Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Don't Forget the Stocking Stuffers ...

Can you imagine being a 30 year old entrepreneur and seeing your entire livelihood jumpstart off of a product as small as a matchbox car?  Can you imagine that one day your product would be essentially relegated to a split-second purchase as the customer is leaving the store?  Your product takes less than two square feet of floor space in an 80,000 square foot mega-store, but has been profitable much longer than most other items in the store ... and yet it's the last thing a customer thinks about.


Don't forget the value of that space at the checkout.  Wrigley's has been making its fortune from those few valuable inches of space and last-second purchases for over a century.  The company has a fascinating history (gum was a gift item packaged with baking powder, but soon became more popular than the powder!) ... see here for more on that company.

It's not enough to cram an entire store full of merchandise, you have to pull those last dollars out of the sale at the checkout.  Major boxes have done this for years, but small businesses typically don't or overdo it.

Take a page out of their playbooks this holiday season.  Use the checkout area of the store as a way to remind shoppers to pick up small gifts of thanks for teachers, doctors, bus drivers, mail carriers, etc, or better yet use the space to provide stocking stuffer super buys!  Those extra couple of dollars per customer can amount to percentages in profits come December 31!


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The Power of Kids





In a 2012 Nickelodeon study, 56 percent of parents run their homes in a Board of Directors approach where they make the final decisions after consulting the thoughts of their children.  "Little Timmy, where would you like to eat tonight?"

Think about the impact of this on our downtowns and in your business.  More from that study:

"In the U.S., 71% of parents solicit and consider their kids' opinions when making purchases. That percentage jumps to 94% internationally.

Parents in both the U.S. and internationally seek their kids' opinions when buying products for them. In the U.S., 95% of parents do, and internationally 99% of parents seek their children's opinions. When making family purchases, 69% of U.S. parents confer with their kids, while internationally, 87% do. As far as making purchases for themselves, 28% of U.S. parents talk about it with their children before making the purchase, while 55% of international parents do.

The categories that kids are most collaborative in as far as purchases go are clothes and shoes (85%) and fast food (also 85%). The percentage drops to 56% when it comes to making vacation decisions and to 49% in a mobile phone purchase."


What is your store doing to be kid friendly?  When was the last time you engaged the child in conversation, offered kid freebies or purchased children's merchandise even if it isn't your traditional business model?  Perhaps it's time to worry less about what kids might break, touch or steal and focus more on what we can do to bring their influence to the table to make a sale.


Friday, November 8, 2013

Small Business Saturday ... A Day of Our Own

For many of us, shopping small/shopping local is nothing new and nothing out of the ordinary either.  We don't have to train ourselves on the importance of supporting local businesses, but for our neighbors and those that aren't so informed about the importance of mom and pops, we need to be diligent in our delivery.

Thanks to our friends at American Express for their efforts over the past couple of years to push the Small Business Saturday initiative.  It is always a great pat on the back of Main Street when corporations see our value.  Here in Georgia, we want to make sure our communities are also engaged in the efforts to shop small and shop local.

The Georgia Main Street Program has released a series of ads that communities can place in papers, add to websites, add to facebook and stores can print for windows and sales pieces.

Here are some additional tips to reminded customers about the impact of shopping local:

1)  Use your best display areas to focus on products that are closest to home.  Showcase local artists, locally produced foods, clothing, crafts, etc.  Even if the item is made in the same city or state, highlight American-made products.

2) Use descriptive signs to tell the story of local products.  Make sure that customers in your restaurant know that you are featuring a Georgia wine, local produce, local meats and dairy with a note/symbol in the menu.  Ask your servers to specifically say, "Georgia Shrimp" instead of just shrimp and grits.  I know I am more likely to buy it if I here things like farm-to-table or a familiar place in the name.

3) Feature the person doing the work.  If you are a florist, have the local designer do a display during open house, provide tutorials, showcase themselves with their products and interact with the customer.  Ask the farmer to walk around during dinner service greeting the customer and thanking them for buying the meal that featured his greens.  Sometimes this can be done with a picture of the farmer, designer, craftsman alongside the display.

4) Don't underestimate the importance of the back story.  When people select gifts for Christmas, sometimes they want the story.  "I bought you this piece of jewelry and got to meet the artist.  He said it is interpreted as a pheonix flying through the sunset ... can you see that?"  I'm not saying some stories aren't odd, but a story sticks with the gift even as it is passed on to the next owner.

