SANDWICH BUSINESS GROUP

MINUTES

September 14, 2009

ATTENDING:  Gunnar Berg, Becca Boyden, Don Brown, Patsy Carega, Julie Deak, Dottie DeWitt, Nina Heiser, Diane Johnson, Bob MacArthur, Elizabeth McCrellish, Nancy Papp, Lisa Scott

Chairman Don Brown called the meeting to order at 8: 39 a.m. at Mocha Rizing and welcomed us all back after the summer.  Susan Davies is in Louisville, KY and her daughter is adopting two children.  Don passed along regrets from Donna Lawton and Susan Lirakis.  A brief summation of the summer for Don is that “flat” is the new up.  The Inn was down about 1% over last year for the summer.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the June 1, 2009 meeting were approved. 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Julie reported a balance of $3,176.77.  All but one member has paid.  The Treasurer’s report was approved.     

REVIEW OF 2009 MARKETING STRATEGY

25,000 SBG brochures were printed.  They were distributed in the following ways.

• Best Read Guide – 11,000 SBG brochures went to BRG.  At the end of August they had 4,400 remaining and expect to disburse all of them during the fall.  
• Bulk Mail – 8,000 were mailed to six area towns.
• Of those brochures we kept, The Corner House Inn has ½ case remaining = 500.  Don concludes that 25,000 seems to have been a good number.

Advertising

• BRG - Six Sandwich Businesses plus SBG paid for an ad which appeared in the beginning.  BRG produces and distributes 200,000 of their own guides.
• Greater Ossipee Area Chamber of Commerce.  10,000 were printed.  Two businesses were poorly represented in our collaborative ad.  Don negotiated payment for the collaborative ad to be reduced by the amount equal to the portion that the two businesses would have paid.  The two businesses will not be billed for their portion of the ad.
• Lakes Region Association – Where to Guide.  300,000 were printed.  We have a small mention in it.
• Sandwich Fair brochure
• Weirs Times 4^th of July collaborative ad – Julie noted that all the issues are on line.  She was very happy with the ad.
• Sandwich Audio Tour CD – Nancy and Patsy reported good sales of them at $15.95.  Don encouraged members to participate.  Surroundings, Corner House Inn, Chapman Sanctuary and Carega Gallery were sponsors this year. 

SLACC email queries

Don forwards the emails when they come in.

Gallery Walks

Three were scheduled.  Patsy reports that they did much better than in the past.  No way to know who came and why.  Julie reported that the volume of visitors to the Sandwich Home Industries was about even with past years, although the level and amount of purchases was lower.

NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

Collaboration with Squam Art Workshops

Elizabeth McCrellish, who runs the Squam Art Workshops at Rockywold-Deep Haven, wants to integrate Sandwich businesses.   She introduced her program, noting that while many of her participants come from elsewhere, between 300-500 local people locally visit the program.  There will be four sessions next year.  LaVie Claire magazine will do an article on Elizabeth.  The woman who is writing the article and photographer will be here this week.  Elizabeth is suggesting that we pitch Halloween coverage of Sandwich.  

Internet Marketing

Elizabeth encouraged SBG to do more internet marketing.  She has 150 registrations and they are all from on-line marketing.  She volunteered to help SBG with internet marketing. 

Squam Chamber LRA “Where to” Guide

The Squam Chamber Co-op section prints 300,000.  We as a group could take out an ad.

UPCOMING BUSINESS FORUMS AND NETWORK EVENTS:

• 2^nd annual Central NH Economic Forecast Forum & Luncheon- Wed. Sept 30 12-2pm.  Common Man in Plymouth $15 for full plated lunch. 
• A networking event will take place at Longhaul Farm Tuesday Sept 22, 6-8 p.m. The occasion is also a Micro-Credit networking event.
• Diane reported on a Micro-credit networking event December 9 at Corner House Inn.

SANDWICH ENERGY COMMITTEE GREEN BUILDINGS TOUR

Bob reported that the Sandwich Energy Committee will be participating in the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association’s Green Buildings Open House on Saturday October 3, 2009.  Bob distributed the list of residents who are hosting visitors at their homes to explain the various technologies being used and the results.  The Open House is from 10:00 – 3:00 p.m.  Bob asked for assistance in publicizing the event.  The brochure is in the final stages of production.  Corner House, Mocha Rizing and Diane Johnson volunteered to distribute brochures at their businesses.  Diane offered to include the event in her newspaper column.  Don suggested posting the event on the SBG website.

GOALS FOR FALL / WINTER EVENTS

Don noted the following community events that SBG should consider involvement with this fall / winter.

• Halloween Hauntings
• Christmas Fair
• Sled Dog Race – February 20^th.   

He re-mobilized the Marketing and Events Committees.

• Marketing committee: Don Brown, Patsy Carega, Susan Davies, Julie Deak, Diane Johnson,  Elizabeth McCrellish and Don Sutton
• Events committee: Diane Johnson, Nancy Papp and Sarah Zucarelli

NEW BUSINESS

Becca noted that there are free listings in the calendar of the AAA northern New Englander with a 6 month lead time.  The gallery walks would be a natural.  The marketing committee can pick up on this idea of finding free listings.  Julie suggested coupon books for the town might be an idea for the marketing committee to consider. Dottie emphasized the importance of word of mouth in promoting our businesses.  She has found that it is one of our most effective strategies.   Don reminded us to direct people to the Discover Sandwich web site. 

FUTURE SECOND CUP CONVERSATIONS

Don asked for suggestions of topics for future Second Cup Conversations.  Based on the conversations at today’s meeting we came up with two.

• Credit card marketing
• Internet marketing.

NEXT MEETING

The next SBG meeting will be October 5, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. at Mocha Rizing.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 a.m.

Our "Second Cup Conversation" (which begins immediately after our SBG meeting at 9:30 AM) featured Mr. Roger Hawk, who is working with Jack Mate on the Sandwich Master Plan. Mr. Hawk led a discussion to learn more about the issues regarding the future of the town that are important to the SBG.

Respectfully Submitted,

Bob MacArthur

[9.14.09]