Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Publication
April 2015
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
ANNUAL GOLF OUTING SAVE THE DATE
10 EASY WAYS TO INCREASE SALES BOOST YOUR REVENUE 5 SELFIES YOU NEED TO TAKE FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Member Spotlight: First National Bank Fox Valley
Business After Hours: Gerhards Kitchen and Bath Store
Meet a Member: Mike Glaser
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Mark your calendar for these upcoming events!
We invite you to join us at an upcoming Chamber event!
LinkedIn for Business Tuesday, April 14 8:00am - 9:00am We will walk through the process of setting up a business page on LinkedIn. We will also discuss posting to your page, adding products and services and MORE! Presented by: Tammy Schultz, Virtualtech Website Design and Promotion
Business Card Exchange Thursday, April 23, 2015 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Each participant is allotted a period of time to introduce themselves. Bring your business cards, brochures, samples, etc. and be ready to share.
Google AdWords Wednesday, April 15 11:00am - noon Whether you're looking to attract new website visitors, grow online sales, get the phones ringing or keep customers coming back for more, Google AdWords can help. Presented By: Aaron Baer, Baer Performance Market
Business Card Exchange Wednesday, May 20 11:00am - noon Bring your business cards, brochures, samples, etc. and be ready to share. This is a great way to network in a structured environment and meet 20+ new business contacts.
N.E.W. Emerging Leaders LinkedIn to Grow Your Professional Network and Build Strong Business Relationships Tuesday, April 7 | 11:45am - 1:00pm Little Chicago | N9650 Friendship Road | Kaukauna
Emerging Leaders is a group of business professionals focused on strengthening and expanding business connections with additional professional education and information to help them expand their leadership roles.
Wednesday, April 15 5:00pm - 7:00pm The Marq 3177 French Road, De Pere Co-hosted by the DePere Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, May 6 5:00pm - 7:00pm The Little Chute Windmill 130 W Main St, Little Chute Wednesday, June 3 5:00pm - 7:00pm The Chandelier Club 162 Eisenhower Dr. Appleton Thursday, July 30 5:00pm - 7:00pm Waverly Beach N8770 Fire Lane 1, Menasha
Government Relations Roundtable Group Meeting Friday, April 10, 2015 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Chamber Office Each month we bring our members face to face with our Federal and State Legislators, our local elected and appointed leaders and our School Superintendents to engage in dialogue, keeping us informed. of the latest issues. These forums are designed to be a safe, respectful environment.
To register, visit www.heartofthevalleychamber.com 4 Heart Beat | April 2015
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5 Selfies You Need to Take for Your Business
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 foreground is upstaged by what’s going on behind him/her. Here are 5 types of selfies/photo bombs you should take for your business and post to your social streams:
my first cup. Anyone else unapproachable before their morning coffee?”
3. You and Your Right Hand Not literally. This selfie is a picture of you and the person (or people) who helps you beyond measure. It could be someone who works for you, or a vendor partner, your entire team or your best customer. The point of this selfie is anything but self-serving. Show some appreciation on a grand level. 19Mention how thankful you are for that person in the post.
1. Your History
4. Answer the Most Common Question Asked of Your Business
A selfie of the business owner in front of something historic about the business or the year it opened. Good ideas include standing in front of an old picture of the business from way back when, standing in front of a former owner’s portrait, or the first dollar made in the business. If you founded the business yourself, recreate a picture of you taken when you first opened and display them side by side.
5. Show the Busy-ness
This selfie is a unique way of answering the most commonlyasked question you hear in your business. For instance, if you are always asked your hours take a picture of yourself Vanna White style showcasing your open sign and listing your hours. Make it funny and you’re more apt to see shares.
This idea is more of a photo bomb than a selfie but sneak up on your employees hard at work, or sneak into a meeting and take a picture of yourself with them in the background. The key to this shot is the caption you use when posting it. This picture is all about showcasing your personality but Something funny like, “This team is always hard at work, remember it is for business as well. Try taking a shot in front of regardless of what I’m doing.”, makes people laugh. Let’s face a favorite collection or hobby, a picture of you in your favorite it, people identify with jokes about hard-working employees spot in town, or you enjoying your favorite meal. and their bosses. When you post it ask a question of your audience, so while it Selfies and photo bombs lend a humorous air to your social appears to be about you, you are opening it up to a greater media shares. They delight your audience and show a fun side connection with them. Have fun with it. For example, taking a of your business. All social media posts should either educate, picture of you in the morning with your coffee/favorite mug. entice or entertain. With selfies you have the last one The caption could read, “You should’ve seen me before I had covered brilliantly.