5) Make sure your customers understand their impact on you and your family.  Let them know that by shopping with you, they are helping you provide Christmas for your family.  Put a picture of your family in a nice frame next to the register that says something like, From Our Family to Yours, Happy Holidays.  The one benefit that small businesses need to utilize is the fact that customers can meet the owner ... let them meet you this holiday!

6) Don't forget that one impact small businesses can have is the personal touch.  Offer gift wrapping, offer shipping, offer anything that makes it easier.

7) Use the Miracle on 34th Street Approach.  Know what your neighbors have in stock and help customers find their needs in your community while they are there.

8) Allow customers to create a wishlist in your store.  Allow them to mark a few things they would like to have and put it on a card.  Then allow their family to see their card when they come into shop and get mom or dad or grandma exactly what they want.

Make it small y'all.  Let's do this!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Downtown Eye-Candy: Use the display windows to lure them in

Display windows are the eyes to the soul of a business for retailers.  But for many, the display windows don't get nearly the attention that they need.  For many small businesses, changing out the windows can be overwhelming and even challenging.  By using an artistic eye or better yet, leaning on the assistance of local artists and other retailers, these windows can bring a great deal of life to the downtown and to the business.

Here are 5 things to remember when doing your windows:
 1)  Keep down the clutter.
 2)  Do something that elicits thought.
 3)  Make the window memorable.
 4)  Make sure it looks good both night and day.
 5)  Use the entire window!

So without further ado, here are some great snapshots of windows to watch:

 
 
I hope that gets you into creative gear.  Do something memorable this holiday season!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Keep it about the customer

There are exactly ten Fridays left in 2013.  So for the rest of this year, I'll be blogging tips to make downtown areas and businesses stronger for the holiday season and beyond.

Today's tip is for the local small businesses: Keep it about the customer.  For years, Hollywood has enjoyed the spoof of poor customer service ... here are some classic examples of that:

So how do small businesses downtown do better?  If we want to tap the mind of the customer we have to make sure everything for them is an:


It starts from the moment they see the front door of your business or the sidewalks in your town.  CLEANLINESS is paramount in first impressions.  Don't be the store owner with the dead fly tribute in the windows.  A tidy sidewalk, clean windows, and well designed window displays set the tone for downtown success.

Don't make customers sign a waiver to visit you ... even if it is just mental.  Try to avoid these:



Give the customers the up-front benefit of the doubt.  If they feel like they are in trouble before the enter the door, they probably won't stay long, probably won't buy, may not come back.

Do set the tone through the senses.  Major franchises understand the need for music, high-lighting, aromas, and samples.  If you give a customer a beverage (coffee, cider, water on a hot day, iced tea, lemonade, wine, etc.) they will stay at least long-enough to finish the drink.  The longer they browse the more likely they are to purchase something.

OFFER ASSISTANCE BUT DON'T BE PUSHY ...
Use phrases like, "Is there anything in particular you are looking for?" instead of "What do you need?"
"Is this for you or someone else?" instead of "Do you need it wrapped?"
Always offer to demonstrate the product, allow them to try it on, test it, or see it un-boxed.
If a customer has several items in their hands, free the up to buy more buy offering a basket or offering to take the items to the register to begin wrapping/packaging.  NEVER walk around with the customer, its creepy and rude.

If a customer comes in and is leaving without a purchase, ask if there was something in particular they were looking for.  If they provide an answer, do your best to tell them where they can find it ... even though you may not get the sale, they will appreciate your assistance and you'll gain a customer and a good reference.

SURVEY YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS
Treat them like VIPs.  Have a special after-hours product launch, open house or preview for them by invitation only to see new merchandise, displays, or products.  Give them the golden ticket to feel needed by your business and they will not soon forget the experience.  When you see new product that you might take on, run it by a sample of customers to gauge their interest.  Once a year, ask your customers if they would be willing to take a short survey to help your businesses do better.  Ask the following customer-based questions as a sample:
How many times would you say you have been to the store this year?

Have you been fully satisfied with all of your purchases?  If not, what can we do to make you satisfied?

What are one or two things you would like to buy downtown that you currently cannot find?

Is there a particular employee you enjoy working with?

If you could change one thing about our store, what would it be?


As an incentive, give them 10% off for their feedback or give them something small you cannot seem to move off the floor.

