July, 2015


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The Voice of Business in Saskatchewan

action! online In this issue...

• The Gold Standard • Chamber College • Engaging introverts • New worker safety • SINP info sessions ... and more!

ition

15 ed July, 20

Don’t miss out on ABEX 2015 “The Glitter of Gold” - Nominate yourself, or another worthy business! • New Venture • Community Cornerstone • Growth & Expansion • Priority Focus • Community Involvement • Marketing • Innovation • Service • Export • Young Entrepreneur of the Year Nominations CLOSE July 15 - act today! Forms & information available at www.saskchamber.com

Social Media www.facebook.com/saskchamber www.twitter.com/SaskChamber

Get in Touch Tel: 306.352.2671 Email: [email protected]

Table of Contents 3

CEO’s Message

4

The Gold Standard

5

Chamber College I & II

6

Engaging Introverts

7

New Worker Safety for Summer

9

Advocacy in Action

10

SINP info sessions

11

Members in the News

12

Membership Central

13

WHMIS e-course

13

Raj Manek Business Mentorship Program

14

Social Media Marketing is a Waste of Time.... Unless....

15

Free introductory WHMIS e-course

16

Raj Manek Business Mentorship Program

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CEO’s Message ABEX - The legacy continues

The ABEX Awards is Canada’s longest-running awards program of its kind, now into its 32nd year. Over those three decades, I can say with confidence that being a finalist or winner has literally been the turning point for dozens of businesses. We hear people speak (often offstage) of the fact that this award validates the long days and the financial risks taken. It gives them added confidence to offset those 3 a.m. goblins of doubt that haunt people who are building a business. And many more people speak of the way the ABEX served to attract more business because of the attention it drew to their company. There are about 40,000 businesses who have employees in Saskatchewan. To be selected from those in a group of 45-50 finalists for the top business awards in the province sends a powerful message. It’s powerful to the owners and managers, to the staff and the customers (current and future), and also to your competitors, who then have to ‘up’ their game! Each year the ABEX is held with 750 people cheering on the best of Saskatchewan business. We hear the stories of the young entrepreneurs who have followed their dreams and opened a business. We hear about the expansion plans, the success in exports, innovation and marketing; of the leaders in these areas. It’s not a conference, but it’s the very best learning event for business people held in this province. We began a new award in 2014, the Community Cornerstone Award, which crosses the merits of long-term businesses who have acted as unofficial ambassadors for their communities, with the power of social media. We seek

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out input from local chambers to find those businesses, and then do a social media blitz to have the general public vote on which of the finalists they feel is most desrving. Last year’s winner was Ted Matheson Men’s Wear in Prince Albert. After making the men of Prince Albert look their very best for three generations, it was an excellent reflection of the concept behind the Community Cornerstone Award. This year, we’ve added another new award – one that provides recognition to companies who are working in ‘the trenches’ in an effort that supports one of our key policy areas. We’ve teamed up with SIGA to present this award, which for 2015 will be presented to businesses who support youth entrepreneurship. The recipient will have $1,000 donated in their name to an organization which they supported, so it’s truly a win-win. So now that you’re excited about the legacy, and the new awards that are part of the ABEX, it’s time for you to become a nominee, or to nominate a business you think worthy of celebration. Simply visit www.saskchamber.com for all the information on how to proceed. And finally, how many tickets can we reserve for you for at the ABEX Awards gala in Saskatoon October 24?

Does your business meet the Gold Standard?

Time is running out to find out! Gold is a rare commodity. An inert element, it doesn’t tarnish, so a statue made of gold today will be in the same condition a thousand years from now. Gold has been used as a global currency for 5,000 years. Its luster is unbelievably beautiful, making it the perfect choice to ornament the temple of kings and be considered the symbol of victory in competitions. The “gold standard” is a synonym for the best, most reliable or prestigious item of its type. Likewise, the ABEX Awards, presented by Conexus Credit Union, which was founded 32 years ago by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce to celebrate business’ top performers in the province, is the “gold standard” of business achievement. It is for all of these reasons that the 2015 ABEX Awards celebration brings to light The Glitter of Gold, as we celebrate Saskatchewan business success, both new entrepreneurial endeavours as well as longstanding enterprises which have withstood the test of time without tarnish. Nominations are accepted in 10 categories: • • • •