2. What Makes You Unique (and the same)
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Good News Is Worth Repeating * First National Bank – Fox Valley (FNB Fox Valley) welcomes new employee, Michael Sullivan as the Senior Vice President of Operation, announced the promotion of Tim Vogelsang to senior vice president of commercial banking and (FNB Fox Valley) is happy to announce the promotion of Appleton employee, Josh Gitter to Senior Credit Analyst. Keller, Planners, Architects and Builders, will design and build a 352 square foot kitchen building for The Village of Little Chute under the direction of Keller Project Manager, John Elrick also to remodel for First National Bank - Iola under the direction of Keller Project Manager, Dave Stubbs and Architect, Steve Klessig and will build an addition for N.E.W. Plastics under the direction of Keller Project Manager, Weston Zuleger and Architect, Steve Klessig. They will also design and build a 6,200 square foot Convenience Store and Taco Bell for Co Co Properties, LLC and Taco Bell under the direction of Keller Project Manager, Bob Poch and Architect, Steve Klessig. The eighth Donation Express facility in Goodwill NCW’s Fox River corridor will open to the public at 1921 E. Main St. Little Chute. Goodwill NCW is also joining forces with Outagamie County Recycling & Solid Waste in an effort to broaden recycling, save landfill space and funnel clothing where it’s needed in local communities. Prospera Credit Union hired Mike Sanders to take on the role of vice president of commercial lending. Dr. Mary Davis was hired as chief medical officer for Network Health, the Wisconsin-based health insurance company. Network also announced the addition of Elena Kambitsi, as vice president and general manager of the commercial division of Network Health. Schenck SC announced CPAs Christa Baldridge, Jamie Brown, Brent Engelsma, Jason Kiehnau and Mark Vance were recently named shareholders of the organization. President Rick Schabo announced the appointment of Jerry Ramus to the position of vice president of commercial banking, Fox Valley Region of Baylake Bank. Unison Credit Union opened a new location at 900 Main Ave., De Pere. Miron Construction Co., Inc., Neenha, is partnering with Gries Architectural Group to build a dealership or Van’s Honda in Green Bay. ThedaCare is switching all of its vending machines to a single provider that will offer a mix of healthy snacks and beverages along with traditional favorites, creating more variety for visitors and ThedaCare employees. Bubrick’s Complete Office announced it has acquired Stevens Point based Emmons Business Interiors (“EBI”) and Office Supplies 2 U (“OS2U”). Bruce Bain has joined the staff at Alliance Construction & Design as a salesperson.
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Weidert Group, a nationally recognized inbound marketing agency based in northeast Wisconsin, announced that it has been named a Platinum Level partner with HubSpot, the world’s leading marketing automation software. Kristen Voster, a certified public accountant in Appleton, has been named partner at CPA firm Fox Valley CPAS LLC in Appleton. Marco, Inc., a leading technology services provider in the United States, announced that it has purchased Solbrekk, Inc., a business IT services company located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. K.R. West Company has been awarded third place in distributor sales of 2014 for Wandfluh of America. Wandfluh is a Swiss based manufacture of high quality hydraulics and electronics. Frontier Builders & Consultants recently announced the addition of Dennis Cutbank to its steel erection team.
