SPECIAL NOTICE
Due to the COVID-19 Economic Crisis, Shop Local/ShopSurprise is Now Open to All Businesses.
This free program, once reserved for dues paying members of the Chamber is now open to all businesses due to the CV-19 economic crisis. Opening the program temporarily to all business is phase one of the Chamber's Saving Small Business Initiative, which is designed to help businesses Reopen, Recover and Grow!
Residents Click Here for Shop Local Information
Due to the COVID-19 Economic Crisis, Shop Local/ShopSurprise is Now Open to All Businesses.
This free program, once reserved for dues paying members of the Chamber is now open to all businesses due to the CV-19 economic crisis. Opening the program temporarily to all business is phase one of the Chamber's Saving Small Business Initiative, which is designed to help businesses Reopen, Recover and Grow!
Residents Click Here for Shop Local Information
What Businesses Need to Know
Merchants Click Here to Submit a Deal
How Does Shop Local Work?
Shop local is promotional campaign that uses electronic media to encourage residents to buy local. The program utilizes various digital promotional elements to including the internet, websites, email marketing, text marketing, and social media platforms like Facebook and twitter. The notable feature of the program is the use of digital text messages that are sent to a customer's mobile phone. Local businesses submit special offers (deals) to the Chamber. Those deals that meet certain criteria are then broadcast to over 3,000 subscribers. Try it! Enroll Now
Why Does the Chamber Do This?
The shop local program is a signature economic development activity of our Chamber. We know that a healthy business sector makes for a more vibrant and healthy community overall. When residents shop local it helps our local economy, provides more local jobs and the taxes you collect support services like police, fire, emergency services, and recreational assets like our public parks!
Merchants: Take our Shop Shop Survey and Tell How We Did
Why is the Program Free? Can I Get More Deals Sent Out?
There is no cost to the Chamber member or the consumer. The program is made possible by the Chamber and donations. (The Chamber is not affiliated with any governmental entity, is lead by private sector business owners, and donations are greatly appreciated)
Deals that offer value, timeliness and exclusivity receive preferential consideration. Because Shop Local is also a business retention and expansion program, special consideration is afforded to specific business sectors and new business start-ups. The Chamber must carefully manage the types and variety of deals in order reduce opt-out rates, and to ensure the highest possible enrollment rates, which means better results for the business community. Merchants may purchase Premium Deals. Premium deals have no blackout periods, you can run them on holidays, during spring training season, weekends, etc.
How My Business Can Submit a Digital Deal for Free
The Chamber receives more deal requests than there are openings, selecting deals are therefore somewhat competitive process. Deals that offer value, timeliness and exclusivity receive preferential consideration. The deals selected by the Chamber is about finding the right balance between a deal being offered and the unique tastes of our Shop Local/ ShopSurprise customers. Because Shop Surprise is also a business retention and expansion program special considerations also afforded to specific business sectors and new business start-ups. The Chamber must carefully manage the types and variety of deals in order reduce opt-out rates, and to ensure the highest possible enrollment rates.
Sample COVID-19 Messages
- New York Grill, now offering curd-side delivery (website link)
- Lone Cactus Cafe now offering a new home delivery menu (website link)
- Pizza King offers new grab and go menu (website link)
- Burger Bar now open for business, see our specials: (website link)
Typical Deals ( listed by most popular)
- Get and item for Free (Best for grand openings)
- Get an item free with purchase
- Buy several, get one free
- BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) Most requested by local residents
- Buy one, get one-half off
- Dollar off
- Percentage off
More Sample Deals (Tip: Track coupon submissions on your point-of-sale system)
Remember: You only have 113 characters (including spaces to communicate your deal)
- Company Name: 50% off all Dinner meals, today only
- Free Small Drink with any burger. Today Only- Fast & Tasty Burger
- Bell Taco: Today ONLY! Buy One Grilled Chicken Taco and get one FREE
- Tokyo Buffet: Buy one lunch, get one ½ off on the second lunch. This week only!
- Graves and Sorbel Deal of the Day! 20% off one item. See store for details.
- S & T Tire- Free Oil Change for first 20 customers. 133323 W. Bell Rd Ref. Coupon Code 2346
- Chicago Wild Wings-Traditional Wings For 70 cents Each- All Day Tuesday
The Following Guidelines are Temporarily Suspended
Getting My Deal Accepted
- Does the deal offer something of real value?
- Is the deal being offered by a new business?
- The deal is NOT duplicated elsewhere? (deals are not an everyday special, not found in store or website)
Other Things To Consider
- The message has an attention grabbers and sense of urgency: Today Only, Special Today Only, etc.
- Is the deal in business category that the Chamber has targeted?
- How often has the deal be run previously?
MORE DETAILS
Why Digital Text Messages?
The Chamber selected SMS messages (text messaging), because it is without question one of the most effective forms of marketing available today. Today texting is the most common form of communication in the U.S. among mobile phone users. Consider that 98% of all sent text messages are read, and on average they are read within 4 minutes of being received, it is easy to see the effectiveness of SMS marketing. Unlike other forms of marketing and advertising, with SMS marketing has the ability to affect and impact a business, not within days or weeks, but literally within minutes or hours. All Shop Local customers have voluntarily opted-in to receive deals!
