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They’re small in size but the benefits are mighty.
Small and medium-sized businesses are often referred to as the heart of a community. They employ people and contribute to the economy. Therefore, shoppers’ support of these businesses equals supporting your community and your neighbours. It’s something to think about during Small Business Week, Oct. 16-22.
But how does a small business, without a lot of financial resources at its disposal, get the word out about its products or services?
That’s where local Realtor Robert May, who also owns Lethbridgemarketing.com and is Chinook Country Tourism’s treasurer, and his Lethbridge Small Business Marketing group comes in.
“The number one call I get from small business owners is how to better their marketing from traditional offline sources like billboards and bus shelter signs, and try to take it online through Facebook and Twitter and other things like that,” May said.
So a couple years ago, he got some of his clients and friends together at a local watering hole to discuss marketing strategies and techniques over a beverage or two. The meetings continued and the number of people gathering grew.
“It’s a social event and an opportunity to share stories of the obstacles businesses face as well as the things that work,” he continued.
“There is a lot of co-operation between businesses who are working in very complementary areas. They are competing against each other when it makes more sense for them to work together for the common goal.”
He used the example of a dentist and a denturist who could work together to serve the same market.
“They could be doing stuff together because they are very complementary businesses.”
Today, the group is made up of approximately 20 businesses from all over southern Alberta, including Calgary and Medicine Hat. It meets sporadically through the year, about once every couple months. A meeting was scheduled for Oct. 17 but was moved to December once it was learned the guest speaker couldn’t attend.
“We almost always meet at a pub, so it is about having a few drinks while talking about marketing. We all want to help each other out to do what we wart to do,” he continued.
The sharing of ideas helps all the participants, he added. And some really innovative marketing ideas have come up about at these meetings.
“One mortgage brokerage, Verico, decided to build individual websites for all of their employees because they want all of them to become leaders in their industry,” he said.
“It was the most aggressive marketing plan I’ve seen. They didn’t leave any employee behind.”
He said Lethbridge is home to a thriving small business community.
“Most of them have five employees or less and we have organizations like Execuserv and the Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge to support them,” he said.
“It inspires people to take control of their own careers. And the great thing about it, is when you support a local business, you know your dollars are going back into the community.”
New members are always welcome. More information can be found on Facebook under the Unofficial Lethbridge Network, which is where the next meeting date will be posted.
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