Marketing

Chamber members enjoy the privilege of promoting their products and services through numerous venues – some included with your membership investment and some for an additional fee. Familiarize yourself with these benefits to maximize your return on investment.

Advertising Opportunities

AdverTees
Chamber member businesses can be promoted to Brainerd Lakes Area visitors through “walking billboards” at the three Brainerd Lakes Chamber Welcome Centers, with shirts you provide. Book a week of promotion that includes the staff in your shirts to hundreds of people walking through our doors and front counter display of your brochures.

• Contact staff liaison
• AdverTEES with the Brainerd Lakes Chamber.pdf

Brainerd Lakes Area Guide and other 2013 Publications
The Brainerd Lakes Area Guide features a business directory, relocation information, a calendar of events, information on area lodging and dining options, things to see and do in the area, places to meet in the area, and community maps. Advertising opportunities start as low as $75. Other 2013 Brainerd Lakes Chamber publications include a Brainerd Lakes Area and Community Map and a Brainerd Lakes Chamber Business Resource Guide. Space reservation deadline is October 1, 2012!

• Contact staff liaison
• 2013 Advertising Options and Contract
• 2013 Publications Listing Form
• 2012 Online publication

Brochure distribution
Member brochures may be distributed at the Highway 371 Welcome Center and other locations based on availability and proximity to that neighborhood.

Explorebrainerdlakes.com Website and Chamberbrainerdlakes.com Website Banner Advertising
Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your visibility in the business directory and provide a direct link to your website with exclusive advertising opportunities.

• Contact staff liaison
• Advertising Agreement Information
• Advertising Contract

The Enhanced Web Listing, formerly called a Gold Package, provides preferred placement in search results, a 25-word description on the results page, unlimited postings to the specials section of the website, an expanded description and images on the business webpage, and listings in up to three categories (if applicable). All this for only $240 per year – $20 per month – with a one-year commitment.

Business specials are included with the Enhanced Web Listing, or may be purchased for $21 for a week. Credit card payment is required. Members enter information about a special offer online and the special expires based on the date range selected. An email is automatically sent to an opted in email list each day specials are entered. The subscriber list is more than 12,000 people.

Job openings may be posted quickly and easily on the site using your member login information.

Member business directory online at www.explorebrainerdlakes.com and chamberbrainerdlakes.com lists all member businesses. A basic listing is included with membership. Upgrade to a Enhanced Web Listing for additional benefits.

• Contact staff liaison
• Enhanced Listing Agreement
• Enhanced Listing Contract

Display window on North Sixth Street, Brainerd
The display window at the Brainerd office on North Sixth Street is available at no charge for members to promote their products or services for a one-week period on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Contact staff liaison
• Chamber Display Window Guidelines

Making Waves E-News
Include your promotional message every Friday to all current member representatives (approx 2,400). Your 100-word promotional text, hyperlink (if applicable) and logo is only $35. Five or more promotions in a six-month period costs only $30 per insertion.

• Contact staff liaison
• Making Waves contract

Tourism E-News
Promote your business in the electronic newsletter that the Brainerd Lakes Chamber sends out 12 times a year to its database of 12,000 email addresses of individuals who have specifically requested tourism information on the Brainerd Lakes Area. The E-newsletter also is sent to more than 2,500 Brainerd Lakes Chamber members. Up to three sponsors are featured in each E-newsletter issue and space is reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Contact staff liaison
• Sponsorship Contract – Revised contract coming soon
• Sample E-News

Welcome Center Advertising
Reach more than 150,000 visitors at the Brainerd Lakes Welcome Center on Highway 371 for less than $100 per month. Lobby display advertising is a wonderful way to promote your business to vacationers, residents and potential residents.

• Contact staff liaison
• Lobby advertising contract April 2011.pdf

Your Chamber Connects inserts
Your Chamber Connects is sent monthly on the second Thursday to Brainerd Lakes Chamber members and includes information updates important to business leaders in our community. This mailing is distributed to the primary contact for all Chamber members. Total distribution: 1,100

• Contact staff liaison
• Insert-Only Contract
• Envelope Advertising and Insert Contract

Chamber Bucks

Chamber Bucks are universal gift checks that can only be spent at participating member businesses. There is no cost to accept Bucks. More than $65,000 in Bucks was spent at member businesses in 2012. Merchants accept Bucks similar to a travelers check and deposit them with that day’s transactions. The Chamber sells the Bucks to consumers and businesses at face value. The money received is deposited into a special Chamber Bucks account, so you know that when you accept Bucks, there’s money in the bank to cover it. Nearly 130 businesses accept Chamber Bucks. (Please allow one working day if purchasing a large amount of Bucks.)

• Contact staff liaison
• Chamber Bucks

Member-to-Member Discounts
The Chamber can help you promote a discount on products or services to other Chamber member businesses. The benefits are promoted through regular communication with members, brochure, Internet, etc. Benefits can be offered to managers or owners of member businesses, or all employees. There is no cost to participate in this special program.

• Contact staff liaison
• Member 2 Member Discounts

Bulk Mail Permit

The Chamber purchases a for-profit bulk permit number each year for the Brainerd post office, and a for-profit permit for the Pequot Lakes post office. Chamber members may use that permit number for their direct mailings and avoid paying $250 per year for their own individual bulk permit. Postage charges are additional and paid at the respective post office. The charges, however, are at a greatly reduced rate by using bulk mail. The permit may only be used to promote the member business and not another cause.

Business Referrals

The Chamber refers members online through its website, in person at its welcome centers, or over the phone to inquiries. Stop into our offices and visit with staff so they are familiar with your products and services. Also – be sure to look for Chamber members when you are making purchases! Support the businesses that support the Chamber.

www.m.www.explorebrainerdlakes.com – mobile website – coming soon!

Member Data availability

Members can obtain lists of Chamber members for direct mail campaigns for one-time use. The lists include the business, name of representative, and address. Email addresses are not distributed; members can sponsor the bi-weekly e-newsletter to reach members via email. These lists are only available to members. All rates are plus sales tax.

• Contact staff liaison