pulse Beat pulse Beat
December 2015
Celebration of Our Seniors
During Annual Turkey Feast Fest
The City of Paramount held its 35th Annual Seniors Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 19th to honor the elders of our community.
It was a capacity crowd for dancing, dining, raffle prizes, and more. The dance floor was crowded during the performance of Grupo Neblina. The Paramount Park gym was decorated for the season and filled with lively conservation as friends, both old and new, visited among the tables.
Thanks to the seamless work of the usual team of volunteers – including the Paramount Rotary Club, the Paramount High School Corsairs service club, and City staff – the food flowed easily and quick. The participation of these terrific community members, year in and year out, helps make this event a great success.
A special thank you goes out to all of the local businesses who contributed to this year’s event. Their cash support and
raffle prize donations make the Thanksgiving fun possible. The City appreciates their generosity.
$500+
L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe; Ace Clearwater, Inc.; Caremore Health Plan; Clinica Medica Hispana; Communication Workers of America Local 9400; Weber Metals, Otto Fuchs Aerospace Group.
Up to $300
Paramount Petroleum; Standard Catering; Tepic Sister Cities; CalMet Services; FENICO Precision Casting; Knights of Columbus.
Under $200
Alondra Hot Wings; Demaria Electric Motor Services; Taqueria 2 Amigos; The Water Store; Vicky Professional Services.
Gift Certificates
Antojitos Mexicanos; Bank of California; Big Ben Car Wash; Casa Gamino; El Compa Restaurant; Enrique’s Mexican Restaurant; Gus’s Deli; The Home Depot; Northgate Gonzalez Market; Rosewood Restaurant; Shakey’s Pizza.
Part of the event’s tradition is acknowledging those in the crowd who are 90 years old and above. A few of them spoke this year with the Pulse Beat.
OuChi 96, born on Dec. 28, 1918. Has lived in Paramount since 1948. Is an honorary Rotary Club member, as her husband,
Paramount Chamber of Commerce pulse beat
15357 Paramount Boulevard, Paramount, CA 90723
eMelia DefOuR
The eldest in attendance this year at age 101, born July 20, 1914, in trinidad, tobago, West Indies.
Emelia has lived in Paramount for 43 years. “I enjoy Paramount and love California. I enjoy my children, they treat me so good, I am blessed by them.” She was also the winner of a $100 American Express gift card during the raffle!
Edward, was in the club; he also served as Paramount’s City Treasurer. “I know the city changed its name, it was Hynes before becoming Paramount. We had a chicken ranch in town. We would dress them and sell them locally to the stores, which were mostly mom and pop stores since there were not too many big markets back then. We also sold to restaurants. In those days, eating chicken was for a Sunday dinner.” As to tips for a long life? “Be happy. I tell my grandchildren each day to enjoy every minute.”
Ralph MatsuMOtO 94, born on June 9, 1921. Ralph and his wife, Amy, moved to town when Paramount incorporated as a city in 1957. They were honored, along with many of their neighbors who also settled in the City at the same time, by the City Council as “Paramount Pioneers.” “Long’s Dairy was right across the street from us. We opened the curtains and we saw cows. I think you have to take it easy for a long life.”
ViCtOR ValaDez
92, born on July 28, 1923, in Mexico City. Victor came to Paramount in 1947 and worked in a factory that manufactured garden hoses. His tips for a long life ? “No drinking alcohol, no smoking, no night life, just enjoy life.”
Chizui
The annual Seniors Thanksgiving event was held at the Paramount Park Gym on November 19th.
Recipient of Senator Ricardo Lara 2015 Excellence in Business Award
Mayor, Tom Hansen
Track the Christmas Train On Homepage or Smart Phone
The Paramount Christmas Train has been bringing the holiday spirit to kids in every neighborhood of our City since 1969, when the “Express” was a modified Helm’s Bakery truck.
This season the train, sleigh, and caboose will be running from Monday, December 7th through Thursday, December 10th.
You can find a schedule of stops in the recent issue of the Around Town newsletter that was mailed to every home and business in Paramount or you can go to the City’s website homepage at www.paramountcity. com. In each neighborhood there is a painted white star marking the spot on the street where the train will visit.
You can also track the train in real time by viewing a map on the homepage during its run and also download a free app called Glympse on your smart phone. Then go to Glympse and enter ParamountTrain in the “View a Glympse” field to see where Santa is traveling.
You can also call (562) 220-2121 to learn more.