New Venture Growth & Expansion Community Involvement Community Cornerstone

• Innovation • Export • Priority Focus

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year • Service • Marketing

After careful deliberation, the top nominees move on to become Finalists, and vie for the coveted limited-edition ABEX trophy. From the group of finalists, a business is chosen to receive the honour of being named Business of the Year. All finalists receive a limited-edition artwork, and a copy of the video vignette played at the ABEX gala. Finalists also have the distinction of being part of an exceptional group of the province’s business leaders, sending a message of excellence to their clients, their staff, and their competitors. If you are proud of the work you do, or if you know of a business that deserves to be elevated among the ABEX select, nominate them for an ABEX Award. But time is running out! Nominations are accepted only until July 15th. For more information, visit the Saskatchewan Chamber website (http://www.saskchamber.com), or call 306.352.2671.

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Chamber College an innovative way to strengthen your chamber By Elissa LaLiberte, Director of Membership Engagement

On June 2nd and 3rd eleven Chamber professionals from across the province participated in Chamber College Level I and Chamber College Level II. Chamber College is the first training program of its kind in Canada, and was developed and delivered by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce with support from the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Saskatchewan. Chamber College was created to strengthen the chamber network in Saskatchewan. Participants fall into either Level 1 or Level II categories. Chamber College Level I is designed for new chamber employees and/or Boards of Directors. Topics that it covers include bylaws, board governance, non-dues revenue, finance and event planning. Chamber College Level II is for experienced Chamber staff. Level II covers the previous topics in greater depth, plus adds chapters on things like taxation, volunteer management, budgeting, membership sales and advocacy. We were fortunate to have several in-house experts dedicate their time to develop and instruct both levels. The instructors at the June sessions were: Steve McLellan, Jesse Chatterson and Elissa LaLiberte - Saskatchewan

Chamber of Commerce, Linda Machniak – Battlefords Chamber of Commerce and Kent Smith-Windsor – Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce. For Chamber College Level II we also recruited a few additional experts – thank you Tanya Knight – MNP LLP and Chair of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, and Greg Van Ginkel – Knight Archer Commercial Insurance Brokers Ltd. Chamber College Level I students included Mark Klaassen and Yvonne Groenen (Shellbrook & District Chamber of Commerce), Jade Gulash (Warman Chamber of Commerce), Cassie Ries (Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce), Nicole Currie (Carlyle Chamber of Commerce), and Vincenzo Deimuth (Nipawin & District Chamber of Commerce). Chamber College Level II students included Debra Nyczai (Humboldt & District Chamber of Commerce), Joanne Kirwan (Melville & District Chamber of Commerce), Jaimie Malmgren (Warman Chamber of Commerce), Heather Wall (Kindersley Chamber of Commerce) and Donna Ritco (Meadow Lake & District Chamber of Commerce). These dedicated individuals have invested heavily in the betterment of their communities – thank you for attending. As our chambers grow and change, the demand for Chamber College will increase. We expect to offer another round of training in fall 2015. If you or your chamber is interested in attending Chamber College please contact Elissa LaLiberte at [email protected]

Taking part in Chamber College recently in Saskatoon were: (L-R) Jade Gulash (Warman Chamber), Donna Ritco (Meadow Lake Chamber), Yvonne Groenen (Shellbrook Chamber), Deb Nyczai (Humboldt Chamber), Mark Klaassen (Shellbrook Chamber), Jaimie Malmgren (Warman Chamber), Joanne Kirwin (Melville Chamber), Vincenzo Diemuth (Nipawin Chamber), Nicole Currie (Carlyle Chamber) and Cassie Ries (Swift Current Chamber). Missing: Heather Wall (Kindersley Chamber).

