Author Archives: Bloomington Chamber Staff

Facing Failure

Throughout our careers and our lives, stumbles are inevitable. More often than not, the task of picking yourself up and moving on can appear daunting. The trouble with failure, aside from its obvious implications, is that it’s embarrassing. Not only do we have to manage the personal, internal shame of our shortfalls, but we also must be prepared for the adverse reactions of our peers and co-workers. With the right approach, we can bounce back from a fiasco of even the most epic proportions. So how do we proceed following a workplace disaster?

Don’t pretend it never happened. Rule number one: don’t ignore the existence of a problem. If you’re not willing to acknowledge your mess-ups, it’s impossible to move forward.

Don’t make excuses. It is undoubtedly obvious that your failure was an accident, so there’s no need to defend your actions. Admit the failure to yourself and your co-workers, apologize for your mistakes, and let your peers know that you’re working to prevent any future occurrences.

Don’t confuse a failed goal for a failed person. While a defeat is hard to accept, one failure doesn’t make you a failure. Keeping a positive attitude is key. Your goal should be to make up for your shortfalls with even greater success in the future.

Don’t forget that you’re not alone. Everyone fails. It happens to the best of us. Remember that even the most successful businesspeople have failed countless times throughout their careers.

Don’t ignore the bigger picture. Keep in mind that life is all about the lessons you learn. Turn your failures into successes by stepping back to analyze the positive aspects of the situation.

Adapted from “Five Rules to Rebound from Failure,” Bill Bartmann, Entrepreneur.com

Why I’m Going to the Realtor® Rally in Washington, DC

On Thursday, May 17, 2012 Realtors® from across the country are gathering on the steps of Capitol Hill to tell members of Congress that Home Ownership Matters – to people, to communities, and to America.

Why now? Because despite the heated rhetoric of an election year, Realtors® remain focused on homeownership, housing and real estate issues; we know that the challenges our country faces aren’t going away after November. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue the American dream of homeownership, and we will fight against obstacles that make it more difficult for people to buy, own and invest in real estate.

I’ve practiced real estate here in Monroe and Owen counties for 8 years. During that time, I’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of families invest in their futures through homeownership. Over the past few years, however, I’ve also seen buyers with good jobs and strong credit histories turned down for loans; hard-working families who are unable to refinance into lower monthly mortgage payments; and people lose their homes to foreclosure because their bank was too slow to process a short sale.

There are some who say we should turn our backs on homeownership – that the government should step away from insuring and purchasing mortgages, that homeowners shouldn’t be able to take advantage of certain tax benefits, and that maybe owning a home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, after all.

There’s no doubt that homeownership isn’t for everyone. The decision to own a home is a very personal one. But there’s a reason we’re a nation of homeowners, by-and-large. Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “A nation of homeowners is unconquerable.” That’s because homeownership fosters stronger communities, creates social stability, and contributes to a strong economy.

Yes, Realtors® sell real estate, and cynics may view our efforts as self-serving. But in doing our jobs, we help people into homes that give them shelter, a sense of community, and the opportunity to build financial security over the long term. We help businesses find homes, too; commercial real estate is just as much a part of the fabric of our local economy as are homes for families.

As we look to America’s future, we must not lose sight of the values that helped make our country strong in the first place. Realtors® want our country’s current and future leaders to understand the vital role that real estate plays in both the long- and short-term health of this nation. And that’s why I’m going to Washington.

 

Brian Thompson

President, Bloomington Board of Realtors®

The Truth in Time

Time doesn’t lie; however, people do. As we all know, there are 24 hours in a day. This adds up to just 168 hours per week. Time is commonly considered our most valuable resource, and if anything, its value has only increased throughout the evolution of modern society.

