Dear Members:
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Marketing Committee of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry, I want to publicly thank the Elmhurst City Council for its most-recent vote of support for the Got It! in Elmhurst campaign.
Funded by the City and managed by the Chamber, Got It! in Elmhurst is an informational marketing campaign to better promote the economic benefits of residents shop local through image branding and education that complement and enhance the City’s “Explore Elmhurst” and “Think Local” strategies. The campaign seeks to position Elmhurst businesses first and foremost in the spending habits of residential consumers, as well as drive traffic to the new exploreelmhurst.com website.
As Got It! is informational in scope, rather than a call-to-action featuring coupon promotions, contest entries and other such measurables, statistical data is at a minimum. However, tracking reports show that the click through rates to ExploreElmhurst.com from online advertising were three to five times higher than the national average. The City also can access reports for web page traffic to ExploreElmhurst.com, the url that the Chamber secured from a third party at our expense and donated to the city.
Our chamber has championed the importance of “Shopping Elmhurst First” using a variety of print and web advertising, direct-mail publications, door hangers, event sponsorships and marketing, promotional signage and product giveaways. The last two Elmhurst Community Directories, as well as the 2012 Elmhurst Street Map, touted shopping local to every residence and business via direct mail. Print ads encouraged residents to shop and dine in Elmhurst for Mother’s Day, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day and other holidays. Thousands of eco-friendly tote bags, flying discs, static-cling window decals and lapel pins emblazoned with the Got It! in Elmhurst logo were distributed to residents of all ages.
Since the “Got It! in Elmhurst” campaign kicked off in 2011, tax revenues from both retail sales and food and beverage sales have exceeded the City’s projections by more than $1.5 million, allowing the City to rebuild its cash reserves without the need to increase property taxes. One of the Got It!-adopting Elmhurst businesses, by itself, generated $60,000 in new sales taxes in both 2011 and 2012. Over those two years, only $54K of the campaign’s $75K budget was been spent, with another $9.9K appropriated.
Our Chamber has strived to work in partnership with the City and the City has done the same. Our partnerships range from major economic development initiatives to important legislative issues to essential business education programs to the New Resident Greeter Box program. The Chamber also organizes the Memorial Day Parade on the City’s behalf. And did I mention that the City is the Chamber’s landlord?
Once again, thanks to the City Council and, more importantly, thanks to all those Elmhurst residents and businesses who truly Got It!
Mayoral Candidate Business Forum
The City of Elmhurst’s three Mayoral candidates—Aldermen Mark Mulliner (7th Ward), Steve Morley (6th Ward) and Diane Gutenkauf (1st Ward)—will be quizzed on important programs and issues related to business and economic development at a forum at Angelo’s Ristorante on Wednesday, March 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. for members of the co-sponsoring Chamber and Elmhurst City Centre. Click HERE to register.
Return Trip of Springfield
Our Chamber is partnering with the Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce on March 6 trip to Springfield to meet with state legislators and hear Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s Annual Budget Address. The day trip will include a luncheon sponsored by AT&T and a cocktail reception sponsored by Choose DuPage.
Chamber representatives attended the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE)/Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Legislative Summit in Springfield on February 5 and we will likely participate in the Illinois Chamber’s Annual Employer Action Day in Springfield on April 16.
Elgin-O’Hare Expressway
Our Chamber is working with the Illinois Tollway Authority to schedule a presentation on plans for the proposed $3.4 billion Elgin-O’Hare Expressway extension and western bypass route, which will include York Road access to the western side of O’Hare by 2018, and new ramps off I-294 at County Line Road just north of Elmhurst.
Happy Anniversary
Six members are celebrating Chamber anniversaries in March, as follows: 25 years—Skowron Eye Care; 20 years—CB Health Insurance; 15 years—Immanuel Lutheran Church & School, Jewel-Osco (Schiller Street) and Jewel-Osco (South York Street); and 5 years—Choral-Aires Chorus.
New Members
The Chamber welcomed seven new members in February, as follows (in alphabetical order): Cuvee Cellars, Dave’s Pet Project, Flood Brothers Disposal & Recycling Services, Meatheads, MK Insurance Agency, The Care of Trees and Wilkins Hyundai Mazda Dealership.
No Longer Members
The Chamber said goodbye to the following five members in February: Allstate Insurance/The Fox Agency, Law Offices of Tracy A. Ries, Nail Bar, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and Raggedy Anne Learning Center.