Catalyst. Convener. Champion.
Chamber Connection SA NTA M A RIA VA LLE Y CH A MB E R MO NTHLY NE WS LE T TE R | M AY 202 1
Gathering Again: Updated State Guidelines Allow For In-Person Meetings & Events With vaccinations on the rise and COVID cases in Santa Barbara County continuing to decline, the light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shine brighter, and with it people are looking to gather again in person. “As vaccinations become more widely available, we hear more businesses and local residents asking about in person meetings and events,” explained Glenn Morris, President/CEO for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “Whether it be a ribbon cutting for a small business or one of our monthly mixers, we continue to hear an increased desire for people to transition back to meeting face to face, instead of on zoom.” Recognizing the state’s progress in turning a corner in the COVID pandemic, the California Department of Public Health recently released updated guidelines for many types of private group events and indoor performances. Santa Barbara County joined the State in making these guidelines effective locally as of April 15th, 2021 through a public health order. Highlights for private events and group meetings based on the current orange tier include: • Indoor capacity for meetings is limited to 150. All guests must be either fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to the event, or show proof of a negative COVID test
The Santa Maria Inn has taken steps to adhere to updated local guidelines and is ready to safely host events again, including outdoor weddings on their scenic patio. within the past 72 hours Outdoor capacity for meetings is limited to 100, or up to 300 only if all guests are vaccinated or tested • Additional details on the new guidelines can be found at bit.ly/ CAEventsCOVID For local hotels and event spaces, the opportunity to host in person events again provides a much-needed boost to an industry hit hard by the pandemic. “We have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to once again safely host •
meetings, weddings and other events in person,” said Phil Beitler, Director of Sales for the Radisson Hotel in Santa Maria. “The updated guidelines released by the State was welcome news to our business. We are excited to welcome back guests for meeting and events in a safe and enjoyable way.” Beitler says their hotel is following all state guidelines and that pandemic-level sanitation measures are still being adhered to. “We are currently booking meetings of smaller groups, (under 40 persons), with Continued on p.2
WHAT ' S INSIDE : M AY 2021 ISSUE
Young Professional of the Month p. 2
Leadership Santa Maria Valley p. 3
Get Your Business Online Program p. 8
Continued - Updated Event Guidelines Continued from p.1 proof of vaccinations and social distancing measures in place,” Beitler said. Beitler said over the last month, they have seen an increased interested booking inperson events at their hotel, and they expect to be able to accommodate larger social gatherings by fall of 2021. Local nonprofits and community groups are also looking forward to being able to transition away from zoom and provide an opportunity to meet in person again. “We are excited to see these updated guidelines from the state and the allowance of more safe, in person gatherings,” said Alex Castillo, Events and Special Projects
Manager for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. Castillo says the Chamber is looking at how they can transition to a hybrid event model that offers both in person and virtual options for some of their larger events. “We see many people who are ready to safely gather again in person, but some are still hesitant. We are hoping a hybrid event model will be able to accommodate all community members looking to join our events in whatever way they feel safe and comfortable doing so.” Morris says that State’s announcement of these updated event guidelines is another
milestone in local reopening and economic recovery. “Regardless of whether people feel ready to gather in person, we can all agree that the State’s updated event guidance allowing for in person gatherings is a positive sign that we are turning a corner in this pandemic,” Morris said. “The opportunity for hotels and event spaces to safely welcome people back is another step in local economic recovery, and something the community should be excited about.”
