2020
OCTOBER
NEWSLETTER
October 2020 newsletter.indd 1
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
POINTS TO PONDER
From the Executive Director
W
hen representing the interests of our members in government, the Chamber’s activities are focused primarily here in Fremont County. Yet there are times when issues facing local businesses can be addressed at only the federal level. Last month I had the pleasure of representing Lander in Cheyenne at the Wyoming Business & Industry Federation’s Virtual DC Fly-In. As the name indicates, we were grounded by COVID-19, so we took advantage of technology to visit virtually with all three members of Wyoming’s Congressional delegation, retiring Senator Mike Enzi, the soon-to-be senior senator from Wyoming John Barrasso, and Congresswoman Liz Cheney. We stressed to our federal delegation the need for Congress to address the critical issues of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness, COVID-19 liability protection, and supply chain. The looming tax liabilities related to PPP could prove to be devastating to many borrowers; “sue and settle” lawyers are lining up to fleece small business owners who “expose” their customers to COVID; and interruptions in international supply chains are resulting in millions in lost sales for business owners. While they expressed their intention to correct these issues, they also lamented the increasingly bitter partisanship in Washington that may cause them to be pushed into the lame duck session next year. That same evening we met in person with former Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis, who almost certainly will be filling Sen. Enzi’s seat and serving as Wyoming’s first woman U.S. Senator. Through our membership in the Federation, the Chamber will be able to share with our federal delegation the issues that matter back here at home. And speaking of home, be sure to join us on Thursday, October 22 at the Community Center for our Happy Hour Candidate Social. Come visit one-on-one with candidates running for Lander City Council, Fremont County Commission, Fremont County School District #1, and State House District #54. (See page 6 for details.)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Michelle Mazur, President Elevate Rehab
Jonathan Tonkowich, Vice Pres. Wyoming Catholic College
Eric Andrews, Treasurer Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda P.C.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ann Espinosa Home Source Realty Inc. Inter Mountain Builders
Dave Fehringer WH Smith & Associates, Inc.
Suzanne Norris Wyoming Life Resource Center
Rick Bestul NAPA Auto Parts
James Whiting Whiting Law PC
Joanne Slingerland Central Wyoming College
Mika Baker, Past President Central Bank & Trust
PROFESSIONAL STAFF Owen Sweeney Executive Director
Carol King Associate Director
Kelsey Ball
Owen Sweeney Executive Director Lander Chamber of Commerce
October 2020 newsletter.indd 2
Events & Programs
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
How to turn customers into promoters Maybe you’ve heard the value of wordof-mouth advertising; according to Nielsen ratings, 92% of consumers trust their friends’ and family’s recommendation over traditional advertising. That doesn’t mean you can simply sit back and assume that the quality of your product is so much better than your competition’s that customers will be raving about it to their friends without any extra effort on your part. We want you to get the answers you need to the questions that will grow your business. How can you turn satisfied customers into loyal repeat visitors? How can you get customers to become promoters, so impressed with their experience with your product or service that they can’t wait to tell everyone they know? The answer is a little trick called customer engagement. Increasing Customer Engagement For hospitality businesses like hotels and sit-down restaurants, it’s easier to craft a lasting user experience because your guests spend more time in your establishment. For people who own retail stores and quickservice restaurants, however, it’s a little more complicated. Your customers only spend a little time interacting with your business, no more or less than they do with your competitors, so customer engagement turns into a war for the attention of patrons whose time in your location is fleeting at best. It’s one thing to make a purchase that you’re satisfied with — it’s a whole other ballpark when trying to create a lasting impression. That’s why customer experience matters so much. And for businesses that don’t have the advantage of having their customers’ full attention, creativity is key to creating a
October 2020 newsletter.indd 3
lasting experience without actually getting to spend significant time with the customer in question. How Much Does User Experience Matter? This theory is far from unfounded. According to a study from the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, 80% of consumers said they would pay more for a better experience. This means engaging with customers in and outside of your brick & mortar establishment, creating a friendly interaction between your brand and your customers. Take Chik-fil-A, for example. When the chicken chain first opened, the founder had a firm idea of what he wanted the experience of the restaurant’s guests to be. Every cashier says something like “my pleasure” or “have a nice day”. People crave this type of friendly encounter with customer service pros and will go out of their way to get it.
BUSINESS GROWTH
Satisfaction vs Loyalty:
But what about when customers aren’t in the physical confines of your store? Then it pays to use digital marketing tactics that give your brand a personality. Make sure your company twitter account is interacting with people in a positive way, whether you’re responding to requests or complaints or simply about promotions your business is running. Personalize your emails with a survey that shows that your brand truly wants to get to know the customer and their tastes. The Bottom Line When you become more than just a faceless brand, and something like a helpful companion, dare we say even a friend, to your customers, that’s when they’ll be inclined to recommend you to their peers, friends, and family. That’s the process of turning a customer into a loyal promoter.
