Keep a regular schedule of meetings (maybe quarterly?) to update the network, plan events, encourage referrals and build collaborations.

RESOURCE PARTNER MEETINGJanuary 31, 2017

Jenny Miller@KCSourceLink

Set a clear agenda for each meeting.

AGENDA• Introductions• What are Main Street businesses?• Main Street break outs• How can we help Main Street

entrepreneurs during the holidays?

JELLY BEAN INTRODUCTIONS• RED – Types of businesses your organization

works with• GREEN – Client success story• BLUE – Services your organization provides• YELLOW – Why you like being part of the

KCSourceLink network• ORANGE – Next big thing your organizing has

going on or event you will be attending

Give an opportunity to educate fellow partners on their services, share success stories, promote events and even celebrate the network. Here, Jenny asks each Resource Partner to select a jelly bean. The color indicates what they will share.

MAIN STREET

• Independent retailers, restaurants, doctors/lawyers offices

• Have a physical storefront, have employees

Focus on entrepreneurs and how to build services, capacity and a continuum of services.

Main Street companies make up a large segment of our economy, serve communities’ growing populations and define a community’s

cultural character.

Main Street entrepreneurs aren’t driven by rapid growth.

The founders create them to build a successful career in their area of passion and expertise and plan to work in the company for a long time. Their exit plan may involve selling the company to a key employee or passing it on to a family member.

How can we help Main Street entrepreneurs during the holidays?

Engage Resource Partners in the challenge. Open the meeting for discussion or hold break out discussions to brainstorm ideas.

SURVEY

• Do you do any special promotions for Small Business Saturday?• Would it help you to have a local push during Small Business

Saturday?• Would you use a “tool kit” of promotional materials (small signs,

Facebook posts, tweets)?• How could we measure the success of a Shop Local promotional

push?• What would you as a retailer be willing to do to promote local

buying?

Engage Resource Partners in a solution.

FINDINGS• Continue with Shop Local• App for retail along light rail line• Signage “You’re only a 7-minute walk from an

art gallery” etc.• Reach out to merchant associations, etc.• Cash Mob events • Regional collaboration – EDCs• Media campaign with common goal• Buy Black initiative• Keep it HYPER local• Cross promote• Distribute all support local advocates social

media info• Collaborative marketing

Report on findings to share on-the-ground research gathered by resource partners.

• Civic Economics – Spending $100 translates to $68 back into community

• Unify on the use of a logo• Independence Week Shop Local push – events

around 4th of July• National Home Based Business week (early

Oct.) – possible Shop Local push• Leverage the Royals momentum. Build

passion for everything KC. Perhaps have BLUE Saturday the day after Black Friday.

• Shop local Challenge – “I’m Shopping Local! How about you?”

Report on findings to share on-the-ground research gathered by Resource Partners.

• Increase promotion• Improve collaboration

ACTION PLAN

Follow up research and findings with action—activate the network in a common vision and solution.

INCREASE PROMOTION FOR SHOP LOCAL• Established #ShopLocalKC as unifying hashtag• Collected information on various Shop Local

events surrounding Small Business Saturday; publicized through blog posts, calendar listings, social media

• Sent collaborative press release on Small Business Saturday to local media; pick up in print and radio

• Shared Shop Local statistics• Promoted Cash Mob event• Used Global Entrepreneurship Week as

platform to garner attention for Small Business Saturday

• Promoted Plaid Friday• Revised links on KCSourceLink Shop Local

page• Included retailers in KCSourceLink

Entrepreneurs in Action

• Shared contact information and social media links

• Shared Shop Local events• Special segment in Pitch newspaper• Planning strategy for future efforts, including

may, Independence Week and National Home Based Business Week

• Exploring common logo

IMPROVE COLLABORATION AMONG SHOP LOCAL ADVOCATES

Solicit further feedback

and buy-in.

Ideas?

Give resource partners zero entry to buy-in with easy-to-share homework that keeps the topic top-of-mind and encourages immediate engagement

6 Ways to Maximize Your Return on Sponsoring or Hosting Holiday Events7 Holiday Marketing Tips on a Limited Budget5 Ways to Market Your Business for the Holiday SeasonStart Now to Plan Your Holiday Retail Marketing CampaignHow to Market Your Business with an Event33 Creative Ideas for Small Business Holiday Marketing6 Good Reasons to Start your Holiday Marketing Plan Now

In the Meantime

Next Meeting

Remind the network of the schedule and upcoming events.