Come Have Breakfast With Santa
Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 12th when Paramount Park will once again become a winter wonderland as Santa Claus returns to town for a breakfast and snow day from 8 a.m. till noon.
Breakfast with Santa will feature a meal with pancakes and scrambled eggs, holiday craft-making, giveaways, and entertainment. There will be plenty of snow for sledding and you can take photos with Santa (a professional photographer will also have
packages available for purchase).
The event itself is free, but you need to buy a ticket for the meal. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase until December 11th. Presale breakfast tickets are $5 per person and give you access to the fast-pass lane. You can also purchase tickets at the door on the day of the event for $5 per person, first come, first served, with no fast-pass access.
Please note that breakfast will not be served after 11:00 a.m., so get there early.
You can buy tickets at: STAR After School sites (between 2:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. each day); the Recreation office (15300 Downey Ave. from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); the Paramount Park Community Center (14400 Paramount Blvd., 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.); and the Paramount Petroleum Community Learning Center at Spane Park (Monday through Thursday, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
For more, please call (562) 220-2121.
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
After the holidays, residents of Paramount who have Christmas trees can place them out at curbside for pickup. The trees will then be recycled into mulch.
CalMet Services, the City’s refuse hauler, will pick up trees at no charge after Christmas from December 26th, 2015 through January 15th, 2016 for single-family residential accounts. Be sure to remove the stand and all the decorations, lights, and tinsel. Do not wrap the tree or enclose it in a plastic bag.
If the tree is four-feet-tall or less, you can put it in your green waste recycling barrel. For anything larger, set it curbside on your normal garbage collection day by 6:00 a.m. (Flocked trees will also be picked up.)
After January 15th, your tree can still be taken away by scheduling a bulky item pickup.
For apartments or condominiums, trees placed on the curb by 6:00 a.m. through January 16th will be taken away for free on regular pickup days. If it’s necessary to drive onto the property there will be a $5.00 charge per tree. In these latter cases, the service must be ordered 24 hours before the regular pickup day by the manager or owner who must have the account number for verification.
Also, commercial customers must call
CalMet before placing a tree out for collection so a green waste truck can visit their location. If you have any questions, please call CalMet (562) 259-1239.
Holiday Trash Pickup/Street Sweeping Schedules
Christmas and New Year’s Day will slightly alter garbage collection schedules this season. CalMet Services will have no trash pickup on those holidays.
If your collection day falls on Christmas, Friday, Dec. 25th, those routes will run on Saturday, Dec. 26th.
New Year’s Day will be on Friday, Jan. 1st, 2016. Trash service for Friday routes will be on Saturday, Jan. 2nd. If you have any questions, please call CalMet at (562) 634-5420.
With street sweeping, there will be no service on the following days: Thursday, December 24th; Friday, December 25th; Friday, January 1st. There will be no makeup for any of those days.
Animal Control Facility Remodeled
In November, SEAACA (Southeast Area Animal Control Authority), which serves Paramount, celebrated the grand re-opening of its facility in Downey.
The shelter began a renovation in June. There has not been a renovation of the Care Center since 2002. Upgrades were made to benefit the health and well-being of the animals cared for at the facility.
The entire inside of the shelter received new flooring including new carpet and Epoxy floors in the kennels and Veterinary Department. The kennels were dismantled, repaired, and reconditioned. All surfaces, walls, and doors were repainted. Plumbing and electrical components of the care center were also upgraded and repaired.
SEAACA’s Care Center is located at 9777 Seaaca Street. Animal viewing is available Tuesday - Friday, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Water Use Down 11% in October; Sprinkler Use on Mondays Only
The numbers for consumption for Paramount Water Company customers during October showed that overall use for the month was down 11% versus the same month in 2013. In comparison, September use was down 10%, August was down 16%, July was down 19%.
The State has required that Paramount cut water use by 12%, cumulatively, as measured against 2013 figures. We are currently at 17.1% since measurements began in June. Remember that, as part of the City’s conservation efforts, watering with sprinklers is now on Mondays only until next March.
“Real personal change is a roller coaster, both exhilarating and disorienting. The trick is to hold on tight. ” – Edward Grinnan
If A Party Gets Too Loud
Talking or Texting on Cell Phones While
Paramount
There are plenty of facts, figures, and details about distracted driving, but the California Office of Traffic Safety wants you to know the plain and simple ones:
• 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
• If something falls to the floor, pull over before trying to reach it.