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Engaging Introverts How to Pull Them in Without Pushing Them Out Submitted by Marcy Weaver, Executive Vice President, ChamberMaster

Most membership groups have a variety of personalities within the group and on average, about 30 percent of those members are introverts. While many of these introverts have the professionalism to converse in large group settings, they are often uncomfortable beneath their professional exterior. They often appear to be much less engaged than their extroverted counterparts; however, it is likely that their interest and engagement are just subtle. As Jill D. Burruss and Lisa Kaenzig wrote in an article titled Introversion: the Often Forgotten Factor Impacting the Gifted, “There is nothing wrong with being an introvert. It does not need to be cured. It simply needs to be understood and accepted.” Determining What Members Value Although introverts may not make up the majority of your group, they still make up a significant percentage of the organization and their preferences should not be ignored. If you don’t already, survey your membership to determine what they value in your organization. Ask specific questions about their preferences in regard to your programs, opportunities for involvement, what they would like to see handled differently, how they prefer to be involved, etc. Also be sure to ask about their preferred method of communication. At the end of the survey, invite them to think about the people in their life who might enjoy your group’s next meeting. After all, introverts often have close colleagues and getting involved is much more comfortable when they have a friend they already know by their side. Adjusting What You Offer Review your survey results and see what modifications your organization needs to make to better meet the needs of all members. As you find ways to address their suggestions, be sure to communicate that you have heard their feedback and are making positive changes as a result. If you have small groups or committees or task forces, consider how you define “small.” To some, it’s a group of ten to twelve people and for introverts, it can mean two to three people. Offer a variety of formats and opportunities for involvement. One surefire way to pull in some of your less involved introverts is to reach out to them with a personal ask. Use the technology that they have indicated they prefer for communicating and avoid putting them on the spot in person. Consider their areas of expertise and then determine what will be a comfortable fit for them. While introverts might not be gung ho on joining a committee, they might be very willing to provide some more individualized guidance by serving as a consultant within their area of expertise. When considering what to ask, take the approach of presenting introverts with an opportunity to share their insights in a low-pressure format. And if you do ask them, create small groups – truly small with two to three people – give them specific topics to address or tasks to complete. By giving a small group a curriculum, they will be able to share their insights without being on the spot to “come up with a plan to present.” If those involved are interested in more in-depth group work, it will surface naturally. As the small group works together on an initiative, they will likely begin to develop a comfort level that will help increase engagement across everyone. It’s also important to consider the experiences of new members and how the engagement process works for them. When new members join your organization, consider having a mentorship program in place to ensure that all new members, introverts and extroverts alike, have someone to show them the ropes. While many will accompany the mentor for the first meeting or program, introverts will likely appreciate having that mentor by their side for the first several months.

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Engaging Introverts (cont’d) Reaching Them Where it Counts Besides communicating with members using the methods they have indicated in the survey, consider creating an online space for interaction. Whether it is message boards for small groups or a general message board for the entire membership, make the options available and communicate them. After all, if a moderator asks a tough question, Google is just a click away. You don’t necessarily need different messages and events for every personality type within your organization, but it is critical that your members feel comfortable getting involved on their own terms. By embracing your introverts and providing them comfortable opportunities to contribute, you will certainly find the most impact. Determine the best tactics for deal with different member personality types. Access the free Member Engagement Kit, compliments of ChamberMaster. This can’t-miss bundle (http://bit.ly/1JmhHCE) includes the guide, From Introverts to Extroverts; Keeping All of Your Members Engaged.

