Business leaders at annual convention in St. George encouraged to conquer their own ‘Everest’

Written by Nick Yamashita
September 5, 2023

ST. GEORGE — Attendees of a business conference in St. George last Thursday were told to give their customers an “Everest” of marketing to gain success at the Dixie Convention Center last.

St. George Area, Chamber of Commerce President Shawn Christensen, welcomes everyone at the annual RISE Summit in the Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Aug. 31, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Canyon Media General Manager Ben Lindquist spoke to a conference room full of local business leaders for the annual St. George Area Chamber of Commerce’s RISE Business Summit.

The RISE event started three years ago to educate and support local businesses in new technology, skills, practices and more. Last year’s summit had over 400 people attend. This year’s theme was “Connect.”

Chamber president Shawn Christensen opened the event. Lindquist, the keynote speaker, presented on marketing from the past to today.

Lindquist said he has a “love affair” with advertising and marketing.

“You really can’t connect with a customer right now because it is so hard,” he said. “You can communicate to them.”

There were previously five ways to communicate with customers, compared with thousands available now, including social media and streaming, Lindquist said. Marketing, therefore, needs to be memorable.

Quoting writer Roy H. Williams, also known as “The Wizard of Ads,” Lindquist said, “The most effective, persuasive and memorable ads are those most like a Rhinoceros: they make a single point, powerfully.”

Keynote speaker Canyon Media General Manager Ben Lindquist speaks about making good connections at the annual RISE Summit in the Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Aug. 31, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

There are three ways to communicate in advertising: boredom, shouting or enticing, Lindquist said. However, he said, only enticing should be used.

By conquering their own “Everest” of marketing, business leaders can have their own success, he added.

Other keynote speakers and instructors included Red Rock co-founder Jon Cole, Cedar Band Corporation CEO Paul Terry, JK Prince Founder Justin Prince and Renaissance Unlimited CEO Greg Gray. All speakers and presenters were from Southern Utah, except Gray, who is from Atlanta, Georgia.

Gray was a favorite at last year’s event and was invited back as the emcee.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to come back for a second time to the RISE Summit — this time as an emcee,” Gray said. “I am so excited how this has grown and how it has become even more practical in terms of what’s provided to the people who attend.”

Besides the presentations and classes, the convention also featured over 40 vendors, including small businesses like Shine Bright Boutique, bigger businesses like BigShots, and newer businesses like By Joe (BBQ) and Fischer Technology, who said it was all about getting their name out.

The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual RISE Summit  in Southern Utah at the Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Aug. 31, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Health industry leader Premier Health and Fitness was there to spread the word about TMS Therapy. Co-founder Dr. Sid Young said he was happy to help people and see old friends again.

His booth was a favorite as they provided free massages and a fitness challenge to hold kettlebells above your head for a specified time to win prizes.

Utah Tech University student leaders presented to recruit and spread the word about the institution’s growth. The World Trade Center provided business resources.

Another vendor with some “bling” was the Realty ONE Group Goldmark, with a booth bejeweled with various gold items, from hats to gold records.

Breakfast and lunch were provided for attendees. During lunch, a panel of local mayors talked about the business industry, reporting on the most common questions they were asked in the past.

The panel included St. George Mayor Michele Randall, Washington Mayor Kress Staheli, Hurricane Mayor Nanette Billings, Santa Clara Mayor Rick Rosenberg and Ivins Mayor Chris Hart.

Shonie Christensen moderated the panel and said the event sold out three weeks earlier with 500 attendees due to “the quality and caliber of the speakers that we were able to bring to the stage last year.”

”We ramped it up even more this year,” she said.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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