Diana Morrison passes the gavel.

203rd Annual Meeting on December 17

Mark your calendar for the Chamber’s 203rd Annual Meeting. We will give special recognition to 2009 Chamber Board Chair Diana Morrison of Advertising Specialty Services as she exchanges gavel with new 2010 Chamber Board Chair Bert Tenenbaum of Chatham Steel. There will be a special surprise award presented at the meeting. We will recognize outgoing board members and committee chairs and give a special opportunity to thank volunteers and business members who have made 2009 a successful year, especially during these difficult economic times. The meeting’s title sponsor is Georgia Power. Please note reservations are necessary and should be made by Friday, December 11. A 72-hour cancellation is required. Date: Thursday, December 17

Time: Noon – Lunch

Where: Savannah Marriott Riverfront, 100 General McIntosh Blvd.

Cost: $30 per ticket and $300 for tables of 10 for Chamber members; $40 per ticket and $400 for tables of 10 for Member guests

Contact: R.S.V.P. to Margaret Mary Russell at 912.644.6432 or mrussell@savannahchamber.com

Enews letter from Advertising Specialty Services, Savannah GA

Advertising Specialty Services monthly SMARTletter.  Click the link below to view November’s edition.  Sign up today so that you can receive a copy of each months letter to your email.  We feature different promotional products every month.  There is a message from Diana Morrison along with a special offer and someone different gets to be in the spotlight every month.

‘Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.’ .

Letter from Diana Morrison, Chamber Chair

It’s hard to believe that most of my year as Chamber Chairman is over – time flies when you love what you are doing, thank you all for allowing me this opportunity to serve. When it was first announced that I was to be the Chairman for the Savannah Area Chamber for 2009, I had many calls from small businesses asking, “Why should I join the Chamber?” and “What do I get for my Chamber membership?” My answer is not one that I have to say as the Chairman, rather it’s what I truly believe and have experienced as a longtime, involved Chamber member. Here’s my honest answer: The Savannah Chamber offers many opportunities for all businesses – large or small. As one of the largest member organizations in Chatham County, networking with other Chamber members is an important way to increase the visibility of your business. There are roughly 3-4 networking events each month, averaging about 400 people – that equates to a lot of potential customers. If you are looking to learn more about business success and your community, the Chamber offers monthly education seminars through the Small Business Smart Lunch Series. In my opinion, the most important role the Chamber plays is being the pro-business voice in legislative issues for those of us who are not large enough to be heard by ourselves. Lastly, although I have stated many benefits to being a member of the Savannah Chamber, your membership is only as valuable as the time you invest in it. In today’s economic climate, Savannah has fared better than most, largely due to four of our major economic drivers: Manufacturing, Military, our Port and Tourism; and the Savannah Chamber plays an active and large role in all four areas. It is more important than ever for your business to be part of an organization that provides opportunities for members to make an impact on critical business and community issues. At the Savannah Chamber, we believe our membership is the heart of our organization and one of the reasons we have such a strong, involved business community; which in turn makes the Savannah area a better place to work, live and play. Recently, I have challenged my fellow board members to reach out to past due Chamber members over the next 45 days to encourage them to renew their membership before year-end. We all have experienced the results of this economy, if you have not renewed your membership, I strongly urge you to protect the investment of your future by renewing yours today. I also wanted to take this opportunity to make you aware of all the great things the Savannah Chamber has done for you in the last few months. Please take the time to peruse the stories below and see how important it is to be a part of the Chamber family. Feel free to contact myself or any of the Chamber staff with questions. Thank you for your time and for investing in the Savannah Chamber. I look forward to seeing you at our next event.

Holiday Cards with Sound

Sending out holiday cards to your loyal staff and clients?  Want your card to be the office favorite and stand out from all the others?  Here is a great way to do just that, holiday cards with sound.  Everyone will be talking about your company and the fabulous card they received.   What a great way to stay fresh in their minds.

Visit www.adspecialtyservices.com for these and many more promotional products to market your business/event.

Advertising Specialty’s Diana Morrison, a promotional products professional was given the awesome opportunity to create a design idea for the Creative Coast Innovation awards for 2009.  The talented team at the Creative Coast wanted the award to be made from pieces of shredded car product from Newell Recycling, the newly opened facility whose innovative process shreds cars, refrigerators and other large metal items into small metal pieces for additional use throughout the world .  Diana’s ability to  bring local craftsman together to create the grand awards was revealed Thursday night as 4 deserving up-and-coming companies who have demonstrated bold innovation in business, non-profit, education, government and sustainability received recognition  for their company’s innovation.  A fifth award, The Howard J Morrison Award is received annually by a person who supports innovation in business, community support and talent.  Steve Stephens of Stage Front Presentation systems was the winner of that award.

