This month we will hear the Expert Edge from CCOC investor and Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Melanie Marlow. She founded the Edward Jones Clayton Office in 2000.

Edward Jones primarily focuses on serving the needs of one type of client: the serious, long-term individual investor. When describing what she provides her clients, Melanie Marlow said "We believe a well-diversified portfolio of quality investments, aligned with a client’s goals and risk tolerance, will be more successful over time. I have been a financial advisor with Edward Jones since 2000. I hold Series 7 and series 66 securities registrations, a NC Life/Health Insurance license, and a NC long-term care license. To better serve my clients, I earned both the AAMS® and the ADPA® professional designations."

Melanie suggest partnering closely with clients and collaborating with those in similar career fields to create a well-rounded team full of expertise to provide to those you serve. She said in her own practice she "starts by asking questions about my clients' families, financial situations and life goals to find out what is most important to them. I partner with my clients throughout their lives to help keep them on track. In order to provide comprehensive and coordinated advice, I regularly collaborate with a team of CPAs, estate and elder law attorneys, and other trusted professionals, always keeping client information confidential. I love helping my clients by providing them with resources and action plans as they transition through major life events such as retirement, divorce and settling the estate of a family member." Melanie added, "Within Edward Jones, I serve as the NC Chair of the Grassroots Task Force, which is dedicated to making the voice of the individual investor heard on Capitol Hill. The Grassroots Task Force serves as a constituent resource for elected officials and their staff to ensure they are well informed on how legislative issues impact clients and the firm."

The CCOC Expert Edge is a paid sponsorship.

This Month's Expert Edge is being provided by Angelina Corroo with HomeTowne Realty. She began her career in 2016 and has since garnered a wide range of expertise and success! Read this Expert Edge to learn more about Angelina and the advice she has for fellow business owners.

As a full-time Realtor with HomeTowne Realty, Angelina serves the Greater Triangle and has a wide range of expertise – from new construction to resales, first-time home buyers to investment properties. She is passionate about Real Estate, helping others, and her community. Angelina said "I am fortunate to spend every day doing what I love! As a dedicated CCOC Board member and volunteer it is an honor and a privilege to serve my community and fellow business owners."

When it comes to advice, tips or strategies she has for other investors, business owners or individuals in Clayton that can help address today's business challenges Angelina said "No one could have been prepared for the year that we have had, but it’s always important to remember, especially in difficult times, our relationships are what matter most! People do business with people that they know, like, and trust. What can you do to support someone else? How can you help someone else’s business move forward? Check in with your clients and let them know you are here for them. Reach out a helping hand to those who need it and it will come back to you." Angelina added that now is not the time to lay low and wait for the storm to pass. She gave the following advice: "Be sure to let your followers and community know that you are still out here providing high quality services and goods despite the setbacks of this year. We will get through this together and business can be even bigger and better on the other side."

This CCOC Expert Edge is a paid sponsorship. 

This month's Expert Edge is brought to you by Dr. Melissa Palmer, Audiologist and Owner of High Point Audiological in Clayton. Founded in 2016, High Point Audiological-Clayton offers a wide range of audiological services. They provide comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and individualized treatment plans including:

• Complete Audiological Evaluations
• Hearing Aid Evaluations
• Hearing aid fittings, maintenance and repair
• Free hearing aid trial
• Tinnitus Evaluations & Treatment
• Auditory Processing Evaluations
• Custom Ear Protection
• Hearing conservation programs
• Custom Ear protection & Ear Monitors

High Point Audiological also educates the community about hearing loss, treatment, and how to protect hearing! They offer lunch and learn events in the community, as well as participate in local health fairs, and enjoy guest speaking for local community organizations/churches.

Dr. Melissa Palmer had this advice for others: "For anyone starting a business, get involved and follow your dreams! Anything is possible!" She adds, "As a health care provider opening a new practice, I was a bit intimidated, as my audiological education offered limited information on how to run a business. As a member of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, I took advantage of networking, marketing, and educational opportunities for small businesses, which helped me get started and continue to succeed in business! I’ve also enjoyed networking and building friendships through local organizations in the community."

When it comes to protecting your hearing, Dr. Palmer wants to remind other CCOC investors how important this is to your career. She notes, "Difficulty communicating due to a hearing problems can play a big factor in one’s quality of life and can contribute to problems such as fatigue, frustration, depression, anxiety, and social isolation." You may benefit from a full hearing evaluation if the following signs/symptoms are noted:

• Muffling of speech and other sounds
• Difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd of people
• Trouble hearing consonants
• Frequently asking for repetition
• Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio
• Withdrawal from conversation
• Avoidance of some social settings
• Ringing in the ears

Dr. Palmer and High Point Audiological is encouraging you not to wait - get your hearing checked today!