Project LEAD Sending Positive Message to Paramount Fifth Graders
If a call for disturbing the peace comes into the Sheriff’s Station, there will be a visit to the location and a first-warning notice will be issued. If a return visit is made, the responsible party (property owner, tenant, etc.) will be liable for fines. For instance, a second visit within 30 days will produce a fine of $250. The third, fourth, and fifth visits within 30 days of the first call will entail fines of $500, $750 and $1,000, respectively. In addition, the cost of extra resources involved (multiple deputies, helicopter, and so on) can be passed on. These fines, if not paid, can go to a collections agency.
• Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
If such disturbances come from the same location over an extended period of time, deputies will focus on solving the problem with those who are causing it.
• Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds, long enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph. Most crashes happen with less than three seconds reaction time.
Paramount has its own dedicated District Attorney – Kelly Tatman – who works out of the Sheriff’s Station. Her duties include making sure that criminal investigations and prosecutions in town receive full attention and don’t fall through the cracks at the larger County D.A.’s Office.
If you’re planning a party, be sure to take your neighbors into consideration and refrain from playing loud music and making other intrusive noises into the early morning hours.
Keep in mind, also, that deputies do not divulge the identity of any residents making complaints, so you can call in anonymously.
For more information, call the Paramount Sheriff’s Station at (562) 220-2002.
Sand Bags for Residents
• The act of talking on a cell phone, even hands free, can give you “inattention blindness,” where your brain isn’t seeing what’s right in front of you. You aren’t even aware that you are driving impaired. If you think you can handle both driving and talking on a cell phone or texting, you are kidding yourself and putting us all at risk.
Tatman has been visiting a class of 36 students at Jefferson School as part of Project LEAD. The program, which goes into the classroom once a week for 20 weeks during the school year, uses volunteers like Tatman from the D.A.’s Office to teach fifth-graders about the law and help them recognize the social and legal consequences of criminal behavior.
With the weather condition known as El Niño on the horizon, and the prediction of heavy storm systems in late fall and winter, residents might want to consider stocking up on sand bags in case of flooding.
You can get bags and the sand to fill them from the Paramount City Yard, 15300 Downey Ave., (562) 220-2020, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You need proof of Paramount residency (utility bill, California driver’s license, etc.) and there are ten bags available per address on a first-come, first-served basis.
Vacation Home Checks
Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or your hands off the steering wheel – especially texting and cell phone use, whether hands-free or handheld. Who’s doing it? Most of us. It has been estimated that, at any one time, more than 10 percent of drivers are using a mobile device.
Sadly, too many young people first become acquainted with the justice system as delinquents. Project LEAD is designed to avoid that scenario.
The Paramount Fire Station also provides sand bags, but no sand. The Station is located at 7521 E. Somerset Blvd., (562) 634-6559.
A ticket for $159 for texting or talking on a cell phone is a major distraction to your wallet.
Here’s a reminder that if you are a Paramount resident and have plans to be out of town during any part of the holidays, you can contact the Sheriff’s Station for a vacation home check. The City’s Public Safety Officers will periodically take a look around your home or property while you’re gone. (This free service is available throughout the year, not just during the holidays.) Call (562) 220-2002 for more information.
What can you do? Most important, obey the law. It’s there for a reason. Also, do your best to eliminate distractions:
• Never text and drive.
The class from Jefferson recently went on a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance. (They will also go to a local courthouse). In addition, Project LEAD’s curriculum includes speakers connected to the criminal justice system and a mock trial involving either drug selling or gun possession on campus. Students are assigned roles and argue a criminal case to a jury consisting of other students. Teachers and parents attend, too.
Detective Recognized
• Turn off your phone when you get behind the wheel.
• Don’t text or call someone when you know they are likely to be driving.
• Make a pact with your family, spouse, and caregivers never to use the phone with kids in the car.
• No eating or drinking while driving.
• Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player, or other devices while driving.
• Pull over and stop to read maps.
• No grooming.
• No reading.
• No watching videos.
• Try not to get too involved with pas sengers.
At the end of the program, the kids will participate in a graduation ceremony and receive a certificate of completion from the D.A.’s Office at a meeting of the Paramount Public Safety Commission.
With summertime approaching, remember that if you’re going out of town for an extended period of time, you can schedule
Paramount residents can contact the Sheriff’s Station about having Volunteers on Patrol keep an eye on your home or property
Call (562) 220-2002 to ask about vaca-
At its November 3rd meeting, the Paramount City Council recognized Detective Michael Smith, a member of the Sheriff’s Department’s Detective Bureau in Paramount since 2007, for his exemplary work in making the community a safer place over the years. Detective Smith was reassigned to South Los Angeles this past September. From left: Councilmember Diane J. Martinez, Councilmember Gene Daniels, Mayor Tom Hansen, Detective Smith, Councilmember Peggy Lemons, and Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer.
