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Further
Reading ...
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Preventing Malicious Spyware or Adware from Hijacking Your Computer - Steven Presar
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had used existing fair trade laws in asking a federal court to shut down some of the leading distributors of malicious “spyware” or “adware” software. This type of malicious software may be lumped...
What to Know When Getting Your First Credit Card - Jason Jell
Credit card debt is way too easy to get into these days. It seems like every time I check my mail there is at least one or two pre-approved credit card applications. It doesn’t matter if you have good credit, bad credit, or no credit; they still...
Learn To Manage People - Arthur Cooper
Learn to Manage People By Arthur Cooper (c) Copyright 2004 If you are a manager you are by definition dealing with people. You are managing them. As such, to be successful you must be able to build up a rapport with those you are managing. If you...
New Habits, Growing Economy Help To Sell Giftware And Collectibles - Opal Gilbert
New Habits, Growing Economy Help to Sell Giftware and Collectibles By Opal R. Gilbert Just a few years ago, when one thought of a home-based sales business, Tupperware, Avon and a host of multi-level marketing schemes might have come to mind....
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7 Tips for Starting a New Business in a Small Town
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Written By:
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
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Q. I am transitioning to a new career after sixteen years to spend more time with my family. We moved to a very small town (less than ten thousand people) and I want to start an coffee shop business and also offer PC repair. How can Iinvestigate and then promote this business?
A. In a big city, you'll make decisions by numbers and neighborhoods. In a small town, you schmooze!
On the surface, everyone will be friendly, optimistic and positive.
Your challenge: Get below the surface and learn the true story. You might consider asking a lot of questions before you disclose your own intentions. Listen for, "I wish we had"
1. Talk to others who have opened businesses recently.
What challenges have they faced? What works and what doesn't? Were others newcomers successful? If so, were they truly new or did they have deep roots in the town, such as a brother who lived here forty years?
If nobody's opened a business for awhile, dig deeper. Maybe there's no market. Or maybe they're just waiting for you to arrive! Sometimes a new business can generate latent demand. It's a judgment call.
2. Make a great first impression.
Promotion isn't hard in a small town. Ten minutes after you've opened, everyone will know! Some towns resist doing business with uppity newcomers. Others welcome new blood. Regardless, your first impression will linger a long, long time. And you'll have trouble recovering from a local opinion leader with a bad experience.
3. Uncover the town's market and memory.
Considering buying a business? Take time to discover the owner's reputation. When the local residents seem eager for a change of management, you'll need a new name and image. But if someone's just moved away and everyone misses them, you've got a wonderful opportunity. Right now in Silver City we could use a few first-rate pet-sitters and dog groomers.
But be sensitive to change. Before I moved here, I'm told, at least three coffee shops failed. Now we have several, along with a wine bar and a microbrewery. All seem to - continued below ...
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be thriving.
4. Search the fine print of local regulations.
Here in Silver City, our newest businesses had to fight all kinds of red tape to get opened. One called City Hall to get help with a business that was new to the area. "It's not listed here," said the clerk, "so it's probably illegal." (The business has opened and thrives.) Another discovered his license hadn't come through because the Council forgot to add it to the agendaand they weren't interested in making last-minute changes.
Any time you serve food or drink, you know you're facing permits. Find out what's involved locally.
5. Prepare to do most of the work yourself.
In a small town, you can have trouble finding good help. The local work ethic may surprise you - in either direction.
6. Know your community.
Will your market come from second and third generation local residents? Or are you serving those who relocated recently from urban areas? Here I've met folks who think three dollars is way too much to pay for espresso drinks. But those who bonded with Starbucks will buy at least one cup a day, every day.
7. Build relationships.
If you can attract a town leader, you'll draw a following. Conversely, if you inadvertently alienate a key player, or if a local person's got an idea on the drawing board, you'll be miserable.
And in a small town, you'll be expected to be a super-citizen. Choose alliances and sponsorships carefully. Prepare for all sorts of friendly requests to donate time, materials and money.
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First Steps to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com
"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change"
mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com
Contact: mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294
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Mortgage Cycling – Brilliant or Risky - George Burks
With mortgage rates hovering around 20-year lows, competition in the mortgage industry is fierce. It seems like every day a new mortgage loan strategy comes out that is suppose to be the best thing since sliced bread. Whether it's a mortgage with no...
How to Make Sales by Going the Extra Mile - Laurie Meade
An interesting thing happened today. I had a "newbie" marketer email me with a question. Although I knew the answer to his question, I didn't feel super confident in conveying it the way it needed to be said. I had just finished reviewing an ebook...
Home Business? Start with Time! - Richard Schramm
Almost everyone needs or wants more money coming in, and with this desire most would like to start some sort of extra income-producing project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit "a second job" into their time schedules. ...
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