There are few days I'm not proud of my team, but today I am besides myself.
One of the challenges I've had with Small Business USA and our program - although being incredibly successful in driving results - has been that there is a sub-sector of small businesses that we've been unable to support. We're not alone, most peer advisory groups don't even TRY to help this group.
Why should we try? I hope you've all seen our #LetsSaveMainStreet campaign?
Why? Because sadly, when Main St businesses fail, it affects all of us. It's our community. It's when you walk downtown, or in a shopping center, and you recognize that yet another business has closed. Dwindling downtowns affect our property values and our quality of life.
Just today, my daughter and I went school shopping in an adorable outdoor mall we love (but hadn't been to in a while) in Canton, CT. Besides the chains, almost every unique shop had closed. These unique shops, they are the personality of our communities.
Unlike privately owned retailers, chains stay because they have best practices, winning strategies, and leaders with objective perspectives. When you've put your heart and life savings into opening that restaurant or bike shop you've always wanted to own... well, let's face it, perspective flies right out the window once you write your first check.
B2C businesses get captured in the chaos of customers and time. Although our program only takes a few hours a month, a B2C business owner's time is not their own. Trust me! I know! Growing up in real estate, managing restaurants and then making my career in retail for 25+ years, I've lived it! I've not only run that 1 person boutique trying to figure out how to go to the bathroom between customers, I've led teams of thousands trying to navigate an onslaught of unpredictability on a minute by minute basis.
What's most interesting, minus expensive consultants, I struggled to find any support for this group minus community development groups and the Chamber of Commerce. Even franchises can't help in an individual, let's-dissect-your-business kind of way.
So the gauntlet was thrown and my team is delivering.
Monday night (August 17th) we will offer a free online workshop focused on customer centric businesses. We'll teach you 5 tools to use to better assess your business. We'll give you more tips on marketing your business (without spending a fortune) and help you make some quick changes to really affect your sales and success. All Monday. All Free.
So let's save Main Street Monday night at 7pm (New York.) Go to http://tinyurl.com/nrvsfot or www.SmallBusinessUS.com to register.
For help building your authentic and valuable brand, improve your business and plan for your future.- contact us. We're more than peer advisory boards.
Colleen Ferrary is the founder and president of Small Business USA. While maintaining their mission to keep their services affordable Small Business USA (www.SmallBusinessUS.com) is changing the success rate of small businesses. For more information or to set up a free consultation or learn about our affordable marketing workshops, please email Info@SmallBusinessUS.com.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Get our Marketing Made Easy app for Apple or Android today! Be sure to visit www.MainStBootCamp.com as well!
