Strategic Plan

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THE LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2012
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THE PREEMINENT VOICE OF BUSINESS

• This document represents the newest vision and
  direction of the
• London Chamber of Commerce for the period 2009 to
  2012.
• The Strategic Plan renews our commitment to
  provide an
• excellent standard of service and programs
  designed to
• continuously meet the needs of our members.
• We look forward to the continued implementation
  of the London
• Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan. We will need
  your help
• and support to ensure that it succeeds.
• Jack Smit, President 2008-2009 Kevin Switzer,
  Pres-elect
• London Chamber of Commerce

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INTRODUCTION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN

• The Strategic Plan for the London Chamber of
  Commerce
• articulates the Strategic Goals for change and
  the Action Plans
• for bringing about that change. This is an
  adaptive, non-static
• document subject to amendment with new and or
  additional input.
• The plan is not designed as a stand-alone
  document. It is intended to
• work in conjunction with each years business
  plans.
• We will continue to reach out to our members in
  order to learn
• more about how our programs and services are
  being received
• and, how we can maximize our efforts to the full
  benefit of the
• membership. As a Member of the London Chamber,
  your views and
• opinions are critical to the organizations
  success.

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WHAT GUIDES US?

• THE MISSION
• To serve as the Voice of Business committed to
  the enhancement
• of economic prosperity and quality of life in
  London and Area.
• Lead by a dedicated team of volunteers and
  full-time professional staff, the
• London Chamber will provide a forum for debate on
  critical issues, act as an
• innovative public policy solution provider and be
  the destination for
• networking with other Members of the London
  business community.
• THE VISION
• To be known as Londons leading business
  organization
• providing maximum value to its membership by
  recognizing and
• encouraging the private sectors role as the
  driving force in the
• economy.

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PRINCIPLES, VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS

• PRINCIPLES
• Professionalism and integrity united in the
  delivery of
• high value services and benefits.
• VALUES
• Respect for and celebration of the contributions
  and
• achievements of our volunteers.
• BEHAVIOURS
• Constantly striving to achieve the top ranking
  among
• Chambers and other competing organizations in the
  execution
• of our Vision, Mission and Goals.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• As economic conditions and trends in the business
  landscape reshape the strategy, operations and
• success of businesses across the province and
  around the country, the operating environment of
  the
• London Chamber of Commerce is also changing,
  along with its focus, its direction and its
  operations.
• During the development of this strategic plan we
  consulted frequently with the results of our all
• member surveys which have consistently indicated
  that the London Chamber serves its members
• well and represents the business community well,
  but also suggested that the London Chamber
• could do even better in the future.
• Now is an opportune time for renewal. The London
  Chamber wants to become the must join
• business association that is clearly
  differentiated from others. Renewal starts with a
  compelling
• Mission and Vision a definition of future
  success. The renewed vision for the London
  Chamber is
• to be the leading business association in London.
  By leading, the London Chamber will be seen as
• the primary and vital link between business and
  all three levels of government.
• It will have a demonstrated impact on public
  policy and decision-making to the benefit of
  business
• and the broader community alike. The key elements
  of the London Chambers new strategic
• direction are summarized in the following pages.
  It is predicated on being the local leader on a
• critical few business issues where its expertise
  and broad membership base give it a unique

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• Plan at a Glance

MISSION
VISION
Lead by a dedicated team of volunteers and
full-time professional staff, the London Chamber
will provide a forum for debate on critical
issues, act as an innovative public policy
solution provider and be a destination for
networking with other members of the London
business community.
To be known as Londons leading business
organization providing maximum value to its
membership by recognizing and encouraging the
private sectors role as the driving force in the
economy.
STRATEGIC GOALS

• To attract, pursue, and retain a membership that
  reflects Londons evolving and diversified
  business community.
• To continually enhance the position of the London
  Chamber of Commerce as Londons most
  authoritative voice of business.
• To provide resources and programs that enable the
  success of our members.
• To initiate the development of public policy that
  promotes economic growth and development for the
  London area.
• To continue to build and reinforce new and
  existing value-added relationships.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
1) Create Communications Strategic Plan 2)
Increase membership sales base 3) Undertake
resource audit 4) Enhance advocacy efforts
5) Target value-added relationships
6) Grow the brand the voice
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TAKING ACTION

• ACTION PLANS
• Turning goals into reality will be achieved by
  implementing the Strategic Priorities listed on
  the following pages.
• Implementation will in turn, be accomplished
  through the Chambers
• various committees, boards and task forces.
• These goals and action plans represent only
  another step in the continuous improvement
  process of the London Chamber of Commerce.
• Strategic planning is not a one-time effort. Once
  goals are set,
• commitment must be maintained, progress
  monitored, and adjustments
• made until those goals are reached.
• With clarity and a renewed sense of purpose, we
  can strategically direct
• the Chamber through the next three years.

