This event has been cancelled - we apologize for any inconvenience

Almost daily the Pike County Chamber of Commerce hears about small businesses who are suffering through this difficult economy and the decline of their commerce and sales. Some businesses are losing a core of customers who are tourists; others who are not retailers are losing them to a slow-down that has infected virtually all levels of businesses everywhere. Under these circumstances, how does one look to increase customers and clients? Positioning your business on the Internet is one solution and, it is much easier than you might think. With just several items that are easy to learn, a Pike County business could develop a whole new set of customers on the internet.

The Seminar is entitled: “Don’t Be A Victim – How to Develop a Presence on the Internet and Earn Additional Income”. This is part of the Pike Chamber’s “Third Thursday” seminar series and the following are some of the items that will be discussed: Examples of businesses that add new classifications of buyers, both large and small, Building a website in one hour and maintaining it for very little money (like $59 per year!), This website could and should be for a different audience than your present website -- if you currently have one, Classifications of selling: Business-to-Business vs. Business-to-Consumer sales and even Business-to-Government (B2G) - each has its own potential and clientele, Understanding the purchase of lists – just how specific can they be?, How to use a combination of a dedicated website and direct mail for maximum effect, Identifying market niches from public & Internet-based data sources as well as much more. Feel free to ask questions.

This is open to the community on Thursday, September 20th at 7:30a.m. at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing in Matamoras, PA. Pike Chamber Members are $15.00 per person and Non-Members are $20.00 per person which includes a terrific breakfast buffet. You must R.S.V.P. to reserve your seat by calling 570-296-8700.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce is pleased that the local area businesses realize what a great event the Chamber is hosting by showing their support with top event sponsorships. The following businesses have confirmed sponsorships: Pike County Light & Power as Platinum Sponsor, Wayne Bank and The Dime Bank as Gold Sponsors, Biondo Investment Advisors and Ed Nikles Custom Builder, Inc. as Silver Sponsors and Rodgers-Olver-Polley Insurance and Lackawanna College as Bronze Sponsors. The following media sponsors include The Milford Journal, Bold Gold Media and the Pike County Dispatch.

The Signature Event for 2012 is a wonderful dinner with the keynote speaker United States Senator Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania. Since joining the Senate in 2011, Senator Toomey has distinguished himself as a leader on economic, financial services and budgetary issues, striving to restore fiscal discipline to Washington and economic opportunity for all Americans. Among other things, Senator Toomey introduced a 10-year balanced budget proposal that received more votes in the Senate than any other budget plan in 2011, and he has successfully helped cut federal red tape for local communities and job creators in Pennsylvania through his Had Enough? constituent services program.

Senator Toomey previously served in Congress as a member of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District, where he championed economic growth and fiscal discipline. In fulfillment of his three-term pledge, he retired from the House in 2004. In addition to his public service, the senator has also served as president of the Club for Growth, owned and operated a small restaurant chain in the Lehigh Valley, and worked in the financial services industry.

Senator Toomey’s discussions will focus on the business of the United States Senate, current economic conditions, options for resolutions relating to unemployment, taxes and also balancing the budget.

The Community is invited to attend this gala evening which will take place at the Woodloch Pines Resort in Hawley, PA on September 6, 2012. Cocktails at 5:30p.m. with a sit down dinner at 7:00p.m. Individual dinners are $75.00 per person or you can take advantage attending the Special Pre-Dinner VIP Party and Photo Opportunity with Senator Patrick J. Toomey for an additional $50.00.

For more information, to become a sponsor or make reservations contact the Chamber office at (570) 296 – 8700 or online at www.pikechamber.com.

Pike Chamber’s August Seminar to Help Businesses

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce is proud to present Stephen Ursich who is a Business Consultant at the University of Scranton’s Small Business Development Center. The University of Scranton’s Small Business Development Center deals with counseling Small Businesses that are Start-Ups or, Businesses in Trouble or, to those who are growing by leaps and bounds! Steve has worked out of our Pike County Chamber of Commerce office on a regular basis for several years. He brings great ideas and sound programs; he answers questions using the knowledge of what other small businesses are doing and what works best in Northeastern Pennsylvania. His insight and experience will provide all attendees with fresh ideas and knowledge of resources and remedies for business problems. BRING YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS! You never know what you might hear!

The Seminar is entitled: “Advice to Small Businesses in Tough Times”. The following are some of the items that will be discussed: Finance: things like SBA 504 Loans: low interest, quick turnaround, low cash requirements. Other similar financing mechanisms that typically work with local banks, Finding Additional Markets – Internet Based, Consumer and Business-to-Business markets, Business Ratios – very often the heart and soul of understanding profits and costs, Need for Databases of Customers – getting a “lifetime value” from existing customers, Use of Technology – how technology allows small enterprises to compete and prosper, and much, much more that will be raised by your fellow small business owners and managers!

This is part of the Pike Chamber’s “Third Thursday” seminar series and we know that it is actually the 4th Thursday this month due to scheduling conflicts; but it will return to our regular schedule next month.