Try it! Enroll Now
How Does the Chamber Get Shop Surprise Customers?
The Chamber is one of the most respected and trusted brands in US. The Chamber, because of its unique position in the community, can mobilize businesses, local government and community groups to create a city-wide movement. Another element of promoting the campaign is an old-fashioned boots-on-ground campaign. One hundred volunteers distribute over 100,000 flyers to local businesses. Businesses in-turn distribute the flyers to customers and employees. Residents using their smart phone messaging app, text the word: "ShopSurprise" (one word,no spaces) to 855-777-7841.
What is a Loss Leader?
A loss leader is a product or service at a price that is not profitable but is sold or offered in order to attract new customers or to sell additional products and services to those customers. This is a common practice when a business first enters a market or desires new customers. Essentially, a loss leader introduces new customers to a service or product in the hope of building a customer base and securing future recurring revenue. The Chamber recommend business adopt a loss leader pricing strategy to attract Shop Surprise customers
Why Digital Text Messages?
The Chamber selected SMS messages (text messaging), because it is without question one of the most effective forms of marketing available today. Today texting is the most common form of communication in the U.S. among mobile phone users. Consider that 98% of all sent text messages are read, and on average they are read within 4 minutes of being received, it is easy to see the effectiveness of SMS marketing. Unlike other forms of marketing and advertising, with SMS marketing has the ability to affect and impact a business, not within days or weeks, but literally within minutes or hours. All Shop Local customers have voluntarily opted-in to receive deals!
Try it! Enroll Now
How Does the Chamber Get Shop Surprise Customers?
The Chamber is one of the most respected and trusted brands in US. The Chamber, because of its unique position in the community, can mobilize businesses, local government and community groups to create a city-wide movement. Another element of promoting the campaign is an old-fashioned boots-on-ground campaign. One hundred volunteers distribute over 100,000 flyers to local businesses. Businesses in-turn distribute the flyers to customers and employees. Residents using their smart phone messaging app, text the word: "ShopSurprise" (one word,no spaces) to 855-777-7841.
What is a Loss Leader?
A loss leader is a product or service at a price that is not profitable but is sold or offered in order to attract new customers or to sell additional products and services to those customers. This is a common practice when a business first enters a market or desires new customers. Essentially, a loss leader introduces new customers to a service or product in the hope of building a customer base and securing future recurring revenue. The Chamber recommend business adopt a loss leader pricing strategy to attract Shop Surprise customers
Shop Surprise Branding & Sponsorships Opportunities
Title Sponsor: $25,000 (Limit 1)
- Naming Rights (form of advertising where by a company/city purchases the right to name the program)
- Opportunity for Strategic Alliance: A close, long-term, mutually beneficial agreement in which resources, knowledge and skills are shared with the objective of enhancing Shop Surprise.
- One-off marketing customizations to meet your specific marketing goals and objective
- Optional Cross-Promotions : Sponsors joining forces with Chamber in order to create a promotion around their involvement with the Shop Surprise.
- Category Exclusivity: Will be the exclusive partner in its business category. The Chamber will not solicit a like entity as a presenting or a branding sponsor.
- Three year commitment required with right of first refusal
Presenting Sponsor: $10,000 (Limit 1)
- The sponsor that acquires the rights to place the “presented by” “presents” within the name and or logo of the event. For example: “Shop Surprise presented by XYZ” or “ XYZ presents Shop Surprise.”
- Category Exclusivity: Rights granted to sponsors to be the exclusive partner in its business category, for example as the sole provider of soft drinks. Usual category exclusivity is the banking sector, telecoms, airlines, city government, technology, etc.
- Optional Cross-Promotions : Sponsors joining forces with Chamber in order to create a promotion around their involvement with the Shop Surprise.
Branding Sponsor: $5,000 (Limit 3 Sponsors)
- Logo placement of Shop Surprise website landing page and promotional materials
- Includes business membership to Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Includes name mention in press releases and public service announcements
- Include logo placement on Shop Surprise website banner
- Option for Cross-Promotions: Sponsors joining forces with Chamber in order to create a promotion around their involvement with the Shop Surprise.
What You Need to Know About Sponsorship Valuation:
- Sponsorship Pricing: Sponsorship pricing for Chamber events varies based on multiple factors including similar events in the market area, brand value in a given audience segment, exclusivity being offered, level competition from identical events, the uniqueness of our offering and the amount of (or lack of) sponsorship clutter.
- Sponsorship Guarantees: The Chamber only promises the marketing and advertising benefits listed in each level of sponsorship. The chamber cannot guarantee event attendance, media coverage, enrollment numbers, or sales leads with any sponsorship level. We do guarantee paid advertising if itemized.
- Tax Deductions: IRS Publication 535 states “You generally can deduct reasonable advertising expenses that are directly related to your business activities”. Thus, your sponsorship investment can be written off as an advertising expense.
- LIMITED Sponsorship Clutter: The Chamber looks at sponsorship clutter as a measure of how many companies are competing for share of voice related to a particular program. Fewer sponsors allows for a company to have a more prominent ID, etc. Excessive sponsors increase visual clutter which makes it harder for a sponsor to stand out, ultimately lowering the value of the opportunity. The Chamber therefore limits sponsors, to ensure maximum visibility and branding.