Transform your business into a community

This post is from "Cindy's Blog" written by Cindy Bates, VP from Microsoft’s SMB&D Team. Please click below to see the link to her blog. MCC is a Silver partner of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.


Building a strong customer community is a topic I plan to devote more time to on this blog, in part because I really believe it’s a way for small businesses to foster affinity among their customer base and grow their business.

One small business that has been particularly effective at building a customer community is located in my neck of the woods. Seattle-based evo sprang from humble beginnings, when founder Bryce Phillips started the company in his Seattle apartment in 2001. A lot has changed since then. evo now serves as a ski, skate and snowboard shop, clothing store, art gallery and a community gathering place.

Over the past 10 years or so, Bryce has focused on creating a retail experience that brings together all of the things evo customers love, including cultural events and non-profit efforts, into one physical space. In so doing, he’s created more than a loyal customer base - but an actual community of brand loyalists.

The community aspect is inherent in how evo has built its business. Its online presence mirrors its physical Seattle space, with photos and witty bios of evo employees. The company blog communicates personality and reaches beyond the company’s local geographic area through generous giveaways, attention-grabbing videos and all kinds of news related to an active lifestyle. What’s more, customers who order products from evo are often treated to personal thank you notes with their purchase.

Want to find inject community-building strategies into your customer relationships? Here are a few more examples of what evo has done that you spark ideas for your own business:
Clarity in mission. evo’s owners know exactly what they want the company to be about and who they want to reach. Their corporate mission is to promote collaboration between culture and sport. Since there’s no waffling on why evo exists, they can more effectively target their intended audience with events and efforts that really speak to individuals interested in culture and sport, including skateboard and snowboard mentorships for kids. For some basics on developing a corporate mission statement, check out this Entrepreneur article.
A willingness to think beyond product transactions. Movie premieres and art showings might not sell ski gear today, but they do succeed in creating a great impression and certainly contribute toward positive word-of-mouth. Try holding a company brainstorm and see what ideas you and your employees can drum up to think beyond the cash register. Businesses with physical storefronts should certainly consider on-site events, while companies that only have online presences can explore community-oriented options including tweet-ups, online forums and live streaming of speakers or events.
Contagious passion. evo’s employees clearly have a passion for the urban, action sports lifestyle. Getting into their customers’ brains is easy since they already are their ideal customer. When bringing new members onto your team, ask yourself, “Can I envision this person demonstrating enthusiasm for our product/service and their role within the company?” Of course not all businesses center on hobbies or products that intrinsically get people excited, but even when it comes to the worlds of plumbing and insurance, leading companies will exude a passion for excellence in whatever they do or sell and passion begins with employees. Figure out what you need to do to kindle or rekindle enthusiasm among your employees, even if it means injecting more humor into your company’s culture, supporting continuing education or learning opportunities, or even hosting more office parties and friendly competitions.

Are there any companies you admire or do business with because of the community they’ve created? If so, I’d love to hear about them and why you think they’re succeeding in building community.

Cindy's Blog

MCC Offering Business Database Training to Grow Your Business

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

Business Database Training

MCC offers Business Database Training to educate entrepreneurs, executives, trade officers, sales associates and business counselors to gather and interpret pertinent business information through market research, utilizing publically available business databases; turning the data into valuable information. From framing the research objectives, building the research approach, and analyzing the data and preparing listings to reports that focuses on clients’ objectives.

The training will utilize publicly available databases to collect data to:

· Identify Competitors

· Identify Investors/Venture Capital/Private Equity firms

· Identify Importer/Exporter/Distributor

· Study target customers – Demographics

· Access available SWOT Analysis

· Access valuable industry/market reports

MCC also conducts extensive business research, consulting and related services to a broad spectrum of businesses across many industries including, health care, retail, marketing, financial services, public relations and non-profit organizations. The goal is to provide reliable and focus information to help clients make important decisions.

Training Fees

2 Hour Private Training (1-2 individuals)	$500
2 Hour Group Training (3-15 individuals) $1500-$1800	$1800
Training series	TBD

For more information, contact sleung@manhattancc.org


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Training Your Staff and Building Your Business Doesn’t Have To Be Costly

Investing in your business is a necessary part of growth, but finding the capital to take that step is not easy. That is why entrepreneurs must not overlook the free resources available to them, many of which can be found at NYC Business Solutions, a set of free services offered by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to help businesses start, operate, and expand in New York City.

Receive Grants to Train Your Staff

Since 2007, SBS has helped more than 100 companies train nearly 3,500 workers by providing them with more than $6 million in grants. Business owners can access funding through Customized Training grants, provided by NYC Business Solutions, which enable businesses to invest in the professional training services they need to develop staff skills specific to their industry. Customized Training provides awards of up to $400,000 that can cover 60-70% of eligible training costs, which eliminates the financial constraints that keeps businesses from investing in a more efficient staff.
And more businesses are taking advantage.
On May 2, 2012, SBS awarded over $200,000 in Customized Training grants to seven New York businesses to train 93 employees matched by over $130,000 in funds from the employers. These Customized Training awards are projected to increase revenues for the awarded businesses by more than $400,000 and increase the wages of its trainees by 20 percent. To learn more about Customized Training, visit www.nyc.gov/training

What Free Staff Training Can Do:

SSTL dba Bedroom Furniture Discounts is an online furniture retailer and wholesaler. The business will use a $25,085 Customized Training award to train 14 employees, including 2 new hires, on new order management software. The software will increase efficiency by allowing the company to achieve seamless coordination with its vendors. The program is projected to result in wage increases of 10 percent.”

Restaurant owners can also capitalize on training

If you own a restaurant, there is even a program that has already been designed for your staff. In partnership with the New York State Restaurant Association, NYC Business Solutions offers local restaurant and foodservice establishments free restaurant management training to develop the skills of their entry-level staff. Developed with input from restaurateurs across the country, this Restaurant Management Training focuses on four key areas that allow staff to take on new responsibilities, and help restaurant owners see greater revenue, and reduce costs.
You can choose to send your staff to one or any combination of course offerings, which include: Hospitality and Restaurant Management, Controlling Foodservice Costs, Restaurant Marketing, and Human Resources Management and Supervision.
Featured in the April issue of Total Food Service, the next session of this highly-touted training begins June 13. Enrollment applications will be accepted through June 6. For more information or to enroll your staff visit www.nysra.org/training.

Lead Your Business Into The Next Phase

Cultivating a better staff will help your business take off from the ground-up, but a business owner’s responsibility is to keep a clear head from up above. Having a strategic vision is what distinguishes an ordinary business owner from an effective business leader. FastTrac GrowthVenture can help you be that business leader.
FastTrac GrowthVenture is a business course designed to help you grow your business by creating an actionable growth plan in a safe, workshop environment. With the help of fellow business owners and experienced facilitators, you can draw upon the experience of others and receive feedback to plan out the next phase of your business.
FastTrac GrowthVenture is valued at $1,000, but offered to businesses, at no cost. Courses comprise of eight (8) four-hour sessions held twice a week—the course runs for four consecutive weeks. The next FastTrac GrowthVenture course begins August 6, 2012. Applications are now being accepted. For more information and to apply visit www.nyc.gov/fastrac.

With a good staff and an even better leader, your business can grow for a fraction of the price you thought you had to pay. You have already paid your taxes this year. Why not take advantage of the services that you’ve already paid for?

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