Appendices:
Chelsey Woods Resume . . . . . . . . 1
Policies, procedures, goals, and feedback packet . . . . 2
Internship Final Report . . . . . . . . 3
Chamber Communications Audit . . . . . . 4
Calhoun County Travel Brochures . . . . . . 5
Summer Movies in the Park Series Mock Advertisements . . . 6
Chamber Website FAQ Update . . . . . . . 7

Internship Final Report
Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce
Chelsey Woods

My internship took place at the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce in Anniston, Alabama from January 12-April 22, 2015. The marketing internship was under the supervision of Emily Duncan, the Public Relations Coordinator. The Chamber designed this internship position to expand the marketing skills of a college student as well as lead the student to other opportunities for growth. My time at the Chamber was spent preparing and presenting a communications audit, assisting with community events, attending Chamber meetings and events, and job shadowing leading marketing professionals in the Anniston/Oxford area. Copies of projects that were completed during my internship can be found in the appendices of this report. This report will include my job duties, the nature of relationships I built within the Chamber, and the application and expansion of skills acquired from Jacksonville State University. The tasks assigned to me during the internship were designed to broaden my understanding and application of marketing principles and theories. This internship gave me the opportunity to skills I have learned in the classroom at JSU and communication and marketing methods I could only learn outside of class. The majority of my tasks were assigned by my supervisor, Emily Duncan. Each day, I met with Emily and we would discuss what I was to accomplish. Before the internship began, I told Emily that I was able to work without being micro-managed. Therefore, Emily trusted me to complete almost all tasks with little direct supervision. However, Emily always put her own duties aside each time I had a question or needed direction with a certain project. The other Chamber staff mentioned small tasks they needed assistance with throughout the semester such as designing travel brochures, stuffing envelopes, making copies, and assembling welcome packets. My first assignment of my internship was to complete a communications audit for the Chamber. Emily gave me a simple 8 step process for organizing an audit since I had no previous experience. My first week was spent making an outline for the audit and setting my research methods. I worked alone on this project but occasionally had to be given information from the Chamber staff. The purpose of this audit was to assess the current communication channels and methods to see where strengths and weaknesses were in both internal and external communications.
I relied on my current Organizational Behavior textbook to analyze the internal communications between Chamber staff and applied suggestions that came directly from classroom lectures by Mr. Stan Newton. I defined three simple target markets of the Chamber which consisted of Chamber members, the community, and visitors passing through Calhoun County. To analyze member, community, and visitor satisfaction with Chamber communications, I conducted questionnaires in the form of online surveys for members and anonymous short-answer surveys for the community and visitors. I applied questionnaire-building knowledge I acquired from Dr. Mark Hearn’s Business Communications class to allow the surveys to generate the most measurable feedback. Other parts of the audit include an analysis of communication channels and a SWOT analysis. Dr. Lee’s Advertising and Promotions class taught me how to appeal to a certain audience in an attractive way with consistent branding. I was able to use this knowledge to check each communications channel for consistency with the Chamber’s overall brand. I learned how to do a SWOT analysis from Dr. Michael Marker’s Principles of Management class. The various skills I acquired from JSU’s College of Commerce and Business helped me tremendously in completing the communications audit, and it is because of this internship I was able to apply them in the real-world for the first time and impress the Chamber with the information I discovered. Finally, I presented the audit to the Chamber staff where I discussed what was working, what was not being capitalized, and gave recommendations for improvement. I also depended on presentation skills that were taught to me by Dr. Hearn. The staff was grateful for the audit and within a few days, started applying some of the changes I suggested.
The communications audit was the largest project I completed during my internship; however, I completed other projects and tasks that were assigned to me by the Chamber staff. These tasks were given to me not only because the staff needed my help, but because I could apply my skills and broaden my talents. I updated the Chamber website to include a FAQ page with detailed answers. I worked along with the customer service specialist, Judy Myers, to compile a list of questions she receives most from visitors. After I received the questions, I researched the answers from Chamber materials and other information given to me by Chamber staff. During Spring Break, I helped Lisa Morales, the Leadership and Program Developer, make some Leadership Calhoun County Alumni packets. Mary Patchunka-Smith, the Tourism Director, told me of some travel brochures I could design to tell visitors of restaurants, attractions, and lodging in the area. I was excited about this particular assignment because of my passion for graphic design and my interest in print advertising. Again, I used principles learned in Dr. Lee’s Advertising and Promotions class such as layout, color schemes, and how to use quality images.