StartUpNation.com (which is a great small business resource you should check out) says this is

What keeps customers satisfied

  1. Knowledgeable and available staff : While a customer is making the buying decision, they want knowledgeable assistance, available when they want it . Customers place a high value on accurate information and want to be served by employees who know the product inside and out.
  2. Friendly people:
    Customers not only want product-savvy sales people, they want them to
    be friendly and courteous. Your staff should value each customer more
    than any individual sale.
  3. Good value:
    This is where price factors in. But customers surveyed see price as
    only one component of the bigger picture of “value” that includes the
    service, information and follow-up they also receive.
  4. Convenience:
    The service rule here is simple: make it easy! Says Gross, “Customers
    want merchandise that is well organized, attractively displayed and
    easy to find. That’s how today’s customers define convenience, and the
    easier you can make the shopping, the more money you will be lugging to
    the bank.”
  5. A fast finish:
    This final item is where too many businesses fall flat, right at the
    finish line. While customers are in the process of deciding to buy or
    not, they are proceeding on your time. They want thoughtful help making
    the right decisions. But once the buying decision is made, get out of
    their way because now you are working on their time, and they want to
    complete the transaction and be on their way as quickly as possible. At
    the cash register, there is no time for making additional suggestions.
NEXT WEEK TUNE IN FOR

DOWNTOWN EYE CANDY: THE IMPORTANCE OF GREAT WINDOW DISPLAYS

Friday, October 4, 2013

Anchored in Chocolate

Downtown business anchors come in many shapes, sizes and business plans.  Across our great state of Georgia, I've seen the local hardware store, pharmacy, or a cool restaurant play that lead role.  In Dahlonega, the anchor truly is sweet.

 Opened in the recession of the early 80s, this family owned business has occupied a corner of the charming downtown square for over three decades.  Tony Owens is a second generation owner of this unique chocoholic's dream store, purchasing the business from his parents in 2006.  Tony represents a growing trend of entrepreneurs in our state, taking the reigns from retiring parents. 

Though the key recipes remain the same, Tony has made changes to leave his mark on the company, changing hours, updating relationships and taking advantage of the internet. 

Tony believes that local product makes a big difference.  Whether its apples from Blue Ridge, cream from Clairmont, or south Georgia pecans, the Fudge Factory uses state grown products where possible and that adds to the story and the charm of this place.

The company listens to customers.  When surveying locals, Tony realized that many customers were being lost because of the stores hours.  You simply cannot close at 5 p.m. and hope that customers can leave work early to shop your goods.  A wholesale change of hours ensued.  The store opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m.  Within the first year, Tony noted an 11% increase in sales!  The attention to customer needs and serving those needs has made all the difference.  Go by for a free sample, too.



Tony saw a need to build partnerships and go digital.  This local anchor sends products all over the world through it's e-commerce site at www.dahlonegafudgefactory.com.  This business includes corporate customers that get specialized packaging from the store and their customers get a sweet reminder that the corporate partner values their customers.



So what is the future for this important business in downtown Dahlonega?  It's growing.  Tony saw the need for a bakery downtown and is moving forward with a redevelopment project called Baked on Main to do just that.  It's great seeing entrepreneurs dive into other directions with the goal of giving back to the community and making an impact on their corner of the world.  Thank you, Tony!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Downtown is the place for stripping ...

There may be nothing sexier in downtown development that a good old fashioned striptease.  You heard me.  Before you proceed, click the link for the music just to get you in the mood:



Downtown development is a process and sometimes stripping down to your roots is the best way to get that process started.  Here in Georgia, we average one building rehabilitation completed in our Main Street cities everyday of the year.  It's just plain exciting to watch.  It takes a willing eye to imagine what is underneath those layers of paint, tin, fiberglass, stucco, and slipcovers that have adorned our downtown buildings since the 1960s.  Today we see buildings like this (the old Belk Matthews in Milledgeville, Georgia):


become buildings like this:



The hard work and close eye to detail by developers like Frank Pendergast made this project possible.  Using our Downtown Design Studio in Athens, Frank and Milledgeville saw the reclamation of this downtown eyesore into a centerpiece for mid-block rejuvenation.  Now home to lofts, an interior courtyard and reclaimed retail space that includes a restaurant, the building houses students from Georgia College & State University, and even a family with two young children.  This strip job was gorgeous!

In many towns around our nation, we see this:  


Imagine the time and energy that went into planning buildings so that the daytime light could be used to benefit the space inside.  Then generations later, we forgot the need of daylight when we forgot that second and third floors could be valuable and useful space instead of something that we just cover up.

