Monday, January 25, 2010

Google Presents “Web 3.0: Coming to a Browser Near You”

Widgets. Blogging. Tagging. Social Networks. User Engagement. Personalization.

It is practically impossible to avoid seeing, hearing or talking about what’s happening in Web technology. And just when you think you’ve harnessed it, it’s begun to evolve. Leaving you wondering what’s next? In an effort to keep you informed, the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber will kick off its first Forecast Series Luncheon with a “Technology Forecast” on Thursday, February 25, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

I am pleased to announce that Michelle Morris, Google's Automotive Industry Director will answer the question “What is Web 3.0?” Michelle leads advertising strategy for Google's North American automotive client and agency partners. Her background includes 15 years of integrated marketing and online advertising experience, with an emphasis on branding, creative strategy, marketing plan development and consumer lead generation.

One of the most powerful and recognizable brands in the world, Google provides innovative search technologies that connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users.

Join Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber Members and others to hear directly from Google about how to understand the shift from information overload to control of information. Just imagine:
• A Web browser that provides you with the content you'll find most interesting
• Search engines that return fewer, better results - every time
• A marketplace customized to your needs that always shares the best products and services

Also learn how mobile technologies can assist you and your business now and in the future.

The Forecast Series has become an important forum for those who work and live in the area to stay informed, learn about trends and meet industry experts. The four-part series will continue through May 2010. All Forecast Luncheons are held at the Townsend Hotel from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and include lunch. Individual registration is required: $50 Chamber Members; $60 Nonmembers. In addition to individual reservations, corporate tables are available. Reservations are required three business days in advance and can be made online at www.bbcc.com or by calling the Chamber at (248) 644-1700.

The 2010 Forecast Series is presented by the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber and sponsored by: Clark Hill PLC; The Eccentric Newspapers; Huntington Bank; mBank; Wells Fargo Insurance Services; and The Townsend Hotel.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Birmingham Restaurant Week Feb. 1-5 and Feb. 8-12

Close your eyes and imagine the sights and sounds: A bustling restaurant dining room in Birmingham. There are plates and glasses clattering, a constant murmur of folks in conversation, a smattering of laughter. There are many regular customers, and some new faces. The aromas of finely cooked dishes — seafood, beef, pasta, spices swirling. Decadent desserts roll by on carts. The mood is light, and the energy is vibrant. It's Birmingham Restaurant Week.

Now in its fifth year, Birmingham Restaurant Week will actually be two weeks long. This year's dates are Monday through Friday, Feb. 1-5 and Feb. 8-12. After five years the prix fixe menus remain at $15 for a three-course lunch, and $25 for a three-course dinner. Birmingham Restaurant Week features two new establishments this year: Cafe Via and Quattro. They join the grand list of fine dining establishments, including: 220, Big Rock Chop House, Chen Chow Brasserie, Elie's Mediterranean Cuisine, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Forest Grill Cafe, Forte, Mitchell's Fish Market, Peabody's, Phoenicia, Rugby Grille at the Townsend Hotel, Salvatore Scallopini and Streetside Seafood.

Chefs prepare special menus just for Restaurant Week. Some have a different menu every day. They enjoy the friendly competition among restaurants, and cooking up a special meal for a special price. Some restaurants are only offering lunch, and some have slightly lower price points. But make no mistake: There is no skimping on quantity or quality. With three courses, diners will come away satisfied.
Bill Roberts, longtime proprietor of Streetside Seafood, has supported the event from the start. “There are several things that I like about this event,” he said. “First, we are providing a ‘deal' to our neighborhood supporters who visit us year-round. Second, the event brings new guests to check us out. Finally, we see more shoppers dining with us at lunch.” As a PSD Board member, Bill hopes that Restaurant Week can help retailers as well. “Times are tough right now, so I hope this event can fill the streets with shoppers.”

Close your eyes and imagine the sights and sounds: A bustling restaurant dining room in Birmingham. There are plates and glasses clattering, a constant murmur of folks in conversation, a smattering of laughter. There are many regular customers, and some new faces. The aromas of finely cooked dishes — seafood, beef, pasta, spices swirling. Decadent desserts roll by on carts. The mood is light, and the energy is vibrant. It's Birmingham Restaurant Week.

Now in its fifth year, Birmingham Restaurant Week will actually be two weeks long. This year's dates are Monday through Friday, Feb. 1-5 and Feb. 8-12. After five years the prix fixe menus remain at $15 for a three-course lunch, and $25 for a three-course dinner. Birmingham Restaurant Week features two new establishments this year: Cafe Via and Quattro. They join the grand list of fine dining establishments, including: 220, Big Rock Chop House, Chen Chow Brasserie, Elie's Mediterranean Cuisine, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Forest Grill Cafe, Forté, Mitchell's Fish Market, Peabody's, Phoenicia, Rugby Grille at the Townsend Hotel, Salvatore Scallopini and Streetside Seafood.

Chefs prepare special menus just for Restaurant Week. Some have a different menu every day. They enjoy the friendly competition among restaurants, and cooking up a special meal for a special price. Some restaurants are only offering lunch, and some have slightly lower price points. But make no mistake: There is no skimping on quantity or quality. With three courses, diners will come away satisfied.
Bill Roberts, longtime proprietor of Streetside Seafood, has supported the event from the start. “There are several things that I like about this event,” he said. “First, we are providing a ‘deal' to our neighborhood supporters who visit us year-round. Second, the event brings new guests to check us out. Finally, we see more shoppers dining with us at lunch.” As a PSD Board member, Bill hopes that Restaurant Week can help retailers as well. “Times are tough right now, so I hope this event can fill the streets with shoppers.”