Simple Strategies for Better Event Marketing
Friday, May 16, 2014 - 10am to 12pm
Attend this presentation and learn how to use the power of event
The annual Seniors Thanksgiving event was held at the Paramount Park Gym on November 19th.
Big thanks are due to members of Paramount High School Corsairs Club and the Paramount Rotary Club for once again serving the meal.
Tips for Writing an effective College Application essay
When you apply to college, you’ll need to complete an essay as part of your application. This is your opportunity to show admission officers who you are and to provide information about yourself that didn’t fit in other areas of your application. The essay also reveals what you can do when you have time to think and work on a writing project.
The number one piece of advice from admission officers about your essay is: “Be yourself.” The number two suggestion is: “Start early.” Check out these other tips before you begin.
Choose a Topic That Will Highlight You
Don’t focus on the great aspects of a particular college, the amount of dedication it takes to be a doctor, or the number of extracurricular activities you took part in during high school.
Do share your personal story and thoughts, take a creative approach, and highlight areas that aren’t covered in other parts of the application, like your high school records.
Keep Your Focus narrow and Personal
Don’t try to cover too many topics. This will make the essay sound like a résumé that doesn’t provide any details about you.
Do focus on one aspect of yourself so the readers can learn more about who you are. Remember that the readers must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Ask a parent or teacher to read just your introduction and tell you what he or she thinks your essay is about.
Show, Don’t Tell
Don’t simply state a fact to get an idea across, such as “I like to surround myself with people with a variety of backgrounds and interests.”
Do include specific details, examples, reasons, and so on to develop your ideas. For the example above, describe a situation when you were surrounded by various types of people. What were you doing? Whom did you talk with? What did you take away from the experience?
Use Your Own Voice
Don’t rely on phrases or ideas that people have used many times before. These could include statements like, “There is so much suffering in the world that I feel I have to help people.” Avoid overly formal or business-like language, and don’t use unnecessary words.
Do write in your own voice. For the above example, you could write about a real experience that you had and how it made you feel you had to take action. And note that admission officers will be able to tell if your essay was edited by an adult.
Ask a Teacher or Parent to Proofread
Don’t turn your essay in without proofreading it, and don’t rely only on your computer’s spell check to catch mistakes. A spell-check program will miss typos like these:
“After I graduate form high school, I plan to get a summer job.”
“From that day on, Daniel was my best fried.”
Do ask a teacher or parent to proofread your essay to catch mistakes. You should also ask the person who proofreads your essay if the writing sounds like you.
From www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org and adapted from The College Application Essay by Sarah Myers McGinty.
Clubs & Organizations
Paramount-Tepic Visit Mayor
Paramount Chamber of Commerce
Mayor Tom Hansen and Frank Barraza, Paramount-Tepic President share a moment with Tepic visitors wearing their indigenous regalia.
paramount Chamber of Commerce
Invites you to attend a Open House / Ribbon Cutting
Select Staffing
We Match Talent With Opportunity
Whether You’re Looking for - Work or Need a Recruit thursday, January 14th, 2016
16260 Paramount Blvd., Ste. E -Paramount
Beginning Promptly at 11:30 am Lunch Served
RSVP: (562) 634-3980
Dr. Max enjoys Chamber Poker Tournament Prize
HOW tO Kill a Business in ten easy steps
Dr. Max Martinez gives a thumbs up after returning from his ride in a P-51 Mustang Airplane. The opportunity to ride in the P-51 came by way of the Paramount Chamber’s Annual Poker Tournament. Martinez, took second place in the tournament and claimed the P-51 Mustang ride (donated by ACE Clearwater) as his prize. Dr. Max said it was the thrill of a lifetime, and a truly amazing experience.
Stater Bros. Kicks Off Holiday Food Drive
Creates awareness about hunger and provides an easy way to help out
To assist those who need a helping hand, all 168 Stater Bros. Supermarkets are collecting food and funds throughout the month of December. The Stater Bros. “Harvesting Hope in our Community” Campaign will make it easy for customers to participate and help feed their neighbors in need.
• “Bag of Hope” donation cards are available for purchase at each check stand. These funds will be used to provide much needed fresh and healthy food, which will be delivered to local food banks at the conclusion of the campaign. A $5 donation will provide one “Bag of Hope” (a $12 retail value) and a $20 donation will provide five “Bags of Hope” (a $60 retail value). Each “Bag of Hope” donation card will provide 3 lbs. of apples, 3 lbs. of potatoes, 2 lbs. of carrots, a large can of pinto beans, a can of corn, a can of green beans, and a box of instant oatmeal.