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
CONFERENCE ONLINE
BUSINESS AFTER Register for Inventors Conference
It’s free, online, and all are welcome By U.S. Senator Mike Enzi Wyoming is home to hundreds of small businesses and looking back on my two decades in the Senate, traveling the state to see firsthand the new ideas and inventive people has been one of the most rewarding parts of the job. The possibilities are endless when you have the right tools. That’s why I host an Inventors Conference every year aimed at helping and inspiring entrepreneurs in Wyoming. I held my first Inventors Conference in 2004 and now, after 16 years of successful conferences, I am hosting my last. Whether you are looking to patent a new idea or start a new business, the conference welcomes all who have ideas they want to grow. This year, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Inventors Conference will be held virtually on Saturday, Oct. 24. Now, no matter where you reside in the state, this conference can come right to your own home. The conference helps guide entrepreneurs by providing information about the patent process, business planning, funding options and marketing. You will hear from people who have turned their dreams into realities and learn about the resources available in Wyoming to help you do the same. You’ll be able to network with fellow attendees who have ideas and experiences you can learn from. Business owners always have to tackle many different hurdles, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. The experts at this conference are there to help with those problems.
October 2020 newsletter.indd 4
This year’s keynote speaker is John M. Falk, President and Founder of Vigilent Inc. As a technology solutions company headquartered in Laramie, Wyoming, Vigilent is focused on identification and detection of public health threats through state-of-the-art American made technologies. Regardless of background or experience, everyone is welcome to attend and learn how to build on their ideas. The conference is free of charge and it’s open to the public. Registration is available now by contacting my state director, Karen McCreery, at 307-250-1489 or Karen_McCreery@ enzi.senate.gov. If you’re unable to register beforehand, registration will also be available the morning of the conference. I encourage you to check my website for additional updates as we get closer to the date of the conference. As it is my last year hosting the Inventors Conference, I highly encourage anyone interested to register and take advantage of the knowledge and opportunities this conference provides. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur, an established small business owner or recently brainstormed a new idea you’d like to pursue, everyone who attends has something to gain. I hope to virtually see you there and celebrate my final Inventors Conference.
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
THIRD THURSDAY Caregiver Support Group: Soup & Support 11-12:30, Frontier Home Health & Hospice Foot Care Clinic, 8-noon, Lander Senior Center EVERY THURSDAY Kids Nature Hike, 5:30 pm, meet at Sinks Canyon Visitor Center parking lot Farmers Market, 4-6 pm, Ramshorn St., Dubois EVERY SATURDAY Lander Valley Farmers Market, 9-11:30 am, Lander City Park Acoustic Music Jam, 11-1, Lander Bake Shop 1-17 POWR: Potters of the Wind River Tu-Th 10-6, FrSa 10-4, Lander Art Center
October 2020 newsletter.indd 5
2-5 Fremont Toyota Shootout youth soccer tournament 95 teams! Lander soccer fields
22 Meet The Candidates Happy Hour Social 5-7 pm, Lander Community & Convention Center
3 Run Like a Bighorn 10k Trail Fun Run 7 am, Sinks Canyon State Park
23 Halloween Night at the Museum 6-9 pm, Pioneer Museum
4 Acoustic Music Jam 11-3, Shoshoni Senior Citizens Community Center
24 Halloween Night at the Museum 6-9 pm, Pioneer Museum
10 Fall Fun Fest 2-4pm Riverton Museum
30 Art of Home: Native American Art Show Celebrating Wind River Reception 6-8 pm, Lander Art Center
13 Riverton Ghost Stories 6:30-8 pm Riverton Museum 17 Haunted Downtown Walking Trek 5:30-8 pm, Riverton Museum 19 Lander Valley High School Choir Concert 7-8 pm, LVHS auditorium
CALENDAR
October Calendar of Events
31-Dec. 12 Art of Home: Native American Art Show Celebrating Wind River TuTh 10-6, Fi-Sa 10-4, Lander Art Center
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
ON-LINE COMMUNITY
Building an on-line community by Sarah Hamlin In our current age of rapid information and automation, it is easy to forget how we used to communicate with our community. As a business owner, understanding the difference between building an online audience and building an online community is an important distinction. If you have heard me say it once, you have heard me say it 100 times — as a small business owner, you need to have an understanding of your target market and audience. Knowing both the emotional and environmental factors that drive your audience to purchase decisions is the backbone to your success. With a well-defined audience we can make a well-defined marketing strategy. That being said, your audience is largely passive. The way they consume your content and your dialogue is exclusively one-way. What is an Online Community? When your audience starts to comment on your content, share it, engage with it, and continue to come back for more — then you have an online community. Building an online community around a specific topic that relates to your business helps increase your customer retention, lead generation, and audience reach. Why Should You Build Your Online Community? Your community is a resource. An active community is full of discussion and this sharing becomes a resource for your customers. It is a place where they can come for tips and advice. You will learn from you community. By observing the questions and comments from your community, you can learn a lot about the pain points of your customers. Additionally, this is a great group to go to for questions about products, new services, etc. Use your community to get to know your audience better. Communities foster customer retention. By helping your customers feel more connected, they will also feel more invested in your brand. Don’t underestimate the value of the emotional bond you can create with your community. This leads to brand advocates, repeat business, and referrals. Tips to Get Started: Decide where you will host your community.
