Dexter Chamber Launches Social Media Campaign; Adds Facebook, Twitter Accounts

The Dexter Area Chamber of Commerce (DACC) is promoting the benefits of social media for local businesses through a new online campaign.

The chamber launched its official Facebook and Twitter accounts this month and is hoping chamber members and nonmembers will follow suit.

"It is important for businesses to maintain Facebook and Twitter if they have the market for it, and most of them do," said Abby Erickson Goldberg, the chamber's executive director. "Facebook is a great platform for business of all types to connect on a more realistic level, especially since there is so much info out there. It helps to see experts in their field pulling out the information that they think is valuable and sharing it."

Paula Palmer-Burns, DACC president and owner of Palmer Insurance, said social media is vital for local businesses to retain customers.

"Businesses must be available in as many resources that their customers or contacts might be searching for them or the services they offer," Palmer-Burns said. "Facebook also allows businesses to do more than focus on true advertising of products or sales. It allows us to connect to additional resources, as well as give a more personal touch. My Facebook contacts get some basic insurance information but also get a feel for how I do business and what type of organization I strive to be."

Goldberg said the chamber plans to post regular updates on its Facebook and Twitter accounts to notify area businesses of upcoming events throughout the village.

"We plan to update our Facebook and Twitter accounts at least two to three days during the work week," she said. "There are new things that we are doing daily, and it is our job to make sure all information is available to our membership.

"Our Facebook page is something that has become somewhat of a priority. Seeing it grow and change each day is really exciting — people are starting to go there for information, which is what we wanted, and we will continue to feed that page with updates."

In order to draw interest, Palmer-Burns said the chamber will launch a contest on its Facebook site in the coming months.

"Definitely watch for a Facebook 'like' contest coming soon," she said. "It is top priority on the marketing committee's goals once the board has a chance to review and have input on the page as it is started."

Unlike its previous attempt to utilize social media in 2010, which came under heavy criticism from the public, Goldberg said the chamber has modified its overall plan.

"This campaign is more basic in the sense that our goal is to just connect people with resources," she said. "We get the 'What does the chamber do for me?' question a lot, and we want to help answer that by getting people what they need before the realize they need it.

"If we can connect someone with an article or business resource that helps them, then we have done our job."

Palmer-Burns agreed.

"Our campaign is a team effort overseen by a committee who in turn reports to the board. We are all very clear on what we want the feeling and purpose to be for our social media," she said.

Goldberg said the chamber is also willing to work with local businesses that may have an interest in starting their own Facebook or Twitter accounts but are unsure about the process.

"If there is interest, we will definitely plan more social media training," she said. "We had a seminar last fall that was great that the Michigan Small Business and Technology Center ran, and we could partner with them again."

Follow the chamber on Twitter at twitter.com/dextermichamber, or join the chamber's Facebook page. For more community events updates, visit the chamber's website, dexterchamber.org.