Broadening the Chamber’s reach in 2016

By Barry Schwan 2016 Chamber Chairman Owner, House of Schwan One of the Chamber’s 2016 strategic priorities is to enhance our regional profile. Our new partnership with The Wichita Eagle is one way we are increasing our regional reach as we accelerate our momentum. Eagle publisher and Chamber Board member Roy Heatherly has worked with his staff to develop two new tools in 2016 to communicate the Chamber’s initiatives and accomplishments across south central Kansas:  1) a Monthly Update in the Business section of the Eagle and 2) a six-page quarterly publication, called Synergy, inserted in the Sunday edition of the Eagle. Barry Schwan
2016 Chamber Chairman I’ve already heard favorable comments from colleagues about the three Monthly Updates we’ve published during the first quarter of the year. We’ve used this platform to inform Eagle Business section readers about new business openings, answer frequently asked questions about our role in the community, and encourage participation in a statewide summit of young professionals that takes place on April 22. The first edition of our 2016 quarterly publication, Synergy, appeared as an insert in last Sunday's Wichita Eagle. This publication replaces a printed quarterly 8.5” x 11” newsletter that used to be mailed to 3,500 Chamber members. The publication title remains unchanged and Chamber members will notice some similarities to the previous format. With more copy space available, we’ve  increased the coverage of Chamber members and activities. And our messages can now reach up to 197,000 Sunday readers. Chamber members will also receive the newsletter in a digital format and the public has access to it on our website. I’m interested in your feedback about these changes and I encourage you to share your thoughts and comments with me, other Board members, and Chamber staff. We’ve set up a special communication survey on our website so that you can provide input about improving the delivery format and content of all of our communication tools. You’ll find the survey at wichitachamber.org/survey. My thanks to Roy and his staff for making these improvements possible. New partnerships like this one are contributing to renewed momentum in the business community. These vital collaborations sharpen our focus on driving economic growth and community advancement.