Summer season brings on the new workers Submitted by WorkSafe Saskatchewan

As summer approaches, WorkSafe Saskatchewan reminds employers and supervisors to take extra care of new and young workers. Approximately 6,000 Saskatchewan young workers get injured on the job each year, and the injury rate for young workers peaks in July and August. Injuries to young workers are primarily due to lack of training, experience and/or supervision. They also lack knowledge of their rights, are eager to please, and rush to finish. Young workers often have the same duties as experienced adults and without the proper training it is easy for them to get injured on the job. WorkSafe Saskatchewan urges supervisors to be approachable and willing to answer questions. Young workers need to ask questions on the job. Asking a question can save someone from an injury or even save their life. Brad Compton, Account Manager at the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) says, “All workers require orientation, training and supervision, but this is particularly important for young workers. Research shows that if an employer offers orientation and is willing to answer questions, their young employees are less likely to be injured.” For more information on how to keep young workers safe, go to http://www.work2live.ca. FAST FACTS: On average, workers under the age of 25 receive approximately 6,000 injuries each year: • 2,750 hand injuries are caused cuts, strikes or burns • 1,000 back injuries due to heavy lifting, climbing, reaching or twisting • 900 leg injuries to sprains, strains or breaking; • 650 arm injuries from being cut, sprained or strained; • 600 eyes injuries caused by chips and splinters • 3 work-related fatalities The top 4 industries for young worker injuries are: • Construction • Retail • Manufacturing • Hospitality Workers who are 14 or 15 must complete the Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course before working. http://www.saskatchewan.ca/ywrcc

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Don’t

and drive.

fight smoke eat

pet your dog be a DJ do your hair

What’s your distraction? Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

worksafesask.ca

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ADVOCACY in ACTION By Curtis Hemming, Director of Government Relations

This upcoming year is going to particularly busy for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce because there will be a federal election in October and also a provincial election next April. During every election we put a significant amount of time and money into promoting the views of Saskatchewan’s business community so that all of the candidates and the public are kept informed on our positions and we are continuing to do that over the summer. Over the summer, even though many politicians have returned home to their ridings, we are continuing to meet with them informally at barbecues and other summer events, as well as through formal meetings with the Ministers who must remain here in Regina. With the reality of having two elections within a seven month period, we are going to be doing a lot more work with the media to make sure your voice is heard amidst all of the campaigning. During the summer months we will also continue to promote our provincial/federal election strategy document called OnTrack 2016, which

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was released to our local chambers on May 6 at our annual Conference on Business, as well as hold policy roundtables in new locations around the province. One issue that continues to be of interest for many of our members who export products out of Saskatchewan is the capacity of our province’s rail system and the speed that farmers, manufacturers, oil producers, and mining companies can export their product to global markets. A report we recently released entitled “The Economic Impact of Rail Access on Saskatchewan Exports” that the Conference Board of Canada wrote for the SCC provides more detail on how strained the province’s rail capacity currently is. That report is available on our website and the Conference Board of Canada will soon be releasing additional research that examines Canada’s logistics network. If you have any thoughts about what future research projects the Sask Chamber should be looking at, please

ADVOCACY in ACTION (cont’d) contact our office and let us know. While much of the research we do is based upon issues that have been previously identified in policy resolutions or advocacy initiatives, there are always opportunities for us to explore new issues that we have not focused on in the past.

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SINP Information Session The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) will be presenting an information session for employers at each of the Gateways at the times and dates indicated in the document attached by clicking this link. Information on the Gateways can be found at http://www.economy.gov.sk.ca/immigration/immigration-gateways. The session will provide information on the SINP program and criteria for employers. An additional session with regard to the Job Grant may be available with our provincial partners immediately following the SINP information session. Opportunities for questions or to meet with an SINP officer will be available following the presentation and throughout the day. To register for any of the information sessions, please contact the Gateway direct through the phone or email address provided in the attached document. SINP will not be taking any registrations for the Gateway information sessions. Due to possible changes with the venue, please confirm the location of the session with the Gateway at the time of registration.

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Direct purchase your natural gas supply at a “fixed price” before the SaskEnergy enrollment deadline Natural gas prices are very attractive versus historical levels. Now is the time to consider locking in your natural gas prices for terms of 1-5 years. Twin Eagle is a licensed natural gas supplier in Saskatchewan currently supplying many major cities, towns and villages, government facilities, Universities and businesses in Saskatchewan. Twin Eagle supplies the gas to SaskEnergy and SaskEnergy will continue to deliver, read your meter and invoice you for your natural gas costs.

Twin Eagle is offering to all commercial and business sized customers in Saskatchewan fixed prices for all of your natural gas requirements beginning November 01, 2015 for terms ranging from 1-5 years. Fixed pricing is being offered until August 01, 2015 for gas deliveries beginning November 01, 2015. Not available to residential customers. Call 1-403-984-5353 or email [email protected] for a fixed price quote today. Visit our website www.twineagle.com.