Birmingham PSD Special Events Chair Richard Astrein, of Astrein's Fine Jewelers agrees. He says that Birmingham Restaurant Week livens up the city during a usually slow period. “Restaurant Week brings hundreds of people to the downtown, even on the coldest February nights,” he said. “I really enjoy dining out, whether here in Birmingham, around metro Detroit, or wherever I travel,” Astrein said. “Birmingham has some of the greatest restaurants anywhere. Restaurant Week brings new people in to see just how great our restaurants and downtown are.”

When Restaurant Week began in Birmingham, it was borrowed from similar events in New York and Los Angeles. Since Birmingham's first year in 2006, other metro area communities have embraced the concept, including Detroit, Troy and now Ann Arbor. Luckily for diners, they are during different weeks, so the true foodies can compare cities. Of course, we think Birmingham is the first and the best in metro Detroit. We hope you'll agree. Check out our Web site at www.enjoybirmingham.com then click on the Restaurant Week link to view menus and other restaurant information. Enjoy!

John Heiney is executive director of the Birmingham Principal Shopping District.

Monday, January 11, 2010

A Fresh Start

It’s officially the New Year – a new beginning – the launch of a new decade. A perfect time realign your professional business goals and strategize. It’s common this time of year to create a list of resolutions. Maybe you’re looking to add new clients, boost revenue, generate buzz or enhance your organization’s productivity. Resolutions can be exciting if you ensure they are realistic. It helps to outline a list for the entire year and monitor your progress. Here are a few tips on how to set your business up for success and be sure to finish the year out strong.
Get Involved
Networking works! There are a number of ways to get involved in the business community and build new relationships. Seek out groups in your industry or area. Attend networking functions to promote your product or service to potential clients. The Chamber is a great place to start. We host a range of events at various times to accommodate busy work schedules.

Constantly monitor your financials
Don't go into cost cutting mode when the economy is weak and then walk away once your short-term goals have been reached. Keep an eye on your financials regularly and always look for ways to reduce costs. Schedule monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly reviews and keep them. It will allow for you to benchmark and forecast from month-to-month and year-to-year.

Create Buzz
Use Social Media to spread your message - it’s free. Promote specials, good news and events through LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Just be sure to update and monitor them regularly.

Analyze your products/services
Analyze each product or service you offer to determine which are most/least profitable. You can look at just a few per week to keep the process manageable. After your assessment, consider cutting those that are least profitable, and identify a plan to retain and invest in those that are most profitable.

Question everything
Look at your expenses. Ask yourself how each expense adds value to your organization. How does it contribute to your bottom line? What are your alternatives? Is there a better/faster/cheaper way of accomplishing something? This will help you make strategic cuts.

Other Tips
• Interns are looking to build their portfolios each semester and hiring one can be a very beneficial way to free up some time to focus on important parts of your business. A good place to start is to develop a brief job description including the desired number of hours per week (usually no more than 20) and then contact the career center at a local university or community college. Offering college credit and a hands-on understanding of your business can be enticing to students looking for real-world experience on their resume.

• SCORE® the “Counselors of America’s Small Business Owners” is a national association dedicated to helping small business owners form and grow their businesses. Experience business counselors with are available to meet on most subjects and the advice and counsel is free. Contact the Chamber at (248) 644-1700 to schedule a complimentary appointment with a local SCORE® representative.

Keep in mind that setting realistic expectations is key and even making small steps towards a larger goal is progress. We look forward to promoting your business and a prosperous 2010.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber Year In Review

I wanted to take a moment to share with you our major accomplishments over the past year. Our Chamber had a very productive year supporting the business community through a variety of important initiatives. We strived to make a difference in our community through projects with business and governmental leaders, educational workshops, networking events, non-profit outreach and our number one focus, servicing our members.

Rewarding accomplishments include:

Active participant in the effort to secure $1.3 million in federal funding to support the proposed Troy/Birmingham Transit Center. Visit www.15MileTransit.org for more information.

Expanded our reach from five communities to six, now covering Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township AND Franklin.

Hosted a Community and Economic Development Day that provided an opportunity for our communities to come together to gain a regional perspective on timely issues.

Hosted our 6th Annual Vine & Dine event to benefit Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan. Purchased 18,000 meals for our communities.

Donated more than $19,000 to 23 different area nonprofits through the concession booths at the 46th Annual Village Fair in downtown Birmingham.

Provided our Members with professional development and goal setting strategies through our Professional Edge workshops and SCORE counseling.

Small Business Conference provided attendees with valuable information on current topics including: marketing, financing, networking and social media.

Provided business support including professional development, networking events and business referrals to more than 650 local businesses.

All of these accomplishments could not be achieved without our very dedicated group of committee members, ambassadors, sponsors and Board of Directors. We are grateful for their dedication and efforts.

We are also thankful for the leadership provided by our 2009 Board Chair, John Roberts and look forward to our incoming Chair, Joe Bauman, providing guidance in 2010. The entire Board of Directors has been tremendously helpful in providing support over the course of the year and we would like to thank our outgoing Board Member, Ruth Clevers, for the service she’s provided since 2002. The countless contributions of all of these individuals have and will continue to play a major role in our success and for that we are very appreciative.

We are also pleased to welcome our incoming Board Members: Linda Hatfield of Birmingham Bloomfield Credit Union; Bob Kupfer of Tiffany Florist and Michelle Saroki of Victor Saroki & Associates Architects. With their support, we will work to provide our Members with the opportunities, resources, and connections they need to be prosperous in 2010 and beyond.

Happy New Year!

The Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber, a membership organization dedicated to promoting the economic development, strengthening the business climate and improving the quality of life in Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and Franklin, Mich. For more information on the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber and membership call (248) 644-1700 or www.bbcc.com