Young Professional of the Month: Carlos Escobedo Santa Maria Connect Young Professionals is a Young Professionals program run by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. Each month, the program will showcase a local young professional. This month's showcase is Carlos Escobedo, Santa Maria City Council Disctrict 1 Representative. Talk a bit about yourself. What do you do professionally and what are your hobbies? I am a 27years old young professional and first generation American who moved with my family from San Martin de Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, pursing the American Dream. I know from experience the dedication it takes to labor in the broccoli fields, how exhausting it is working as a cashier during the night shift, being a cook, and being a server in a hotel banquet department. I currently work as Student Success Outreach Specialist at Allan Hancock College where I have been able to provide support and guidance to thousands of Santa Marians in the process of applying to higher education and technical careers. As Event Coordinator for Santa Maria Open Streets ¡Calles Vivas!, last year I brought together more than 150 free activity providers and around 20,000 community members on West Main Street, receiving the recognition as the Young Professional 2019 awarded by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. I was elected into the City Council in November 2020 by voters in City Council District 1, the northwest portion of the City. 2
In my free time I enjoy going hiking, riding my bicycle, running, reading, dancing, public speaking, traveling, amount others. How are you involved in the community outside of your job? Since I arrived to Santa Maria I sought to contribute to our community. One example was the creation of the first Toastmasters club in Spanish on the Central Coast “Toastmasters Valle de Santa María”, of which I was the Founding President. I currently serve as Commissioner for the Fifth District on the Human Services Commission of Santa Barbara County. As Commissioner he works hard to protect and sustain the human services safety net that benefits thousands of individuals and families. I also volunteer for more than 10 different great organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, Bici Centro, Santa Barbara Food Bank, United Way, Rotary International, Serve Santa Maria to mention few. Why do you enjoy giving back to the community? Because this is my new home and I work hard every day to make of it a better place for our neighbors, friends and families. Why would you encourage other young professionals to get involved/give back to their local community? One of my best friends, Andrew Millar (rest in peace) taught me something that I will never forget. He said “Carlos, you
Carlos Escobedo is a Santa Maria City Council Representative and Student Success Outreach Specialist at Allan Hancock College. need to invest in the community and the community will believe and trust in you”. I think that we are all co responsible of the future of Santa Maria. We all can be an agent of change. What is your favorite thing about Santa Maria? The people. Moving from another country was a huge transition but the way that Santamarians welcomed us is a debt I will never going to be able to repay. If you are interested in Santa Maria Connect or have a suggestion for a Young Professional of the Month feature, email Alex Castillo at alex@santamaria.com.
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Class of 2021 has begun!! Terri Oneschuck Program Director, Leadership Santa Maria Valley VP, Chamber Operations
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 has begun in an all virtual format due to COVID restrictions. Their first topic day was on Government and they heard from a varity of local government leaders with the opportunity to interact virtually and ask questions. In the coming months, the program plans to adopt a hybrid format as regulations allow. One of the challenges of the pandemic has been how do we continue to offer our Leadership program given the current restrictions? Our Leadership board of directors had many discussions and suggestions and we came up with a way to offer a quality program that will flex with whatever the recommendations and restrictions are for Santa Barbara County. There are sixteen members of the 2021 class. We held our three-day retreat virtually in mid-March. Activities that could not be done in a virtual environment have been postponed until we can meet in person. The retreat is a time to get to know each other, learn a bit more about ourselves and hear more about what is to come during the program year. I think that it went quite well. On April 2nd we had our first virtual topic day. This was our Government Day. It started out with a motivational leadership lesson from Ed Carcarey of Fuego 97.1 and Downtown Fridays. He encouraged us to find our passion, volunteer to make changes in our community, and find that person in our lives who will keep that passion going! Next we got to hear from Etta Waterfield, Mayor Pro Tem for the City
of Santa Maria and Bob Nelson, Fourth District Supervisor and Steve Lavagnino, Fifth District Supervisor from the County of Santa Barbara. We learned what is going in the City and County, what similarities they have and their differences. It was great to meet our local government leaders and have the opportunity to ask them questions. In the afternoon, Mark van de Kamp, Public Information Manager for the City of Santa Maria, showed us a video tour of City Hall. It was interesting to learn the history of the various buildings that have housed City Hall and about the current building that it is in now. Although meeting virtually has some drawbacks, we are still able to share some of the great people and opportunities of the Santa Maria Valley. In the months to come we will move to hybrid meetings. We may have our speakers in a virtual environment and then gather in a social distance format to have our discussions and eventually tour our local businesses. We look forward to getting back to being in person for the whole day soon!