This is open to the community on Thursday, August 23rd at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing in Matamoras, PA. Pike Chamber Members are $15.00 per person and Non-Members are $20.00 per person which includes a terrific breakfast buffet. You must R.S.V.P. to reserve your seat by calling 570-296-8700 before August 20th.

JULY'S TOPIC: EVERYTHING "NEW MEDIA": GOOGLE, FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN, ONLINE NEWS & OTHER TOOLS VITAL TO POSITIONING YOUR BUSINESS

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce is proud to host Patrick Mullen, Director, Interactive Marketing Services for the Dow Jones Local Media
Group, who will make a presentation about electronic and social media on Thursday, July 19th at the Best Western Inn at Hunt's Landing in
Matamoras, PA. Patrick is an innovator and a young pioneer in the development of "New Media" products and is expert in the field of social media and digital marketing.


For most businesses the idea of electronic media and social media are just things we hear about everywhere we go. However, how do they work and are the effective? The following items will be discussed: How do you get to the top of the list in GOOGLE? How important is Facebook and other similar venues to a small Pike County business? Can you effectively use Social Media in lieu of standard advertising? Is it possible to develop a secondary source of income to your business from the Internet? Even if the Internet is not the primary source of advertising, how much of the sales decision process is formed by an Internet presence? And much, much more.

July's Third Thursday Breakfast Seminar will be on July 19th promptly at 7:30a.m. at the Best Western Inn at Hunt's Landing in Matamoras, PA.

Pike County Chamber members are $15.00 per person and Non-Members are $20.00 per person which includes a wonderful breakfast buffet. The entire program should be done by 8:45a.m. in order for you to get to work on time. Reservations a must by calling 570-296-8700.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce announces their "Signature Event Dinner for 2012," which will be held on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at Woodloch Pines Resort in Hawley, PA. The featured guest speaker will be United States Senator Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania.

Senator Toomey's presentation will focus on the business of the United States Senate, current economic conditions, options for resolutions relating to unemployment, government programs, taxes and also balancing the budget. Toomey will also discuss issues relating to the creation of jobs and defeating a poor economy.

Pat is a Harvard graduate and spent six years working in the international capital markets. He helped businesses expand and create new jobs by lowering borrowing costs and managing exposure to changing interest and currency exchange rates. When Pat left the financial sector in 1990, he and his brothers started a successful, family-owned restaurant business with several Pennsylvania locations. Pat is a great believer in smaller government and more individual freedom.

Since joining the Senate in 2011, Senator Toomey has distinguished himself as a leader on economic, financial services and budgetary issues, striving to restore fiscal discipline to Washington and economic opportunity for all Americans. Among other things, Senator Toomey introduced a 10-year balanced budget proposal that received more votes in the Senate than any other budget plan in 2011, and he has successfully helped cut federal red tape for local communities and job creators in Pennsylvania through his "Had Enough?" constituent services program.

Prior to the Senate Pat served in Congress as a member of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District. In the House, as in the Senate, Pat championed economic growth and fiscal discipline. In fulfillment of his three-term pledge, he retired from the House in 2004. In addition to his public service, the senator has also served as president of the Club for Growth.

For more information contact Michael J. Sullivan or Lee Ann at the Chamber: info@pikechamber.com or call (570) 296 -8700.

Please Join Us for Pike County Chamber’s Third Thursday Seminar Series - June’s Topic: Advertising Principles from “A-Z”

With the hiring of the new Executive Director Michael Sullivan, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce is in the process of re-vamping its program of works and part of the updating is adding this great member benefit of a Third Thursday Seminar Series with a new topic each month to help your business. May’s seminar was held at Belle Reve and had over 37 people in attendance. In the effort to expand and make room for more interested parties we are having June’s at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing in Matamoras, PA.

This seminar will not pick the best media for you but, it will coach you on how YOU can wisely choose your advertising. For the average Pike County business, the “science” of advertising is something that is often delegated to the “experts.” What is better, a $14 radio ad, an $88 cable ad, a $180 newspaper ad? How about ideas on developing FREE or low cost advertising… is it possible? What are the advantages of different media? How about “rules” covering frequency of ads? What does “media mix” mean? How effective is Internet-based media – pro’s and con’s? Find out what objective text sources say.

We will be discussing the following items: What are the best theories on how the human mind processes advertising?, How do we use marketing data with advertising? (Follow up to our last session on “Pike County by the Numbers.”), Understanding Nielson, Arbitron, ABC, etc. Viewers, listeners and readers by time of day and frequency, Cost of a Super Bowl ad. “Nobody Beats the Wiz.” (Arbitron measures smart phone and tablets too.), What is the one key question an advertiser needs to know before they advertise?, How do you calculate the best choice between media buys as different as radio, cable, Internet and direct Mail?, The concept of CPM., What are the general characteristics of the different media?, SWOT studies on each and then putting it all together!

June’s Third Thursday Breakfast Seminar will be on June 21st promptly at 7:30a.m. at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing in Matamoras, PA. Pike County Chamber members are $15.00 per person and Non-Members are $20.00 per person which includes a wonderful breakfast buffet. The entire program should be done by 8:45a.m. in order for you to get to work on time. Reservations a must by calling 570-296-8700.