These days we’re all “busy bees.” We juggle countless social and professional responsibilities, and the pressure of maintaining a perfect work-life balance can be overwhelming at times. But are we really as busy as we think we are? We’re actually all plagued by BBS—busy bee syndrome. Our vision is clouded by the false illusions our to-do lists and day planners create. They may be overflowing with tasks and commitments, but many may be insignificant or require minimal time. While busy bee syndrome isn’t a legitimate ailment, evidence from the American Time Use Survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that exaggeration of one’s workload is a common problem.

Let’s face it, whether proud of it or not, most of us are highly competitive. There’s no denying the feeling of pride that accompanies excellence. Along the same lines, we also enjoy the reception of sympathy from our peers. We complain about our lack of sleep and how jam-packed our schedules are, and we use this as a source of competition. We embellish our stories and exaggerate our time constraints, and the knowledge that we’re the busiest is oddly satisfying. What is this competition truly accomplishing, though? When fibbing to others, we’re also essentially lying to ourselves about how we truly spend our days.

It’s time for us to accept the truth about time. We must hold ourselves accountable for our actions and focus on the conservation of our most precious resource.

Here are some secrets to discovering time management weaknesses:

Be honest with yourself. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? The easiest way to fully assess your time crunch is to keep a journal. Don’t worry, this isn’t your average elementary-esque diary. It’s a time log. Record your daily activities in list form—no mushy musings necessary. The few minutes we spend taking small breaks or checking various social media websites are more significant than we realize. Just three six-minute breaks interspersed throughout each day add up to over two hours each week. If we’re truly as busy as we claim, those two hours can be spent much more efficiently. By keeping track of your time, you create a system for analyzing productivity. At the end of the day, group your tasks into categories such as “travel,” “work,” and “personal,” and sum the corresponding amounts of time. Compare these totals and ask yourself, “Am I devoting too much/little of my time to this area?”

Be honest with your peers. Once you’ve realized the full scope of your internal dishonesty, you can move on to the next step: admitting the truth to your peers. While we’re working on personal improvement here, there’s no need to admit past transgressions to anyone other than ourselves. Our main focus is moving forward. Remember that no one likes a “one-upper,” those annoying people who always have a better story or a longer list of tasks to complete. Fight the urge to offer up a competing grievance when a peer shares a complaint with you. Simply acknowledge their struggles and share your sympathy. Your workload most likely feels more burdensome to you than it may appear to others, and excessive complaints can become annoying. All in all, try to remain humble. Don’t forget, productivity and efficiency are key. Complaints waste precious time! 

Adapted from, “Are You As Busy As You Think?” Laura Vanderkam, Online.WSJ.com

Why Criticism is Always Constructive

Criticism is a necessary evil—hard to accept, but ultimately beneficial. The true problem with critical comments stems from the motivation that lies behind them, and this issue often manifests in the delivery of the remarks. Competition in the workplace can significantly contribute to negative feelings between co-workers and give rise to critical attacks. The most successful leaders are those who can hear the unkind words, determine what can be learned from them, and continue to move forward without letting emotions cloud their judgment or affect their performance. A positive spin can be put on even some of the most hurtful statements. These instances should always be treated as learning experiences. You’re learning something, no matter if it’s merely to guard yourself from the verbal attacks of particular peers or if it’s to better proofread the emails you send out.

Keep these tactics in mind when scathing remarks are thrown your way:

1.    Don’t overreact. Try to remain calm, and remember to control your anger. Fighting back will only worsen the already unfortunate situation. Any unprofessional responses should be saved for an appropriate time or place, behind closed doors. Don’t forget that there is no room for a personal problem in a professional environment.

2.    Seek an impartial opinion. Confide in a close friend or loved one who is far removed from the situation. You may find difficulty in determining what you can learn from a particular encounter because of your emotional investment. An unbiased confidant will be willing and able to pick out the potential positive aspects and offer advice on how to proceed.

3.    Remain focused on your ultimate goal. Remember that you and your peers are working for the same company. Your short-term initiatives should be complementary, and your long-term objectives should be highly similar, if not exactly the same. Personal conflicts must always be put aside, not only for the betterment of the company, but also for the advancement of your career.