The CCOC Expert Edge article is a paid sponsorship.

The April Stephens team - RE/MAX One Realty was founded in 2014. The April Stephens team takes pride in providing unparalleled knowledge, service & professional advice to their clients through all walks of the buying, selling or building process. When providing this expert edge, April Stephens talked about the importance of education in this day in age. She has this advice to provide to other CCOC investors and business owners: "It is vital that consumers know all their options. We are not a "one size fits all" generation and the market is constantly changing. I encourage everyone to have a liason they can trust to guide them through any major purchases or decisions to ensure they are making the best decision that works for their situation. Trends always change, ensure you are not making decisions that will be costly to remove in the future." To add, April provided this encouragement: "Trust your GUT & educate yourself on all resources available to you. I have always believed in my gut intuition and trust it completely. If something feels wrong, it typically is." Overall, the expertise April has remind us all to "make big decisions using a combination of gut, research & education."

Founded in 2012. Edge Printed Products provides almost any type of printed product you can think of! We offer screen printing, embroidery, direct to garment printing, sublimation vinyl, athletic vinyl, signage, and e-commerce fulfillment. Nick Santopietro with Edge said "One of the things we pride ourselves on the most is understanding the importance of building relationships with our clients and seeing the value in the long term vision, rather than just thinking about every project or client in the short term. We love to value and understand every person we work with as an individual and their different wants and needs." Edge Printed Products provides other CCOC investors with this advice: "Clayton is an amazing and rapidly growing community. We would advise everyone to take advantage of all of the great opportunities, business and not, that Clayton has to offer!"

​This expert edge is all about how to leverage your CCOC benefits to best market YOUR company. If you are currently an investor with us, this will be a great reminder about many of the beneficial things included in your investment. If you are not an investor with CCOC, read about some of the benefits that you could be utilizing as a member of the chamber. These tips and tricks are coming straight from Samantha and Sara, CCOC’s investor relations coordinators, so if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to them!

As an investor with CCOC, what should I do first?
We recommend that all of our investors consistently check the online CCOC Calendar to plan out which events you want to attend. As a new investor, If you’re not sure which event to visit first, let us recommend our Friday morning events: Good Morning Clayton (GMC) and Chamber U. At GMC, you will have the chance to enjoy breakfast and coffee while networking with other CCOC investors. One of the perks of GMC, is that each person in attendance has the opportunity to give a 20-second commercial to the group. Immediately following GMC, is Chamber U, where Sam and Sara sit down with a small group to go over everything CCOC-related and answer any questions you may have. Coming to a Chamber U session is a great way to get more detailed information on how to utilize your online portal through the CCOC directory. The directory (located on the CCOC website) provides you the opportunity to include information about your company in order to increase brand exposure, harness search engine optimization and leverage the CCOC referral platform. In order to maximize your investment, it is crucial to make sure your portal stands out by adding links to your company’s website, social media, any available coupons you are offering and photos!

How do I access and edit my portal?
In order to access your portal, go to the CCOC website. Under the Directory/Login tab (in the top right-hand corner of the home page) click login. Enter the username and password that was in your welcome email from the chamber. If you do not remember or need a new password, call the chamber or email Samantha <samantha@claytonchamber.com> so she can provide you with a new one. You can change your password manually at any time by going to the “Change Username/Password” section of your portal.

What are the first three things a new investor should add to their portal?
According to Samantha and Sara, after adding the basics (address, phone number, email) the first three things you should add to your portal are:

• Your businesses logo - you want your page in the directory to stand out and be unique! Adding a logo is a great way to do that by reinforcing your brand image.
• Links to your company website and social media pages - this will allow people to go straight from the CCOC website to your pages to learn more.
• Pictures of what your company does as well as a description - this is the best way for the public to really see what services your company offers.

Other things you can add to your portal include:

• Events - these are also posted to the community events calendar on the CCOC website.
• Any available jobs at your company – this allows you to post a job description and accept applications through your portal, so the directory also becomes a talent recruitment tool!

How many people will see the portal?
In 2018, there were 500,000 investor referrals from CCOC’s online business directory. On average, each investor receives 829 referrals a year. As you can tell, this CCOC benefit is always working for YOU! These referrals help your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts and provide brand awareness. They can also convert into clicks, conversations and ultimately clients/customers. 

If you have any questions, reach out to Sara <Sara@claytonchamber.com> or Samantha <samantha@claytonchamber.com>.