Assisting with community events was something I was eager about since my internship began. One of my goals was to plan an event from start to finish. Unfortunately, due to my school schedule, I was not able to see an entire event from start to finish. However, I did have the opportunity to assist with event planning of the Whirlwind of Color 5K, Noble Street Festival, and the Summer Movies in the Park series. I designed encouraging posters to go along the trail for Whirlwind of Color and volunteered to work the Member Registration booth at the event. At Noble Street Fest, I surveyed random people with an iPad questionnaire regarding what brought them to the event. After Noble Street Fest, Emily and I used this data to form a map of where everyone was from so that we could measure where our advertisements are reaching. I planned what movies could be shown at what time for the summer movies series by using a budget set by the Chamber and seeing what movies could be shown due to copyright issues as well as being family-friendly. Then, I gave each municipality the option of two movies. Next, I designed a mock movie announcement poster that would be shown in each municipality and the poster that would announce every movie in the series and the information for the summer event. I used Advertising and Promotion skills for the summer movie series as well and designed them on Microsoft Publisher.
My last project was creating a New Member Orientation video. This video will show new members how to get the most out of their membership and thrive as a professional in this community by working with the Chamber. Emily got me started on this project by giving me some examples from other Chambers. From these examples, we made an outline and storyboard for the four-part video. Emily then gave me a contacts list of members to interview. I visited 16 members and talked with them how the Chamber has benefited their business and what Chamber-sponsored events they enjoy most. I recorded their responses and gave the recordings to Emily. Now, Emily will take the recordings I captured and lay them on top of footage and photos to finish the New Member Orientation Video.
The richest part of my internship was connecting with Chamber members. These members are some of the most influential leading business professionals in Calhoun County. I plan on staying in this area after graduation, so making connections with possible future employers and business partners was a large aspiration of mine. Linda Hearn, the Chamber Manager, was gracious enough to let me sit in on the Chamber Board meeting. Here, I learned what changes were taking place in the upcoming months and how that would affect business locally. After the meeting, I talked with several Chamber board members who were business owners. I was able to exchange business cards with these men and women and connect with them on LinkedIn, where I hope to stay in touch with them for possible future employment or partnerships.
Lunch & Leads is a networking event held once a month at a different local restaurant where Chamber members interact and find possible leads. I was able to attend two of these meetings where I exchanged business cards and practiced my elevator pitch. An elevator pitch was something that was briefly touched on in Dr. Lee’s Sales Force Management class, but I really learned how to use it from Kim Boyd, the Membership Director at the Chamber. She taught me how to introduce myself to others in an attractive way that act as an opening to a new connection. Because of Kim’s guidance and my practice with members, I am now able to introduce myself properly by telling someone where I go to school, what I’m majoring in, and what my future plans are.
During my interview for this internship, Emily asked me what areas of marketing I was interested in. At that time, I told her I was interested in advertising, design, and sales. I approached this internship as a way for me to explore all aspects of marketing because I had no first-hand experience with any one area. Emily then introduced me to a few business people that I could shadow and get a better understanding of what an average day would be like in that field as well as ask the professional some questions about their area of expertise. I was fortunate enough to job shadow Widenet Consulting where I got some career start-up advice from their digital media specialist. At New Leaf Marketing, I followed an inside sales rep and got a chance to speak with the CEO about broadening my skillset. The Anniston Star’s BizzBuzz director gave me some guidance on how to stand out in today’s sales industry. Being able to talk to professionals who work in the local marketing field gave me a sense of career relief. I was confused on where to go after graduation and didn’t know where to begin exploring my talents. Because of the job shadowing, I now know how to take advantage of getting involved in the local community, applying my personality type to a specific industry, and I finally have a sense of direction upon graduation.