4.    Keep a positive attitude. You’re learning. You’re moving forward. You’re succeeding. These are all good things. Don’t let a string of negative remarks distract you from your work. If your critics see that their words can’t affect you, the verbal attacks will lose their appeal.

5.    Evaluate yourself. Be aware of your strengths and your weaknesses. Capitalize on the assets, and work diligently to minimize the shortcomings. If you’re already conscious of your faults, statements of criticism will have a much lesser impact.

While it’s important to shield yourself from the negative effects of criticism, you must remain open to the learning experiences such an opportunity may present. Even though the disapproval may prove difficult to accept, the benefits that can ultimately be gained will be long-lasting and significant.

Adapted from “How to Deal With Really Tough Criticism: Five Steps,” Christine M. Riordan, Forbes.com

Are You an Effective Communicator?

First impressions are everything. What are first impressions based on? Communication. When applying for a job, the first step is to communicate your strengths—send a cover letter and résumé. Excellent communication skills assert intelligence and portray a positive image, right from the start. Letters with grammatical errors and lack of purpose are immediately tossed aside, while those that demonstrate superior knowledge and confidence are called in for interviews, which take communication to the next level. Interviewees must then convey an air of professionalism and preparedness through not only their verbal communication skills, but also their body language as well. Essentially, communication is the basis for everything we do. We are communicating every second of every day, whether we realize it or not.

A friend of mine, who is one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met, unfortunately has very poor communication skills. Even as an honors student, the one subject in school that she never quite seemed to grasp was English. Her intelligence has gotten her far, but she is slowly realizing that she really must sharpen her grammar knowledge in order to be taken seriously.

Grammar is the foundation for communication, but another skill that must be mastered is presentation. Even proficiency in written communication is not enough to compete with the best these days. In order to stand out in a sea of cookie-cutter professionals, one must convey these skills through writing, express them verbally, and finally put them into action. The difficult part here is the verbal presentation. Even the most skilled individuals can appear to be unintelligent through the use of ineffective communication styles. The trick is to convince those around you of your knowledgeability.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when evaluating your communication skills:

How did people react when I spoke? The effectiveness of communication can be easily determined from initial reactions. If colleagues respond negatively or meet your contributions with criticism, your delivery could probably use some work. Positive reactions signal effective portrayal.

Did I make my point? If you are successful in your communications, co-workers will listen carefully and they will take your views into consideration. If you leave meetings feeling as if your point was not accurately conveyed or as if you could have said more to express your thoughts, the chances that others fully grasped your initiative are slim to none.

Did people respect my opinions? Co-workers won’t waste any time on ineffective arguments. Superior ideas will immediately be presented and meetings will move forward quickly from points they perceive to be invalid. If your ideas are generally held in high esteem, others will ask for your thoughts.

If you feel as if your methods of communication don’t quite measure up to those around you, it’s definitely worth the time and effort to reevaluate your techniques. Your peers and your career will surely realize the benefits.

Adapted from “5 Ways to Determine If Your Communication Style is Hurting Your Career,” Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com

Busy Work: The Ultimate Illusion

At some point or another, whether during our education or career, we’ve all undoubtedly come across someone in a position of leadership who is insistent upon the merits of busy work. Professors who dole out countless assignments and superiors who readily make long strings of demands both fall into this unfortunate category. What many fail to accept is that this busy work does not amount to much progress.

A mentor once told me to “work smart, not hard,” and I initially pushed the thought aside in order to do just what he was cautioning me to avoid. It seemed like such an obvious and simple concept that I automatically assumed I was already applying it to my work. It wasn’t until that night as I was mulling over the happenings of my day before bed that I finally came to a realization:  I wasn’t as “smart” as I had previously thought. I had spent my day working through tasks that could have been more easily completed by someone else. It will forever be a struggle of mine to delegate tasks to others and to further prioritize those that I am best suited to complete.