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• Strategic Objective 1

THE GOAL
THE COMMITTMENT
To attract, pursue, and retain a membership that
reflects Londons evolving and diversified
business community.
The London Chamber will be a reflection of our
many and varied London businesses and the people
who operate them.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• Membership Sales and Service Committee to
  identify specific ethnic and specialty business
  clusters, i.e. bio-med, medical devices etc. with
  an aim of developing one-on-one or group
  discussions to encourage membership
• Chamber to launch a pilot program to feature some
  articles/information for Hispanic speaking
  business community
• Board of Directors to provide specialty services
  and accommodations for ethnic or language based
  business organizations, i.e. Hispanic, Dutch,
  German, Korean etc.
• Board of Directors to search out champions to
  lead charge on diversification of membership

WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE?

BY WHEN?
The Board of Directors with responsibility to
Membership Sales and Service Committee with
support from, Sales Staff, CEO/GM and Marketing
and Communications Committee/Director
Commencing Fall of 08 with Completion by March
2009.
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• Strategic Objective 2

THE GOAL
THE COMMITTMENT
To continually enhance the position of the London
Chamber of Commerce as Londons most
authoritative voice of business.
By first being excellent listeners the London
Chamber will deliver best-in-class communications
to its members the wider community through
accuracy, consistency relevance and brand
discipline.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• In support of the Goal we will design and
  deliver a Strategic Communications Plan that
  compliments the general direction of the
  Strategic Plan with the main aim of strengthening
  the Chambers Voice.
• We will design a series of Advocacy Templates
  that will enhance the work of both our policy
  committees and deliver the results of their work
  in plain language to our members and the wider
  business community.
• We will deliver a year-end report that highlights
  our advocacy work with a section devoted to
  results/benefits that actually accrue to the
  members.
• We will continue to dove-tail our efforts with
  those of the CCC and OCC Communications teams

WHO IS ACOUNTABLE?

BY WHEN?
The Board of Directors with responsibility to the
Marketing and Communications Committee along with
the Director of Communications and the CEO/GM.
Commencing January of 09 with Completion by
April 2009.
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• Strategic Objective 3

THE GOAL
THE COMMITTMENT
To provide resources and programs that enable
the success of our members.
By continually enhancing both the benefits and
learning opportunities available to our members,
we insure not only their future success, but
ours.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• As part of an overall resource audit, we will
  continue to grow our member Value Proposition
  beyond our current offerings, i.e. The
  E-Learning program
• We will build on our existing communications
  platform (web, magazine, e-newsletter etc) by
  including more how-to-succeed articles and
  commentaries as vetted by our Membership Sales
  and Service Committee
• We will feature more speakers/lecturers with a
  focus on business knowledge and learnings
• We will design a user friendly guide for new
  members to accelerate their involvement in the
  Chamber

WHO IS ACOUNTABLE?

BY WHEN?
The Board of Directors with responsibility to
the Membership Sales and Service Committee as
well as the Special Events and Networking
Committee with support from Communications
Director.
E-Learning Fall of 2008. Balance Commencing
January of 09 with completion by May 2009.
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• Strategic Objective 4

THE GOAL
THE COMMITTMENT

• To initiate the development of public policy that
  promotes economic growth and development for the
  London area.

No organization in London is better suited or
positioned to offer constructive commentary on
the future of Londons economy. Its a leadership
role thats expected of us and one were proud to
deliver.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• We will proactively deliver constructive and
  where possible collaborative public policy
  statements in the best interests of our members
  and Londons business community.
• We will target and act on key public policy
  initiatives that are deemed to be damaging to the
  bottom lines of business and which affect our
  ability to compete
• We will engage the services of credible experts
  to assist us in adding credibility to our
  advocacy effort
• We will broker public policy with other
  like-minded organizations

WHO IS ACOUNTABLE?

BY WHEN?
The Board of Directors with responsibility to
the Municipal Affairs and Federal/Provincial
Policy Committees with oversight by the
Executive and the CEO/GM.
Commencing Fall of 2008 with completion by June
2009.
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• Strategic Objective 5

THE GOAL
THE COMMITTMENT

• To continue to build and reinforce new and
  existing value-added relationships.

Organizations, like individuals, are often judged
by the company they keep. The London Chamber is
in good company and will be judged by how well it
keeps that company.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• We will limit our formal relationships to only
  those organizations that can help us to enhance
  our value proposition and grow the membership.
• We will determine the organizations we can speak
  on behalf of versus those well speak together
  with
• We will undertake a more formal SWOT analysis of
  those organizations we presently partner with
  versus those we would like to.
• We will look for opportunities to grow the
  membership by targeting specific organizations
  that wish to enhance their credibility and
  cachet.

WHO IS ACOUNTABLE?

BY WHEN?
The Board of Directors with responsibility to
the Executive Directors with oversight by the
CEO/GM.
Commencing Fall of 2008 with completion by June
2009.
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YES BUT IS IT IMPLEMENTABLE?

• The foregoing action plans indicate what must be
  done if we are to take steps
• toward the continual improvement of the London
  Chamber of Commerce.
• They do not indicate in all cases how each of the
  elements of the plan will be
• carried out. This will be determined by the
  appropriate groups, committees,
• boards and task forces along with the
  administrative staff of the Chamber.
• Each strategic goal expresses the action required
  to get us to the next step.
• Only total, Chamber-wide involvement will ensure
  that these steps and the
• ones that follow are successful.
• The Board of Directors and Chamber staff has
  accepted the challenge of
• leading efforts to implement this revised
  strategic action plan.
• They entrust it to you for approval.