Business people are invited to find out what branding can do for their business as well as for the community.
The Chatham Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Chatham-Kent Small Business Centre are hosting a breakfast meeting at 8 a.m. on Oct. 31 at Smitty’s restaurant in Chatham.
Details of the event – The Benefits of Business Branding – were announced at a news conference Thursday at the chamber’s office in downtown Chatham.
“Whether you are a company of one or a company of 1,000, business branding is important,” said Chris Appleton, chairman of the chamber. “Chatham-Kent businesses, local associations, our local economy and our community as a whole will benefit from raising their profiles in the market place.”
Appleton said the event will feature presentations from three speakers who have a wide experience of promoting their own business brands and the community.
The lineup includes Jeff Okrucky, director of marketing for Union Gas, Zoja Holman, director of communications for the C-K Health Alliance and Don Shropshire, CAO for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
“Businesses brand their offerings and services all the time; it is what distinguishes you from the competition,” said Lindsay Boyd, director of municipal and aboriginal affairs for Union Gas, who was representing the company at the news conference.
He added that branding is slightly different for a community.
“(It’s) what you’re trying to sell as a message to attract new investors, new people to move in and to others that are looking at your community from the outside,” said Boyd.
Brian Worrall, communications officer for Chatham-Kent, said branding is more than a business’ name, logo or reputation.
According to Worrall, a business’ involvement in the community is another key aspect for building a successful brand.
“It’s got some qualities that you didn’t think about before, and everybody doing this is good for the community,” said Worrall. “The community’s brand becomes enhanced by the qualities of each of the businesses.”
Previewing her presentation on Oct.31, Holman plans to share some insight into the success and challenges of branding an organization like the health alliance.
“The chamber breakfast will be helpful for us to hear about and affirm some of our common approaches and challenges,” said Holman. “Regardless of whether you’re an organization of fewer than 10 people or an organization like the alliance with over well 1,000 people, we’re all here to support and benefit the region of Chatham-Kent.”
Tickets are $15 for the breakfast and presentation. For C-K chamber members, the cost is $10.
To order tickets, call the chamber office at 519-352-7540, ext. 21 or e-mail sarah@chatham-kentchamber.ca.
