This week his email hit home for my core beliefs.

You Can see it below, I encourage all of you to sign up for it as it is VERY informative:

“The best part of my job as an organization executive was the same as it is now now being a consultant to our industry; we never stop learning. And some of the best things we learn are those things we already know. Go figure.
A few weeks ago I spent two weeks with the Perry, Georga Chamber of Commerce to help them create a 3-5 year strategic plan that would serve as a compass for their future business plans. One of their greatest issues was the desire to lose the “party planner” image that had evolved over the years.
In one of the very first focus group sessions prior to the strategic planning session, it was stated that the Chamber of Commerce is more focused on the chamber than it is on commerce. There was such a focus on raising money to keep the doors open, it had smothered the purpose of the organization which is right there in the name, Chamber of… Commerce.
So simple yet so often missed. Getting members to sponsor the work of the chamber as opposed to sponsoring the events of the chamber is a new paradigm for many but it is catching on. Selling the value of issue development that lasts far longer than a festival sponsorship will be one of the key objectives for this Chamber of Commerce as well as many others wanting to change their focus.
Recently, the Laramie, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce established a “Cornerstone Membership” for $10,000 per year. They currently have seven corporate members. The money is there and new Chamber exec Gordon Crow has proven people will come around to this Focus on Commerce.

	Patrick H. McGaughey, IOM
	E-Mail:	pat@chambermentor.com
	Telephone:	1-800-545-3610 1-208-765-5494
	Address:	McGaughey Enterprises.net, Inc. Attn: Patrick H. McGaughey P.O. Box 1951 Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816

Thank to T U A W:

Loyal AT&T iPhone customer? AT&T wants to say thank you to iPhone owners by sending you 1000 free rollover minutes. All you have to do is text.

We first heard about this free 1000 minutes deal earlier today but declined to post because we weren’t sure that AT&T really was offering it to all customers. We sent an email to AT&T PR and never heard back, but since 9to5Mac claims that AT&T has confirmed this is legitimate for all customers, here are the details of how to claim your minutes.

Hop in to your SMS app and send off the message YES to 11113020 by March 31, 2011. Your account will be credited with 1000 bonus rollover minutes — although it can take up to four weeks to process the offer. Enjoy!

Update: We contacted AT&T via Seth Bloom (blogger relations) to ensure this was legit and he said, “It’s a valid text that some customers are getting. We’ve done it before, thanking customers.”

Didn’t get this text? If you’ve previously opted out of AT&T’s special offers, you can call 611 (1-800-331-0500 from a land-line) and request it back. Tell the representative that you want to receive “AT&T Marketing Solicitations” on your account. You cannot, according to the AT& T rep I spoke to, re-activate this feature through the web service or through your iPhone’s AT&T app or the SMS app.

(Update: TUAW Commenters suggest that sending YES back to this number automatically opts you in as well… You get rollover minutes, they get a willing customer to receive marketing texts.)

The rep also clarified some details about the new $20 individual/$30 family unlimited mobile-to-mobile feature plan. This plan can be added on top of individual calling plans starting at 450 minutes and family calling plans that have at least 700 minutes, she told me. That means, for example, you cannot add it to the 550 Family plan. As you’d expect from the name, the plan adds toll-free minuteless calling to all national wireless carriers, but cannot be applied to calls to landlines.

Target Marketing & SouthComm Publishing Names Mark Schenthal New VP of Business Development

CRESCENT SPRINGS, Ky., Feb. 8, 2011 — Target Marketing & SouthComm Publishing is proud to introduce Mark Schenthal, IOM as the new vice president of business development.

Schenthal has served the last twelve years at The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, most recently as the vice president of marketing & communications. While serving for the Chamber he graduated from The Institute of Organizational Management (US Chamber) in 2008 and received the designation of Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE) from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives, and served on the US Chamber of Commerce Institute’s Midwest Board of Regents, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executive (KCCE) Board of Directors, and ACCE Communications Board.

Philip Hageman, Target Marketing & SouthComm’s chief executive officer, is elated with the selection of Schenthal, saying, “I have worked with and respected Mark’s efforts and accomplishments for the past eight years. To have him join our team, to have an innovator that understands what chambers need and what members want, is a huge asset to any company. But for that addition to be Mark Schenthal is nearly a dream come true. We are very fortunate to have procured such an individual as they are indeed rare.”

Mark was named vice president of business development on January 5, 2011 with the appointment being effective February 7. Mark is especially excited that he will continue to be an active part of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, albeit in a new and different capacity.