• Food Donation Barrels are also available at all store locations for those customers who still want to donate nonperishable food items. Most needed are protein items such as canned tuna or peanut butter, canned vegetables, canned fruit (in water or light syrup), and whole grain cereal.
• To help low income seniors, veterans, families and children in need, Stater Bros. Charities is presenting over $500,000 in cash donations to qualified food banks and feeding programs in the six Southern California counties served by Stater Bros. Supermarkets. These funds were collected through the coin canisters at each check stand.
• Stater Bros. is partnering with KTLA-TV for a special one-day donation/food collection event on Tuesday, November 24th at three Stater Bros. Supermarkets located in Chino, Placentia and Santa Clarita.
• The traditional Salvation Army Red Kettles will be in front of Stater Bros. Supermarkets from November 16th through December 24th collecting nickels, dimes and quarters to help those who are most vulnerable in the community where the donations are made.
• Stater Bros. is committed to helping all the customers it serves by keeping prices low.
In Motion Design Ribbon Cutting
Clubs & Organizations
“LIGHT UP A LIFe” Remembering
The holiday season will soon be upon us and for some it can be a particularly difficult time of year. Pathways Volunteer Hospice has a wonderful way to bring special meaning to the holidays by remembering someone who is missing from your life through a wonderful program and ceremony called “Light up a Life”. This event is a signature tree lighting program traditionally promoted by hospices across the U.S. A small donation of $20 provides one light on the “Light Up a Life” holiday tree in memory or in honor of someone you love. Additionally, the name of the person being honored or memorialized is listed on the “Light up a Life” scrolls displayed by the trees during the month of December at various libraries throughout the community. This very special event will take place Monday December 7, 2015 from 7-8 p.m. at the Centre at Sycamore Plaza in Lakewood, and then again on Thursday December 10, 2015 from 7-8 p.m. at the Recreation Park Golf Course Gazebo in Long Beach. Both ceremonies will be held outdoors so bring your coats and mittens! All donations benefit Pathways’ programs and services which are provided free of charge.
Those You Love
For 30 years, Pathways has provided compassionate care to families living with illness and loss through caring for the frail/elderly, hospice care for the terminally ill, and counseling support for children and families in grief. Their programs stretch throughout the Greater Lakewood/ Long Beach area and surrounding communities including Paramount, Bellflower and Cerritos/Artesia.
For more information on Pathways services or how you can participate in the “Light Up a Life” program, please call Vickie Kaefer at 562-531-3031 or email Vickie@pathwayshospice.org. Visit the Pathways website at www. pathwayshospice.org
Owners of In Motion Design cut the ribbon for the grand opening of their new showroom which can be found at 15557 Texaco Ave., Paramount.
Paramount Chamber Senior Vice President Gary Johnson (ACE Clearwater) presents a certificate of congratulations to the owners of In Motion Design.
Mayor Tom Hansen and In Motion Design Owner Fernando Pineda.
From left; Assistant City Manager Kevin Chun, City Manager John Moreno, and Parks & Recreation Director David Johnson, attend In Motion Design grand opening.
NETWORKING BREAKFAST
Speaker: SBDC Consultant Brad Pollak - Management/Leadership
7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Progress Park Plaza * 15500 Downey Ave
Brad Pollak to Speak at Paramount Chamber networking Breakfast
Brad Pollak will speak at the Paramount Chamber Networking Breakfast on January 28, 2016; his topics Management and Leadership. As a core advisor at the Long Beach City College SBDC, Mr. Pollak specializes in business start-ups, management, leadership, marketing strategies, and business plans. Brad has 20+ years experience as a marketing executive and as a general manager in the music industry, and is the owner of his own management consulting and career development consultancy in Long Beach. Brad grew up in the United States, Mexico and in Europe and holds a BA from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Reservations can be made by calling the Paramount Chamber of Commerce, 562.634.3980.
Strength of Commercial Real estate Market
Matt Wagner GM Properties, Inc.
(562) 696-0200
Los Angeles/Orange County commercial real estate has been experiencing a resurgence in both sales and leasing over the past couple years. This is the lowest vacancy rate that we have seen in this market since vacancy rates first started to be computed in the 80’s. We are in a highly dominate “owner’s market.” If you have looked to lease or buy a building over the past year, you know exactly what I am referring to. We have had a complete reversal of the market since the post recession years of 2009-2012.
