Local Chamber Wins 4 Communications Awards

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is the proud recipient of four Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives awards.

The business organization received four Communications Awards for accomplishments in marketing and outreach to its members, according to a news release sent Tuesday. The awards were presented on Thursday, Nov. 8, in Crystal Lake as part of the three-day IACCE Fall Conference.

“On behalf of our membership, Board of Directors and staff, the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is honored to accept four Communications Awards in 2012,” said LPCC President and CEO Kim Schilf, in a news release. “Our members look to the chamber to be a voice of business in the community and our communications tools both support that expectation and contribute to it. Without these outreach materials, the pro-business voice would go largely unheard.”

Details on the awards presented to the LPCC include:

First Place, Website

• The LPCC’s website provides members access to chamber benefits, the community updates on neighborhood news and events, visitors with valuable information on the area and connects local businesses to potential customers. The LPCC completed an aesthetics update in 2011 to provide these audiences with a contemporary design to match the wealth of information presented.

First Place, Marketing Campaign

• In early 2012, the LPCC distributed an Annual Report to members which highlighted the programming, successes and enthusiasm that results from continued investment in the organization. Highlighting the LPCC’s Core Values – Relationships, Advocacy, Integrity and Innovation—the Annual Report serves as an important marketing tool for the member retention and community involvement.

First Place, Electronic Newsletter

• Distributed twice monthly, the LPCC’s Electronic Newsletter is an opportunity to better connect the LPCC with the Lincoln Park business community. The LPCC also uses its Electronic Newsletters to promote chamber members who have been honored in their industry, contributed back to the Lincoln Park neighborhood or embodied the spirit of the chamber of commerce model.

Second Place, Brochures

• In 2012 the LPCC again partnered with Time Out Chicago to create a marketing piece for the entire Lincoln Park neighborhood and its businesses. This is a valuable piece for drawing customers from neighboring communities and other Time Out Chicago readers to Lincoln Park. In addition to copies inserted in Time Out Chicago’s May 24, 2012 “Dining Al Fresco” issue, copies are distributed through Choose Chicago, local cultural institutions, Aldermanic Offices and DePaul University.

“As the business landscape continues to adapt, local chambers of commerce continue to adapt their programming and benefits for members and the business community at-large,” Schilf said, in the release. “The LPCC works to stay ahead of the curve in support of the vibrant Lincoln Park neighborhood.”

The IACCE’s Fall Conference is an event dedicated to the successes and challenges facing chambers and businesses today. The IACCE created the Communications Awards to provide Illinois chambers of commerce access to statewide recognition for their materials as well as offering another way for chambers to learn from each other.