Chair of the BoardJeff Arneson, JLJ Technology, 1st Vice ChairMichael Favazza, Favazza & Associates, 2nd Vice ChairRon Epps, F&M Bank and Trust, TreasurerStacee Gilmore, Promotions Pronto, SecretaryCindy Elking, Quintessential Catering, Past-Chair

Directors:Harold Bliggenstorfer, Missouri Baptist UniversityMark Crank, Marcos ProductionsWayne Daniels, CORD MovingHeather Deatz, Community NewsTim DeGhelder, St. Charles City-County LibraryJulie Feast, Ameren MissouriKim Michaels, Charter BusinessBrian Richardson, KFAV 99.9 FMJan Stanczak, Jan’s Travel & Cruise

Staff:Erin Williams, President/CEOSara Henderson, Communications DirectorSam Byers, Membership Services DirectorNina DeAngelo, Member Engagement Director

VOL.

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EInexpensive Marketing ........... p cover & 7Vision Class of 2013 ............... p cover & 4Ribbon Cuttings .................................... p 5News from the Chairman ...................... p 5Firecracker Run ..................................... p 6Calendar of Events ............................... p 7New Members ....................................... p 8Leads Group Guest Day ........................ p 8Member Anniversaries .......................... p 9 Member Mentions ............................... p 10Chamber Activities ............................. p 13

CHAMBER PARTNERS

LAWN LANDSCAPESOLUTIONS

&


VISIONCONTINUEDCONTINUED

County Department of Community Health & the Environment; Cindy Elking, Quintessential Catering; Danielle Fowler, Fifth Third Bank; Debbie Wolfmeier, SSM St. Joseph Health Center; Don Hutson, The Missouri Bank; Erin Wolfman, Jewish Federation in St. Louis; Jay Herigodt, City of O’Fallon; Jill Gould, ESJB, Inc; John Ditch, Community Living, Inc; Ken Hammell, City of O’Fallon; Kyle Smith, UMB Bank; Lynette Watson, University of Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Center; Mark Crank, Marcos Productions; Mary Lynam-Miller, Willows Way; Michelle Woods, Habitat for Humanity St. Charles; Renee’ Tillman, YMCA of Great St. Louis; Rhonda Hubbard, Providence Bank; Rich Metz, Commerce Bank; Sara Henderson, O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce; Susan Campbell, Mid Rivers Promos; Susan Kallash-Bailey, ITN St. Charles; Suzanne Correnti, Lutheran Senior Services, Breeze Park; Victoria Walker, Crider Health Center; and Marty Limpert, St. Charles County Ambulance District.

Vision St. Charles County Leadership is currently accepting applications for the Class of 2014. Vision’s mission is to educate community and business leaders by providing experiences that will increase awareness, develop leadership skills and motivate participants to be actively engaged in St. Charles County. The Vision St. Charles County Leadership program works to:• Inform leaders about the challenges and opportunities facing our state and to encourage solutions and collaboration. • Inspire leaders to become active in a organization, community, or statewide efforts that make Missouri a better place to work and live. • Challenge leaders to increase their awareness about themselves and their state and to maximize their leadership potential.• Provide an opportunity to network with a variety of individuals to strengthen personal and organizational clout.

The class meets one day a month from August 2013 to March 2014 with the exception of a two day retreat in August and a two day trip to Jefferson City in February. Some of the topics covered include civic leadership, economic development, education and health care. Please send your application and a $25 non-refundable application fee to the address on the application by May 31, 2013. The application will be refunded if you are not accepted into the program. The additional $600 in tuition is due by July 1, 2013.

Applicants for the program must have the support and commitment of their business or organization. Every March applications of emerging and established leaders are sought from all segments of the community. Individuals representing a broad community spectrum will be accepted as members of the Vision St. Charles County Leadership program. Applications are available on the Vision website at www.visionleadership.org.