Taking on too much at once creates a sense of what John Kotter, chief innovation officer of Kotter International, calls “false urgency” in a contribution to Forbes’ website. This illusion of a critical situation is essentially a response to the stress created by an overwhelming amount of work looming in the future. We must learn to recognize legitimate urgency for what it truly is and to adjust accordingly. Too much activity is a breeding ground for anxiety, which can only lead to more substantial problems.

Some keys to working smart include:

1. Prioritize – Keep a complete list of tasks that you must complete. Even keeping track of the smallest duties can help you effectively plan your day. Try using word processing software or to-do list applications so you can easily delete and reorder items, and arrange these items in reverse order of due date. Especially crucial tasks should be highlighted and possibly moved to the top of the list.

2. Delegate – It is often horribly difficult to pass work onto others. We can only completely trust ourselves to get the job done correctly, right? While this may be true, certain tasks must be prioritized and entrusted to the care of others for the sake of time. It’s okay to keep a watchful eye out at first, but try to build trust with peers. Learn their specific strengths and make assignments accordingly.

3. Organize – An effective presentation is one that is structured and streamlined. Basically, get to the main point quickly. The minds of busy colleagues are likely to wander should you include heaps of meaningless “fluff” in your argument. Time wasted on an unorganized mess with an unclear objective can be better spent on issues that truly matter.

4. Evaluate – Take the time to step back from your projects, and ask yourself, “Is this really necessary?” Are you making progress? Is your work truly accomplishing something beneficial? By eliminating things that are irrelevant or insignificant, you can find more time in your hectic schedule to devote to what really matters. Remember, it’s okay to take shortcuts as long as you don’t let the quality of your work suffer.

In summary, keep things simple. Work smart, not hard, and never lose focus on the ultimate goal.

Adapted from, “Why Busy Work Doesn’t Work,” John Kotter, Forbes.com

 

Calling All Leadership Volunteers!

Do you serve on a nonprofit Board of Directors, or would you like to?

Do you have questions about what is expected of you?

The City of Bloomington Volunteer Network is pleased to announce the launch of the Nonprofit Board Certificate Program. This certificate will be offered to individuals who complete a ½ day seminar consisting of four one-hour sessions.  These sessions cover the regulations, legal responsibilities, financial and fundraising obligations, and ongoing activities involved in serving as a member of the Board of Directors of a nonprofit organization in Indiana. Each of the four sessions includes opportunities for discussion as well as hands-on workshop activities.

Nonprofit Board Certificate Program

Date: Thursday, Oct. 20 from 1-5 p.m.

Cost: $25 per person

Location: Council Chambers of City Hall (8th and Morton St. Bloomington)

To register: Go to www.bloomington.in.gov/volunteer

Mail payment to: City of Bloomington Volunteer Network PO Box 100 Bloomington IN 47402

If you have questions or need an invoice: Contact Bet Savich, Director, City of Bloomington Volunteer Network at 812-349-3472 or volunteer@bloomington.in.gov

_______________________

Benefits to businesses of their employees joining nonprofit boards:

  • Nonprofit boards provide a learning environment to cultivate leaders, including the ability to think and act more strategically. These skills will transfer back to your work place.
  • your business or corporation’s name will be extended out into the community through professional networking
  • employee morale, retention and recruitment will be enhanced by the opportunity for board service
  • your employees will contribute critical business expertise to a local nonprofit organization which also contributes to both the quality of life and the economy. These skills include finance, mergers, public relations, human resources, law, real estate, accounting, and other core areas.
  • In addition to the practical skills which your employees contribute, they will also focus their time and attention on the organization’s mission and vision, and how to achieve it. This will carry over to their thinking about your business.

