Hi, Nikki, I know. I really know, as I started my space as an immigrant. Try your situation only you don't speak or write the language all that well. :-)
The best thing I did had nothing to do with my space. I offered my services as Stage Manager to a local theater group. And also let them have director's meetings and rehearsals when push came to shove in the space. Number one, theater groups can get the word out like *nothing you have ever seen* if they feel like it. Number two, the producer knew this guy see, and he knew this other guy, dig. And before you know it, I became the first American ever (as far as we know anyway) to be embraced by a Dutch Carnaval Crewe. Well, they don't call them that. They call them some impronounceable Dutch thing. But you get the idea. It's a long term thing and it is very frustrating. You have to make your bones and the local Chamber (or whomever) wants you to think that you can do this by just signing up. While this is possible, it is unlikely. One way to find out is, as has already been suggested, to go meet the neighbors. One of the first things I did here was a "get your car washed" promotion. You could come here and work and the nice man fromt he car wash would take your car away dirty and bring it back clean for one flat price, which we split. I negotiated the terms while my car was in the car wash one Saturday. :-) This works well in a climate where there is snow and sand and salt on the undercarriage of course, but it could work well in general. In general, don't approach people in a group. Herds tend to huddle. Try to do it one on one. Laters, Jeannine On Apr 25, 10:04 pm, Niki <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 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.