Jerry Lancaster, owner of Port City Metals “created ” the awards from the scrap material into stunning designs and then passed them along to Bella Terra Marble and Granite who mounted them on an inscribed granite base.

The recipients where thrilled with the uniqueness of the awards and the honor that came with them.

WIN a Marketing Makeover for your Local Savannah Business

Win a $5000 Marketing Makeover
for your Local Savannah Business

WHAT
Win a $5000 Marketing Makeover for your Local Savannah Business

WHY
The Marketing Makeover Team can help you increase your visibility in the community and online and your $100 donation will help raise money for CASA.

WHO
Winner will receive a yearly marketing and PR plan for their company, website audit, one ad designed that is camera ready, one digitized design for embroidering branded garments, develop a Facebook page, create a direct mail piece, training session on Social Media sites, 2 press releases about your company, distributed to the media and optimized online, and one YOUTUBE video about your company.

COST
$100 CHANCE TO WIN
Mail your check, made out to C.A.S..A (tax donation- 501 3c
Marjorie Young
CarriageTradePR
213 West York Street
Telfair Square
Savannah, GA 31401.
Must be received before Nov 11, 2009.

WINNER
Drawing November 12, 2009 at the Dancing with the Stars competition. Winner will be called. Checks will be placed in a hat – and a representative from CASA will draw the winner.

FUNDRAISER FOR CASA
Every child should have a safe, loving and permanent home, but unfortunately many do not. Each year in Chatham County, hundreds of abused or neglected children become entangled in an overcrowded juvenile justice and foster care system. A large majority of the children are removed from their homes and placed in an already overburdened system where they can get “lost” for months or even years. The Savannah-Chatham County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program provides an innovative, cost-effective solution to this urgent crisis. They are located at 428 Bull St in Savannah. 912-447-8908

DETAILS ABOUT MARKETING MAKEOVER
Winner will meet with the Marketing Makeover Team December 2, 2009 at 213 West York Street at 10am. Value is $5000

VISIBILITY TEAM CONSISTS OF
Marjorie Young – Carriage Trade Public Relations
Diana Morrison – Advertising Speciality Services
Joe Ippolito – River Horse Internet Marketing
John Powers – Bottom Line Marketing
Rick Monroe – Monroe Marketing
Cathy Rogers – 7 Waves Marketing
Brad Morrison of Southpoint Media

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL
Marjorie Young
912.844.9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

 

Junior Achievement Hall of Fame

Diana Morrison and Florence Slatinsky from Advertising Specialty Services in Savannah, GA  were among the many in attendance at the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame banquet.  Pictured with Diana is Judge Louisa Abbott.  Judge Abbott was the 1st female Rotary President of one of the oldest traditional Rotaries in the country.

To learn more about Junior Achievement or Rotary please visit the sites linked below. 

www.georgia.ja.org Junior Achievement

www.savrotary.org Rotary

To learn more about how you can promote your business or event with promotional products and corporate wearables visit www.adspecialtyservices.com.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Cori Sessions an 11+ year promotional products industry veteran at  Advertising Specialty Services  was on site at the Savannah Georgia Habersham YMCA releasing balloons while 500+ troops from Hunter Army Airfield’s 260th Quartermaster Battalion ran in formation to the “Paint The Town Pink” cadence.  Brittany Deal, an Ad Specialty promotional consultant , did an awesome job on almost 1000 screenprinted t-shirts with a custom design ready for them to wear this morning.

Please visit www.adspecialtyservices.com for ideas on how to promote your next big event.

Some of our favorite ways to say thank you to staff and clients.

Do you have staff and/or clients that you would like to say thank you for their loyality, devotion and continued support?  The best way is with a targeted long term exposure promotional product.  Not only are you saying thank you, you are also staying fresh in their minds with a product they will use regularly.  Here are some of our favorites!http://adspecialtyservices.somuchmore09.com/

There are over 1 million different customizable promotional products available.  Please visit www.adspecialtyservices.com to find your favorite.

Worried about the Swine Flu?

Better safe than sorry is what I always say.  Here are several antibacterial hand gels to help keep you, your staff and family germ free during this flu season.  For these and many other promotional products and corporate wearables  please visit www.adspecialtyservices.com.