How do you communicate with your customers? Is it effective? Does it build better relationships? It’s relationships that build customer loyalty.

With the rise of social media, many businesses and organizations have felt like it’s easy to just place some information online through their favorite platforms and wait for customers to walk in the door. Social media can be helpful, but it does not stand alone as a communication tool. Not everyone is on Facebook, or Instagram, or Twitter, or LinkedIn. Some are on one of those platforms, but not the other. Some of your customers may be on none of those platforms.

Some of the most effective communication with customers can be very direct if you have built an email list, a text list, or both. Small business, especially, can provide information about changes in store hours, new merchandise available, menu selections, or special promotions for customer loyalty. We also recommend updating business hours through your Google listing and making temporary changes on your website as needed.

Ideally, small businesses would be doing all of these things. We recently spotted some great examples of a couple of businesses that will be closed for special circumstances – where they both posted their upcoming closures on social media and also emailed to their customer lists. At the same time, we have also seen some small businesses that just randomly close for the day and hang a sign on the door, leaving customers disappointed when they arrive hoping to make a purchase or enjoy a meal.

Communicating with existing customers is crucial. To build a base of new customers, advertising and marketing are the keys to success, and then once those people visit your store or restaurant you want to entice them to return by offering great products and services and adding them to your email and social media lists. When you develop strong relationships by communicating with your customers, and they will enjoy doing business with you again and again.

TUESDAY TALKS: WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT

AND RETENTION IS MARCH 21

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center are pleased to open this year’s series of Tuesday Talks panel discussions with a forum centered on growing and retaining a strong workforce. In an atmosphere where good employees may be hard to find and harder to hold onto, the informative panel discussion will focus on local efforts and resources. Our guest panelists are Nate Aldrich, Economic Development Coordinator, Chautauqua County; Katie Geise, Workforce Investment Board/Chautauqua Works; Brian Lebarron, Jamestown Community College Workforce Development; and Julie Page, Jamestown Community College Career Services

Tuesday Talks is a one-hour, online-only forum to provide tips and guidance for local businesspeople. These events are conveniently held via Zoom, so you can attend from the comfort of your own desk chair and so they won’t take a great deal of time out of your workday. All attendees must register through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org to get the Zoom link.

JAMESTOWN COMMUNITY CHAMBER PRESENTS

SALUTE TO THE FINEST FEBRUARY 27

Each year the Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce presents Salute to the Finest – an annual recognition of some of the local businesses, individuals, and organizations that make a difference in the community. This year, Salute to the Finest will be held February 27, with a wide variety of awards to be presented.

Seven awards will be presented this year as follows: New Business of the Year – Southern Sails Junk Removal; Restaurant of the Year – Tim Hortons of Jamestown & Olean; Retailer of the Year – Everyday’s True Value; Service to Humanity Award – Patrick Smeraldo; Legacy Award – The Post-Journal; Pride of Jamestown Award – Chuck DeAngelo; and Business of the Year – D & S Glass Service.

Salute to the Finest will be held at Northwest Arena, 319 West Third Street, from 5-8pm, Monday, February 27. The evening will include appetizers and a cash bar. It will begin with a cocktail hour, followed by the award presentations beginning at 6pm. The cost is $27 per person and advanced registration is requested by February 21. Attendees can sign up through the Chamber web calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org. The 2023 Salute to the Finest is proudly sponsored by Elegant Edibles Catering and Northwest Arena.

Congratulations to all the award recipients this year! We encourage the community to attend in support of this outstanding group of people and organizations.

Business After Hours at The

Green Door Tavern March 16

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce will hold its first Business After Hours event for 2023 on Thursday, March 16 at The Green Door Tavern, Route 430, Bemus Point. Business After Hours is a Chamber networking event that runs from 5-6:30pm. It’s designed to let local businesspeople meet in a comfortable setting, enjoy some appetizers and a cash bar, and provide a little information about their business or organization.

Each Chamber member business can send two people at no cost to each Business After Hours. Any employees above the two-person limit, or non-members, are welcome at $10 each. Advanced registration is not required but is requested for our planning purposes. You can sign up now through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org.

This Business After Hours event is sponsored by The Green Door Tavern, Media One Radio Group, The Post-Journal, and OBSERVER. Additional Business After Hours events will be announced throughout the year.