Twin Eagle can provide you with a natural gas price that can remain fixed for the term of your choice. You control the natural gas price that best fits your business needs.

Members in The News By Elissa LaLiberte, Director of Membership Engagement A big round of applause goes out to Great Western Brewing Co who brought home three medals at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards. Original 16 Pale won Bronze in the Cream Ale category as well as Gold for Wheat Beer – North American Style. Great Western Light was awarded a silver medal and Brewhouse Light won Bronze in the Light (calorie-reduced) Lager category, and Great Western Pilsner achieved Gold in the North American Style Premium Lager category. To view all of the medal recipients click here. On June 3rd Avid Ratings Canada announced their 2015 Winners. The Avid Awards recognize homebuilders throughout North America who score the highest with their customers on surveys of the home buying experience. This year there were 930 qualifying builders, and we were happy to learn that North Ridge Developments received the Avid Diamond Award. You can read more about the Avid Awards by clicking here. In Chamber news this month we are welcoming a new Executive Director to the chamber network and saying goodbye to another. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Jackie Wall who is the new Executive Director at the Estevan Chamber of Commerce. Jackie has an extensive background in marketing and community relations, we look forward to working with her.

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Farewell to Darla Lindjberg of the Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce, during her short time with the Chamber she has made her mark. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours Darla. Some of you may recall a trio of special performers from our 2014 and 2015 Conference on Business Chair’s Dinner. At the 2014 Chair’s Dinner we were treated to a very special performance of ‘Watch Me’ by Dean Kush, JJ Voss and Alex Runions. The artists wrote Watch Me as a dedication to a fan who was battling breast cancer. You can listen to this song and watch the video here. The video was made possible courtesy of the support of several Sask Chamber members: • Brin Werrett (Royal Lepage Regina Realty) • Randy Beattie (PFM Capital Inc.) • Juanita Polegi (Yorkton Chamber of Commerce) • Trina Warren (MNP LLP) • Holly Hetherington (SCC Past President) • Peter Federko, Phil Germain & Gordon Dobrowolski (WCB Saskatchewan) • John Lee (RROC) • Randy Jeworski (Miller Thomson) • Ernie Quintal (Warman Chamber of Commerce) • Ryan Moe (Battlefords Chamber of Commerce and G&C Asphalt)

MEMBERSHIP Central

By Jesse Chatterson, Director of Membership Sales

Welcome to our new members!

Community Initiatives Fund Regina www.cfisask.org Skills Connect/ThirdQuarter Winnipeg www.thirdquarter.ca Assoc. of Consulting Engineering Companies Saskatchewan Regina www.acec-sk.ca

Thanks to our returning members! Thank you to our members who renewed last month! Your continued support of the Chamber movement makes it possible for us to achieve on your behalf, and we want you to know we appreciate you as members! • • • • • • • • •

Shermco Industries Canada InsuranCentre TNA Bye’s Trucking & Construction Titan Logix Corp Gibson Energy Grit Group of Companies Community Initiatives Fund International Minerals Innovation Cowtown

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bioriginal Innovation EFA Solutions Delta Bessborough Osman & Company Law Office Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Leon Bekker Medical PC Ted Matheson Men’s wear Juri Van Staden Medical Prof Corp. Vale Potash Canadian Light Source Look Agency Fortress Windows & Doors PDRA Ackerman Acres Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame Fashhions by MEE Buffalo Cabs

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Wheatbelt Sales Greentree Engineering Innovative Rehabilitation Consultants The Service & Hospitality Safety Assoc. Of Sask Industrial Parts & Equipment Dr. MS Renuka-Prasad Medical Prof. Corp. EPRA Apex Distribution Cumberland College Hilton Garden Inn Kindersley Clarion Associated Engineering Silvester Glass & Aluminum Handy Group of Companies

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Social Media Marketing is a waste of time. Unless...