The goals that Emily and I set for this internship were the following: Understand marketing theories and apply classroom knowledge to experiences, plan an event from start to finish and help organize/plan it, learn skills that I cannot learn in a text book, and find strengths and what I enjoy or what my talents are. I achieved understanding and application of marketing theories and methods by researching other Chambers, capturing and analyzing data from the community, and working on marketing-based projects such as those listed earlier in this report. I did not get to plan an entire event from start to finish, but I assisted with advertisements and decorations for the Whirlwind of Color 5K, Noble Street Festival, and the Summer Movies in the Park series. I learned things that I could not grasp from a text book such as designing my elevator speech, branching out to business leaders for advice, going with the flow, and teamwork in a small work environment. I also discovered my strengths and weaknesses during this internship from the job shadowing where I compared myself to those specific individuals and how successful they were. The duties and assignments handed to me were consistent with the overall description of the internship and my marketing skills. Emily and the Chamber staff allowed me to choose which projects suited my needs and skills by maintaining open communication at all times. Emily and the rest of the Chamber staff provided ample help and any necessary training I needed.
I feel very successful completing this internship. By far, this was the best decision I have made in my college career. Being able to work with the Chamber has not only allowed me to discover myself and my full potential, but also opened my eyes to mass opportunities surrounding me. I have found a love for this area and now I look to volunteer anywhere that I can. Of course I am thankful for the professional contacts that I have made through the Chamber, but I am also thankful for the friendship of the Chamber staff. Because of the friendly connections I have made, I plan on staying connected with the Chamber by volunteering for events, talking with my Chamber mentors regularly, and possibly joining a Chamber committee.
I wish I would have known of the opportunities that have been around me for the past four years. I regret only just now taking advantage of them because now I understand what great help they would have been for me. I am fortunate to have been chosen to participate in the internship program and feel more confident in my career choice thanks to the help of Jacksonville State University and the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce.

APPENDIX 4:
CALHOUN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT

2014 Communications Audit
Prepared for: Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce
Evaluated by: Chelsey Woods

A communications audit is a systematic research tool which is used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current internal and external communications. An effective communications audit will identify how past communications were handled, key audiences and what they currently know about the organization, strengths and weaknesses in the current communications programs, and untapped opportunities for future communications.
This communications audit for the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce will evaluate internal communications between staff, analyze survey responses from members and the community, confirm consistent branding among various communications channels, provide a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, and offer strategies and recommendations for bettering future communications. The recommendations listed were formed under the best judgment of the auditor. Some recommendations may currently be at play. The goal of this audit is to understand perceptions from all audiences and then propose new ideas and strategies that could improve communication management, greater member involvement, and enhanced two-way communication between the internal and external audiences of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce.

I. Mission and Background
Since the Chamber’s establishment in 1979, the community and Chamber members have understood the importance of integrating businesses and organizations for positive community development. The Chamber is an important business tool for Calhoun County because it provides vast opportunities to link businesses with individuals in order to grow business in the region. As of 2014, Calhoun County is the largest Chamber in Central Alabama. Chamber communications strive to share initiatives, events, programs, opportunities, and accomplishments with its members and general public.
One objective of the Chamber is to increase visibility for the Chamber through thorough communication and marketing of all means and types, keeping membership and the community informed of events and the value of the Chamber. The Chamber aims to promote opportunities and events to grow participation and retention within the Chamber, while encouraging the sharing of information and maximizing the available resources.
````````````````````````````II. Past Communications
This section will discuss how communication was sent and received throughout the year of 2014. The target audiences of the Chamber are defined, as well as the key message to each audience. The audiences have been condensed into three categories because the Chamber has different messages for their diverse audience. Even though the audiences are different, the key message is to be consistent throughout all channels and audiences.
A. Audiences
The Chamber has several target audiences. This audit condenses them all into three simple categories: members, community, and visitors.
Members are composed of businesses, organizations, and all levels of professionals that the Chamber serves and integrates into the community. Once a business or organization joins the Chamber, it is encouraged to get involved in Chamber benefits such as annual meetings, seminars, luncheons, and numerous networking opportunities. Members are directly contacted through monthly newsletters via email and direct mail, the Connections magazine, events, and publications.
The community consists of non-members and the Calhoun County area at large. Non-members, or prospects, are contacted indirectly by social media, word-of-mouth, Chamber staff, and volunteers. The area at large is indirectly contacted by social media, the Chamber website, local newspapers, community events, and printed media such as banners or flyers displayed where a community event will take place.
