“Business is done between people – Paloma helps us keep the network together”
How Dalarna Business uses Paloma to bring Dalarna's companies together and simplify communication
As operations manager of Dalarna Business, Malin Croner knows how important personal meetings are in business life. The organization's mission is to strengthen the business community in the region, and it does so by getting people to meet.
– Business is done between people, says Malin.
That is why we create forums where business owners in Dalarna can meet, get inspired and make connections. Dalarna Business is an association of companies in Dalarna – large and small, from across the county. Through networking meetups and knowledge seminars, members learn practical things they can use right away. The highlight every year is Stjärngalan (in Swedish), Dalarna's biggest party for business owners – where the award Stjärnan is presented to outstanding entrepreneurs.
A hub for the whole operation
With many events and initiatives to keep track of, structure is essential. To hold all these activities together – and create clear and professional communication – the team uses Paloma. The platform helps them with invitations, registrations, participant lists, reminders and follow-ups.
– It saves loads of time, Malin notes. We no longer have to juggle Excel lists and long email threads; everything is gathered and easy to overview in one place.
Paloma's tool can also be adapted to Dalarna Business's own profile. With ready-made templates, they can easily keep a consistent design in their sends, and quickly adjust details when needed.
– It is convenient; we can do most things ourselves, and it is quick to adjust as needed, says Malin.
After their events, Dalarna Business also likes to take the temperature of the participants. With Paloma's survey feature, they can send out evaluations and collect feedback. The results help them continuously improve both the content and the experience.
– It is easy to create surveys in Paloma, and we get a lot of valuable feedback from our members. It also shows that we care about what the participants think, says Malin.
The newsletter – creating community in the region
Every month, Dalarna Business sends digital newsletters to its entire network of business owners. The purpose is to inform, inspire and keep everyone up to date on what is happening in Dalarna's business community.
– We share current news, highlight good examples from the region and tell people about upcoming activities, Malin explains.
The content can be about anything from new ventures and important initiatives to reminders about events and offers. The newsletter gives readers a complete overview and helps bring the companies together.
– We want the companies to feel that they are part of something bigger and know what is going on.
No one should have to feel alone out in their small town. It should be inspiring and give energy to our network, says Malin with conviction.
Because the newsletter is digital, Dalarna Business can easily measure interest in different topics. They see which links get the most clicks and can thereby understand what the members care about most. The sending statistics give an indication of where the interest lies, and that insight helps them plan upcoming content.
– The newsletter is a fantastic way to keep the dialogue alive in our region. We get to share information and also take the pulse of the companies, Malin adds.
Simplicity and close support
Dalarna Business uses Paloma's platform extensively – even though the organization is small and anything but tech-focused.
– We are not IT experts, so ease of use is really important. The fact that we actually use the whole system says a lot about how easy it is to get started, says Malin.
She also appreciates that Paloma is a local company. – You can tell that Paloma is here in Dalarna, just like us. We can call or email and get help right away – it feels close and personal. With everything gathered in one and the same tool – newsletters, event management and surveys – the team is not missing anything. Paloma simply makes our work around everything easier, so that we can spend more time on what really counts: building relationships between people.