Sales Prices for industrial buildings have blown past the pre-recession highs that were prevalent in this market before the 2008 4th quarter market crash. Sales prices have easily gone up over 50% since 2012, with some areas going even higher. Lease rates have been steadily moving higher and we are at levels that are proving that this market is truly an “owners market.”
You may be asking yourself why this has happened. There is one simple explanation as to why this is happening. It is supply vs. demand. We simply do not have not enough vacant buildings for the current business community. The demand is driving up the cost of both leasing and purchasing a commercial building. In our current market, we are seeing around 99 out of 100 buildings that are being occupied, leaving the vacancy rate around 1%. Historically, we typically see a normal vacancy
Clubs & Organizations
rate of around 4-5%. Another factor in this market is the lending practices and interest rates. Banks are lending to proven companies and interest rates are at all time lows. A business can purchase a property with a 10% down payment (SBA Loan) and their payments can be very similar to what they would be paying in rent for a similar lease product.
Businesses that have been looking for additional space have had to figure out ways to continue to grow without the ability to increase the size of their operation. This affects all businesses both large and small as available inventory decreases.
Where is the market going over the next 12 months? Great question. I think that lease rates will continue to rise along with sales prices. Banks would have to change their stance on lending to have the sales market trip up in my opinion. As long as we do not have any catastrophic events in our world, I see this trend continuing over the next year. Sales prices could level off but the lack of inventory continues to keep process moving upward. I think that a change in interest rates could slow this train down a little but the simple Economics 101, supply vs. demand, is what I believe is driving this market forward. And when I think about demand, I cannot see that decreasing any time soon.
Again, this is an “owners market.” Anyone who is not an owner of commercial real estate that wants to own or lease right now in today’s market understands what I am referring to.
Paramount Tepic Sister Cities recently honored Councilwoman Diane Martinez with the “People to People Humanitarian Award” at the Gala en Tepic which celebrated 53 years as a Sister City. From left: 1st VP Ana Cardon, , President Frank Barraza, Councilmember Martinez, US/Mexico President Bob Perez, and Genesis Coronado representing Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard.
Tepic Sister Cities Honors Councilwoman Diane Martinez
Market Research Tips for Your Business
For a start-up, market research determines whether your business can succeed. Once you’re in business, market research keeps you in touch with what customers need. Whichever stage you’re in, these tips will get you started.
1. Know what you need to learn. If you’re a startup, you might use market research to pinpoint your target customers. If you’re expanding, you might use it to determine where to open a new location. Stay focused by listing specific questions you must answer.
2. Research your industry. Assess whether the industry you plan to enter is growing or declining. What niches are most promising? Once you’re in business, keep up with industry news to stay on top of trends.
3. Research your target customers. If you sell within a limited area, you’ll want to know the population, income level and demographic breakdown of the residents. If you sell online, your customer base might be nationwide or
worldwide, but you still need to determine how many potential customers exist.
4. Research your competition. Assess your competition locally, nationally and globally. Create a “SWOT” analysis of your competition’s strengths, weaknesses, and the opportunities for and threats to your business that they pose.
5. Research your indirect competition. If you’re opening a pizza restaurant, your competition isn’t just other pizza restaurants. It’s any restaurant—and any place where people spend discretionary income, such as nightclubs, amusement parks or theaters.
6. Gather published information. Go online or visit your library for information from industry publications and websites, associations, trade shows and conferences, and consumer publications. The U.S. government provides a wealth of data; visit the SBDC’s website (www. smallbizla.org) for resources.
7. Do surveys. Surveying potential customers is easy
and free using online survey tools such as SurveyMonkey. com (www.surveymonkey. com). Poll customers on your website or by e-mail, and analyze the results.
8. Focus. Recruit people from your target market for a focus group. If you target moms, for example, contact local PTAs. Pay participants for their time and get demographic information to ensure you have a broad sample. Show them your products or explain your services, and get feedback.
9. Get help. There are many free or low-cost sources of assistance, including the
SBDC. Contact nearby college or university business or marketing departments; sometimes professors and students will help you research as part of a class project.
10. Keep it up. Make market research part of your dayto-day business activities. Use receipts, delivery orders and invoices to track where customers come from. Monitor inventory trends to track which products sell best. Use Google alerts and Twitter search to see what people are saying about your business. Staying on top of customers’ needs and interests will reveal potential growth areas.
Make A Difference • Join A Service Club
