Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce to Host 5th Annual Marketing Summit
Full-day event brings marketing and AI experts to the Library & Observatory with strategies businesses can use immediately
RANCHO MIRAGE, CA — August 3, 2026: The Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce will present its 5th Annual Marketing Summit on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory. The full-day educational event is designed to equip business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals with practical strategies to attract new customers, strengthen their brands, and build lasting loyalty.
"Marketing is one of the hardest things for a small business to get right, and it changes faster every year," said Katie Slimko-Tuvell, IOM, President/CEO of the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce. "We built this Summit to cut through the noise and send every attendee home with tools they can put to work Monday morning. When our local businesses grow, the whole community grows with them."
The Summit is sponsored by the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce and the City of Rancho Mirage, whose continued investment in local business creates educational opportunities that support economic growth and innovation throughout the community.
Attendees will hear from marketing experts on artificial intelligence, social media strategy, traditional media, customer relationship management, storytelling, customer service, and data-driven marketing. Each presentation maps to one of the five stages of the marketing funnel — Awareness, Interest, Consideration, Conversion, and Loyalty — giving participants a complete framework rather than a collection of disconnected tips.
Featured presentations include:
- Andrew McCauley —Visit Greater Palm Springs
Your First AI Marketing Agent: Turn Missed Inquiries into Booked Jobs
- Dawn McCoy — Dawn McCoy Media
The DMM Hybrid Triad Model: Where Social Media Meets Traditional Media
- Aly Delgadillo, Lizbeth Luna, and Angela Johnson — Dirty Desert Collective
The New Marketing Advantage: Authentic Storytelling, Social Media & Community Connections
- Christopher Bare — Torri Gate Marketing, and Regina Marston — Engage Marketing
From Random Acts of Marketing to a Customer Growth System
- Amanda Smith — Thunderbird VIP Sales & Marketing Consulting
What does the Data/Surveys Say? How to Stop Guessing at Marketing
- James Suer — HomeMade Real Estate, IptRealty
Leader + Influencer + Community Champion
- Andrea Carter — Andrea Carter & Associates, and Nayyan Chandler — The Shops at Palm Desert
The Key to Connecting with the Coachella Valley — and How It Can Boost Business
- Katie Slimko-Tuvell — Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce
AI Doesn't Do Relationships (Yet): What Still Has to Be Human in Local Business
Slimko-Tuvell will open and close the program and facilitate the closing panel discussion.
"There's a lot of fear out there right now about what AI means for small business, and I understand it," Slimko-Tuvell added. "But the businesses I watch thrive in this valley aren't the ones with the fanciest tools — they're the ones people trust. This Summit is about getting the technology working for you so you have more time for the part no software can do: showing up, knowing your customers, and being part of your community."
The Chamber extends its appreciation to the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory for hosting this year's Summit and providing a venue that reflects the community's commitment to education, innovation, and lifelong learning.
Thanks also go to Si Bon Bakery & Catering for donating breakfast pastries, Cheers Coffee at The River for donating coffee, and H&H Bagels for partnering with the Chamber to provide lunch. Their generosity helps make the day better for every participant.
Whether launching a new business, refining an existing strategy, or looking for fresh ideas to grow a customer base, attendees will leave with insights from professionals who understand today's marketplace.
Registration is $100 for Members and $150 Nonmembers and includes breakfast snacks and lunch. Space is limited (sells out each year!). To register or learn more, contact the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce at (760) 568-9351 or visit www.ranchomiragechamber.org.
Media Contact:
Katie Slimko-Tuvell, IOM
CEO, Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce
(760) 568-9351 | Katie@RanchoMirage.org