Valley Mortgage Solutions, LLC “At Valley Mortgage Solutions, our goal is to get you the most competitive mortgage rate possible while making the loan process simple and easy. For 15 years, we have helped our valued clients find the right loans best suited to their needs and long-term financial goals. We offer flexible hours, a free, confidential mortgage analysis, the lowest rates and little to no closing costs options. From start to finish, our highly experienced loan agents provide the support and personalized attention you need when undertaking such a large financial step.” Owner/President - Ryan Keough Address: 240 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 2, Kaukauna, WI 54130 Phone: 920-766-1700 Website: www.valleymortgagesolutionsllc.com
Party and Print Party and Print, located at 2011 E. Main Street in Little Chute, is a cute little retail store that has so much to offer under one roof. They sell a large selection of party supplies, scrapbooking supplies and homemade crafts from local crafters. Many of the crafters can do custom work – from cribbage boards to hair bows – check out their Facebook page for photos of all the handcrafted items they have to offer. Party and Print can print napkins for special occasions and can help you with many of your printing needs including signage and custom t-shirts. Bring your ideas in and meet with Karen or Deb to see what they can do to help with your next party or business event. For more information, stop in or visit us at www.partyandprint.com. Address: 2011 E. Main St. Little Chute, WI 54140 Phone: 920-372-3525 Website: www.partyandprint.com
Amanda Lauer, Realtor with Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group, Inc.. has been helping people buy and sell homes for over 50 years. Amanda Lauer, a Realtor located in their Darboy location on John St. is a Kaukauna resident and the local contact agent for Heart of The Valley Chamber of Commerce members. If you have been thinking about buying or selling a property in the Fox Valley or the surrounding areas, please give her or a member of her team a call. They have been helping clients buy and sell residential real estate for over a dozen years. Their philosophy is simple: Utilizing cutting edge technology and a support staff provided by their internationally recognized brokerage, Coldwell Banker, they provide the best home buying and selling experience possible. Buying and / or selling a home can be an emotional process. Let Amanda and her extraordinary team of associates walk you through this process. They are available ANY TIME at (920) 766-HOME (4663). “Hi, I am Amanda Lauer, Realtor with Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group, Inc. I look forward to hearing from you regarding buying or selling any residential property in the Fox Valley or surrounding areas. Remember, Don't Make Your "MOVE" Without Us!” Address: 2830 E John St Appleton, Wisconsin Phone: 920-766-4663 Website: http://amandalauer.coldwellhomes.com/
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
FNB Fox Valley started as First National Bank of Menasha in 1887. In 1990, FNB Fox Valley changed their name to First National Bank Fox Valley when they opened their second branch in Neenah, WI. Today, they are five branches strong, but remain locally owned and operated right here in the Fox Valley. Banking is about people and they remain customer and community focused in everything they do.
FNB Fox Valley is the largest community bank that operates solely in the Fox Valley region. In 2011, their bank rolled out an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) which allowed each of the bank’s employees to become a shareholder, giving them a greater sense of ownership in their careers and their futures at FNB. They feel the long term benefits of this plan will be great for the employees, the growth of the bank and the community.
First National Bank of Menasha 1926
They have had two very exciting things happen in the last year at FNB. In July of 2014, they launched their Customer Care Center. Their Care Center’s mission is to provide an exceptional customer experience, allowing callers to speak with a live person, right in Neenah, who can offer friendly and efficient first call resolutions. They value their customers’ time and want to make banking with FNB Fox Valley easy!
First National Bank, Northland Ave.
Secondly, in December of 2014, they opened their 5th location on Northland Ave. in Appleton! They continue to see growth in both their retail and business sectors in the Appleton market and are happy to provide another convenient branch location on the North side of Appleton for this customer base.
Both of these initiatives have been very positive and exciting for FNB as they continue to see new successes every day. One the biggest challenges they face is that in order to be the primary financial institution for a customer, they need to hold their main checking account. With the popularity of banking technologies like bill pay, direct deposit and automatic payments, switching financial institutions can really be a chore. Many people will remain with their current institution even if they are unhappy or could be getting a better value elsewhere, simply because they do not have the time to switch. FNB Fox Valley is constantly searching for solutions to make moving your accounts to their institution a little easier by removing some of the obstacles and taking on some of the more time consuming pieces themselves. The bottom line is that moving your money takes time and they recognize and understand that. Some of the initiatives they have implemented to ease this process are: offering instantly issued debit cards, providing online account opening, supplying switch kits to help facilitate the changes in your bill pay items and direct deposits and offering valuable products like their high interest checking accounts with ATM fee refunds. 10 Heart Beat | April 2015
Smiling faces, there to help you.
Technology will continually evolve the banking industry along with customer expectations. They see banking becoming more “high tech/high touch” in the future. Customers will continue to learn, adapt and use technology in banking to self-serve, but when they need personal, individualized service, they will expect to work with highly trained individuals ready and able to help them with any and all of their needs. Investments in education, training and technology are a must to stay relevant to their customers’ future needs.
