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2005/2006 Corporate Strategy
September 1, 2005—August 31, 2006
Marketing Plan and Budget

SECTION 1: LONG RANGE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The Billings Area Chamber of Commerce’s Long Range Strategic Plan capitalizes on our area’s strengths, assets and opportunities allowing us to prioritize efforts to achieve long-term objectives.

OUR VISION IS to achieve excellence in community leadership and growth.

OUR MISSION IS: to develop a strong business climate and vibrant economy by serving the community in a leadership role thereby enhancing the quality of life.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1
Lead the business community by proactive involvement in GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS.
Proactively work with City, County, State and Federal Government to develop appropriate legislation and address managed growth issues that follow our mission statement. Focus will be placed on issues relating to workforce development, energy, transportation, tourism, taxation, and healthcare.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2
INCREASE VISITORS to our region through a focused marketing and sales strategy.
Grow visitor stays in Billings annually to outpace the national average by using creative marketing and sales techniques to attract our priority target markets.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3
STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION with members and build relationships with strategic partners.
Increase the comprehensive understanding of the Chamber’s objectives and benefits to the community thereby increasing partnerships and membership opportunities.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4
ENHANCE VALUE and opportunities for members.
Grow and sustain engaged and satisfied Chamber members through providing both tangible and intangible benefits and growing our communication channels.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5
Assure the long term COMPETITIVE VIABILITY of the Chamber.
Grow and sustain a Chamber budget to better serve the needs of our members. Competitive, sustained funding will enable us to be more active and effective in government affairs advocacy and tourism and convention recruitment.

SECTION 2: YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2005/2006 Organizational Priorities:
- Grow the value of the Chamber to our community and our membership through focusing on our core functions (government affairs, destination marketing and membership service) and building brand loyalty.
- Successfully implement the first full year of our long range strategic plan and reach accountability goals.
- Stabilize and grow revenue streams to invest more resources in member services and our core function areas.

About the Chamber
Reinvent, reinvent, reinvent! Our marketplace, national trends, and future projections change constantly. Over the past several months the Chamber has dramatically reinvented itself. Our promise to you—the community and our members—is that we will continue to look at new and better ways to serve you, do business and make Billings a better place to live and work. Billings is changing. Your Chamber is leading the way.

A new mission and vision: We are here to serve Billings. As Billings prospers we all benefit. Small and large businesses, families and our parks, and our facilities benefit. Cost of living, quality of life issues, and our education and healthcare systems succeeds. The Chamber is here for Billings and the region.

A new strategic plan: The Chamber’s plan for success focuses on five key areas (see section 1). These new strategies rely heavily on communications and partnerships with community organizations, members, city, county, state and federal leaders, as well as the community at large. These five objectives will be our focus until we succeed at each as defined through specific and aggressive accountability measures.

A new brand: “It’s iN BiLLINGS” –though very simple and fun in design, speaks volumes as to why we choose to call Billings home. It also speaks to the abundance of reasons people visit here, relocate a business, or move their families to Billings. As the Chamber, our new brand speaks loudly of change, energy and excitement. We’re proud of what we do and where we live. Lets SHOUT it out!

A new staff and structure: What do you get when you mix a boomer with a Y, a couple of Xers and a yet to be named generation? Your new staff! At the start of the 2005/2006 fiscal year, your chamber staff has been serving you for an average of six months. We’re enthused, engaged in the community and full of great new ideas and energy. We have also completely reorganized the structure of the staff to focus efforts more directly on our three core areas of government affairs, destination marketing and member services.

A growing board: Leadership at your Chamber starts at the board level. This past year, the board has increased its numbers and recruited new leaders to provide direction and vision. Through changes in our bylaws, we now are governed by 19 voting members and two exoffcio members who provide expertise in their fields. The board represents a variety of business and business sizes.

SECTION 3: GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Mandate: To be the lead organization for Government Affairs issues effecting Billings through developing proactive partnerships to speak with one community voice on priority issues.

2005-2006 Government Affairs Priorities:

  • Develop a manageable and actionable priority list of issues and work those issues.
  • Develop community partnerships to speak with one voice on priority issues.

There are a number of issues that effect Billings, our members, the business community, City and County Government and our strategic partners such as Big Sky EDA/EDC and the Downtown Billings Partnership. Our challenge this year will be to take a proactive role in focusing on the core issues, prioritizing these issues and engaging the community to speak as one unified voice. Through the newly formed Government Affairs Committee and issues task forces, we will study and work the priority issues relating to energy, transportation, healthcare, tourism, taxation and workforce development.