Visitors include anyone that plans a visit to Calhoun County or passes through the area. Visitors are a key audience to the Chamber because of a certain “visit here, stay here” strategy. If an event is being held in or around the county area, visitors are most likely to spread into areas of the county to visit other attractions, shops, restaurants, and/or stay in hotels. This brings more money to the county, which benefits small businesses and community residents in the long run.

B. Key Messages to Audiences
The Chamber works to continuously promote the Calhoun County area and be “The Voice of Business.” Although the various audiences are contacted differently, and the message tone may vary, the mission statement can consistently be expressed to each audience: “To promote and sustain the economic growth of the Calhoun County Region, resulting in a community that is a dynamic place to work, visit, and live.”
The Chamber would like its members to know how they can benefit from their membership. This is accomplished by hosting a monthly membership orientation for new members. The orientations tell members about advertising benefits, member to member deals, networking events, and sponsoring local events. The Chamber is eager to promote the growth of member businesses by offering the opportunity to network and promote each company to more than 150,000 Chamber Member employees.
Community events include sponsored 5Ks, Renew Our Rivers, Leadership Luncheons, Career EXPO, Noble Street Festival, Woodstock, and forums. Although the Chamber is not in charge of these events, their presence and service is displayed. These events are posted on social media, advertised on banners throughout the region, print ads, and if possible, email. The Chamber’s message to its community is a message of economic growth and community involvement. Generally, Calhoun County is reached by the Anniston Star Newspaper Wraps and Work Week, Visit Calhoun County online ads social media, and Piedmont/Jacksonville Work Week.
Those coming through Calhoun County will notice the natural beauty of the surrounding Appalachian foothills and the friendly smiles in any local business. The Chamber incorporates both of these advantages into its Visit Calhoun County campaign. The goal of this campaign is to 1.) Attract visitors to the area, 2.) Send them to other attractions and local businesses, and 3.) Ultimately encourage visitors to return again or even relocate to Calhoun County.

III. Group Responses

The survey method chosen for this audit included online surveys and printed questionnaires that were personally distributed. In this section, each group response is analyzed in detail. After evaluating the results, comments and recommendations are prepared.

A. Chamber Staff
Chamber staff were surveyed about internal communications between coworkers and communications from the manager. The following is an overview of perceptions identified in the surveys that were given to every Chamber staff member. Many of their comments led to recommendations in this communication audit report. The following statements were made after analyzing the staff’s responses:

Group: Chamber Staff Strengths | Image | * Everyone has ideas * Consistency * Communicate through multiple means * Constant communication through email | * Friendly faces * Hard working * Loyal * Open door policy * Stable | Improvement Areas | Information Sources | * Knowing more about something before it happens * Understanding what happens at each event/meeting and what to prepare for | * Verbal announcements * Email * Company publications * Bulletin Board * Group Meetings | Best Way to Communicate | Greatest Challenge | * Group Meetings * Email | * Active listening * Grapevine talk |

Recommendation 1: The newsletter should be a brief, bulleted list of information that can be read easily and quickly.
Purpose: If an employee is currently working on a time-consuming project, he/she might disregard the newsletter if it looks too lengthy. Straight to the point memos and calendar reminders are the best ways to remind employees of topics discussed in group meetings.
Recommendation 2: Group meetings should not only look into the upcoming week, but also evaluate the past week. Identify any mistakes and how they might be avoided next time, and give praise to achievements. Motivation should be a high point in each staff meeting.
Purpose: Employees and management need to be encouraged to compliment each other. When each employee feels as if their opinions matter, he/she is more likely to speak up about an issue whether it is negative or positive. This type of positive communication will allow employees to feel a sense of achievement, which will benefit the Chamber in the long run.
Recommendation 3: Everyone can afford to give more smiles, friendly greetings, compliments, feedback, and ask for advice more often.
Purpose: An open, personal channel of communication raises staff morale. A friendly wellness check can prevent an employee from going “overboard.” However, be cautious of interpersonal barriers a coworker may have such as selective listening, lack of trust, personality clashes, or ego problems.