Will you use a free platform (like Facebook or YouTube) or an owned platform (like a community forum)? There are pros and cons with both. With a free platform, users do not have to pay to join and you have potential audience already spending time there. That being said, you are subject to the platform changes of the company who hosts the platform. We have seen a lot of this in the last two years with examples like Facebook. An owned platform allows you complete branding and messaging control, but you do have to find your audience and convince them to join you. Set the tone of your group, ask good questions, and encourage your members to invite their friends. Spend time creating the rules for your group. Remember, you want your audience to see this as a place that is both informational and safe to connect with like-minded individuals. Are you creating a group that revolves around shared interests and is collaborative or one that is more informational? Don’t shy away from video. Regardless of if this is live or recorded, video helps build trust with your community. Help your community put a face with your business name. Be consistent. Though there is no magic answer to how much you should post, consistency drives results. 2-3 times a week is a great jumping off point. Share other people’s content. Just like being a good dinner guest, asking questions, sharing interesting tidbits, and not just talking about yourself (or in this case your business) yields to future dinner invitations; not being solely focused on sale-y content in your online community will yield similar results. Though you don’t have to respond to every comment that is made, remember, someone in your community took time to share, so you should take time to respond. Help is Available If this is starting to look to you a lot like how you build community face-to-face, it should. Need help getting building an online community? Contact your local Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network advisor for no-cost, confidential assistance.
About the Wyoming SBDC Network: The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2018 alone, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 111 new businesses, create or save 1,402 jobs and bring a capital impact of more than $10 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
October 2020 newsletter.indd 6
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
HAPPY HOUR SOCIAL
October 2020 newsletter.indd 7
9/28/2020 2:50:47 PM
RENEWING MEMBERS
Fremont County School District #1 Dr. Dave Barker, superintendent 863 Sweetwater, Lander
New York Life Insurance Beau Wendling 592 Main St., Ste B, Lander
Acuhealth Acupuncture Clinic Paul & Carrie Guschewsky 15 Shrine Club Road, Suite C, Lander
Fremont Therapy Group, LLC Brent Kaufman, owner/MPT 8168 Highway 789, Lander
Pirate Propane Inc. James & Dani Schafer 608 Main St., Lander
Herrmann Global Inc. Florian Herrmann 259 Main St., Apt. 201, Lander
Pizza Hut Joy Fink, manager 670 E. Main, Lander
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Krista Lobera, manager 1002 11th St., Lander
Porter’s Mountain View Supply Leo Kosirog 750 E. Sunset Dr., Riverton
Hudson’s Funeral Home Dominick Weigel 680 Mount Hope Drive, Lander
Rocky Mountain Pre-Mix Concrete, Inc. Bob & June Hulme 51 Lower North Fork Road, Lander
Allen’s Diamond 4 Ranch Jim, Mary, Jessi Allen PO Box 243, Lander Anytime Fitness Dudley Irvine, owner 943 Amoretti, Lander Belles & Beaus Janet Winslow 309 E. Main St., Riverton Blackwelder, Gary 5th and Main streets, Lander Boyle Electric Inc. David Hess 707 Garfield St., Lander Cell Only Verizon 378 Main St., Lander Clark’s Landscaping Brian Clark PO Box 1204, Lander Comtronix Duane Clinnin, manager 163 N. 2nd St., Lander First Interstate Bank Julie Cox, branch manager 8118 Hwy 789, Lander
Hyde Out Guest Cabin & Snowbound Studio Pam Spencer-Hockett 15 N. Dexter Ave., Atlantic City
Smartt Insurance Agency, Inc. Eric Smartt 702 Main St., Lander
Kusel’s Furniture & Appliances Larry Kusel, owner 326 E. Main St., Riverton
Sprout’s Greenhouse Griff Sprout 8591 Hwy 789, Lander
Lander Art Center Sam Rastatter, executive director 224 Main St., Lander
Valley View Vista Apartments Dawn Thorson-Johnson 121 Valley View, Lander
Lander Journal Steve Peck, owner/publisher 332 Main St., Lander
Western Printing Don & Tracy Davison 546 Main St., Lander
Lander Valley Animal Hospital Lisa Dawson 1185 Highway 287 N., Lander
Western States Propane Julie Kraus, CEO 719 E. Main, Riverton
Lander Valley Cattle Women PO Box 1431, Lander
Westward Heights Care Center Natalie Korell, administrator 150 Caring Way, Lander
RENEWING MEMBERS
A.D. Martin Lumber Co. John Martin 110 W. Main St., Riverton
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid LANDER, WY PERMIT NO. 78
Thanks to our annual newsletter sponsors!
Western Wyoming Medical LLC Special thanks to Western Printing for printing the monthly newsletter.
October 2020 newsletter.indd 8
9/28/2020 2:50:48 PM