Tag Archives: Shop Eastvale

Eastvale: An Interview With Mayor Ike Bootsman

By Jennifer Madrigal

Eastvale Mayor Ike Bootsma

Eastvale Mayor Ike Bootsma (image courtesy of Google Images)

Q:  What do you feel is the City’s Biggest Challenge for 2014?

A:  “Our biggest challenge is economic development and bringing new businesses into our city.  We need customers, but we also need businesses and it’s kind of a Catch 22. We have to convince businesses to come into our city because we already do have the customer base needed to support them. Things like “Shop Eastvale” have helped since so much of our city income comes from the sales tax. I also hope that we can get some more industrial business parks and office spaces here in Eastvale so more residents can live, work and shop in Eastvale.”

Q:  What is your number one goal for the City this year?

A:  “Definitely increasing the money we get from sales tax via promoting Shop Eastvale, bringing businesses here, getting more residents in our city and others outside of our city to shop here.”

Q:  What feels great about Eastvale to you?

A:  “The parks.  We have so many great parks and facilities around us and I love how many people are involved in the parks and sports. Kids are participating in sports and using the trails and the equipment and it’s nice that so many local sport programs have the facilities right here available to them. I am so excited for the new Eastvale Community Park to open up and for the community to enjoy those soccer fields and the jogging trails, etc.  Hopefully we will be able to get more regional tournaments here which will help us economically as well.”

Q:  How long have you been here in Eastvale? What’s your history with the City?

A.      “I was born and raised five miles from here in Chino, on a dairy that was one of the first dairies in the Chino Valley area founded in 1938. I moved to the Eastvale area in 1974 and started the Bootsma Calf Ranch with my brother. At one point we had about 8,500 head of cattle. My wife, Squeaker, and I have called Eastvale home ever since.  We have enjoyed watching the city grow and expand.

Shop Eastvale This Holiday Season

Eastvale Chamber President Jorge RazoJorge Razo, President

Eastvale Chamber

It’s the end of the year and important family time, but you still need to pay attention to your business. Our networking breakfast and holiday mixer is approaching. So it’s important for business owners remember: START MARKETING TODAY!

Remember to Shop Eastvale and support your local city and chamber. We have partnered up with the City of Eastvale to remind our community to shop locally and keep those local dollars inside the city wherever possible.

Don’t forget to effectively market your business and prepare for the upcoming year. Here are a few tips to effectively market your business:

1. Cut out what’s not important.

Be as clear and efficient as possible. Watch verbosity, keep the words to a minimum. The customer probably doesn’t want to hear about the company’s history, so don’t explain it unless they ask for it. We are all trying to network and market to many people.

2. Explain things before you thoroughly. Use layman’s terms. Big words may impress but it wont always make the sale. Explain so people understand. Educate them.

3. When possible, use analogies.

Comparing a complicated scenario to a common problem is helpful.

4. Be funny.

Making people laugh relaxes them. They like emotions, and laughter is one of the best emotions.

We hope these tips help, and with this month’s events, which are open to all community members, Chamber members have the opportunity to begin marketing their businesses and services while spreading the word on what they do.

So please be sure to bring plenty of business cards, flyers, coupons, or samples of your products. Keep the conversation lean by giving each person you meet a 45 second commercial with literature to complete your presentation so you, and they, can market to other members at the event.

I hope to see many of you out there letting people know of the business products and services you provide, as the time is NOW to get out there and market. If people don’t know you exist, how can you provide your services and products to them? Shop Eastvale and remember that It’s YOUR community, the more you put into it, the more you’ll get back from it.

Get Connected! Shop Eastvale!

Eastvale City Manager

Carol Jacobs, Eastvale City Manager

City Manager

Let’s face it, we live in a digital age.  There are ever-growing ways to connect with people across the globe and snail mail is losing its glory and immediacy.  People want accurate, timely information sooner than later and through multiple means that meet their needs at any given moment in time.

Eastvale residents are predominately young and technologically savvy which means that City Hall needs to keep pace with the trends in communications that are utilized by our citizens.  Thankfully, Eastvale City Council and staff recognize the priority and the need to keep our citizens well-informed and engaged in the operations, news, events and more coming from City Hall.   We encourage all residents and visitors to register for e-notification on the City’s website to get the latest updates on community news, meetings, events and more at http://www.eastvaleca.gov.

It’s important to keep the doors of communications open, fresh and engaging at all times and that is why we keep raising the bar and meeting the latest trends in communication.  This past month, the city launched Instagram so that the city and our residents can tell the pictorial story of Eastvale.  Instagram is a free online photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking platform that allows its users to take pictures and videos, apply digital filters to them, and share them on a variety of social networking services.   As the old adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Follow the City of Eastvale on Instagram: thecityofeastvaleca

At the same time, the City launched a LinkedIn profile which is a more business-oriented social media method for connecting with business and industry professionals.  If social media is more your speed, the City of Eastvale has plenty of ways to connect:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/#thecityofeastvaleca

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-eastvale-ca  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CityofEastvaleCA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CityEastvaleCA Give a little Tweet @CityEastvaleCA

The City has also launched our Shop Eastvale program and website – just in time for holiday shopping!  The Shop Eastvale program is part of the City’s economic development initiative and represents, in part our commitment to the success and growth of the Eastvale business community.  It’s important to help the Eastvale businesses grow and thrive and we are honored to have the support and collaboration of the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce.  The excitement is not over yet!  In just a short time, we will also have a Shop Eastvale App to complement our new program and help our residents and business community stay connected to shopping in Eastvale.  This app will be available for Apple and Android users. For more information on our Shop Eastvale program, please visit: http://www.shopeastvaleca.com

Should you have any questions or comments, City Hall may be reached at Hall (951) 361-0900. City Hall office hours are Monday-Thursday from 7:30 am – 5:30 pm, closed every Friday.

Shop Eastvale!