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SAMPLE LETTER TO JOB APPLICANTS
December 21, 2008
RE: Outbound Marketing Manager
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in the Outbound Marketing Manager position. We are impressed with the pool of candidates that have emerged for this position. This is a new position for the Chamber of Commerce which will replace the Director of Events position, which we have employed for at least 3 decades.
Aware that the world is changing in an amazing fashion and that chambers of commerce’s have in many ways outlived their useful life, the Chamber has focused for the past two and a half years on how to be relevant and meaningful in the delivery of our mission. Through a merger, we incorporated the economic development organization, shifted to a regional focus and lead the effort on a community-wide economic strategic plan.
We have four distinct markets we serve:
1. local retailers
2. traded sector companies physically located in our area
3. the communities of __________ and _________County
4. those interested or who should be interested in _______________ County’s business and economic opportunities
Through membership we serve ____ businesses in ________ County. We average between _______ events each year ranging from small workshops/discussions with a handful of participants to community-wide events with more than a thousand participants. The Chamber is also the recognized recruiting and retention organization for _________ County.
The creation of this position and the shift from an events-based to a business-success-based model will prove to be a tremendous challenge for the successful applicant. The Chamber's limited historic focus on innovative marketing and program delivery presents a tremendous opportunity for the successful applicant, but will require integration of new and old technologies, the ability to create a nontraditional workforce, collaboration with untapped resources and mobilization of a volunteer base that is ready for local leadership.
Because we are looking to explore absolute out-of-the-box solutions, we have devised an unusual interview process. The first phase of the interview will include:
A one-page assessment of the Chamber’s website. The assessment should cover aesthetic design, usability and content of the site.Participation in a net-meeting with the founder of ChamberNation, Richard Scully. Mr. Scully will be providing an overview of a new set of web-based tools we have purchased. The orientation will take approximately 1 ½ hours. Then you will have 24 hours to complete an executive summary of how you would suggest the Chamber can use this tool to further our mission targeted at markets 1, 2, and 3 above. Your summary should include how you will engage volunteers and other nontraditional items in your success..
Your assessment and summary will be posted for review by our membership and a panel of experts. Based on the feedback for creativity and ability to innovate top candidates will be invited for a more traditional interview. Richard Scully will be contacting you with more details about the net meeting and overview of ______________.COM and its related tools. If you have any questions about this process, please let me know. Sincerely, Your Name* Chamber President * This letter was originally created by Mysty Rusk with the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition in Oregon. Used with permission and adopted as a great idea on how other Chamber of Commerce executives can structure their future recruiting for Chamber Development personnel.
To Serve, Grow, Retain and Recruit Business
Additional Chamber Information for Applicants Consideration: - Years ago before the Internet the Chamber of Commerce was just about the only resource you could call in order to get reliable information about a community. In those days the 411 operator would not help you unless you had the specific name of the business. So essentially you were out of luck to finding a motel unless you called a Chamber of Commerce.
- Today, Chambers of Commerce are still considered the "Most Trusted Source" for local information. To compete they must become the number one provider of local information that is accessed through an Area Search Engine and other search engines like Google. To do this, Chambers must invest in technology and offer systems to members to make it easy to optimize their businesses for search.
- The Chamber of Commerce is the most logical caretaker of local information and is in the best position to secure this information from the community and business owners.
- Once a business owner is presented with the Chamber of Commerce value proposition, they should see how the Chamber will be able to positively impact their business through networking, search engine success and any other ideas you may come up with in your essay for the application process.
- Chamber personnel are able to analyze which businesses are optimized for search or not.
- Chamber is able to see what people are searching for online and not finding so non-members who offer this product or service can be added to the Chamber to accept these incoming leads.
- Optimizing members for search is easy to do and does not require any technical knowledge.
- Monthly LIVE phone meetings for business development ideas and Q&A are hosted by Mark LeBlanc. These are provided at no charge for current Chamber of Commerce members who are using the Chamber Nation Mark LeBlanc Edition software.
- Members are able to participate in the Chamber Media Club which enables them to advertise their business successfully online at no cost.
- When a member joins the Chamber of Commerce they receive access to their new program. Within this invitation, they also receive a link to this Member Tour.
- Each month the participating members receive advertising reports from the Chamber. These reports provide the information they need to optimize for better search results.
- In addition to the core website and optimization system, members get access to the My Ad Cloud system for extending their online marketing program.
- Members are eligible for Free Members Support that is truly a one-stop solution and providing an extensive array of services.
The objective is to create the most powerful information resource in the area. By combining all of the tools to optimize in one orderly member interface, then challenge them to test their optimization through the Area Search Engine, they can be sure that any way a visitor might be looking for what they offer can actually find them. Optimized records are now available through the Area Search Engine, Chamber Search Engine , Chamber Website and through the traditional membership directory. Additionally, the member data is submitted automatically to Google and is indexed by many other search engines. Joining a Chamber of Commerce makes a lot of sense if the business owner values search engine results.
Now for the REAL POTENTIAL and CAPABILITIES of this program: We have filed patents on an extension that is built into this technology called www.RealWorkExperience.com. It converts the entire city into a revolutionary Work Experience Program for High School and / or College Students. For a nominal fee, new Chamber of Commerce members, or a limited version of the program is offered to non-members is setup by the students. Students get paid very well for a good job in optimizing local businesses for real search engine success. Once the Chamber sets the price for the setup services, approved students receive an email inviting them back into their management dashboard. They choose the business(s) they want to work on. The Chamber has a master system report that shows all outstanding businesses left to be optimized and which student is assigned to them. Not all communities are up for this level of community involvement right out the gate, but in your essay you may address what you think about doing this and if you think it will work in the community you hope to soon support.
Questions? If you have any questions during the development of your essay for the Chamber of Commerce, please feel free to send a email to Richard Scully, Founder of Chamber Nation and the Area Search Engine program for Chambers of Commerce. Send Email To:
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