Key Challenges

  • This years approach to governmental leadership will involve a holistic issues approach on three levels: local, state and federal government. The Chamber will need to build alliances and relationships on all three levels with our elected leaders.
  • There are a tremendous amount of legislative issues that affect our community. We will need to decide which ones are most important to the Chamber’s mission and which ones we can impact based upon available resources.
  • Billings’ voice on the legislative front has been fragmented. We, as a community, need to speak with one voice that will be heard from Washington to Helena.
  • Issues and opportunities arise frequently on the legislative front. Legislation changes constantly as it is being debated and discussed. Staff and our volunteer network need to have the flexibility to make decisions on fast-moving legislative issues.

Actions

  • Develop a foundational Government Affairs structure with authority to make decisions on priority issues.
  • Engage industry experts on our key issue areas through forming task groups relating to energy, taxation, workforce development, tourism, transportation, and healthcare.
  • Build relationships with elected leaders through recognition events and receptions that allow us to thank them along with articulating our core issue areas.
  • Develop positions and philosophies that can be shared with the community and elected leaders. Key issues will clearly be defined prior to legislative sessions so that our representatives know the Chamber’s priorities, and know the criteria we will use to assess their performance following the session.
  • Partner with Big Sky EDA/EDC, Downtown Billings Partnership and other strategic partner groups to build a consistent message for our community needs on the legislative front
  • Communicate our key issues to the community and engage them in grassroots lobbying in partnership with the US Chamber and the Montana Chamber.
  • In cooperation with the Chamber’s Membership Development Department, conduct forums and other communication channels to allow the community to become aware of where candidates stand on issues important to the business community. The Chamber will no longer endorse candidates; we will simply share their views on issues relating to our mission.
  • Cultivate future leaders in partnership with the Leadership Billings program. Upon completion of Leadership Billings, develop a series of opportunities for graduates as well as the community in general to take action and get involved in local and state government.

Performance Measures:
Obtain a favorable outcome as defined by the Chamber for the priority projects as identified by the board.

SECTION 4: DESINATION MARKETING

Mandate: Generate a substantial, positive economic impact for Billings by growing regional tourism, recruiting national associations, and developing our organization’s new brand identity.

2005-2006 Marketing Priorities:

  • Develop a strong first-time presence in the regional leisure market.
  • Advance national association and/or event recruitment through new and improved strategies.
  • Develop the Visitors Information Center into an effective marketing tool.

Geographically, Billings is quite fortunate to be associated with many well-known attractions. Its relative closeness to Yellowstone National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield, Pompey’s Pillar, and the Yellowstone and Big Horn rivers aid in our mission to attract visitors. Additionally, many of these natural resources are regularly featured in the international and national media.

The highest priority for Leisure Marketing is the development and cultivation of the Regional Leisure Market defined as those communities in which Billings is their closets major city. Primary targets include areas of Montana, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming. For many in these areas, Billings is in the position to offer unique cultural, dining, nightlife, and shopping opportunities not available in a closer location to this traveler.
As for Group Sales, the highest priority is attracting groups, events, meetings, conventions and conferences. Billings is especially attractive for business and group travelers, as it has no sales tax, lower-than-national-average room rates (including bed tax), and is ranked the most affordable per-diem city in the Western United States. And Billings has 3,700 hotel rooms and 750,000 sq. ft. of convention/exhibit space.

From an infrastructure point-of-view, Billings is privileged to have an international airport serviced by three major, and eight regional airlines. In addition, the city is quite capable of hosting large events, such as the National Harley Owners Group Rally, as well as long-term events, such as the American Bowling Conference.

Serving this community is the Marketing Department of the Billings Area Chamber of Commerce/Convention Visitors Bureau, which is made up of: Leisure Marketing, Group Sales and the Visitors Center. The 2005/2006 fiscal years brings increased staff to this department as well as a redefined leisure and group target market.

Key Challenges:

  • Budget constraints place Billings at a distinct marketing disadvantage with other local, regional and national destinations, thus undermining the CVB’s core mission.
  • Billings faces several potentially detrimental misperception issues, among them:
    1. Inbound transportation: Billings is both difficult and expensive to reach.
    2. Top-of-mind awareness: Billings is not a destination unto itself but a gateway city.
    3. Infrastructure: Billings is incapable of successfully hosting conventions.
    4. Outdated: Billings, from a business standpoint, is not perceived as modern.
  • The distance between lodging and activities within the Billings area is substantial. Additionally, Billings lacks nightlife attractions and effectively “shuts down” at 5pm.
  • Several of Billings’ hotel/convention facilities are in need of remodeling and/or repair.
  • The CVB lacks current, relevant research of our target-market audience.
  • Billings does not provide a significant number of year-round tourist drawing activities.

Actions

Destination Marketing Department

  • Conduct benchmarking research of our target market, in order to develop an effective advertising and marketing campaign.
  • Brand, advertise and market Billings via an intensive online marketing campaign.
  • Conduct Secret Shopper assessment of tourism-related properties within Billings.