Submitted by Sara Wheelwright, Marketing maverick & Trusted Founder

Whoever says social media is not important for local companies is crazy! There have been a number of marketing videos making the rounds lately in Saskatchewan. They are being shared and shown to local businesses by radio, paper and print reps, as a ‘warning’ against ‘wasting too much time and money on social media.’ A few YouTube videos that I have watched with interest recently are: Bob Hoffman – the Golden Age of Bull**t Mark Ritson- Why social media is mostly a waste of time If you have a spare hour or so to watch them, you may be surprised to hear that I agree with quite a few points of their arguments, and I enjoyed both of their presentations! They are well prepared, informative and they were clearly part of the larger marketing strategy these international speakers have employed to be successful. However, they simply do not tell the full story of social media….not when it’s done well. Social media is more than one tweet or a facebook page Tweets like the famous ‘agile marketing’ example below, Tweeted by Oreo at the 2013 Superbowl when the lights went out, is one example that Ritson focuses on. This Tweet was hailed as brilliant across the Globe, and Ritson and I agree, it’s good! Oreo is an International brand, with a huge marketing team & advertising budget. Ritson did some math, which he said ‘proved’ this one Tweet’s reach and impact on the Oreo brand as a whole was insignificant. He then compared the tweets impact with that of the 60 second Budweiser Super Bowl commercial that ran the same year. Remember the Clydesdale that ran away from the parade after his ‘first owner’ on the streets of New York? Who doesn’t know and love that one?

Ritson’s argument was that the reach of a Super Bowl ad on TV that year ( audience of over 108 million in US) far exceeded the 15,000 Re-Tweets and exposure online that the Oreo tweet had, therefore Budweiser TV ad was more effective and besides it was, he said, ‘ better marketing’ .

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Social Media Marketing is a waste of time (cont’d) What Ritson and Hoffman fail to mention is that most marketing that is done well these days, is not the onedimensional activities that the Budweiser commercial would have been 10 years ago. The TV commercial would have played exclusively in one of the Super Bowl ad breaks, and for most ads those days, that was it! So your message better have been salient and impactful, or it would be forgotten forever. Not so these days, just look at the Budweiser You Tube Channel with 153 million views of its videos alone. Not to mention the hundreds, maybe thousands of other YouTube channels, websites, blogs and social sharing sites that this commercial is featured on. On the other hand, the Oreo tweet was named the ‘Cheap Tweet that won the 2013 Super Bowl Ad battle’ . It was praised and discussed at length on TV, in magazines, on blogs and in newspapers ( the irony of it) around the World, for at least a week after the Superbowl was over. The Tweet actually won several awards including the best marketing award of 2013 at the prestigious CLIO Awards ….much to the disgust of many in the marketing industry! The second thing I notice when listening to both of the ‘ antisocial ‘ presentations, was that neither were related to the businesses that they were being shown to. Most of them, like nearly all our clients, are small locally owned companies, who simply don’t have marketing departments and budgets for Super Bowl ads. Most SMEs, don’t turn over annually what it would cost to buy and produce just one Super Bowl ad, nor would we be able to handle the response! The rise of social media has allowed the smaller companies to have a larger voice (and reach) in the local market place, at a very reasonable investment level when compared to other traditional mediums. I believe the aim of these reps should not be to bash social, but instead they should speak to their clients about a good marketing mix, and more importantly how to make the most of their traditional media by combining it with their social media and online presence! If done right it will make both more effective! At Trusted we speak from not just our clients’ experience, but from our own experience, we are a small local business that started from scratch just four years ago, and we have been recognized locally and Internationally for our own marketing excellence. What we know for sure, is that social IS Important but ENGAGEMENT is the key in social …..simply put if you are an excellent marketer you can reach MORE people for less money with social than any other medium . Here is a recent example of what social can do IF done well. Recently the Trusted Social Media team put together a social campaign on Facebook to support a customers spring sale. The client also did radio and a flyer drop, but the Facebook campaign we created went viral ( it’s still going strong today) and currently it’s been seen by over 520,000 people…all that for way less than 0.0007c per person– NOTHING can beat this locally! In one day alone, we had an organic reach of 168,500 - and that was FREE! What did our client say? Well after ‘ Wow!’, we can tell you that now he has no doubt social media works, and is important.

