I understand the struggles from where Niki is coming from. In fact, the rural city my cowork space is very similar. Rural communities are not fertile grounds for true entrepreneurialism if the government and nonprofits entities are as one. In the town of Plymouth, Indiana, that is the case.
The chamber, community foundation, mayor's office and other entities worked hard at taking away business for me, poaching my cowork members and have discouraged me so much that I'm considering locking the doors to my cowork space and using it for my own business only. Four years, four startups later, I'm not only ready to close shop, but I'm willing to relocate me, my business and my family. Stay tuned... In the meantime Niki, and others struggling with the pervasive mentality of your community, here is a memoir I've written to help me sort it all out: http://storify.com/andreacook/a-memoir-of-today-s-professional-woman You are not alone Niki! - Andrea Cook Supporter of the noble game changers and life enhancers through social media marketing. Also a pioneer, coach, editor, cowork owner and consultant for hire. Services vary, Live Event Correspondent services preferred. www.EventCorrespondent.com The Midas Center LLC brands buzz coworking & more 200 N Michigan Street, PO Box 1264, Plymouth, IN 46563 phone: 574-936-7058 cell: 574-933-3999 www.TheMidasCenter.com www.EventCorrespondent.com pinterest / The Midas Center google+ / Andrea Cook - Google+ facebook / The Midas Center facebook / Cowork Space twitter / @midascenter @andreacook On Apr 25, 2012, at 5:01 PM, Veel Hoeden- Where Many Hats Meet! wrote: > I feel your pain being a space in a town of 10,000. I can tell you that > although in theory the Chamber should be your closest ally, not all of them > have that kind of foresight. It may be time to go "black ops". But before > you go buy a ninja suit, let me explain. > > I'm finding that although business join the Chamber or other merchant > associations, their reasoning for doing so is grounded in the hope that it > will work, that it will actually bring more sales or business to them. This > is sometimes the case, but not always so. But many of them, being retail > spaces in very traditional markets don't have anywhere else to go. So they > sock money into the organizations and hang up "buy local" posters hoping at > some point it will all work out. But often they see it more as a community > duty or a "hope for the best" effort instead of a true plan for success. > > That's where you come in. You can position yourself as free or inexpensive > partner to a) help their business and b) cross promote your efforts. Start > small. Pick one business you really think you could work with. Then go talk > to them, explain your thoughts, and see what they are willing to try with > you. That may mean handing out their coupons or displaying a certain product > they only sell, but make it something that both helps them and something > where they think they get MORE value from what they have to give. Fill a gap > the associations don't fill, or just be more personal in how you fill it. > Learn their business well enough that you can sell them to people you meet > (and refer them). Become the underground Chamber for them. So what do they > give? > > Information. Tell them what you do. Who you serve. How you help businesses > and freelancers. Invite them over to your space for coffee. Show them what > it is like to work there and why you rock. Then ask 2 questions. 1) Do you > know anyone that may be interested in our space? 2) Would you be willing to > pass on info about us to those you meet going forward if you here they have > needs we can meet. > > Then wait. Not for long, but long enough, and drop in on them sometime and > see how things are going. Let them know what you have done for them and ask > them if they have met anyone you should talk to. Then listen. > > Not enough bites? Choose business #2, shampoo, rinse, and repeat. Choose > different types of businesses, different types of store owners (gender, age, > interests). Find one that isn't interested, or even upset, that you are > doing an "end around" on the Chamber? Politely apologize and explain that is > not your intent and that you really just want to find ways you can tangibly > support them. Then move on. > > Do this enough and people will start getting the word out to others about > what you do. You may even get some real champions that see the value you > provide in the community and are willing to go to bat for you with the > Chamber or elsewhere. But always, always, always give more than you receive. > (See the book, "The Go-Giver" for a great example of this.) > > And before anyone labels me anti-Chamber, I am not. I think they have value > in communities where they work for the businesses they serve versus collect > memberships and hold the status quo. > > Thanks & God Bless, > > Joel Bennett > Chief Dreamchaser > Veel Hoeden > 641-780-7858 > veelhoeden.posterous.com > Join Us on Facebook! > > <image001.png> > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Niki > Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 3:04 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Coworking] Continuing Saga of cowork in small towns > > I'm trying to connect with people in the small town (13,000) people where my > business is located. I am in the downtown district and joined the Chamber > when I first came to town. Asked them on several occasions if they would like > to cosponsor educational forums, but was "politely told" that they did their > own programs and weren't interested. > > I then asked to be part of the downtown merchant's association and was told > that for $100 a month, they would be happy to allow me entrance into the > "club". I couldn't afford it. I have on a couple of occasions said I'd be > part of a particular marketing event, but haven't got the money to do a lot > of things with them and because I am NOT retail, I don't fit into a lot of > their marketing ideas. > > Today, I sent an email asking the director of the DMA to post this offer to > the group: the conversation follows (my email to him): > > It is so important to support each other in the “Buy Local” arena, that I > want to offer something to the other businesses in Three Rivers. At Business > Success Unlimited we have a table that provides handouts of members of the > group to the public that comes into the Center. I want to open this up to the > business owners of Three Rivers. If you would like to bring in coupons of any > sort from your organization (i.e., buy one get one free, 10% off, etc.) I > will be happy to hand them out to anyone who comes in. I have a welcome > package that we give to prospective members, and this would be a great way to > share your products/services with others, while helping me provide my members > with value added benefits to the Center. Any takers? Thanks, in advance. > > > His response: > > Nancy ~ I feel that you will obtain more credibility from your neighbors in > Historic Downtown if you are involved in The Three Rivers Merchant Group more > so. > > I pass the info along that you send me to the TR Merchant Group AND > others….BUT with more involvement, like the Billboard Sponsorship, your name > will be ON the Billboard for $100 investment, OR any other type of > sponsorships you deem fit for your organization. > > Collaboratively thinking! > > > I am furious -- but is it justified? Am I too close to the forest to see > the trees? How do I respond to this? What else (other than spend LOTS of > money with them, when in the year I've been there, I've not gotten a cent > from this group of people who have never bothered to come in, say hi, "kiss > my **!", or anything. I have offered to give them free marketing time to be > in a video I'm making on my business and on the town. I was going to give > them time to intro themselves and their business in the video that would then > be put on YouTube, etc. Not one person even responded. So -- what do I do? My > business has the potential to help people and in other places has done > exceedingly well. I just can't get these people to open their minds. Thoughts? > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/Yfczh8qNHXkJ. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. 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