The Volunteer Network’s Purpose in bringing this training to the community:

  • To provide individuals from businesses, from the professions, and from the general community who currently serve or are considering serving as volunteer members of a nonprofit board of directors with a strong grounding in the roles and responsibilities involved with such service.
  • To provide interested nonprofit organizations with an excellent resource for potential new volunteer board members – individuals that have demonstrated interest in nonprofit board service as well as the knowledge needed to be an effective board member
  • To strengthen and transform the Monroe County nonprofit landscape by elevating the performance of its governance teams.

The program will answer questions such as:

–          How do I find out what will be expected of me?

–          What should I expect from the organization?

–          What are my financial and legal responsibilities?

–          What authority do I have – and do others have?

–          Will I have to raise money?  If so, how do I go about it?

–          What questions should I be asking if I’m asked to serve on a nonprofit’s board?

–          How can I make a significant and positive impact on the organization – and on our community?

Requirements:

  • Completion of the four hour Nonprofit Board Certificate Program
  • Completion of an “Areas of Nonprofit Board Interest” questionnaire (given during final session)

Each individual who completes the program may opt to be included on a list available to organizations which are actively seeking board members. After 12 months, individuals who wish to continue to be listed must participate in a free one-hour workshop which provides updated information on nonprofit regulations, the opportunity to share board experiences and the opportunity to update your questionnaire.

This program is supported by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Bloomington Monroe County Alumni Association, NonProfit Alliance of Monroe County, and United Way of Monroe County.


Elizabeth D. Savich, Director
City of Bloomington Volunteer Network
volunteer@bloomington.in.gov

What the Heck is the Durbin Amendment…and how does it affect my business?

Joe Willett, Bloomington Area representative with Chamber member Infintech, helps to answer some questions that local business owners may have surrounding the Durbin Amendment. Although this amendment is supposed to lower fees on debit/check card transactions – there’s still a question:
Will Your Business Get 100% of the Federally Mandated Debit Card Fee Reduction?

Let’s hear from Joe:

You may have recently heard about the passing of the Durbin Amendment through Congress. The Federal Reserve recently issued its final ruling on interchange, or swipe fees on debit card transactions. In a nutshell, this amendment will force the banks to lower interchange fees on Visa & MasterCard debit/check card transactions to near nothing, but not every merchant accepting Debit Card transactions will benefit from this historic interchange fee reduction.

What’s an Interchange Fee?

An interchange fee is the charge assessed on a merchant every time you swipe your debit or credit card. The fee varies widely, depending on the card and the merchant, and is levied to offset the cost of fraud prevention and processing the transaction. Fraudulent charges on a debit card are relatively small, so they command lower swipe fees; signature cards have the largest swipe fees, since they often have the highest credit limits.

What does this amendment mean for consumers?

Banks have already factored in the loss of interchange revenue, and many are levying new fees on checking accounts, raising minimum balance requirements, and ending debit rewards programs. Credit card swipe fees account for 65 percent of the total interchange costs, so the savings from debit swipe fees are unlikely to be noticeable for consumers.

Although this law, effective October 1, is going to reduce the cost to process debit/check cards, it does not necessarily mean that savings will be passed to you as a merchant. Many processors will be the only recipient of these margins, and whether the merchant pockets the savings or if the credit card processor pockets the savings will be determined largely on the type of pricing model the credit card processor has a particular merchant set up on.

The Chamber invites  you to learn more:

To learn the facts about how the Durbin Amendment will impact your business’ bottom line, register online for a no charge webinars that Infintech is hosting that will help guide you through the complicated process of understanding the Durbin Amendment and its possible impact on your business.

Wed, Sep 21, 2011 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM EDT

Register Here!

To speak directly with the Bloomington Area Infintech Representative, Joe Willett, please call 812-568-6397 or email Joe at joe.willett@infintechllc.com

10 Management Lessons from Harry Potter – Kelley Brown/Leigh Steere

I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. I admit it.  I read all the books right alongside my two boys as they were growing up, fighting the urge to read ahead after they fell asleep. Yes – I was the “that person” who cried in the movies and, of course, at the end of the final book. So when I saw this article, I was immediately drawn in. Who knew that our beloved wizard friend could also teach us so much about management!? Thank you to author Leigh Steere (and Harry!) for these great lessons:

To conclude this summer’s Harry Potter mania, it seems fitting to study the HR implications of J.K. Rowling’s seven volumes.

