Summer time, and the living is easy. Actually, the living is hot!  But there is plenty to do, to keep our minds off the heat!  The Underwood family is looking forward to the 94^th season of the Redlands Bowl that starts on Friday.  A wonderful lineup of programs again this year for our community and thousands of visitors!  Thanks so much to the Redlands Bowl Performing Arts. And don’t let’s forget the Redlands Theatre Festival in Prospect Park.

The State of the City Luncheon provided great information about our city and its future. Many thanks to; Mayor Paul Foster, City Council Members and the Redlands Chamber of Commerce, along with all the sponsors of the event  for providing all of us with an outstanding program.

The Chamber is proud to have partnered with Brixton Capital the Redlands Mall Developers, who presented an information sharing program on the development of the Redlands Mall. This was the first in a series of meetings that will keep the public abreast of progress and look for input at the same time.

See you at the Bowl, or in Prospect Park!

BELLO CRISTO SALON
Rudy Dorres
308 West State Street, Suite 3A
Redlands, CA 92373
Phone: 792-7412
www.bellocristosalon.com

PROFIT GROWTH BUILDERS|
Gregg Kell
P. O. Box 1946
Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352
Phone: 744-8985
http://profitgrowthbuilders.com

SIMONMED IMAGING
Casey Arias
1690 Barton Road, Suite 107/108
Redlands, CA 92373
Phone: 806-7025
www.simonmed.com

Use social media to enhance your marketing efforts

Social media can seem intimidating and at times, trying to maneuver through its best practices can be tricky, especially for smaller businesses balancing a variety of daily tasks, in addition to building a digital presence. But social media is quite possibly the most effective way to stay engaged with both current and prospective customers at very little cost.

Don’t have a full-time staff member dedicated to social media strategy? No problem. Even the smallest of businesses can create smart and strategic content goals as long as they’re realistic when it comes to their capabilities. It might not make sense for your business to have a presence on all of the social media platforms. It is better to maintain a presence on one or two platforms than a weak or no presence on several.

Identify Your Objectives It is important to define your objectives while making sure they’re attainable for your business model. Ask yourself, “Who am I trying to reach; what do I want to say; and how am I going to say it?” Once you start answering those questions, your goals and objectives will write themselves.

Create Purposeful Content The internet is massive, and new content is generated every second. How can you best stand out? Using engaging graphics and photographs can go a long way when creating new content. It is completely acceptable, and in most cases necessary, for your social content to reach beyond your business model and industry. Include statistics from the Inland Empire region, as well as industry news from other non-competing outlets. It will attract a wider audience and generate a greater reach, which is a win-win for your brand.

Consistency is Key Scheduling your social media posts may seem intimidating, but it is one of the most effective ways to save time and ensure consistency, especially for a small team with a busy schedule. Try to refrain from going too long without posting on any particular account.

Rules of thumb for posting on the most prominent social platforms:

• Facebook: 2 – 3 times a week
• Twitter: 8 – 22 times a week depending on your social strategy
• LinkedIn: 1 – 3 times a week
• Instagram: at least 1 time a weekDon’t be Afraid of Personality Every business has a different brand identity, so feel free to explore different social media personalities to fit that brand identity. Experiment with some appropriate humor, compelling graphics or enticing testimonials from your employees or customers. Social media can be professional without being boring. The most important question: How can you best ensure that content reflects your organization and engages its target audiences?B2B is Just as Important as B2C It’s important to engage with clients on social media, but it is equally important to engage with other businesses as well. Not only does it open up your brand to an entirely new audience, but it also gives you an opportunity to establish a relationship with other business leaders in the community.
• With a few simple key strokes you can be a part of the social media marketing family, and there is no time like the present to begin.
• Be Your Own Best Friend Find ways to share your own content, whether it be through a blog post or press release. Your social media channels are free publicity for your brand and your business, and it is best to utilize those opportunities whenever possible. Don’t be afraid to drive traffic to your website.
• These recommendations all depend on your social strategy, but it always helps to have a baseline.