Thanks to the hard work of groups like the Kirbo Charitable Trust and Main Street Bainbridge, Georgia, this property got a face life that included reclaiming it's original assets.  Our Downtown Design Studio staff provided a plan for renovation and restoration and now this space has life on multiple floors again:



Who thinks closing down Main Street permanently is a great idea?  The federal government did when they provided grants to Toccoa, Georgia to convert their downtown into a pedestrian mall.  Concrete canopies lined what use to be the streetscape.  Not too many years later, the stores were gone, the customers were gone, but the concrete stood.  Thanks to the leadership of Toccoa and its Main Street Program, the canopies came down and the façades were restored.  It's amazing to see this city today!



Finally, in the town I call home, Canton, Georgia, the County sold its abandoned administrative office complex downtown to a developer to remove metal awnings and stucco.  The past is being revealed one piece at a time and it's so exciting to see what's going to happen here.


If you want your downtown to improve, sometimes the best way to catch the public eye is a sexy façade striptease!

Friday, September 13, 2013

A Day and a Discussion for Common Sense and Community

You have 2 seconds and one word to answer the following question or your status as the local expert on downtown development will be permanently revoked!  Are you ready?

What is the #1 perceived issue that keeps people from coming downtown to shop?

So collectively the National Main Street choir chimes in in the key of E-flat, "PARKING!"  That's right, you've got it.  The number one issue that we constantly hear as we go across our state is that parking is the perceived problem downtown.  I'm sure you, too, have heard this chorus before ... "It's too hard to find parking downtown," or "You have to park a mile away from where you are going," or better yet, "It's just too hard to park on the street!"

In my best North Georgia twang, "Bless their ever-loving hearts!"

Parking may seem like an issue for the customer that wants to come downtown, but for many communities we know that there is a hearty supply of parking if the customers were only more knowledgeable.  In a world where the majority wants their drive-through meals supersized, superfast and super cheap, downtown seems like an inconvenience. In the world of mega parking lots, I see the often too familiar scene as I drive around our highways:


Asphaltandia:  The place where even the animals stay away.

We've allowed our nation to become a barren wasteland of parking lots to support the possibility of major holiday rushes of customers only to see the big-box move away to set up camp elsewhere in only a few years.  And even when there is a crowd at the store, this clip most suits what many drivers face:

 
 
 
I know how anxious I get about parking in a crowded lot.  Given the value of time these days, if you do need to go to the "box" store, chances are you're picking up one specific thing or just wasting your money.  It's probably one of many stops you need to make ... perhaps you need toilet paper in an un-Godly ultrasized pack that won't even fit in the trunk ... there's a store or two for that.  You've probably got to make stops at the post office, the pharmacy, the hardware store, grab a bite to eat, pick up a good book, and visit the farmers market.  You're just like Kathy Bates, with so many things to do and not enough time, yet you still circle the lot for 20 minutes to get a space five feet closer to the door.  Parking in these lots is a competition ... and you are almost assured to be the loser.

So why is parking downtown such an issue?  Perhaps its because we've gotten so attuned to the big-box style of parking in one lot for one store.  When we get downtown, we expect that store to provide our parking needs.  This is the basic difference between Main Street and Wally World ... downtown is a community where we share while the big box is the mega corporation that just wants what's in your wallet.  We collectively own downtown and so no one person controls all the parking.  The big box controls everything you do and the way you do it when you touch their property.  Downtown is where we interact with neighbors.  The big box is where shopping carts are necessary because we buy things we don't need because EVERYONE there is loaded to the hilt, too.

 
In downtowns like Woodstock, Georgia, parking on the street isn't difficult and you can park once and go to the pharmacy, hardware store, restaurants, book store, art galleries, jewelry store, and more.  When I worked in this particular town, I always challenged the complainers to be cognizant of what they do at the big box.  I told them to start the timer when they pull in off the highway.  See how long it takes to get from the road to the space and to the front door.  I ask them to count the number of steps they take from car to cash register in that big box.  Chances are, if they do the same in a downtown, downtown will always win.  Parking isn't always curbside to your original downtown destination, but its that stroll through the community that brings more to your life.  (DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE MALL!)
 
