21st Annual Roanoke Regional Chamber Cup Presented by All Star Impressions - August 22
Treat a client! Treat your staff! Combine business with pleasure at the Chamber's 21st Annual Golf Tournament Presented by All Star Impressions. Monday, August 22, 8 AM flight has a few openings, afternoon flight SOLD OUT! New location for 2011 - Roanoke Country Club. Cost: $170/single golfer; $590/foursome - includes green fees, cart, free golf tune-up with PGA Golf Pro Tim McAfee, lunch/breakfast, and free admission to Swing Into Business After Hours on Monday evening following the tournament. Sponsorship packages are now available! Gain extensive exposure throughout the Roanoke Region through television, radio, print and Web site promotions. For more information or to register, contact Kristi at 540.983.0700 x247or ksutherland@roanokechamber.org.

Don't Forget to Swing Into Business After Hours - August 22
Network, have fun and grow your business with 400+ business professionals at Business After Hours following the golf tournament. Monday, August 22, 5:30 - 7:30 PM, Roanoke Country Club. Cost: $5/members; $15/non-members; and FREE for participating golfers. Exhibit booths and sponsorships are now available. For more information, contact Kristi at 540.983.0700 x247 or ksutherland@roanokechamber.org.

State of the City Address - August 25
Hear Mayor David Bowers reflect on the city's achievements and share his perspective on the city's future. Thursday, August 25, 7:30 - 9 AM, Roanoke City Market Building, Charter Hall (top floor), 32 Market Square. Admission: $17/members; $27/non-members. Pre-registration required. No cancellations or refunds after August 22. For more information or to register, contact Judy at 540.983.0700 x221 or business@roanokechamber.org.

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Chamber Membership?
Join us for "Coffee with the President" to meet the Chamber staff, review membership benefits, and network with other new and existing members. Friday, September 9, 8 - 9:30 AM, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce, 210 S. Jefferson Street. Please RSVP by calling Judy at 540.983.0700 x221 or e-mail business@roanokechamber.org.

25th Annual Small Business Awards - October 6
Small business. BIG recognition. Join us in celebrating and recognizing the accomplishments of small businesses in the NewVa Region. Thursday, October 6, 6 PM/cocktails; 7 PM/dinner and awards presentation. Cost: $54.50/person; $446/table of 8; $545/table of 10. For more information or to register, contact Judy at 540.983.0700 x221 or business@roanokechamber.org or register online.

Post Your Sales, Promotions & Members-Only Events Online
Planning special sales or promotions this summer? Have services or deals you would like to offer to Roanoke Regional Chamber members only? Looking for ways to get the word out? Roanoke Regional Chamber members can quickly and easily post sales, promotions, and Chamber members-only promotions on the Chamber's Web site at www.roanokechamber.org. The Chamber's 1,100 members can quickly post their information on the Chamber's Web site at anytime. For instructions on how to use this members-only benefit, contact Pennie at 983.0700 x227 or communications@roanokechamber.org.

Members Can Post Local Job Openings for FREE!
Thanks to the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce, members with less than 20 employees can post local jobs for free at: www.NationJob.com/Roanoke-Virginia-Jobs. Chamber members with over 20 employees can also take advantage of the great rates offered by NationJob. NationJob.com has been in the electronic recruiting industry for over 20 years and is a leader in community-based recruiting. Providing local, regional and national reach through significant search engine marketing efforts and a subscriber database of over one million custom searches, NationJob is one of the most cost effective Internet recruiting solutions available. For more information, call Teena McIntire at 1.888.256.0919 or e-mail tmcintire@nationjob.com.

Reach 3,400 Decision Makers with New Chamber "Virtual" Advantage
We've gone green this year with Chamber "Virtual" Advantage! Members may use this direct e-mail marketing tool to promote products, services, advertisements, events and much more. For only $50 per month, members provide a pdf version flyer of their promotion and it will be posted on the Chamber's Web site and a direct link and brief description will be e-mailed to the Chamber's 3,400 member contacts. Your promotion is shared with all our members and Web site visitors for an entire month for only pennies per contact!  Sign up today for the August e-mailing on August 15. For more information on this exciting new program or to register, contact Pennie at 983.0700 x227 or communications@roanokechamber.org.

It's All About Connections - Connect For Lunch
Are you looking for a new way to meet people and grow your business? What if you could get to know between three to six new people each month? Really get to know them over lunch, not just a quick hand shake and exchange of business cards. Would you be interested? If you are, Connect For Lunch may be just what you're looking for. Connect For Lunch is one of the Roanoke Regional Chamber's most popular networking programs. Each week, you'll have the opportunity to go to lunch in a small group with other Chamber members at local restaurants. For more information or to register, visit www.connectforlunch.com/roanokechamber or www.roanokechamber.org and check out Connect For Lunch.

Post Your Events Fast and Free on Community Calendar
Planning special events this summer? Looking for ways to get the word out? Roanoke Regional Chamber members can quickly and easily post events on the Community Calendar at www.roanokechamber.org.  For instructions on how to use this free, members-only benefit, contact Pennie at 983.0700 x227 or communications@roanokechamber.org.

Thousands Benefit from Rapid Referrals
The Chamber provided 26,166 member referrals through its front desk and online membership directory in the month of July. The Chamber is promoting member businesses to more than 150 people per day through the online directory. Are you getting your share of referrals from this no-cost member benefit? Check your listing at www.roanokechamber.org - click on "Find Area Businesses." To add a free 20-word business description to your online listing, call Judy at 983.0700 x221 or send your 20 word (140 characters) profile to business@roanokechamber.org.

Business Basics - August 10
Need some guidance on how to start your own business? Discover business planning, forms of organizations, marketing strategies, and the realities of being a business owner at this quick introduction to owning your own business. Wednesday, August 10, 4 - 6 PM, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Boardroom. Cost: $15/person. Preregistration required by Tuesday, August 9. Sponsored by: Business SEED Capital, Inc., BB&T, Cox Business, and City of Roanoke Economic Development Authority.  For more information or to register, call 983.0717 x223, visit www.roanokesmallbusiness.com, register online or e-mail sbdc@roanokechamber.org.

QuickBooks Basics - Five-Week Class - September 20-October 17
Want to learn the basics of QuickBooks accounting program in only five weeks? QuickBooks Basics - Five-Week Class offers comprehensive training in QuickBook basics.Classes begin Tuesday, September 20, and continue through October 17, 6 - 9 PM, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Boardroom. Cost: $99/person, for all five classes. Attendees must have a laptop for the course. The software will be provided for class use only and must be removed when class is completed. This popular course fills up fast. Early registration recommended. Sponsored by: Complete Small Business Solutions. Register online or click here for the course description and outline.

Publications

Get Connected with the Region's Business Leaders
Call today to reserve your advertisement space in the 2011 fourth quarter issue of Business Connections in the printed and online editions.  Invest your advertising dollars in the only quarterly, full-color magazine targeted specifically at the region's business leaders. Of Business Connection's regular readers, 83 percent are business decision makers and 66 percent are CEOs, executives, or top-level managers. If you market to business, you need to be a part of Business Connections. For ad rates and information, contact Bonnie Brown  at RP Publishing at 772.1868 or bonnie@rppublisher.com.

Membership in Action

Thank You Chamber Ambassadors
The Chamber Ambassadors visited 44 fellow members during the month of July!  Ambassadors contact Chamber members to discuss their membership investment and issues that concern their business. Please welcome them when they call. 

CHAMBER CHAMPION PROFILE

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