B. Chamber Members
Chamber members were emailed a survey regarding communication between the Chamber and its members. The following is an overview of perceptions identified in the surveys that were sent to a random sample of Chamber members. Many of their comments led to recommendations listed further in this report. The following statements were made after analyzing the members’ responses:

Group: Chamber Members Strengths | Image | * Large member database (1200+) * Most members in Central Alabama * Numerous member events offered | * Progressive * Growing * Proud * Involved in community | Improvement Areas | Information Sources | * Update mailing addresses to ensure every member receives Connections magazine * Lower the dissatisfaction of communications rate among members | * Email * Direct Mail * Telephone * Anniston Star Newspaper * Monthly Newsletters via email/direct mail * Connections Magazine * Social Media * Chamber website | Best Way to Communicate | Greatest Challenge | * Email * Direct Mail | * Reaching every member * Getting new members to attend Member Orientations |

Members were asked how satisfied they were with communications between Chamber and members. Chart 1 displays their responses:

Recommendation 4: Do not be discouraged by members turning away from various forms of communications.
Purpose: Because branding is consistent through each channel, and the same message is presented through each form, do not be dismayed if members are not responding to a certain media. Sometimes, a member seeing the message through the monthly magazine is enough; on the other hand, some members may need constant reminders of upcoming events and rely on multiple publications of the message.

Recommendation 5: Research why one out of four members are not satisfied with Chamber communications. Personal emails can be sent to a small, select group of members for quality-controls. Keep honest communication pathways open at all times.
Purpose: Quality controls include personal visits, telephone calls, or direct emails asking for member evaluations and feedback regarding their relationship with the Chamber. If any negative comments are made, develop a strategy to combat those problem areas and notify the member that their concerns will be erased.

C. Community
The following is an overview of perceptions identified in the surveys that handed to a random sample of Calhoun County residents. Many of their comments led to recommendations listed further in this report. The following statements were made after analyzing the community’s responses:

Group: Community Strengths | Image | * Large, but manageable size county * Community is involved in local events * Several local businesses are expanding | * Evolving * Modernizing * Historic * Old family roots * Small town atmosphere | Improvement Areas | Information Sources | * Educating the community on Chamber responsibilities * Stamping the Chamber’s name on more community events | * Social Media * Chamber website * Anniston Star Newspaper * Chamber Connections Magazine * Apps (Calhoun2Go & VisitCalhounCounty) * Printed publications | Best Way to Communicate | Greatest Challenge | * Anniston Star Work Week * Chamber Facebook * Chamber Website | * Educating the community about the Chamber | One of the greatest communication challenges is educating the community about Chamber responsibilities. The majority of the community is aware that the Chamber supports economic growth for the community. However, the community was least aware of the Chamber serving as the visitor’s center for Calhoun County.
Recommendation 6: Install “What can the Chamber do for you?” campaign to reach the community audience.
Purpose: Most local businesses do not know how the Chamber can help them with growth and integration. The “Shop Local” campaign can combine with this idea and help communicate not only to potential members, but to the local business population in general.

D. Visitors
The following is an overview of perceptions identified in the surveys that given to a random sample of visitors coming through Calhoun County. Many of their comments led to recommendations listed further in this communication audit report. The following statements were made after analyzing the community’s responses:

Group: Visitors Strengths | Image | * Visitors spread into the area from surrounding attractions * Talladega Super Speedway * Mt. Cheaha * Mountain Bikers * Outdoor enthusiasts | * Adventurous * Interested * Students- Jacksonville State University and Gadsden State Community College | Improvement Areas | Information Sources | * Capturing visitors’ attention * The Chamber needs to be identified more as a ‘Visitors Center’ | * Social Media * Visit Calhoun County website * Chamber website * Rack cards * Maps * Relocation Guide | Best Way to Communicate | Greatest Challenge | * Social Media shares and likes * Rack cards at all visitor centers and all attractions | * Encouraging visitors to relocate to Calhoun County * Keeping information stocked at all attractions |

Calhoun County has several opportunities to capture the attention of visitors. As the Visitor’s Center, the Chamber is responsible for giving visitors something to take home with them, whether it be a memory or unique souvenir.

Recommendation 7: Design various Calhoun County postcards.
Purpose: If the Chamber developed a few different attention-grabbing postcards, visitors could have something to take back with them to remember their trip to Calhoun County, or pass to someone else. The postcard could be a current design used for brochures, a collage of natural scenery, or a collage of historic places in the county.
Recommendation 8: Larger, more specific ‘Calhoun County Visitor Center’ signs posted leading to and around the Chamber.
