Chamber Newsletter

Business Review July 2009




Chamber planning 2010-2011 Community Profile & Business Directory

Production will soon begin on the 2010-2011 Brookings-Harbor Chamber Community Profile and Business Directory.
This publication will feature up-to-date information on our community, directory listings of Chamber members and the most current Brookings-Harbor area map. The Business Directory and Community Profile is used by the chamber to recruit new businesses, network to new and potential residents and visitors, and encourage member-to-member sales.
The Directory is also distributed by the Chamber to area lodging properties, real estate brokerages, Visitor Information Centers around the state and at various outdoor and sportsmen's show around Oregon.
Newcomers rely on the listings and local maps for creating new buying habits and finding services. We anticipate printing ten thousand copies of the directory with an additional overprint of the area map.
Every Brookings-Harbor Chamber member gets two text listings in the publication at no cost; however, display advertising is available for our members to make their business name one that stands out. Advertising in the directory is available only to Chamber members in good standing. Purchasing an ad in the new Brookings-Harbor Community Profile and Business Directory is an excellent and affordable way to insure wide exposure for your business.
Our goal is to have these directories available for distribution by the end of December.
The 2008-2009 Directory was a great success and we are excited about the opportunities this new one will provide you to showcase your business and our community.

President's Message

Dear Chamber Member,

You will shortly receive your 2009-2010 Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce membership dues statement.

Your continued membership in the Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce speaks volumes about your commitment to the economy and quality of life of this community, and you are a Chamber member because you recognize that a strong Chamber of Commerce is important to the success of your business.

In times of uncertainty people turn to their community and to their Chamber. In fact, Chambers of Commerce were born out of rough times. This is why companies like yours and the Chamber are more relevant than ever. Wall Street may falter from time to time, but Main Street and the Chamber represent our interests around this community and must remain a rock of stability.

In these difficult times of cutting budgets, layoffs and the resulting anxiety, members will look out to an uncertain future and mistakenly contend that they cannot afford to market themselves and they cannot afford their Chamber membership investment. The tough businesses, as well as other businesses looking for more business, more networking opportunities, someone to promote our area, more advocacy on their behalf, know that their Chamber membership is critical. They and you will get through this.

Your Chamber staff and volunteer leaders work hard to help you find ways to promote your business, serve your customers, engage your elected representatives on the issues that matter most to your success, and expand the quality of our workforce by supporting our school district and Southwestern Oregon Community College. At a time when your business needs help our vision, mission and purpose is to provide that help, support and a brighter future.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment. It is an understatement to say these are tough times, but maintaining your connection with the Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce is not a tough decision. We look forward to your renewal and your continued involvement.

Sincerely,

Les Cohen
President & CEO

A Dozen Good Reasons to Belong to the Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce

REFERRALS
The Chamber receives approximately 20,000 visitors to its offices each year and answers approximately 10,000 phone inquiries annually. Chamber members are given a preference in referrals in response to these many inquiries.

CHAMBER WEBSITE
The Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce website is located at www.brookingsor.com. Your business is linked to your website free of charge. The Chambers website receives heavy monthly traffic.

GATEWAY PROGRAM
Our Chamber Gateway Program provides your business with a digital store front right where our visitors can find you with an easy search tool.

COMMUNITY PROFILE & BUSINESS DIRECTORY
The Chamber publishes 10,000 copies of the Community Profile and Business Directory every two years. This publication is the most comprehensive overview of the Brookings-Harbor Community and business environment available. It is distributed by realtors, motels, and by the Chamber at statewide travel shows. Every Chamber member is listed in this publication twice, alphabetically and categorically, at no charge. Display advertising is available to Chamber members only at competitive rates.

CHAMBER NEWSLETTER
Our monthly newsletter, The Brookings-Harbor Business Review, is distributed monthly to more than 450 business and civic leaders. It contains news and information of value to our members. The newsletter offers an inexpensive media for advertising your businesses new products, services and promotions.

PM CONNECTIONS BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
Showcase your business. Hosted by a different member business this is one of the many networking opportunities the Chamber offers for our membership.

BROCHURE DISPLAY
Members are invited to display their promotional brochures, menus and business cards in the Chambers Visitor Information Center.

PUBLICATIONS
The Chamber produces a number of publications for the promotion of our area. The Chamber distributes over 40,000 Lodging and Dining Guides each year primarily by mail as the result of requested visitor packets.

KIOSK
The Chamber maintains an outdoor Kiosk adjacent to the Chamber offices at the Port of Brookings Harbor, for 24-hour access to the public. Chamber member businesses relevant to after-hours visitors, are encouraged to display their promotional brochures or menus, at no extra charge.

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES
The Chamber provides new and existing member businesses with ribbon cuttings to promote grand openings or a new line of products and services.

