Business Visitations in Your Community

By Shelley Paasch, Business Specialist

Photo courtesy of Great Bend Economic Development

An area we like to focus on for our Economic Vitality (EV) committee's is the business visitations component. It is very important to get out into the district and talk with your business owners. Block off some time each week or every other week to do this.

You need to communicate with them to find out what's happening with their business. It really helps measure the stability of the current business climate. By talking with your business owners and developing (or continuing) that relationship, is imperative. This is where you gain trust from that business owner or manager, to find out what challenges they are having or what is working for them. You can easily learn if they are contemplating a new product line and how they came about that decision or even if they have new staff.

There isn't a huge investment required for this to happen, it just requires your time. Which, we all know is very valuable.

Photo courtesy of Go Augusta!

These business visits should be happening with the director and/or the staff, 100%! To make an even bigger impact, the Economic Vitality committee can take on some follow up visits with meaningful information or just a smiling face for a friendly update, or even no agenda at all. This. Is. Priceless.

This is also a great tool for business recruitment by understanding the gaps in your market and what are the strengths you can build upon.

Some additional ways to identify needs that exist in your district are business surveys that go directly to the business owners, asking a series of confidential questions. (We recommend you do this every couple of years).

• Business roundtables are widely successful and gives everyone an opportunity to talk about the challenges and determine solutions.
• You want to ensure this is a productive use of time. If problems, issues or challenges are acknowledged, an associated solution is necessary.
• Perhaps you want to go the route of block meetings? Meaning, if there are a cluster of similar businesses or a niche that wants to meet, the Economic Vitality team can help facilitate.
• Focus groups with customers are a good way of asking "What do you wish were happening in our district?"
• Sometimes mystery shopper programs are a good strategy. Send in individuals that are unknown in your community to gauge how the customer service or experience in our stores are.
• First impressions exchange program (or something similar created by your EV team). This is where you can partner with a community of similar size and each community sends individuals to each other's community to give a "first impression" of said community and provide feedback as to their findings. Then of course, you meet with your business owners, provide the feedback and work on solutions!

There are several work plans involved in this blog, so we hope you take advantage of them!

ICYMI! Designated Communities, Are You Looking for Design Services? Bookmark this link!

Designated Main Street Communities looking for design assistance from our Design Specialist, Robert McLaughlin can access the form HERE.

You may request assistance from streetscape design to facade rehabilitation, from signage to upstairs housing. Once the request comes in, Robert will contact you to discuss the request and work with you to determine the best course of action. Please use this form for all requests of assistance from Robert.

We may have an option for KMS Affiliate Members to request assistance in the future, but for now this is open to only Designated Communities.

Vision Granted and Community Roots will give a one-hour virtual workshop, 10 a.m. June 28, on the introduction to the Thriving Downtowns Investment Playbook. This will include aspects of small-town revitalization and investment strategies including the Key Players and the Readiness Assessment, Stages of Investment and Strategies to help communities attract investment.

This is a precursor to our Quarterly Training in Newton, Kansas in July (see save the date below).

Save the date!!

July 25, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

July 26, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Prairy Market & Deli,

601 N. Main Street, Newton, Kansas

Tools for Economic Vitality: Asset Strategies for Thriving Downtowns

Training will consist of leaders across the state working in the minority space, lending their expertise with an equity focus through entrepreneurship, socially, culturally, and financial progression through healthy partnerships to activate ecosystems through inclusivity.

The Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) is launching the Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity (LINC)  program, which is a multi-faceted effort to improve broadband infrastructure, middle mile connectivity, and Internet Exchange Point capabilities within the State of Kansas. The goal of the LINC program is to reduce the cost of internet service, increase its availability and improve its performance for users. LINC will provide opportunities for increased adoption of the internet.

Applications due by 5 p.m., June 19

NextGen Under 30 Kansas recognizes individuals who demonstrate talent, drive, and service to their communities.

The Kansas Department of Commerce is looking for any young adult doing amazing things in Kansas who is 30 years old, or younger, anytime in 2023. The NextGen Under 30 mission is to identify and honor these very talented young adults, to encourage them to follow their lifetime family and career goals in Kansas. Nominate someone you think is doing a great job. There are 27 categories. Deadline to nominate is July 28, 2023. Application deadline August 4, 2023.

Stories from Strong Communities

Community Development programs are essential tools that assist Kansas communities in their pursuit to provide quality investments for community and economic growth. We want to brag on YOUR community! Click the link below if you would like us to feature your community in the Division newsletter or in one of these future emails.