Purpose: The current ‘Visitor Center’ signs located in front of the Chamber are misleading. Even if ‘Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce’ was added to the current sign, perhaps more visitors would reach the correct location.

Recommendation 9: Keep maps in stock at local trailheads and throughout the trail.
Purpose: Mountain biking and hiking are two of the most common activities visitors enjoy in Calhoun County. Making sure maps are stocked at local trails can prevent jaded travelers from being lost or in danger.

IV. Analysis of Communication Channels
In this section, tables have been created to help in grading the effectiveness and success of each channel. Italicized wording signifies areas of improvement. A. Chamber Website Primary Audience | Primary Messages | * Members * Community * Visitors | * Stay Connected * Local Events * County Information | Style & Tone | Micro Content | * Professional * “Helping hand” | * Easy to skim through * Quick navigation * Easy info buttons | Design | Visuals | * Simple * Clean * Consistent colors * Consistent typography | * Photos and info graphics used efficiently * High quality images | Branding | Monitoring | * Website is aligned with overall Chamber brand | * Website is updated regularly * Home page banner screening is updated with top headlines from the Chamber |

Recommendation 10: Add an actual FAQ page.
Purpose: When website visitors go to the FAQ page and only see a phone number, they are least likely to call the Chamber simply because people visit a website to avoid personal communication with the entity. Adding a FAQ page with information and drop down links will help visitors, potential members, and community residents answer the questions they have.

Recommendation 11: Add a visible job openings and real estate listings to Chamber website.
Purpose: If the Chamber serves the community and supports economic growth, current job postings for Calhoun County should be posted on the website not only for area residents, but for those that may be planning on relocating to the area. Real estate listings encourage this same type of promotion for those looking to relocate. Note: Management can make the decision to post member-only jobs and real estate or all general listings.

B. Chamber Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest, Blog, YouTube) Primary Audience | Primary Messages | * Members * Community | * Chamber Mission Statement * Chamber purpose * Stay connected | Style & Tone | Micro Content | * Professional * Information in all internet media forms | * Easy to skim through * Blog needs links for different articles | Design | Visuals | * Simple * Does best within barriers of social media site theme * Consistent colors | * Be cautious of link to Flickr: some images are not relatable to Calhoun County…no way to constantly monitor Flickr posts * “Shop Local” commercial on YouTube account should be updated to match latest campaign image | Branding | Monitoring | * Facebook cover photo for “Shop Local” is not the updated image as used on Twitter’s cover photo * All other social media outlets are aligned with overall Chamber brand | * Facebook, Twitter, and Blog are consistently updated and linked together |

Recommendation 12: All “Shop Local” images need to be the same across all mediums.
Purpose: Consistent branding helps audiences remember and recognize the campaign’s purpose. This will increase awareness of the campaign and reduce confusion that comes from having mixed brand images.

C. Visit Calhoun County: Website Primary Audience | Primary Messages | * Visitors | * “Calhoun County is the natural attraction with plenty of fun, memories waiting to be made.” | Style & Tone | Micro Content | * Fun & inviting * Informative | * Easy to navigate | Design | Visuals | * Clean * Organized * Colors fit within Chamber brand | * Quality images & transitions * Images under ‘Things to do’ tab are too small to see clearly | Branding | Monitoring | * Website is aligned with overall VCC brand & corresponds with Chamber brand | * Upcoming Events are updated near event date |

Recommendation 13: Change information under ‘Things to do,’ ‘Places to stay,’ and ‘Where to eat’ to text boxes instead of images.
Purpose: Google will recognize the text which will allow the information to be searched by visitors and provide links to the Visit Calhoun County website.

Recommendation 14: The image on the ‘Must See’ button does not show the attraction listed on the page it is linked to. Make this image one that is listed on the linked page, or add the attraction to the linked page.