Prior to joining the Chamber of Commerce Industry, Schenthal previously spent over 7 years at Adams, Stepner, Woltermann & Dusing as a legal administrator. Previously he spent over 5 years with DuBlois Capital as an entrepreneurial assistant. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1980 from Ohio State University and his master’s degree in 1983 from Washington University in St. Louis.

Schenthal will continue to reside in Covington, KY with his wife Theresa, son Jake and daughter Maddie. Mark’s eldest daughter, McCall, will be graduating from Whittier College in May of this year.

Target Marketing/SouthComm is an industry-leading publisher of maps and directories for over 30 years, featuring My Chamber App, the only cross-platform Smartphone Mobile Directory that drives commerce to your members. More information about Target Marketing/SouthComm can be found at http://www.chambermaps.com

Contact: Matt Wethington, 1-800-933-3909, mwethington@chambermaps.com

The recent political conflict between the Obama Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has thrown a new spotlight on an old communication problem. Local chambers of commerce, although they predate the U.S. Chamber by nearly a century and a half, often are assumed to be part of the U.S. Chamber, or otherwise under its direction. They aren’t. They are independent.

During the pre-election controversy this year, it was clear that many people, including many chamber members, did not know this fact. They believe that U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue and his colleagues on H Street directly or indirectly control all that local chambers do. But Donohue and his staff don’t exercise such control, nor do they want to.

Few people think about what chambers do locally. For example, who knows that Elliot Tiber, president of the Bethel, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce, secured the permit for Woodstock?

It was also a local chamber – the Business Men’s League of Atlantic City – that came up in 1920 with the idea of a festival to keep tourists in town after Labor Day. Pretty women in beachwear would turn out to be the centerpiece of the annual event. We have that business group (now called the Greater Atlantic City Chamber) to thank for the Miss America Contest.

Was Charles Lindbergh’s plane called The Spirit of Enterprise (the U.S. Chamber’s tag line)? No, the flying bucket of bolts was, of course, The Spirit of St. Louis. The president of the St. Louis Chamber came up with the name in order to promote the great river city. And why should Lindbergh object? The chamber president also raised most of the money for the aircraft.

And who sent out the promotional brochure that enticed the first movie producer to southern California in 1907? It was the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. In nearby Hollywood a chamber was later active as well, helping re-fashion the famous Hollywood sign out of a decaying advertisement for a real estate development called “Hollywoodland.”

read the rest here:

http://www.newgeography.com/content/001881-the-other-chambers-commerce

Check out this article from TechCrunch.com:

http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/16/meeker-smartphones-pcs/

Mobile Media Is Business Media ! MyChamberApp

Courtney shows how important apps are to Chambers of Commerce, and why MyChamberApp is leading the industry.

The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce launches MyChamberApp !

The San Antonio Biz Journal covers it !

We are surprised at how fast Chambers are adapting mobile technology!

Our estimates show that 100 Chambers of Commerce will be using an app to raise member benefits, promote local business, announce events, and communicate with members.

So far we have seen most of this growth in USA, however Canada is adapting this as well. Bowden Island Chamber of Commerce in British Columbia, was the 1st chamber in Canada to start using MyChamberApp.

Seems like they love it !

“I first found out about it at the NWCL Conf and am happy to say that Bowen Island Chamber was the first Chamber in Canada to have the App – and it’s been great for business!…Take care and hope to see you soon!”
-Suzanne, BI Chamber

Also very quick to adapt to the mobile revolution is Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce in Ontario.

Fun !

Personally I think a mobile app is a MUST for chamber, but most can not afford it….Without MyChamberApp.

“For more than 18 months, The Sacramento Metro Chamber had been looking for a way to build a mobile application that keeps cost low and value high.  Many of the options we reviewed would have cost our organization over $60K and priced our chamber out of the mobile application arena.  MyChamber Application is a cost effective way that offers maximum value and protect our members’ investments by leveraging the cost with other chambers across the nation.”

Dion Dwyer, VP Membership, Sacramento Metro Chamber

This is what makes me the happiest. Chambers help local businesses by uniting, supporting, and representing them. MYChamberApp is doing that for Chamber’s and mobile technology. We are seeing chambers working together so they can offer more to their members.

1. Start up MyChamberApp which you can download here.
2. Once you get to the Chamber of Commerce of your choice, click the “Hot Deals” button.
3. You’ll see a list of hot deals with instructions on how to redeem your deal.

That’s it.

If you’re in the LA area, a deal I totally recommend is the $10 discount off of Execucar.com for chamber members.

Have a Happy Halloween!