From the President’s Desk (February 2025)

Let the Chamber Help You Market…Through Sponsorships

As spring approaches, so does the Chamber’s planning for this year’s events. It is shaping up to be a busy year with several major events. We will be having 5 Concerts on the Green this year spanning May-October excluding July 4th as Cherokee Park and Hamblen County will be having their annual event on that Friday. We do have a few sponsorships left for this series and if you have attended a concert recently, you can see the attendance ranges between 200-500 per concert. Concert goers range from retirees to young families. We have something for everyone.

With all of our sponsorships, we can give you a feel for attendance and audience age, and, as with any marketing, it is important to appeal to your target audience. I think we can all agree that while Facebook marketing is free and can reach a large audience,…is it your audience?! Participation in sponsorships provides the benefit of having that spot on social media, but it CERTAINLY isn’t limited to that…. All of our events also allow you not to just sponsor but to be involved—invite customers and employees, show off your services and products, and make it an interactive experience. We would honestly ask that you do be involved as the return on your investment can be more measured this way rather than paying a price and praying for results.

The Small Business Awards and the Business Showcase are also very popular events and supporting these events help to honor and promote small business which is the majority of business in our community. Again, these are opportunities to be present. Yes, you can be on a banner, but be there in person, shake hands and do business face to face.

The Industrial Appreciation Breakfast is also very popular with over 200 attendees each year and sponsorships selling out early. This is an opportunity to meet and mingle with industry professionals, many who may use the services that your business offers. This event is not open to the general membership, so a sponsorship is a way to secure your place at this “invitation only” event.

Our Golf Tournament, Annual Meeting and Christmas Parade are other ways you can help support the Chamber by marketing your business through a sponsorship. Continue to check the Chamber Newsletter for other opportunities and be on the lookout for a comprehensive lists of Chamber events to partner with in the coming
year!