One of the great stories of the past several years is Park-ing Day.  Communities across the nation take a parking space downtown and convert it into a greenspace for the day.  The idea is for the public to see that this one space doesn't impact the flow of commerce and can even bring an awareness to the over-asphalting of our lives.  In Woodstock, the GROW (Green Reaps Opportunities for Woodstock) committee of Main Street works with the local Elm Street Arts Center, elementary school and master gardeners to build something beautiful.  In 2012, the groups focused on Alice in Wonderland to build an upcycled Mad Hatter Tea Party:
 
 
It was beautiful, highlighted the arts, GROW, and donations rolled in from landscapers and local merchants to make it all possible.  Its also a great opportunity to give those that stop by a map of all your downtown parking ... even those off Main Street.  To start the conversation about parking and the need to be more conservative with our asphalt-happy developers, perhaps your community should think about Park-ing Day, Friday, September 20th.  For more information, visit http://parkingday.org/

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The Friday Story ...

It's not hard to imagine.  It's a storyline that is seen weekly across the Main Streets of our nation.  I call it "The Friday Story."  Write the script, change the town, change the entrepreneur, change the season of year, change the race, change the gender, change all you will to make it fit your locale, but The Friday Story is true and its gut-wrenching and its painful to watch.  It's a story of struggle, of dedication, of courage and of perseverance.  It's the story of Main Street.
The Cases', owners of DressUp.

I know all too well the feel of The Friday Story.  I've had the pleasure of working for small businesses for a good portion of my high school and college life.  We had a florist in the family and I got the chance to learn a trade with my aunt Sarah and grandmother Lois in downtown Summerville, Georgia.  Floral business is hard work and can either be hectic or slow ... it seems there is no in-between.  For many small businesses, this concept of Feast or Famine can be daunting.  This is a premier character of The Friday Story.  Another adventure in small business came when I left for college.  Needing work to help pay the rent, I took up with a group of golden girls at Pittypat Junction Florist on South Lumpkin Street in Athens, Georgia.  Again, that trade skill paid off in a weekly check, but the theme of small business life continued.

Owning a small business and working for one are two very different things.  When my mother and two of her sisters decided to buy a restaurant in my hometown and offer up country cooking (which was delicious!), I saw even more of this Friday Story.  Having an understanding of its impact, particularly for those that work in downtowns, will become the basis of your professional success.  It will give you insight into the emotions, it will give you a glimpse of entrepreneurship, and most importantly it will reaffirm your dedication to the idea that moms and pops matter in the context of the place you are making.

The Friday Story is nothing more than this: small businesses work hard all week to make it and Friday is the day of decision for that business and its owner.   With each decision comes a cataclysmic crash of human resources, debt management, investment, and business growth.  Friday is payroll and account reconciliation day for most small businesses.  As an entrepreneur, this is the day that you decide if you can take home a paycheck for that week or not.  It also becomes the day that you decide the need for employees, the opportunity for business reinvestment and how to manage company debt. 

I love to tell people that the biggest difference between Downtown Development and Industrial Development is sustainability.  While it can be wonderful for a community to see a major industry land within its borders, often the job decisions related to that investment are not made locally.  Sometimes meetings in boardrooms in other states or countries will impact the livelihood of your neighbors and job cuts can come at tough times.  Downtown development is geared on Small Business Economic Development.  I have seen firsthand that entrepreneurs take the jobs of their employees to heart and to the wallet personally.  These employees are more than ID numbers in a system.  The businesses are run through the work of friends, family and neighbors.  In small business the employee matters.  There were many times that after the lunch shift on Friday (a biggie for small downtown restaurants) my Aunt would rush to the bank to make a deposit.  For a while, I thought it was to make sure that we didn't have too much cash on hand for the weekend.  While this might have been the case some weeks mostly it was because of something more too common for entrepreneurs.  She wanted to make sure there was enough cash in the account to cover payroll and expenses.  Checks were handwritten to employees every Friday, but never given out until after the close of the shift.  If it was a bad week for business, it didn't mean the employees felt the pain ... it meant the owners didn't take home any pay for themselves.  It meant that a vendor might have to wait an extra week for payment.  It meant that the terms of service with vendors might be jeopardized.  It meant more than just snap decisions. 