Senza Asthetic Medicine, look and feel your best

Dr. Rasi received his MD from Loma Linda University School of Medicine where he went on to complete two years of surgical training before devoting his practice to cosmetic laser surgery. In 1999, he co-founded Senza Medical Corporation with the goal of establishing a center of excellence in cosmetic laser surgery. As the practice has grown, Dr. Rasi has added numerous new treatments and technologies such as laser assisted liposuction (Smartlipo), hair transplant surgery and several facial resurfacing lasers. As a cosmetic laser surgeon, he is constantly striving to provide the Inland Empire with the latest in aesthetic treatments by researching and incorporating new equipment, attending educational conferences and assisting in the development of new technology.

Senza Asthetic Medicine is located at 226 Nordina Ave. in Redlands. To learn more about the procedures, techniques and programs available call the office at 793-3563 or log onto www.senzamedical.com

Redlands Chamber of Commerce & Redlands Hotel Council fund technology that will help Redlands’ businesses protect their assets

By Lt. Travis Martinez, Redlands PD

Over the last five years, the Redlands Police Department (RPD) has been proactive in helping businesses protect their assets from both internal and external theft by using electronic stakeouts . Deploying specialized GPS technology that activates based on motion and immediately alerts officers on their smartphones enabling real-time tracking, RPD has been partnering with any willing business that has been experiencing crime.  Whether it be armed robbery, commercial burglary, organized retail theft, or simply protecting customers’ vehicles in the parking lot from vehicle burglary, RPD and Redlands’ businesses have discovered a strategy that turns the tables on would-be thieves.  With 265 arrests to date credited to the technology, the proactive strategy of setting traps that would aid in the apprehension of burglars and robbers has expanded to police departments and communities nationwide.  And now, the Redlands Chamber of Commerce and the Redlands Hotel Council have become two of the first business organizations to fund multiple devices for their local police department to use in protecting local business interests.

The year 2016 led to 66 arrests at RPD using electronic stakeouts including the following:

• A local pharmacy was being repeatedly targeted by thieves who would break the windows of the business during nighttime commercial burglaries. The thieves would immediately collect all of the bottles of promethazine syrup and OxyContin. Community policing officers from RPD teamed up with the pharmacist, embedded a GPS tracking device in a promethazine bottle, and placed it on the shelf in the pharmacy. When four gangsters from Los Angeles hit the pharmacy in July, they only made it a mile away before they were arrested by authorities.
• Nighttime burglars were targeting high-priced automotive technology scanners at a franchise auto parts store. RPD worked with the store manager and placed one of the GPS trackers in a scanner package that was then displayed behind the cash register counter.   When RPD responded to an alarm at the business caused by a broken window, officers discovered the suspects had already fled the scene, taking with them the GPS laced scanner package. Within minutes, RPD officers had the suspects stopped.
• A convenience store prone to robberies allowed RPD to install a GPS chip in a packet of money that was then placed in the business’ cash register.   When the clerk of the business was robbed at knifepoint, she simply put all of the cash from the register into a bag and handed it over to the robber. The GPS device activated and helped authorities track the suspect as he fled the business on foot.   Using the tracking data, police were able to identify and apprehend the suspect. Just recently, he pled guilty to armed robbery and received a four year state prison sentence.

Seeing the value in how electronic stakeouts can help protect businesses and ease the concern of business owners, the Redlands Chamber of Commerce and Redlands Hotel Council raised $5,600 to be used to fund six GPS devices and two years’ worth of cell phone service for the devices. At a cost of only $1.82 per day per device the first year and only $.59 a day every following year, the strategy has proven to be a very effective yet very affordable way for businesses to help their local police departments combat crime and protect their assets.

To learn more about how GPS technology can be used to fight crime, please contact Lt. Travis Martinez at tmartinez@redlandspolice.org. Lt. Travis Martinez currently heads the Investigations and Special Operations Bureau of the Redlands Police Department.