By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director
You may recall a few months ago we put out a Request for Proposal for a photographer to capture the places, faces and adventures that Tillamook has to offer. Our board agreed to hire Tillamook local and Chamber member/photographer Courtney Beeler with Swiss & Dot Photography for the job. So it is very likely if you own a business in the Tillamook area, you’ll probably see Courtney over the next few months as she begins fulfilling that contract.
This photography project will be a vital asset in marketing the community and business of Tillamook through our social media channels and websites, as well as for visitor guides, brochures, and other collateral pieces. Tillamook has gone through quite the growth spurt since the last time we had a professional photographer capture images of the community, and we want to accurately showcase what a day or a weekend in Tillamook looks like. Photography is a powerful story-teller and the right photos can enhance community pride and also entice visitors to learn more about who we are and discover the many activities and experience we have to offer.
We’re also wrapping up our Share with Others Campaign, and those marketing pieces will be headed to the printer by the end of next week. If your business signed up (or even if they didn’t) we will be delivering a variety of posters and table tents you can use to remind customers to “check in” on social media. The fact is that people are already reviewing and recommending businesses to their followers via a number of social media platforms, but this campaign will also encourage everyone to use the same hashtags so business owners can easily see, share and respond to those candid reviews. This is the first comprehensive social-media marketing endeavour in Tillamook County that spans multiple businesses and cities.
Both of these projects were made possible with grants we received from Visit Tillamook Coast, the recipient of the tourism promotion dollars from the Tillamook County Transient Lodging Tax.
While we are on a roll with those two, we were also awarded a grant from the Tillamook PUD to update the lighting in the Chamber Headquarters, which will only enhance the usability of our space. Those lights are ordered and the work is scheduled for this May!
A lot of the work we are able to do is dependant on community support and grants, and it is excited to share with our readers when those grant applications have been a success and we can move forward with the work that needs to be done.
Just a reminder that on April 15th, Sierra and I are leaving for Ireland with the Chamber tour. We will not be back in the office until the 30th, however Tammy and Sayde will be available if you have any questions. If you’re on Facebook, follow the Tillamook Chamber of Commerce on Facebook, and we will be sure to post pictures of our journey in case you want to follow along – or sign up for our weekly newsletter at tillamookchamber.org.