Supplied by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce
The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce has partnered with SooToday.com to transition its
WE ARE THE SOO Home Show to a virtual format later this month.

(Sault Ste. Marie) — During a normal year, the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce (SSMCOC) would host approximately 20 events, ranging from business networking sessions and educational workshops, to its awards gala, guest speaker luncheons and its series of WE ARE THE SOO trade shows. Like many not-for-profit organizations, the Chamber has had to adjust its programming and cancel several events thanks to the unwelcome arrival of COVID-19. One of the Chamber’s most popular events however, is making its way online for the first time ever as part of the its ‘Recover, Renew, Rejuvenate’ campaign.

The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it has partnered with SooToday.com to transition its WE ARE THE SOO Home Show to a virtual format later this month.

“While in-person Home Shows aren’t currently possible, we know that consumers are still planning their next renovation project. Additionally, with people spending more time than expected in their homes, we know that they are looking at their spaces with a critical eye. Right now, many people also have time to make the changes that they want,” says Rory Ring, SSMCOC CEO.

Unfortunately, many local businesses have had to contend with the fact that consumers wanting to start home projects, are restricted from visiting the retailers and service providers that they would like to engage. The Chamber and SooToday.com hope that the Virtual Home Show will help local businesses connect to those opportunities.

“Establishing a visible online presence is no longer optional for businesses of any size,” explains Ring. “The current situation with COVID-19 is going to fundamentally change the way consumers and businesses interact, and not just for the short term. Online purchasing and consumer-business interaction will become the new normal and businesses will have adapt to serve customers in a digital marketplace. For businesses, part of adapting will be looking for non-traditional online marketing opportunities that build on what they may already be doing with their own websites and social media; that’s where something like a virtual trade show or expo comes in.”

The WE ARE THE SOO Virtual Home Show will run May 16th to 30th on SooToday.com

Businesses interested in becoming a virtual exhibitor are encouraged to visit the Chamber website at www.ssmcoc.com/virtual-home-show to learn more about how they can get involved.

The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Spring Sports Show in March 1976 at the Sault Ste. Marie Armouries; it featured 28 local and area exhibitors. Year-after-year, the Show grew and became a recognized harbinger of springtime. In 2007, the Chamber took over the local Home Show, another exhibition with almost 30 years of history. The Chamber’s trade show line-up has grown, changed and evolved over the years, most recently adopting the shared branding ‘WE ARE THE SOO’, meant to recognize the important role that local businesses play in our community.