A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear fellow traders and professionals, In my last letter I was very candid about the lockdown effect and predicted we would have a very positive Christmas, barring any COVID issues. It looks like the retail side did have a positive outcome however, hospitality and professional trading was mixed. We knew we’d lose a number of traders, particularly in these categories of hospitality and professional services, for a number of reasons, but it has been less than expected. The end of JobKeeper will likely add more pressure. Having said that, we are now heading into a more positive phase as businesses find a new normal, though hampered with the insecurity of random outbreaks and border closures. Masks are still mandatory, venue numbers limited, and many of the local office workers have not returned yet. We will have to live with this until we have the vaccination completed by later this year. However, it does not mean we are going to lose momentum, as our customer bases have been more resilient than last year. Retail and hospitality will be in a better place than last
CamberWELL-BEING returns this year to support and promote the health and wellness businesses in the Camberwell shopping precinct. Held on Saturday, May 29, CamberWELL-BEING is a fun day that invites shoppers to register and follow the Wellness Trail for their chance to win some great prizes. Customers will collect their branded sports bag from our HQ event booth on the day, which will include a trail passport. Entrants will follow the trail to discover what’s happening in the participating businesses and get their passports stamped. When customers return to the booth with a stamped passport, they can enter the Wellness Trail competition for a chance to win one of the many prizes donated by our traders. Being a part of the trail is a fantastic opportunity for traders, who can tell potential customers about their products and services and entice them back with special offers.
NEED IDEAS? HERE’S HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN GET INVOLVED: • Organise an activity, event, demonstration or special guest for the day.
year. The support of outdoor dining has helped to bring additional awareness to our restaurants. We can also benefit from the flexibility in workplaces; less workers in the office has been balanced with more people having time to visit shops or hold their meetings in cafes. In this newsletter we’ve highlighted the marketing opportunities coming up like Easter, Mother’s Day and our annual CamberWELL-BEING health and fitness event, which drives customer numbers to the precinct. Please use the Trader Portal on the website to keep abreast of relevant local business news and government updates, and contact Kerry Daly with any promotions you want placed on our website and social media. That includes professionals who want to promote seminars or promotions. We can reach people outside of your database, so use the Association leverage whenever you can. Have a great quarter and stay well. Regards, Henk Kelly-Kobes President, Camberwell Centre Association
• Offer a free session or class on the day to introduce your business to new customers. • If your business runs private classes or consultations, host an open day to give people a taste of what your business offers. • Create a special offer on your products and services like a discount or a ‘buy one, get one free’ deal on the day or during the months of May and June. • Give away free samples, such as a taste testing of health foods or a sample of a cosmetic product. Consider offering vouchers to bring people back into your store. • Hire promotional staff to engage trail walkers at your business or roam the precinct and invite guests into your business. • Provide gifts, vouchers, or products for inclusion in the official event sports bags. Still struggling for ideas but keen to get involved? Talk to us and we’ll be able to help. Contact Kerry Daly by phoning (03) 9813 4190 or emailing kdaly@camberwellca.com.au