First quarter numbers are in and we are making great progress in meeting our 2013 goals! As you may have noticed our events are

growing, already this year we have seen a 5% increase in attendance at our networking functions. In the past three months over 270 of you have attended a networking event, representing 205 organizations. So, once again, I’d like to invite you to get engaged in your Chamber membership. We have something for everyone! Networking, Education, Tech/Comm, Events or Legislative Awareness, let us know what your interest is and we can get you plugged in.

Actually, let us know how we can serve your business better when we give you a call later this month. Our annual Operation Thank You is just a couple of weeks away, Board Members and Ambassadors will be making phone calls to check in with our members to update information, hear any suggestions, and of course, thank you for your membership. As a board member, I can tell you that we look forward to this program every year.

Finally, if you have not done so already, I encourage you to go out and vote today. For more information on the O’Fallon election, visit www.OFallonChamber.org/election-2013.

Until next month,Adam HopperChairman of the Board

The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce and the City of O’Fallon are excited to welcome these new businesses to the community and to help them celebrate with a with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony.

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIESWELCOME TO O’FALLON!WELCOME TO O’FALLON!

First State Bank300 Woodlawn Ave, O’Fallon, MO 63366

Instant Imprints3086 WingHaven Blvd, O’Fallon, MO 63368

Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings:April 4th @ 1:30 p.m.Angels on Duty

April 11 @ 3:30 p.m.Find Your Piece Consignment Shop

April 17th @ 11:30 a.m.Cupcake Amore Daddy Ray Burgers

8814 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, O’Fallon, MO 63366


FIRECRACKER

FIRECRACKERRUNRUN

he O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the 29th Annual USATF Certifi ed Firecracker

Run on Thursday, July 4, 2013, in O’Fallon, MO. The Firecracker Run offers something for everyone! The Race begins at 7:00 a.m. and consists of a 10K, 5K and a 1 Mile Fun Run. Awards will be given to the overall winner for male and female racers of the 5K and 10K. There will also be awards given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place fi nishers (male and female) of each class in the 5K and 10K. Ribbons will be given to all participants of the 1 Mile Fun Run.

The event will begin at the T.R. Hughes Ball Park located in O’Fallon, MO at 900 T.R. Hughes Blvd. A Pace Car will be leading runners through North O’Fallon and the race will end over home plate on the fi eld of the River City Rascals. Runners will be met with a Health Expo, vendors, attendance prizes and an awards ceremony following the event. After the race, stick around the ballpark for the 2013

Heritage & Freedom Fest parade by the City of O’Fallon.

T-Shirts & Tek shirts (upcharge) are available to the fi rst 1,300 runners. Shirt style and size guaranteed to runners registered by May 31, after that date shirts are available on a fi rst come, fi rst serve basis. The cost of event is $25 for early registration for the 10K and 5K run and $30 after May 31. The early registration for the 1 Mile Fun Run is $15.00 or $20.00 after May 31.

You can register online at www.fi recrackerrun.net. There will be race day registration from 6:00 a.m. until 6:30 a.m. July 4th at the event. Packet Pickup will be held on Tuesday, July 2nd and Wednesday, July 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Big River Running located at 2548 Hwy K, O’Fallon, MO 63366 or race day Monday, July 4th from 6:00 am to 6:30 a.m. at the River City Rascals Ball Park. The Firecracker Run is the O’Fallon Chambers biggest event of the year

and both participants and committee members have a lot of fun in the process. If you would like to help with the planning committee, it’s not too late to get involved! In addition to the committee there are also numerous opportunities to publicize your business through sponsorships which range in amount from $250 to $1,000. For more info contact Sam Byers at [email protected].

Firecracker Run proceeds benefi t the mission of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce: The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting economic vitality in O’Fallon and the St. Charles County Region while providing members with networking opportunities, education, and advocacy in public policy decisions affecting business.

START YOUR 4TH OF JULY OFF WITH A BANG!

