Who can hold a Ribbon Cutting?
First of all, you must be a Chamber member. After that, there are lots of reasons or occasions for you to hold a Ribbon Cutting. Most everyone thinks of a Ribbon Cutting as a way to celebrate a grand opening of a new business, and that’s certainly true – most of our Ribbon Cuttings are for grand openings. However, you can also request a Ribbon Cutting for a business milestone, remodel, new store location, and many other reasons.
What if I don’t have a storefront, or I run my business out of my home?
That’s perfectly fine! We often hold Ribbon Cuttings outside the Chamber office – we’ll do everything we would do if we were outside your front door, we’ll just do it outside ours!
When can I hold a Ribbon Cutting?
We typically hold Ribbon Cuttings during normal business hours (9:00-5:00 M-Th, 9:00-12:00 F) for the sake of our Ambassadors, but if you have a particular reason for requesting a Ribbon Cutting outside of that time, let us know and we’ll try to work with you.
Can I choose the date/time for my Ribbon Cutting?
Certainly! You can send in the date/time that works best for you, and we’ll let you know if there are any scheduling problems.
How much advance notice does the Chamber need for a Ribbon Cutting request?
We need at least two weeks’ notice for a Ribbon Cutting request. This allows us to make sure our Ambassadors and Chamber staff can properly plan to attend.
How can I submit my Ribbon Cutting request? Can I do it over the phone?
We’re happy to talk about a Ribbon Cutting with you over the phone, but you must submit a formal request through the website here. This lets us keep track of the requests we receive on our calendar – by submitting your request, our system puts your Ribbon Cutting on the Chamber event calendar and in our weekly eNewsletter. Please be sure to complete the entire form and wait for the confirmation message. If you don’t see the confirmation message, we have not received your request and we won’t be able to schedule your Ribbon Cutting.
Who comes to a Ribbon Cutting?
Typically, Chamber staff is joined by our Ambassador team for Ribbon Cuttings. Depending on the business requesting the Ribbon Cutting, we may also invite other specific individuals. In general, Ribbon Cuttings should remain open to the general public, and you are also welcome to invite anyone else you’d like!
What will the Chamber do?
The Chamber will confirm the schedule for your Ribbon Cutting and will coordinate to bring our Ambassador team there. We will bring a commemorative certificate for the event, as well as red ribbon and the giant scissors.
What should I do?
After you submit your request, confirm that your submission was received by Melinda Baker. You’ll also need to make sure that appropriate staff are present on the date/time you request. Other than that, get ready to smile for the camera when you get to use the big scissors!
Can I incorporate a Ribbon Cutting into a larger event?
We can do a Ribbon Cutting as a standalone event or as part of a larger function. If you’d like to make a Ribbon Cutting part of an open house, grand opening gala, or some other special gathering, we will be happy to join in! We’re happy to celebrate our members however they’d like us to.
How does a typical Ribbon Cutting go?
Once everyone arrives, we’ll gather at the front door, or wherever you’d like us to best feature your business. Our Ambassadors will present you with a certificate, with you standing in front of the big red ribbon. Then you’ll go behind the big red ribbon and cut it with the giant scissors. Congratulations, that’s a Ribbon Cutting!
How will the Chamber promote my Ribbon Cutting?
We post pictures of all of our Ribbon Cuttings on our website and Facebook pages, and they are also redistributed in our weekly eNewsletter.