FORUM
The Chambers monthly Forum luncheons provide timely and informative issues. Another excellent networking opportunity.

TOURISM
The Chamber is the designated marketing organization for the Brookings-Harbor area. Visitors are potential customers to your business as well as potential relocates to our community. The majority of people locating to our community first came here as visitors. Your support of the Chamber, through your membership, helps provide us with the resources to continue to attract future customers to your business.

AND&We havent even talked about the Back to School Breakfast, the Business Outlook Conference, the Brookings-Harbor Home Show, the Chamber Ambassadors, membership mailing lists and labels, use of our bulk rate postage permit, co-op advertising opportunities, business advocacy, and more&

Join the Co-op Connections® Program

Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative (CCEC) has an exciting new opportunity for your business. They invite you to join them in a new member benefits initiative, the Touchstone Energy Co-op Connections program. This program gives you the opportunity to offer their cooperative members valuable discounts. In exchange for your participation, CCEC will promote your business and discount offers to our members at no cost to you. The program is designed to benefit your business and their members.
The Co-op Connections program was developed about 4 years ago by the nearly 700 Touchstone Energy cooperatives nation-wide to deliver more value to members and assist participating businesses in increasing their customer base. Since mid-January when cards were mailed, CCEC members have saved over $12,000 in prescription drug costs.
You decide what benefit or discount you want to offer CCEC members. Its the ultimate shop local campaign designed to give your business exposure to nearly 14,000 CCEC members and millions more served by our fellow Touchstone Energy cooperatives. Questions? Call Megan, Christine or Lauren at 469-2103. Dont wait. Sign up today!

Anglers contributed part of $2.5 billion to Oregons economy in 2008

Salem, Ore. Fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing enthusiasts contributed $2.5 billion to Oregons economy in 2008 according to a new study conducted by Travel Oregon and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Residents and nonresidents spent more than $1 billion on trips and $1.5 billion on equipment and activity-related purchases at Oregon-based retailers and suppliers.
Survey results, which are broken out at the region and county level, will benefit businesses dependent on tourism, destination marketing organizations, conservation groups, tourism managers and recreation retailers and suppliers. Armed with the newly compiled economic data, local decision makers will be able to more accurately evaluate the impact of changes in regulations, habitat, invasive species, land use, fish passage and other activities that could affect fish and wildlife recreation. ODFW staff will be able to more accurately identify the potential economic effects of changes in wildlife and habitat management activities.
Travel expenses are divided into two categories. Nearly $150 million was spent on local trips of less than 50 miles. Residents and nonresidents spent an additional $862 million on overnight trips or trips of more than 50 milesaccounting for ten percent of all travel related spending in Oregon.
The survey shows how important wildlife-based recreation is to our travel and tourism industry, which as a whole generated $8.4 billion for Oregon last year and employed 132,000 Oregonians, said Todd Davidson, chief executive officer, Travel Oregon. In some rural counties, the majority of travel-related spending can be associated with fish and wildlife recreation.
The fact that fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing is of great value to both Oregonians and out-of-state visitors is no surprise to the lodging industry, said Jeff Hampton, president and chief executive officer, Oregon Lodging Association. Our vacation rentals, motels, lodges, cabins and RV parks all benefit from Oregons rich fish and wildlife resources.
The study is based on responses from resident and nonresident anglers, hunters, shellfish harvesters and wildlife viewers.
For a number of years, weve recognized the need for reliable information regarding the economic importance of fish and wildlife recreation in the state, said Roy Elicker, ODFW director. This partnership with Travel Oregon finally gives us a solid, statewide look at the business of wildlife-based recreation.
Survey highlights
Nearly 2.8 million Oregon residents and nonresidents participated in fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and shellfish harvesting in Oregon in 2008. Of the total number of participants, 631 thousand fished, 282 thousand hunted, 175 thousand harvested shellfish and 1.7 million participated in outdoor recreation where wildlife viewing was a planned activity.
Dean Runyan Associates and The Pulse Group prepared this study for ODFW and Travel Oregon. Dean Runyan Associates has specialized in research and planning services for the travel, tourism, and recreation industry since 1984.
The report, Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing, and Shellfishing in Oregon 2008 Trip Characteristics and Expenditure Estimate, is available on ODFWs Web site, http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/


Welcome Our New Members

IPH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
Tom Cutting, President
P.O. Box 7074
Brookings, OR 97415
469-7994
Security Patrol; Alarms; Response

TOTALLY CELLULAR, INC.
Shelly Hall, Manager
P.O. Box 2578
97900 Shopping Center Ave., #14
Harbor, OR 97415
469-7605
www.totallycellular.net
Cellular Phones and Service