Her novels explore human nature, communication dynamics, moral dilemmas, and social issues, so why not use them as a source of business inspiration?

Consider this scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore gives Harry an urgent assignment. Harry makes one feeble attempt at completing it, but fails. He ponders other possible approaches to the task but postpones taking further action. (Sound like any employees you’ve encountered?)

Days later, Dumbledore asks Harry about his progress. After Harry describes his one measly attempt, Dumbledore sits in calm silence. He doesn’t yell or get mad. After a few moments, he simply responds, “I see. And you feel you have exerted your very best efforts in this matter? That you have exercised all of your considerable ingenuity? That you have left no depth of cunning unplumbed in your quest” to complete the assignment?

Here’s the beauty of Dumbledore’s performance management technique: By staying calm, he keeps Harry focused on performance. Managers who lose their cool miss a teaching opportunity. Why? The employee’s focus shifts away from the business at hand to managing a volatile communication.

Here are nine other business lessons from the series:

1. Recognize your prejudices. In the Potter books, we meet “squibs” (offspring who lack magical skill), “mudbloods” (witches and wizards with non-magical parents), giants, and werewolves. Various people shun them just because of their “status.” Managers: Who makes you uncomfortable? Discomfort often signals a lurking prejudice.
2. Treat people as equals, and they will give their all for you. Dobby, the house elf, blows his nose into his clothes, instead of using a tissue. Luna wears odd jewelry and rattles on about far-fetched topics that cause fellow students to label her “Loonie Lovegood.” Harry steadfastly treats them as equals. He listens to them and genuinely considers their input. Do you treat everyone as equals, regardless of their job or salary? When you do, they’ll go to the mat for you.
3. Choose competence over pedigree. Some think Hagrid’s lack of credentials should disqualify him from teaching Care of Magical Creatures, despite his clear gifting with critters.Are you passing over great candidates, because they have diplomas from community college instead of Harvard?
4. Pause before judging an employee’s potential. Neville Longbottom can’t seem to get anything right in the early books. In one class, he ends up suspended from a chandelier. Physically clumsy and lacking confidence, Neville becomes fodder for pranks and bullying. Yet he emerges as a key hero later on. Have you written off any employees as “lacking potential?” Take a second look.
5. Speak up if you see what’s holding an employee back. Neville is extremely gifted in herbology. But his grandmother thinks working with plants is a “soft” occupation and actively steers him toward another career. He begins succeeding when Professor McGonagle encourages him to play to his strengths instead of his grandmother’s whims. Millennials with helicopter parents may be marching to mom’s and dad’s rotors. Help young workers break the tether and find their own flight path.
6. Avoid saying “shut up and follow the rules.” That’s oppression, not leadership.Dolores Umbridge shows what happens when you saddle people with layers of regulations. Some lose their motivation, psychologically “check out,” and continue plodding along with their heads hung low. Others rebel in disruptive ways. The Weasley twins’ exit in Book 5 is breathtaking. Are your employees plotting dramatic departures?
7. Be humble enough to change your mind publicly. Harry Potter has many reasons to hate Severus Snape, who constantly makes disparaging remarks about the young wizard. But in the end, Potter gets new information that reshapes his thinking. Harry names his second child Albus Severus Potter in the ultimate public reversal of sentiment. Managers: willingness to admit mistakes builds workplace trust and respect.
8. Foster collaboration. Discourage “lone cowboy” mentality. Harry and Ron would not have survived without Hermione’s textbook knowledge. None of them would have made it without help from Aberforth, Order of the Phoenix, and Dumbledore’s Army. Does your organization reward prima donnas or great team players?
9. Break the elder wand. Power corrupts. Succeeding in business isn’t about collecting power. It’s about serving others and improving the world in some way. How are you personally making a difference in the workplace?