Why submit an ABEX Nomination?

Measure the ROI! The benefits are worth their weight in GOLD! Finalists

Recipients

$0

$0

Mention in action! online (distribution: 1300+) Website recognition Inclusion in Finalist press release Inclusion in Post-Event press release Rights to use ABEX Finalist logo Rights to use ABEX Winner logo Winner photo in Leader Post/Star Phoenix Included in Sask Chamber Annual Report Video vignette played at ABEX and provided to you on DVD Exclusive pre-ABEX networking reception Limited edition artwork sponsored by Mosaic Speaking opportunity in front of 700+ business leaders at ABEX Cost to your business Value

PRICELESS

Submit a nomination before July 15. www.saskchamber.com

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Free introductory WHMIS 2015 e-course WorkSafe Saskatchewan is offering workers and employers a free introductory course to WHMIS 2015 through the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). The course explains the changes coming with WHMIS 2015. Canada’s requirements for the safe use of workplace chemicals will be changing. It will be updated as the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) is incorporated into WHMIS. A multi-year transition period is in effect where the current WHMIS 1998 is updating to WHMIS 2015. For more information about how WHMIS 2015 might impact your workplace and to take the course, go to www. worksafesask.ca.

If you are a New Business, Going through Challenging Times or want to Grow Your Business

Join the Raj Manek Business Mentorship Program The Raj Manek Business Mentorship Program (RMMP) has been operating since 1998 and is accepting applications for their September intake. RMMP provides:. • • • • • • •

One-on-one mentorship with an experienced mentor whose skill sets compliment your targeted areas of improvement. Monthly seminars on topics of interest create an environment where participants can feel comfortable asking questions. Technical advisors available one-on-one in the areas of Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, IT, Legal, Sales, and Strategic Planning. Program affiliations to access databases and resources from other programs including PCensus, Reference Canada, Hoovers, iSell, Kompass Access to RMMP databases including eStatement Studies, First Research, and Profit Driver Peer-to-peer mentorship service where business owners can congregate and share their thoughts, ideas, and jointly solve problems with the guidance of a technical expert. Networking opportunities.

This relationship is an interactive sharing environment which results in an enriching, mutual learning experience. To learn more about the Program, please join us at our annual Business Mixer to be held on Thursday, September 10th at the NRC Plant Biotechnology Institute, 110 Gymnasium Place. Saskatoon, S7N 0W9. To Register please call us at (306) 244-2151; email [email protected]; or visit: http://manekmentorship.sk.ca/Events/Networking-Events/Annual-Raj-Manek-Business-Mixer

action! online is a monthly membership e-publication of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

CHAMBER STAFF Steve McLellan CEO [email protected]

Kristin McKee Director of Policy Development [email protected]

Jesse Chatterson Director of Member Services [email protected]

Marilyn Leier Administrative Assistant [email protected]

Curtis Hemming Director of Government Relations [email protected]

Elissa LaLiberte Director of Membership Engagement [email protected]

Cindy Wright Director of Special Events [email protected]

Libbey Morin Research & Policy Analyst [email protected]

Dawn M. Barker Director of Communications [email protected]

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair - Randy Beattie (PFM Capital Inc.) 1st Vice-Chair - Shawna Nelson (Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon) 2nd Vice-Chair - Patricia Warsaba (McKercher LLP) Immediate Past-Chair - Bruce Anderson (b-creative group)



Directors Trina Warren (MNP LLP) Greg Hanwell (Beer Bros. Gastropub & Deli) Ricardo Silva (Quickthree Solutions) Sean Young (Young’s Equipment) Monica Kreuger (Global Infobrokers Inc.) Kendal Netmaker (Neechie Gear) Peter Clarke (Seed Hawk Inc.) Clayton Veresh (Deloitte LLP) Michael Cossar (Federated Co-operatives)

1630 - 1920 Broad Street



Regina, SK S4P 3V2



www.saskchamber.com