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Chamber Commentary:
So what is all this social media buzz about?
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From the Director: 
Dear Chamber Members,
After careful consideration, we have decided to move to a quarterly newsletter. It is our intention to provide you with a newsletter filled with valuable information that is pertinent to today's business community. Take a look at the first quarterly issue and you will find such topics as how to generate leads through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, written by Kyle Lacy, CEO of Brandswag Corp., how to market effectively using email, and how to create a social media use policy for your employees.
In addition to your quarterly online newsletter, you will receive weekly email "blasts" with valuable information from our members as well as updates on local events and issues. We will also include all upcoming Chamber events in these blasts. If your email has recently changed, please call the office and let us know.
Many of you have enjoyed the marketing benefit of placing an insert into our newsletter. Since our newsletter goes to over 500 addresses and all of the Henry County Hospital employees, an insert is an excellent way to reach your customers with special offers or updates on new products and services. While we will no longer send inserts with the quarterly newsletters, we will send links directly to a .pdf on the website in our weekly email blasts. Inserts will also be available on the front page of the website. If you are interested in learning more about adding a link to an email blast, please call Arin at the Chamber office at 529-5210.
I hope that you are all enjoying your summer. Be sure to check out the calendar of events and visit the website often for updates.
Best Regards,
Missy
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Quarterly Event Calendar
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July 9th: YAPA Downtown Block Party
July 16th: Lunch with the Chamber @ the N.C. Motorsports Park
July 22nd: YAPA Social Media Seminar with Kyle Lacy
August 3rd: Medical Business Focus Forum
August 19th: Lunch with the Chamber
August 20th: Henry County Concert Series: Lonny Lester @ the Arts Park
August 26th: Chamber Wine and Art Gala @ the Arts Park
September 11th: International Festival @ the Arts Park
September 16th: Chamber Golf Outing at Westwood Golf Club
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Chamber Board
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Angie Mastin, President
(Citizens State Bank)
Steve Wolfrom, 1st VP
(REMC)
Bill Kindig, 2nd VP
(Hillcroft Services, Inc.)
Ron Anderson, Secretary
(ASI)
Debbie Malone, Treasurer
(Main Source Bank)
Kevin Brown, Past President
(Hinsey Brown Funeral Services)
Lisa Abrams, Smiley Body Shop
Ric Barr, Castle Pawn Shop
Brad Crowe, E-Coating Plus, LLC
Debbie Davis, H&R Block
Dee Dorr, Chamber Ambassadors
Jamey Marcum, Henry County Hospital
Vickie McIntosh, Ameriana Bank
Doug Meier, State Farm Insurance
Scott Murphy, CMH & Associates
Steve Rust, Rust Home Appliance Center
Mayor Jim Small
Betty Stickler, Star Financial Bank
Christy Tompkins, Heritage House of New Castle
Penny York, H.C. Economic Development Corporation
Staff
Missy Modesitt, Interim Executive Director
Arin Davis, Office Manager
Laura Anderson, Events Coordinator
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 Social Media: Number One Tool for Lead Generation
By: Kyle Lacy, Author of Twitter Marketing for Dummies and CEO of Brandswag Corp.
We can all agree that social media is here to stay (at least for now)...but do we know why? Research indicates that many professionals implement social media to increase lead generation. In a new social media study, eMarketer stated:
"According to virtual events provider Unisfair, social media is the top emerging channel for lead gen among technology marketers surveyed in May 2010."
The definition of lead generation alone is argument enough for using social media. Social media can and does make finding new customers so much easier...and fun. Not only can you find potential business demographically but you can base it off interest. This information will save you time, energy and money. A strong social media plan can introduce you to potential customers that up until now you didn't even realized existed.
Click to read more...
-Kyle Lacy, June 3, 2010
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 There's More to Social Media than Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn
By: Adrienne Graham, CEO & Founder of Empower Me! Corporation.
I just have to say it. If you ever run into a social media guru who tells you that social media consists of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, or they can't tell you instantly the difference between social networking and social media....run for the hills...FAST.
Social media and social networking are not the same. Social media are the tools and social networking is what you do in the communities. You can use one to enhance the other, but they are not the same. It's common sense. Any expert who doesn't define that for you from the beginning isn't an expert.
.... "It's about a cross section of community sites, blogs, bookmarking sites, photo sites, sharing tools, audio and video tools and some even more advanced tools that are used in conjunction with one another to have a robust social media experience."
Click to read more from this article
-Forbes Online, June 14th 2010
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 15 Ways to Create a Killer Email Marketing Strategy
By: Nick Longo, Director of Web strategy at Rackspace Hosting
"More than 1.5 billion people worldwide use email. If you run a business - and particularly a small business - that stat should have huge implications for your marketing strategy"
Here are Nick's rules an tips for smart email engagement:
1. Collect your customers' email address at the cash register on a contact card.
2. Only email your customers once a month and keep it simple and short.
3. Always send a holiday email.
4. Run a giveaway or contest when things are slow.
5. Send free reports, downloads, or tools that will be useful to your customers.
6. Put a newsletter signup on your homepage and on every page of your Web site.
7. Only send email to your subscribers - do not buy other lists on the Web.
9. Make sure your 'Reply To' address and 'From' name of the email are clear who you are.
10. Make sure it's easy to unsubscribe from your list.
11. Use email subjects that include your name and a great reason to open the email.
12. Keep your emails to the point.
13. Use the recipient's first name in your email if possible.
14. Make sure your email signature includes your Website address & social media links.
15. Use an email service if your list grows beyond 100 people for better customization and tracking.
To read the full article click here
- Bnet.com, June 7, 2010
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 Few Companies Have Policy for Employee Use of Social Networks
By: eMarketer, Digital Intelligence
The pros and cons of social media use at work
Social networks have the attention of businesses not just as a marketing tool but also as a liability. Lost productivity, security problems and reputation issues can lead companies to restrict employee usage of social networks despite their usefulness, according to the "Social Networks vs. Management?" report from employment services firm Manpower.
Worldwide, only one-fifth of the companies surveyed had a formal policy for employee use of external social networking sites. Firms in the Americas and Asia-Pacific were somewhat ahead on this front, but the majority of respondents in all regions had no policy in place. Among companies that did have a policy, 63% claimed it was effective in combating lost productivity.
Click to view whole article and research tables
-eMarketer.com, Feb. 3, 2010
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