D. Visit Calhoun County Social Media (Facebook, Blog, Videos) Primary Audience | Primary Messages | * Visitors | * Updates and reminders of local events | Style & Tone | Micro Content | * Friendly * Inviting | * Easy to skim through | Design | Visuals | * Consistent colors | * Major photos updated on VCC Facebook | Branding | Monitoring | * All social media outlets are consistent with VCC brand | * All status updates are of current events * New events/topics updated frequently |
E. Apps—Chamber (Calhoun2Go) Primary Audience | Primary Messages | * Members * Community | * Connection at your fingertips | Style & Tone | Micro Content | * Informative * Resourceful | * Home screen buttons are easier to skim through if they are in a grid instead of a scrolling row * Information throughout app is accessible and easy to read | Design | Visuals | * Simple * Organized | * Quality logos for members | Branding | Monitoring | * Consistent with Chamber brand | * Past events should be removed from Events calendar |

E. Apps—Visit Calhoun County (VisitCalCo) Primary Audience | Primary Messages | * Visitors | * Everything you need to visit Calhoun County in the palm of your hand | Style & Tone | Micro Content | * Informative | * Information easy to find in any tab | Design | Visuals | * Structured * Easy-to-find tabs | * High quality images | Branding | Monitoring | * Branding aligned with VCC image | * Events are updated weekly |

F. Print
The following table was designed to show the consistency between all printed communications from the Chamber.

Legend: Achievement ▲ Room for improvement Failure to achieve

| Key messages | Audience reached | Design | Visuals | Brand consistent | Monthly Mailer | | | | | | Anniston Star Wraps | | | | | | Connections Magazine | | | | ▲ | | Work Week | | | | | | Tourism Rack Cards | | | | | | Visit Calhoun County Guide | | | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ |

The table above suggests that printed communications from Chamber to community and members are successfully consistent. Visuals in the Connections Magazines have room for improvement with the clarity and quality of all images printed in the magazine. When looking through 2014Connections magazines, there were quite a few pictures and logos that were pixilated and unclear. High quality images add to the professional and crisp image of the Connections Magazine.

The design, visuals, and brand consistency of the Visit Calhoun County Guide have room for improvement. The cover image could afford to be more eye-catching and specific to the area. For example: There are several counties in Alabama that have lush, running streams. What image could be chosen to set Calhoun County apart from any other county? Upon opening the guide, there are several bold headlines designed by word art. Perhaps another font choice could be chosen to be consistent with the font choice found on the front and back covers. The light yellow and blue color scheme does not match the brand colors of VCC or the Chamber. The “Shop Calhoun County” image should mimic the current Shop Local campaign image so that it is recognized with the overall Chamber brand.

V. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis involves the collection and portrayal of information about internal and external factors which have, or may have, an impact on business. Strengths and weaknesses are the factors of the firm’s internal environment. Strengths ask what do you do better or have more valuable than your competitors? In case of the weaknesses, ask what could you improve and at least catch up with your competitors? Opportunities represent the external situations that bring a competitive advantage if seized upon. Threats may damage your company so you would better avoid or defend against them.
The following information was gathered by evaluating survey results from audiences, talking to Chamber staff, and past SWOT analyses.

Strengths | Weaknesses | 1. 3-Star credited 2. Location 3. Largest Chamber in Central Alabama 4. Volunteers 5. Adjustment to change 6. Staff dedication 7. Quality events for members 8. Strong tourism presence | 1. New member involvement 2. Public isn’t aware of Chamber duties 3. Not being able to be at everything at one time | Opportunities | Threats | 1. 5 star accreditation 2. Chamber of the Year 3. Face-to-face marketing 4. Strategic ways to communicate with members 5. Contributing to positive community pride | 1. County Club clique perception 2. Funding 3. Small trust from small businesses 4. Thought to only support big business |

VI. Moving Forward

This audit is designed to help the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce evaluate the communications process and move forward to make successful changes in the upcoming year. After evaluating the Chamber’s past communications, group responses, and communication channels, management will decide which recommendations listed in this audit are in the time and financial budget to implement. All recommendations made in this audit were opinions formed by an outside source. If management adjusted the communications process according to the recommendations listed, the following events are likely to occur:

- Increased member event attendance compared to previous year
- Annual member survey will return more positive feedback
- Ambassador connections will grow stronger
- Local businesses will be more integrated with the community
- Visitors will be more educated of the area and spillover into multiple attractions
- General public will be more educated on Chamber duties and increase trust Chamber
- Increased reach in print media
- Increased awareness

APPENDIX 5:
CALHOUN COUNTY TRAVEL BROCHURES

APPENDIX 6:
SUMMER MOVIES IN THE PARK SERIES
MOCK ADVERTISEMENTS

APPENDIX 7:
CHAMBER WEBSITE FAQ UPDATE