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | May 2021
Chamber Board of Directors: 2020-2021 Executive Committee Chairman: Edgar Gascon, Hacienda Realty Chairman-Elect: Danny Deveraux, CalPortland Vice Chairman: Janet Silveria, Community Bank of Santa Maria Vice Chairman: Laurie Tamura, Urban Planning Concepts Past Chairman: Jean-Luc Garon, Radisson Hotel Santa Maria Board Members Mark Allen, Marian Regional Medical Center Ron Cossa, Tolman & Wiker Insurance Sandra Dickerson, Your People Professionals Donna Farrell, Santa Maria Town Center Karen Fothergill, Andre, Morris & Buttery Angelica Gutierrez, L & G Farms Doug Janzen, The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center Emily Kitts, Naughty Oak Brewing Company David LeRoy, Toyota of Santa Maria Butch Lopez, V Lopez Jr. & Sons General Engineering Contractors David Merlo, Glenn Burdette Tere Paredes, Maya Restaurant Era Polly, Era Polly Real Estate Shannon Seifert, Santa Maria Valley YMCA Michelle Shipman, Searchlight Properties Kevin Walthers, Allan Hancock College Tim Williams, Digital West
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is a catalyst for business growth, a convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger Santa Maria Valley. Learn more about the Chamber by visiting www.santamaria.com.
3
Chamber Membership Corner New Members: February & March 2021 The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome these new members joining the Chamber. We appreciate their vote of confidence in our ability to add value to their business and to create a strong local economy together. We highly encourage individuals and businesses to support Chamber member businesses. Investor Care Connection Transport Services 1911 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com Care Connection Transport Services 1600 N Rose Ave., Oxnard (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic 990 Price Street, Pismo Beach (805) 773-0474 pismobeachvet.com Prudential Overall Supply (805) 529-0833 www.prudentialuniforms.com Premium Coiffure Society Salon 3546 Skyway Drive, Ste. E, Santa Maria (805) 406-4980 www.Coiffuresocietysalon.com
Spectrum Reach 181 Tank Farm Rd Ste 210, San Luis Obispo (805) 596-2425 www.spectrumreach.com/spectrum-reachadvertising Member Charcuter'Dee & Fromagerie Santa Maria (805) 931-4355 www.facebook.com/ CharcuterDeeAndFromagerie/ Cowboy Cookie & Ice Cream 371 Town Center East, Santa Maria (805) 354-0574 www.cowboycookie.com
Schooley Mitchell Santa Maria, CA (805) 364-6114 www.schooleymitchell.com/jmartin Touchstone Central Coast 505 S. McClelland, Suite A, Santa Maria (805) 610-9010 www.touchstonecc.com Villa Care Homes 938 W. Bunny Avenue, Santa Maria (805) 623-2939 www.villacarehomessantamaria.com Weddings by Roberta Central Coast Santa Maria (805) 608-9955
Rob Rijnen Photography Pismo Beach (805) 235-2192 www.impresswithimages.com
Member Upgrades: February & March 2021 The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce thanks the following companies for upgrading their membership by stepping up their commitment to our Chamber Investor Program and to the communities of the Santa Maria Valley. Investor Level Care Connection Transport Services 2003 Preisker Lane, Unit B. Santa Maria (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com
InSPArations Full Service Salon & Spa 130 Clark Ave, Orcutt (805) 934-8682 www.insparations1.com
1911 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com
PETS Hospital/ Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic 4854 S. Bradley Rd., Ste 109, Orcutt (805) 250-5600 www.petsurgentcare.com
1600 N Rose Ave., Oxnard (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com
4
Wilshire Health & Community Services 285 South Street, Suite J, San Luis Obispo (805) 547-7025 www.wilshirehcs.org
Renewing Members: March 2021 The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is excited to recognize these partners who strive each day to create jobs, boost our local economy and build a community of which we can all be proud. Thank you for your loyalty and continued support in renewing your commitment to the Chamber and to the communities of Santa Maria Valley. 51 Years: Country Oaks Care Center