Friday's Story occurs everywhere.  Our small businesses work hard all week and are sometimes successful but sometimes fall further behind.  It would be easy to point them back to a business plan, advise them to personally invest more into the company or to liquidate some assets.  However, I can tell you that Friday is the day that you as a downtown professional will see the biggest swing in moods within your merchants.  The couple that is taking their staff out for a drink had a good week.  The owner of the shop down the street that sits in her car a few extra minutes after locking the door probably did not.  It's during these times that Main Street has to be aware of The Friday Story.  We have to celebrate the success of the week and encourage those that missed their mark.  We also need to be cognizant of the fact that many entrepreneurs may put on a good face, but struggle dearly to make it work.  Small business is a huge investment by entrepreneurs and their families.  I have seen failures result in foreclosed homes, bitterness, divorce, and even death.  We have to be able to read the face of the Friday Story and develop the personal approach to help entrepreneurs cope.  Here's a simple list of things to remember:

1.  Friday is not the day to ask for donations from businesses. In fact, it's not the day to bother most entrepreneurs.  They too are looking forward to the weekend, and this day is hectic enough.  Try communicating on a Tuesday instead.

2. Make sure local officials (particularly city council members, the city administrator, and other leadership) understand the dynamics of the downtown business community.  You can be a better help to entrepreneurs when those officials understand the downtown impact.  Know the number of employees, businesses, and property digest data for your downtown.

3. Never underestimate the power of a face to face visit.  You should see each business owner in your district at least once a quarter, but preferably on a monthly basis.

4. Make your business owners human.  It is easy to see the business when you see the person.   Try to get in their shoes.  Learn about their families, their hobbies, their dreams.  This will make you a better advocate for them.



     

Thursday, August 29, 2013

"You Tell Them You're an Economic Developer ..."

It's easy to see how people could confuse the work of the downtown development professional as something else.  What other career path offers so much daily diversity, so much public interaction, so much behind the scenes planning and troubleshooting, and yet still manages to lead people to ask just what you do?  I remember well the article in the local paper said that this 23 year old was there to save the downtown. 

One of my first stops was to see the old men that gathered at the local drug store (a place that hadn't sold medicine or anything really in 20 years or more).  They sat in their old chairs that the each brought from home and had fashioned into a discussion pit complete with tweeds, vinyl, and some foreign materials of upholstery circa 1970s.  In this circle, the brain trust of the city met daily to discuss politics, gossip (yes, men gossip), and headlines near and far.  They each had their own keys, gifts from the deceased store owner's daughter ... a token of gratitude for the friendship they had meant to the former proprietor and as a way to keep an eye on the place during their morning meeting routine.  I'm sure they had seen my picture in the paper, the apparent messiah to Main Street came in the form of a husky (I've learned to live with it since childhood), fresh faced just out of college boy with a southern drawl and a necktie.  I'm sure they had me pegged as another outsider looking to stir up this suburban pot.

The first conversations in a new role are often awkward.  You know what your job description says and what the interviewer has expressed is your job ... but what the heck is a "Downtown Manager?"  I was flustered enough by the reaction I got anytime I mentioned downtown ... "We have a downtown?" ... "I hear they're going to bulldoze the old buildings for a new project." ... "That's a speed-trap."  I'll never forget Mr. Herb Priest.  He was the owner of the downtown furniture store ... the dean of businessmen in the county, it seemed, and also one of my interviewers from the board.  I remembered him well from the interview ... he dosed off (which he occasionally did several times in board meetings with the discussion of policy, finance, or special event decorations took over the agenda.  I asked him the best approach in telling others what I was hired to do.  He said Downtown Manager sounds like you should be serving fries to unhappy customers that are tired of dealing with the cashier.  He said, "You be honest ... you are a professional.  You tell them you're an Economic Developer."

Herb Priest was right.  Too many times we don't claim the importance of our work.  Downtown Manager doesn't allude to your expertise, your leadership or your vision.  It may be the basis of our work, coordinating efforts and guiding the ship, but if you want generic you have other routes to go.  Downtown Development Professionals are counselors (personal and financial) to their merchants, they are life-coaches, cheerleaders, sanitation workers, designers, fundraisers, peacemakers, lobbyists, preservationists, marketeers, analysts, landscapers, meeting facilitators, shrinks, journalists, promoters, bookkeepers, cruise-ship directors, real estate agents, liability controllers, personal secretaries, media liaisons, planners, visionaries, placemakers, investment account brokers (you help keep assets in tact!), clergy, transportation and parking consultants, genealogists, librarians, handymen, bellhops, the concierge, the torch-bearer, the teacher, the preacher and change necessary to make downtown work.

Never underestimate your importance to the community.  Never paint yourself in the little box.  YOU are ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.  You help to create, retain, expand and adapt the local workforce.  You recruit, educate, retain and expand business.  You leverage public dollars for private investment.  You may not make the front page, but you make sure the paper has something positive to opine about.  You are the Main Street Effect and you make Georgia proud!