Leisure Marketing

  • Market Billings to niche publications and host FAMiliarization tours.
  • Invest in a major redesign of the CVB website.
  • Conduct good-will/great-neighbor sales visits to surrounding states.
  • Support and grow Billings’ signature events: MontanaFair, Magic City Blues Fest, Burn the Point, Magic City Hot Air Balloon Festival, and NILE Rodeo.

Group Sales

  • Replace trade show booth to more effectively highlight Billings.
  • Focus efforts on relationship building by developing sales calls, city blitzes, etc.
  • Attend convention trade shows to recruit new business (National Tour Association, Rocky Mountain International, American Society of Association Executives and Destinations Showcase.
  • Build attendance at upcoming Billings events by attending the event the year prior to its arrival in Billings.
  • Generate RFPs that result in Billings hosting citywide events.
  • Overhaul and re-launch the “Bring it to Billings” campaign.

Visitors Information Center

  • Hire a paid staff member to direct daily operations of the VIC.
  • Update the look, feel, and service attitude within our VIC.
  • Deliver unparalleled visitor service and grow number of VIC visits.

Performance Measures:

  • Grow unique CVB web visits to 60K annually.
  • Increase hotel room demand by 4% over 2005.
  • Book four city-wide events with 4,000 delegate days.
  • Obtain at least an 8-out-of-10 rating on an industry scorecard.

SECTION 5: MEMBER SALES & SERVICE

Mandate: To enhance the value and opportunities for our members by expanding both tangible and intangible benefits

2005-2006 Membership Development Priorities:

  • Increase member involvement in committees and activities.
  • Develop new educational and sales focused events that directly benefit our members.
  • Grow awareness of the Chamber and our new benefits structure to the entire community.

The Chamber Membership Development department is focused on serving the needs of all of our members. We will not only strive to meet, but exceed our members’ expectations by providing the highest quality events and providing more opportunities to grow their business. The newly formed Membership Development Department will allow us to have greater communication with our members and provide them with better service, thus enhancing their membership. The newly redeveloped department now has dedicated staff focused on membership sales, membership services and retention, and event development and growth.

Key Challenges

  • The creation of a new dues structure will initially raise questions as to the value and incremental increase of benefits. The reality is that all members will receive more tangible and intangible benefits while seeing minor or no increase in dues.
  • Awareness of Chamber benefits and services has not been communicated clearly to our members. We must relay this message to our members and potential members.
  • A diverse membership base can create some challenges for a Chamber that represents major employers in our community as well as a small business.
  • Historically, the Chamber has a low percentage of members who are engaged in our services and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.
  • Due to a lack of a membership development team focused on sales, services and retention along with staff turnover in this position, the Chamber has not effectively been able to develop relationships with our members and key stakeholders.

Actions

Member Sales & Retention

  • With a new dues structure, the development of a quality sales kit is vital to our efforts of recruiting new members to the Chamber.
  • In order to provide the utmost benefit, focus on increasing the value and opportunities for member businesses.
  • Retain current members by increased personal contact through an Ambassadors Committee in addition to the three-person membership department.
  • Utilize the membership software to determine which members have not participated in recent events or functions and invite them to get involved.
  • Attend conventions and conferences to develop professional knowledge and skills that enhance sales strategies and techniques.

Marketing

  • Develop a relocation packet and membership directory that provides direct benefit to our members.
  • Produce quality printed publications (map, relocation guide, membership directory, iNsight MagaziNe, Visitor’s Guide, E-news, and event invitations).
  • Educate members about the benefits and services offered by the Chamber through E-news and iNsight Magazine.
  • Increase member exposure to the general public through an enhanced website that focuses on our members.
  • Develop a uniform brand identity for all printed materials, publications and events.
  • Develop an organizational communication plan.
  • Develop an informative community relations campaign that educates the community about the Chamber’s mission, vision and brand.
  • Educate the community about the Chamber’s mission, vision and brand via regular press releases.
  • Focus message points in all of our communications to the community based on the results of our Chamber survey.

Events

  • Develop a stand-alone trade show that would allow for increased exposure and opportunities for our members to promote their business and products.
  • Increase networking opportunities through a developed series of regular educational luncheons and seminars.
  • Establish an annual awards banquet that would highlight and recognize member achievements.
  • Develop a sponsorship package for all major events that would provide value to member businesses by giving them increased exposure to the community.
  • Grow the quality and expand the focus of our existing events: Newsmaker Forums, Agriculture Banquet, Leadership Billings, Agriculture Tour, Annual Meeting, Business After Hours, Golf Tournament, Trade Show, Educational Series and Salesperson’s Breakfast.

Performance Measures:

  • 2005-06 Dues Revenue: $400,000
  • Annual Retention rate: 87% (no more than 100 cancellations)
  • Recruit 150 new members (850 total)
  • Generate $25,000 worth of local media and public relations exposure