19 Years: Streator Pipe & Supply
41 Years: American Cancer Society Earth Systems Pacific Jay Cee Trophy Co., Inc. Santa Maria Country Club WSPA
18 Years: United Staffing Associates 17 Years: Air Pollution Control District
30 Years: Robert D. Kitto, DDS
16 Years: American GI Forum PathPoint
29 Years: KSBY
15 Years: Benedetti & Associates
26 Years: Signs Of Success, Inc.
13 Years: Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary Club
25 Years: Coastal Business Finance Glad A Way Gardens, Inc. Good Samaritan Shelter, Inc.
12 Years: Santa Maria Periodontics
24 Years: Hitching Post Of Casmalia 23 Years: R W Scott Construction Co., Inc. 21 Years: County of Santa Barbara-Purchasing Div. 20 Years: Community Health Centers Of Central Coast
11 Years: Culligan San Paso Co., Inc Flower Carriage by Ms. Cardel Staples & Associates 9 Years: McGaughey Financial Services Nipomo Swapmeet & Mini Storage Pacific Western Bank 8 Years: Santa Maria Town Center Westside Building Materials - Santa Maria
6 Years: cnagy wines Shred 2 You, Inc 5 Years: MINDBODY 4 Years: California Women for Agriculture Mexican Ladies Social Club Moats Laser & Skin Care PETS Hospital The Salvation Army 3 Years: Andre, Morris & Buttery Comcast Foxen Canyon Wine Trail Quality Wine Barrels San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce Wave Business 2 Years: Cultural & Creative Arts Center of the Santa Maria Valley AKA ''Corazon del Pueblo'' In the Nic of Time Locksmithing Phoenix Property Inspections SEEAG (Students for ECO-Education & Agriculture) 1 Years: Mountain Mike's Pizza ~ North Broadway
Chamber Member Testimonial: Tara's Mobile Footcare
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce has been really good to me and has been great for my business! The Chamber is the hub of the city, the who's,
what's, and where's of just about anything in the area. I started a business back in 1995. I had no idea how to network, as I was very shy. I went to a Chamber meeting on an invite from a client, scared to death, and gave my 60-second introduction. The Chamber was very warm, welcoming, and informative; and I built my business just through Chamber referrals! It was so much fun I later became an Ambassador for the Chamber, and still enjoy helping new people with ideas and resources to help their
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | May 2021
businesses grow! There is no competition in the Chamber. Members are willing to help other members, even if they are in the same profession, as there are plenty of customers for everybody. I invite you to check out one of our Build Your Business breakfasts on zoom, or a mixer, and learn of the benefits that the Santa Maria Valley Chamber has to offer you and your business! - Tara Hoffmann, Owner Tara's Mobile Footcare
5
Working Hard on Your Behalf: Chamber Month in Review The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is here for business. We are a catalyst for business growth, convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger Santa Maria Valley. We continue to work hard to serve our members, local businesses and the Santa Maria Valley community. Here’s a glimpse at what we’ve been up to lately.
Catalyst for Business Growth • • • •
The Chamber’s Economic Development team Launched a “Get Your Business Online Program” designed to support local businesses in establishing an online presence in order to create new pathways to connect and build relationships with existing and future customers. The Chamber partnered with the Santa Maria Times on a Shop Local Santa Maria Valley Virtual Telethon. The Chamber continues to hold weekly virtual BYB, (Build Your Business) networking meetings every Friday morning from 8:309:30a.m. Each week a member business/organization does a “Showcase” presentation of their business products and services. This meeting also gives members the opportunity to network and share leads and referrals. The Visitors Bureau hosted its Monthly Tourism Industry meeting to coordinate marketing strategies with our hospitality partners.
Convener of Leaders and Influencers • • • • • •
The Chamber hosted their April Member Mixer featuring CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Santa Barbara County. The Mixer included networking, prizes, and an interactive demonstration of some of the training CASA volunteers go through. The Chamber’s Santa Maria Connect young professionals group hosted an IGTV Live event featuring Tyler Skinner discussing Impostor Syndrome and strategies that individuals can use to create a positive image in the workplace. The Chamber continued to partner with local Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapters to host monthly webinars featuring local business and community leaders. April’s session focused on “How to become a community leader”. The Visitors Bureau hosted a meeting with local hotels and other event venues to share newly released COVID guidelines for meetings and events, which go into effect mid-April. The Chamber Ambassador Committee continues to meet monthly via zoom. Ambassadors continue to serve as the public relations arm of the Chamber and are currently focused on mentoring new chamber members and assisting the Chamber during virtual networking meetings and events. The Chamber partnered with other Chambers in Santa Barbara County to arrange a listening session for restaurant operators and the County Environmental Health department. The meeting will focus on the County’s proposed Micro Kitchen Home Operation ordinance.