Customer Appreciation Picnic with Tim Bergstrom Volunteers for Red Kettle Match Day
FNB Fox Valley feels that good service is expected, but that a great experience is memorable. Their mission is to empower their employees to be passionate about banking and deliver a superior experience to their customers and their community. They genuinely value their customer relationships and they consider them all part of they “bank family”. FNB Fox Valley is constantly reevaluating their customers’ needs and striving to develop solutions to meet those needs.
Their core values are pretty simple: employees, customers and community. Their commitment to these values is highlighted in their “Beyond the Dollar Sign” program. FNB Fox Valley employees receive 40 hours of paid time each year to go out into the community and volunteer. This community-centric Gift Wrapping for Habitat for Humanity focus aligns with the Heart of the Valley Chamber’s mission to connect people and businesses, perpetuating a strong economy and a prosperous future for area businesses. When they can deliver value to their employees, their customers and their community… that is true success! St. Patty’s Day in May with the Timber Rattlers 11
DIVERSIFIED investigations, LLC has been a licensed private detective agency since August 9, 2002. Based in Appleton, WI DIVERSIFIED strives to provide exceptional service to attorneys and corporate clients nationwide. http://www.diinv.com/
At Fox Valley Technical College FVTC, they provide high-quality education and training that support student goals, a skilled workforce and the economic vitality of our communities. http://www.fvtc.edu/
Robinson Florist & Greenhouses offers beautiful, fresh flower arrangements in Kimberly, WI. Their expert florists create the perfect gifts to suit any special occasion. http://www.robinsonflorists.com/ Pride and Quality for over 25 Years. Tom’s Cabinets have been building kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets and custom cabinets since 1985. http://www.tomscabinetsinc.com/index.php
At Wisconsin Retirement Solutions, they establish your finance and income plan using their proven “SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY RETIREMENT” http://wiretirementsolutions.com/ 12 Heart Beat | April 2015
It’s simple at Pro Staff. Whether you’re looking for the right talent to better your workforce or seeking a more satisfying career, they’re working for you. They’re business is people. http://prostaff.com/
10 Easy Ways to Increase Sales One of the most obvious ways to boost revenue in your business is to make more sales. Here are ten ways you can start doing that today:
5. The Price is Right Have you considered how your product or service is priced? What research have you carried out to make sure that it is competitively priced and that overheads and margin are factored in? It is very easy to sell too cheaply just as it is very easy to end up broke.
1. Do You Have A Sales Strategy? Most businesses think they have a strategy, but they don’t. Now is a good time to develop one. You need to consider who your ideal customer is and what are the products and services 6. Be Ruthless that provide the best return for you. What you are not selling is as important as what you are selling. Take a look at the products or services that are simply The sales strategy should be a brief one-page roadmap that glued to the shelves and get rid of them. encapsulates: Don’t be reluctant to retire certain products or services. One of the secrets to success is being able to detach yourself from what you want to sell the emotion of a business decision. If something is not selling who you are going to sell to don’t stock it and don’t waste money marketing it. where you are going to sell how you are going to sell 7. Open Your Eyes when you are going to sell The first quarter is a very good time to take a look at what your Keep it simple and keep referring back to it. competitors are doing. It is also an excellent time to look at similar businesses in different geographical areas to see how 2. Are You Missing Opportunities? they are trading and to see if lessons can be learned. You could best sum this approach up as ‘preach to the converted’. Your current customers are likely an excellent source for new business. You may have a product or service that they may not know about that might suit their business. Essentially, the first port of call should be the clients that have already bought from your business. 3. Back to Basics Oftentimes the problem is businesses have veered from their target market and fail to realize it. Take an honest look at what your market is and where you are at the moment. If sales are not at a level that you would like you might need to ask yourself some tough questions such as ‘Have I focused too much on one sector of my business?’ or ‘Have I deviated from my sales strategy and forgotten about my target market?’. The second question is quite a common question. In struggling economies many businesses survive by ‘throwing everything at it.’ But the economy is largely picking up now. It’s time to assess the business and get back to selling the right products to the right customers.
8. Raise Awareness You know all about your business, as does your family, but never presume that your target audience does. Think about how you how can market your business. Go back to your sales strategy in point 1 and identify your ideal customers and then target them where they are. 9. Look the Part When was the last time you looked at your branding? Branding isn’t just a logo or a website. It is everything from an auto signature on an email to letterhead to company vehicles. There are more options available now to help you to get your branding right. There are countless examples of how you can carry out a brand audit online.