“Protecting a Community’s Brand” by Jim Walton

How would a secret shopper respond?

Jim Walton

 

The other day, I was reading an article on a newspaper web site and, as is often the case, it offered an opportunity for readers to voice an opinion about the article. I have mixed feelings about such forums. Some of the responders offer positive or constructive comments while a few others are folks who just love to stir the pot with negativity. You know them, they’re Cavemen. Citizens Against Virtually Everything. They’re never happy and they want the world to know it.

 

I was having coffee recently with a site selection consultant friend and asked him if he ever looks at such forums while in the process of evaluating communities for prospective jobs projects. “I sure do,” he said, “and I sometimes find alarming information.”

 

He told me that once he has narrowed his list of communities to a handful, maybe three to five, he’ll visit media web sites, looking for stories or forums that might reveal issues that could present challenges to his client. He said he will also listen to streaming television or radio broadcasts to hear which issues are being discussed. “Election seasons can be very revealing,” he said, “all of the dirt is in plain sight.”

 

He also said that he’ll go to the city or county web site and read the minutes of council meetings. In addition to learning how elected officials handle incentives and other issues, he finds out how they interact with the business community and one another. Do they work together in a positive, community-building manner or do the minutes reveal a tone of incivility that he might choose to avoid? In these days of internet connectivity, your community’s brand reputation is out there for the world, including prospective employers, to see.

 

Secret shopper site visits

Have you heard of secret shoppers? That’s when a company hires someone to go into a retail establishment, posing as a customer, in order to report back about their experience. Were the employees friendly and helpful or were they rude? Did they offer assistance or were you ignored? How was the food?

 

Site selection consultants, under contract to find a new home for a prospective employer, sometimes do the same thing. Without the knowledge of the economic developer or elected officials, a person or team of people will show up, blend in, and observe. They’ll eat in your restaurants, stay in your hotels, visit your retail establishments, and interact with your citizens. Are they polite, friendly, and positive about the community or just the opposite?

 

A site selection consultant once told me about a secret shopper visit when he asked a young man, “What’s the one thing I should see while I’m here?” Without hesitation, the young man said, “The town in your rear view mirror.” Ouch!

 

While on a secret shopper mission, the team will report on any number of things, such as road conditions, your industrial park, schools, community entryways, the downtown area, and much, much more. Based on their findings, your community can advance to the next level of consideration or be cut from the list if they don’t like what they see and hear. And, here’s the shocker, you may never know they were there.

 

I’ve often thought there was an opportunity for a Chamber of Commerce to provide a program to inform retail members about how they impact such visitors.

 

So, who is responsible for a community’s brand? Everyone! It’s not just the job of the county council, the Mayor, or the economic developer. The hotel clerk, waitress, school teacher, store owner, and any citizen can make or break a major jobs deal. When your community is in the top three of five, a site selector has already crunched the numbers and done his or her homework about the financial or workforce aspects of the deal. Any of the communities on the “short list” would work. Now, they’re looking at the little nuances, any reason to take you off the list. It doesn’t take much.

 

Each person in a community is a keeper of the local brand. At Brand Acceleration, we are occasionally called upon to develop a community pride campaign. Working with local leaders, we develop ways to build enthusiasm and pride in the minds of citizens. We remind them that their town, city, or county is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. If such an effort results in one positive comment to just the right person, it could help result in the attraction of hundreds of jobs and a thriving local economy.

 

As with the newspaper mentioned above, you can share your stories and opinions by clicking here to go to my blog.

 

Jim Walton

CEO

jim@brandaccel.com

www.brandaccel.com

 

Brand Acceleration is a full-service advertising, brand management and public relations firm operating from Indianapolis, Indiana and Charlotte, North Carolina. The agency’s focus is on economic development, architecture/engineering/construction and real estate.