Champion for a Stronger Santa Maria Valley • • • • • • • • •
6
Santa Maria Connect launched a “Young Professional of the Month” article series, with the first highlight featuring Robert Cooks of Best Western Plus Big America Hotel. The Chamber launched a Community Input Survey to determine priorities that Chamber and community members want the Chamber to advance in the next 2-3 years. The Visitor Bureau began working with local event facilities to update marketing materials focused on events and meetings, including facilitating a photo shoot to show how local properties can adapt event setups to follow current health guidelines. The Chamber collaborated with regional Chambers to conduct another episode of the COVID-19 Business Impact Survey. Data collected from businesses is used by the Chamber to update programs, fine tune communications, and advocate for policies that best support local businesses. The Chamber partnered with the Santa Maria Times on a new monthly “Local Business Spotlight Series”, with our first video spotlight focusing on Hans Duus Blacksmith. The Chamber’s Leadership Santa Maria Valley class of 2020 unveiled their Mobile Observatory, a part of their legacy project. The Leadership Santa Maria Valley class of 2021 held their first virtual topic day exploring how local government works. The Chamber advocated for support of AB 927, which is a bill that would authorize the expansion of the community college baccalaureate degree program in California, and encouraged the community to write letters in support as well. A full recap of legislative bills the Chamber has taken positions on this month can be found at https://santamaria.com/news/category/Advocacy. The Chamber facilitated an industry working group to develop an alternative proposal for the City Council as they consider updating the City’s User Fee program. The City’s contracted consultant submitted a plan which would result in fees being increased by an average of over 500%, with some being increased by thousands of dollars per instance. The working group’s plan submitted to the City recognizes that the fee program is overdue for an update and that many fees will need to be adjusted, and proposes an approach that strikes a reasonable path to achieve that goal while still keeping fees reasonable in order to facilitate economic activity in the City.
SEO brings your Business More Traffic & More Customers Josh Erdman CEO, Systems & Marketing Solutions SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is all about relevance to the Search Engine. Google is basically a super computer, and when Google reads your site it is looking for data that it can quantify. That data is the words you use on your site. 3 Types of SEO: Search engines judge your website's relevance in three ways: what you say about yourself (Onsite SEO), what others say about you (Offsite SEO), and modern your website is to support the evolving technology trends (SEO Technologies and Protocols). When a friendly website hurts your SEO: Imagine you are a pediatric dentist, and on your site you show pictures of happy kids with stuffed animals and you make BIG headlines using the words: Friendly, Fun, Safe for Kids. These are great messages for the reader (a parent reading your site) but since they are in the headline, you are telling Google that ‘Friendly, Fun, Safe for Kids’ are really important words in the search. When in reality the most important words, your keywords are ‘Pediatric Dentist’. Google places more emphasis on the words in your Title, headlines, and ALT Tags (description text for images). Working with this in mind is key to maintaining a good SEO structure. When Speed Matters: If time is money, then a slow website is a waste of your money and your visitors’ time. Google has a reputation to uphold and will recommend fast websites over slow ones. Fast is a relative term so they provide a free Website Speed testing tool where you can receive a letter grade on your website speed and tips to make it faster. When Links Matter: Your sphere of influence in a community is important and on the internet Google measures this by tracking links from trusted 3rd party websites that point to you. These are called backlinks and you can never have too many from trusted sources. Take the time to fill out your complete business profile with your Chamber of Commerce and any memberships you may have with trade associations, these are backlinks that matter. Other helpful backlinks include Social Media profiles, business partnerships, and if you really specialize in an area, a citation in Wikipedia.
The Speed of SEO: SEO moves like an iceberg, improvements you make today might start to have an effect months down the road, but this effect is long-lasting (assuming that your competitors are on standby with their SEO). So be patient and be authentic. Consider advertising if you are looking for something with fast results. What else can I do to improve my SEO? Blog Articles: Keeping in mind the rules of SEO structure we mentioned before, writing new blog articles is a great way to strengthen your website's message and focus on your keywords and this new content gives Google a reason to come back to your website. New content also is a great single to Google that your business is still alive and well. Many businesses have paid years in advance to keep their website running and then have gone out of business. Without new content, how will Google differentiate between your business and a business that has shut down but still has a website running? Google My Business Listing: As mentioned earlier, completing your Social Media Profile is a great source for backlinks and you can’t go wrong by starting with Google My Business. eCommerce: If you sell product, going the extra mile with an eCommerce shopping cart is also quite helpful. Shopping carts are very structured and organized allowing Google (and other search engines) to suck up the information on your products like candy. If you already have a website many platforms already have eCommerce capability (Wix and Squarespace is builtin, for WordPress users the most common plug-in is WooCommerce). If you do not yet have a website many people start on the popular eCommerce platform: Shopify. Keep Learning: Like most technology, SEO evolves adjusting to stay relevant. Most importantly, be authentic, that will ensure your SEO is valuable for the longest time. Josh Erdman, never leaves behind an opportunity to learn something new. He is a true ‘Jack of all trades’ and always on the lookout for new ways to merge technology with the customer experience. As CEO of a national Digital Marketing Agency, Systems & Marketing Solutions, he pursues his passion – helping businesses connect to customers at the intersection where lifestyle and technology meet.