10. Stay in Shape Just as much as the New Year provokes people to get back in physical shape, the first quarter should also be a time when you identify training needs and areas for professional improvement. 4. Customer is King There’s a good chance your local chamber can help you with Simon & Garfunkel knew this 45 years ago when they sang training through networking and other learning-based ‘Keep the Customer Satisfied’. In an age when almost anything can be bought or sold online at any time of the day or events. They are also a great resource on what your community offers. Every company needs sales to be night by anyone, the need for excellent customer service has successful. In order to do so sales and marketing strategies never been greater. should be reviewed periodically to ensure they are the most Some businesses have built their reputations on looking after effective for your business. Adjusting your tack every so often generations of families. Your business can do that too by ensuring that staff are properly trained and that customers get is the best way to stay on course. consistent excellent service every time that they deal with your business. 13
Meet A Member Mike Glaser Business Development Dental Associates http://www.dentalassociates.com/
Give us a brief description/history of your business‌. Dental Associates was started by Dr. John Gonis in 1973 in downtown Milwaukee. We have grown to having 12 clinics, 3 in the Appleton area. In addition to the full service dental concept, we are the only dental provider to offer our own insurance. We have affordable individual plans in the form of Supplemental Plans for people that have insurance, to plans for people that do not have any coverage at all. We have recently gotten into providing group plans for companies of all sizes. The plans are tailor made for each business's needs. We cover groups from 2 employees to several thousand. Q: How did you get started in your field? Totally by accident. I had been working in a manufacturing setting for many years and along the way I had developed many relationships. One day I received a call from the owner of Dental Associates and he told me he had gotten my name from a mutual acquaintance and he wanted me to work for him. I met with Dr. Gonis and the rest is history. It has turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Q: Who is the one person that helped to make you who you are today? My dad. He worked two jobs his whole life to provide for our family. He never complained, but his actions taught me how to be responsible, how to work with people and to be thankful for everything that you have because there are many people that you love to enjoy the things I take for granted. Q: What do you like most about working in the Heart of the Valley area? The people! The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce is like being with family. Everybody is always very friendly and will go out of their way to try and help you to be successful. Bobbie and her team are always working to provide learning opportunities for businesses, to network and promote your business and think out of the box to make events special and
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fun. There is a lesson on teamwork that we can all learn from. Q: What is the worst job you’ve ever had? One of the first jobs I had was working for the Two Rivers Recreation Department. The fun part of the job was to cut lawn and maintain the baseball diamonds in summer. Then there was another piece of the job, which was to clean all the public toilets in the City. I learned to despise the carnivals, baseball tournaments, parades and dances that were held throughout the City. Enough said. Q: OK, now the good stuff. What do you like to do for fun? When I have the opportunity, I like to travel. There are so many places to go and experience. I like climbing around in caves, going to museums and just learning about all the different places that are out there. Q: What’s your favorite movie and why? I like any National Lampoon Vacation movies. There is a lot of truth that is built into those movies and they really make me laugh. Q: Is your desk messy or organized? It is organized chaos. Q: Green Bay Packers or another team? PACKERS!!!!!!!! Q: Where was your best vacation and why? The best vacation that I ever went on was to a place called the Isle of Margarita. All the hotels were new, the service and food were outstanding. Q: What are the Top 3 items on your bucket list? I would like to learn how to sky dive. I would like to vacation in New Zealand. I would like to swim with dolphins.
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Business After Hours: Co-hosted with Valley Home Builders Association at Gerhards Kitchen & Bath Lots of new faces at this joint event. Catering was provided by High Cliff and Gerhards held a drawing for some great gifts.
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How Well Do You Know Other Chamber Members?
One Bank Ave, Kaukauna, WI, 54130 Phone: 920-759-9075 | Fax: 920-759-9076 Open: Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. http://www.ostpt.com/
1. OST not only treats the spine, we treat conditions from head to toe. 2. OST Kaukauna clinic has been open since 2007. 3. Pat Schuh, DPT, CMTPT, (a Little Chute native) was the original therapist there and still treats at OST Kaukauna. 4. You don’t need a referral for physical therapy. 5. If you don’t know if physical therapy is right for you, OST offers free screens.
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