T

Presented by


April 4, 2013 New Member Briefi ngO’Fallon Chamber Offi ce3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

April 4, 201310 Year Anniversary Open HouseAngels on Duty1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

April 8, 2013O’Fallon Elite Leads GroupIQ Fast Print12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

April 9, 2013Business After HoursTravel Leaders/Jan’s Travel and Cruise4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

April 10, 2013Masters of Business Leads GroupWebster University12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

April 11, 2013Ribbon CuttingFind Your Piece Consignment Shop3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

April 16, 2013Board of Directors MeetingO’Fallon Chamber Offi ce12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

April 17, 2013Ribbon Cutting Cupcake Amore11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

April 18, 2013Morning SchmoozeGarden Villas of O’Fallon7:30 a.m. - 9:00 AM

Tech/Comm MeetingSpencer Road Library Branch12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

April 22, 2013O’Fallon Elite Leads GroupIQ Fast Print12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

April 23, 2013General Membership Luncheon11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

CHAMBER CALENDAR APRIL 2013

April 24, 2013Masters of Business Leads GroupWebster University12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

May 2, 2013New Member Briefi ngO’Fallon Chamber Offi ce3:30 - 5:00 p.m.


Butler ChiropracticChiropractorsScott Butler28 Crossroads Plz O’Fallon, MO 63368636-294-6260www.drscottbutler.com

Faithfully Yours Apparel & PromotionsAdvertising: Promotional ProductsJohn Durajczyk6209 Mid Rivers Mall Dr, Ste 281 St. Charles, MO 63304636-928-1570www.faithfullyyours.com

Farmhouse Sandwiches, INCRestaurantsKen Cobb1120 Technology Dr, Ste 113AO’Fallon, MO 63368636-329-9555www.farmhousesandwich.com

Holy Cross Lutheran ChurchChurchDarlene Birk8945 Veterans Memorial Pkwy O’Fallon, MO 63366636-272-4505www.hcross.com

Kona Ice St. Charles County, Gateway Mini MeltsRestaurants: Frozen DessertsBrent Kirkpatrick636-795-5693www.konamobilecafe.com

No Hunger HolidayNon-Profi t OrganizationJohn Callahan2 Carrington Ct St. Peters, MO 63376636-926-2343www.facebook.com/NoHungerHoliday

Vogelsang Pest ManagementPest ControlJeff Vogelsang631 Stone Bend Trail Wentzville, MO 63385314-601-1789www.vogelsangpeststl.com

NEW MEMBERSA VERY SPECIAL WELCOME!A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME!

MASTERS OF BUSINESS GUEST DAYhe O’Fallon Chamber’s Monday leads group invites you to expand your horizons with the Masters of Business Guest Day. If you are looking for a fun and innovative way to expand your clientele base, then this leads group may be the perfect fi t for you

and your business. On April 10, 2013 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. everyone is invited to attend the Masters of Business leads group to learn about the opportunities the group offers.

O’Fallon Chamber members and non-members are welcome to spend an hour with this dynamic group of professionals. The meeting will be held at Webster University Winghaven located at 2299 Technology Dr. Ste 300, in O’Fallon, MO. Light refreshments served. Contact Nina DeAngelo for more info at 636-240-1818 or [email protected].

T 30Would you like to join of the groups to build closer business relationships?Contact Nina at 636-240-1818 or [email protected]

leads were passed during the month of MARCH by the members our leads groups!

Spring is here...is your disater

plan ready?

Contact Offi cer Stower’s at the O’Fallon Police

Department for Support Services at

636-379-3816 or [email protected].


Congratulations and thank you to the following companies who as of March 2013 have been O’Fallon Chamber members for...

2 YearsGracie Barra

O’Fallon Kiwanis Club

WB Industries

3 YearsTextile Corporation

4 YearsDavid Evans

5 YearsLou Fusz Chrysler Jeep Dodge

6 YearsAfter Hours Pediatric Urgent Care

Residence Inn - O’Fallon

7 YearsAAA Automobile Club

BMO Harris Bank - WingHaven

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers - Hwy K

Senator Scott Rupp

9 YearsBristol Seafood Grill

Reliance Bank

10 YearsFrancis Howell School District

12 YearsBank of Old Monroe

Cee Kay Supply, Inc.