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | May 2021
Thank You to Oaur Chamber Investor Program Sponsors:
American General Media Armando’s Autobody & Paint Inc. BBSI Babe Farms, Inc. Black Bear Diner - Santa Maria Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast CALM Care Connection Transport Services Cat Canyon Resources, LLC CenCal Health Certified Freight Logistics College and Career Readiness, Santa Barbara County Education Office Comcast Community Bank of Santa Maria Community Carpenters Diani Companies Family Care Network, Inc. FUEGO 97.1 Hot Hits/La Buena Golden State Water Company Innovative Produce InSPArations Full Service Salon & Spa J. Wilkes Wines Jack's All American Plumbing Morris & Garritano Insurance Moxie Cafe New Life Painting/Bath & Kitchen/Restoration NKT Commercial I, LLC Orkin Central Coast PCPA - Pacific Conservatory Theatre PETS Hospital/Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic Phoenix Property Inspections/ Veritas Innovative Pest & Termite Solutions Plantel Nurseries Safran Cabin Santa Maria Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Maria Bonita School District Santa Maria Country Club Santa Maria Joint Union High School District SCORE San Luis Obispo SESLOC Federal Credit Union Smith’s Alarms & Electronics, Inc. SM Tire SunOpta Testa Catering Tileco Distributors, Inc. The Towbes Group, Inc. Trojan Petroleum, Inc. Urban Planning Concepts/ Rural Planning Services VTC Enterprises Wave Business Wells Fargo Bank Wilshire Health & Community Services Wine & Design Orcutt World Financial Group, The Altergott Strategic Focus Team WSPA Xtreme Electronics The Y
7
Stay Connected with the Santa Maria Valley Chamber Visit: 614 S. Broadway, Santa Maria Call: (805) 925-2403 Email: info@santamaria.com
614 S. Broadway Santa Maria, CA 93454
Website: santamaria.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ santamariavalleychamber/ Twitter: twitter.com/SMVChamber Instagram: santamariavalleychamber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ santamariavalleychamber Email List: bit.ly/SMVCCMailingList Text Message Alerts: Text "CHAMBER" to 33222 Chamber Connection is the official monthly publication of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. For questions about this publication or to be added to our monthly mailing distribution list, email molly@santamaria.com.
Chamber Offers Free Digital Marketing Support for Small Businesses through their "Get Your Business Online" Program Does your business need assistance with improving your online presence? The Santa Maria Valley Chamber knows that now more than ever, local businesses need a strong online presence to succeed. That's why they recently launched the "Get Your Business Online" program! “During COVID it became really clear to us that many of our small local businesses did not have a strong presence online, and it made it tough to compete with those who made it easy to order and find their information online,” explained Molly Schiff, Director of Member and Community Engagement for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “We launched the ‘Get Your Business Online’ program as a way to help guide businesses through the process of
improving their online presence.” The program includes and intake assessment of a businesses’ current online presence and then customized assistance with areas including website, social media, google listing, building a customer database, ecommerce and more. “We know for many small businesses, the thought of having to build a website or keep up with social media can seem overwhelming," Schiff said. "We wanted to create a program that also included small, manageable steps businesses can take to get more exposure online. We also provide the support to help businesses successfully complete these steps. Someone from the Chamber will walk you through the process and be there to answer any questions along
the way.” To learn more about the program and how you can participate, contact Alex Castillo, Events & Special Projects Manager for the Chamber, at alex@santamaria.com. Additional details can also be found at santamaria.com/get-your-business-online.
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau 614 S. Broadway, Santa Maria | (805) 925-2403 | santamaria.com | info@santamaria.com 8