Grand Oaks Heating & Air Conditioning

14 YearsHazelwood & Weber LLC

18 YearsO’Fallon Fire Protection

MEMBER ANNIVERSARIESTHANK YOU!THANK YOU!

Now, there is an even better reason to attend O’Fallon

Chamber of Commerce events!You’ve always had the opportunity for

networking, building referrals and learning from your fellow members; now you could

mwin the vacation of a lifetime!

Throughout 2013 each time you attend a General Membership Meeting, Business After

Hours or Morning Schmooze (35 chances), your name will be entered into a drawing.

The winning vacation recipient will be drawn at the Annual Awards luncheon held on

December 17, 2013.

The more you attend, the better your chance are of winning!

Call Travel Leaders/Jan’s Travel & Cruise for other great travel opportunities!

636-561-2626www.travelleaders-janstravel.com

Escape to...Escape to...®

with

For only $100 you can send an Email Annoucment to every O’Fallon Chamber member!

Contact [email protected] for more info.


Keep up to date with news, sales, events and more from your fellow members. Contact Sara at [email protected] to submit your information for future newsletters. Check out www.ofallonchamber.org for more member news and events.

MEMBER MENTIONSNEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Rents Rick’s Roadside BarnSpecial event rental for casual weddings, trivia nights, mouse races, birthday parties, class reunions, high school dances and other special events will be offered beginning March 2013. If you are interested in reserving the barn for your private party, please call 636-734-7420.

O’Fallon Kiwanis MixerBank of Old Monroe401 T. R. Hughes BlvdO’Fallon, MO 6336606:00 PM - 07:30 PM CSTApril 17, 2013We will have snacks and drinks. Basically it is an opportunity to come learn about the O’Fallon Kiwanis and all the things we do in the area. It’s similar to an afterhours mixerwe are just showing of what we do instead of the business we have.Contact Don Hutson at [email protected] for more information.

Celebrate Our 1-year Anniversary!Alliance Credit Union is offering two great deals to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of it’s O’Fallon Personal Service Branch. Join us at 1167 Bryan Road during the month of April to take advantage of the following offers:• 1.01% APY on 2-year CDs with a $5,000 maximum deposit• 1.95% APR on 60-month Car LoansWe look forward to your visit duringthe month of April. Call us at 636-343-7005, ext. 8140 with any questions.*APY= Annual Percentage Yield. $5,000 maximum. New money only. One CD per member. Must open savings account with minimum $5 deposit to establish membership.**Loan is NADA retail value for cars 2009 & later. For new members or external refi nances for current members. Cannot be combined withany other offers.

RUN. LIVE. LEARN. 10K, 5K, Fun Run & ExpoOn Saturday, April 27, 2013, St. Charles Community College will present the 21st annual RUN. LIVE. LEARN. 10K, 5K, Fun Run and Health and Wellness Expo. Both the 10K and 5K races are USATF certifi ed courses and chip timed. Race entry fee includes a full-color dry-tec T-shirt in men’s, women’s and youth sizes (while supplies last), refreshments and tickets for prize baskets drawing. Race information and registration: www.stchas.edu/runREGISTER EARLY AND SAVE $5 PER PERSON! $20 per person for 10K or 5K, and $15 per person for Fun Run until April 19. After April 19, $25 per person for 10K or 5K, and $20 per person for Fun Run.

O’Fallon Rotary’s Annual Three Cheers for CharityOn Monday, May 13th between 5 PM to 8 PM, join the O’Fallon Rotary Club for fun, food, music, and prizes at McGurk’s Public House 108 Main Street O’Fallon, Mo. This is the O’Fallon Rotary’s Annual Three Cheers for Charity Event. For a donation of only $10, you can enjoy heavy appetizers, soft drinks, and attendance prizes. There will be a 50 – 50 raffl e and a cash bar available. All profi ts will go to charities and local causes. Tickets can be purchased at the event or you can call or email – [email protected]; phone 636-980-1777.

Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County 2013 Women’s BuildWomen Build seeks to encourage women volunteers to further the home-building mission of Habitat for Humanity. We have the opportunity to build 6 more homes in this subdivision and plan to break ground on 2 of them in May; one of them being the Women Build home. Habitat for Humanity’s National Women Build Week is May 4th-12th, 2013. We will host our “kick-off” event with a groundbreaking ceremony on May 11th, 2013 in our Enclaves at Eisenhower subdivision with the partner family, volunteers, staff and our 2013 Women Build teams. The timeline for a typical Habitat home is based on a 17 week build schedule and we have group day opportunities on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting May 11th. If you are interested in becoming a team captain or joining a team, please contact Lauren Grotegeers, Resource Development Coordinator, at 636-978-5712 or [email protected] for additional information.


particularly popular social media and networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Consider establishing a Facebook page about your business, sending 140-character updates via Twitter tweets and using LinkedIn to post your profi le. LinkedIn also offers an “Answers” section where you can demonstrate your business expertise by responding to specifi c questions.

Website HousekeepingYour company website is one way customers will fi nd your business. Certainly, you can pay for expensive pay per-click advertising to gain new customers, but your customers can fi nd you too if your site is visible online, individual pages show up high on the search engine results pages, and you employ keywords and key word phrases to help attract attention to your site. Check your website regularly to make sure that it is working properly with active links and relevant information included.

Promotional ToolsHard copy tools such as fl yers, newsletters and brochures work for some businesses, but you need to evaluate their effectiveness. SCORE advises small businesses to study what these tools have to say about your business.

Free SamplesGiving away product for free can seem expensive, but you may be able to do this at no cost with the help of a supplier. For example, in exchange for promoting a product through your store, ask your supplier to provide the free samples. You may need to hang a banner or offer optimum shelf space in exchange, but the promotional angle will be paid by someone else.

Get LocalJoining local organizations can be an effective way for you to get the word out particularly if your customer base is localized. Business-oriented associations and your Chamber of Commerce are free or charge a small fee. If an appropriate group is not available in your area, consider starting your own.

Reward CustomersEncouraging customer loyalty is an excellent way to attract and retain business. Writing for Entrepreneur magazine, marketing expert and author Kim T. Gordon advises businesses to reward their best customers by offering graduated rewards with an increased cash value. Essentially, you are encouraging customers to step up their use of your products and services in exchange for low-cost rewards. You can also reward customers who bring new customers to you.

Guest SpotsContact your local newspaper, radio or television outlet, and offer your expertise about a certain subject matter. For example, if your company deals with Hazmat cleanup, you may be tapped for your expert analysis. Don’t wait for a crisis to happen; let members of the news media know who you are, sending out periodic press releases to your established contacts. Writing for Business Insider, Aaron Kwittken offers nine examples of what he calls “Carpe Diem PR” or seize-the-moment public relations opportunities timed to coincide with the important news stories of the day.

Click here for original article. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/ideas-inexpensive-marketing-1004.html

MARKETINGCONTINUES FROM COVER PAGE

Interested in Advertising in theO’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

BUSINESS CONNECTION?Call Brian @ 636-219-9653or email [email protected]

New members are welcomed at the March General Membership Meeting held at Christy Banquet Center!

CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

Karen Kelly shows us how to play shuffl e board at the March Business After Hours.

Some serious networking at the March Business After Hours at Marcos Productions.

Over 130 O’Fallon Chamber members attended the March General Membership Meeting at the Christy Banquet Center.

Waking up with friends at the March Morning Schooze at Summity Community Church.

Mike Bounds gave us some great tips on how to be better at sales and get to know our customers.

Emily, Amy and Sue Ann enjoy the company at the March BAH.

A packed house and Instant Imprints new space in WingHaven.

It was well worth the wait at Daddy Ray Burgers on opening day. Yummy!

eNewsletter April 2013

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