www.gcchamber.org
Page 3
November 15, 2012 | Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly
Small Business Saturday brings holiday spending to small business
NEW MEMBERS Amy Leska Massage Chris Leska, Owner Amy Leska, Owner (614) 353-7337 syma513@aol.com www.amyleskamassage.com Category: Therapeutic Massage
WB Construction Products Kathy Lavelle, Office Manager Tom Lavelle, President 1670 Harmon Ave., Unit A Columbus, OH 43223 (614) 443-8170 rlwurz@cox.net www.wbconstructionproducts.com Category: Construction Products
JM & M Rentals Vicki Karaffa PO Box 442 Galloway, OH 43119 (614) 870-2310 vkk442@yahoo.com Category: Rental Property
The Wireless Center / Verizon Premium Retailer Abhishek Goyal, Marketing Director Joshua Stover, Store Manager 2798 London Groveport Rd. Grove City, OH 43123 (614) 495-1054 marketing@thewirelesscenter.com www.thewirelesscenter.com Category: Telecommunications
The Wireless Center / Verizon Premium Retailer Abhishek Goyal, Marketing Director Curtis Denham, Store Manager 3807 South Hamilton Rd. Groveport, OH 43125 (614) 610-4459 Category: Telecommunications marketing@thewirelesscenter.com www.thewirelesscenter.com
Huntington National Bank / 665 Melissa Wagner, Branch Manager 2607 London-Groveport Rd. Grove City, OH 43123 (614) 480-0135 Melissa.wagner@huntington.com www.huntington.com Category: Financial Institution / Bank
Body By Vi (Visalus Sciences) Tara Borghese, Regional Director (614) 519-9167 Category: Health / Weight Loss tara@borghese7.com http://taraborghese.myvi.net
Discover the difference becoming a chamber member can make for your business visit www.gcchamber.org or call (614) 875-9762
In 2010, small businesses were hurting. The worst recession seen in a generation had hit the nation and small businesses with small profit margins were being left behind. Black Friday has long been a boon for bigger corporations like Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Consumers would flock to the retailers to snap up cheap electronics, toys, and various other Christmas gifts. So the “mom and pop shops” were at a disadvantage. That was until M Booth & Associates and American Express OPEN got involved. Researching and planning showed how badly small businesses had been hit by the recession. There were massive job cuts after a huge market loss. At the same time, surveys showed huge support for small
businesses. Nearly all surveys said that small businesses were vital to the health of the whole economy, that small business brought value to communities, and that the majority of money spent at small business remained in the community. So…Small Business Saturday was born. We sat down with Carol Alberts from the Garden Café on Broadway, who became involved in Small Business Saturday last year after learning about it through Facebook. As an early adopter of Small Business Saturday in Grove City, Alberts says that she was happy with the results, although they were slight. She estimated that only 9 or 10 people specifically said they were there for her sales on wine and beer, a sale she plans to run again this year.
Using promotional material that she had received for free from American Express, Alberts hopes to have an even bigger turn out this year. Last year, shoppers who used their American Express cards at small business on that day received a preloaded gift card as a reward for their participation. With the free material and with incentives for consumers to come in the door, she hopes that other businesses will participate as well. Participate in Small Business Saturday this November 24, and help support the local economy through small businesses. For more information about the Garden Café visit them at 4057 Broadway, Grove City, OH or call at (614) 875-2233.
For more information and downloads to help you promote your business, visit: www.americanexpress.com/us/ small-business/Shop-Small/
Business Tip of the Month
Plant seeds that will grow business relationships
your talents of profesnetwork: 1) mutual trust In last month’s busiand abilities sional – trust is everything, 2) ness tip I stressed the outside of level quesreciprocity – it’s the acimportance of networkthe worktions.) tion of mutual giving and ing to build your busiplace. Take Finally, receiving, 3) etiquette ness. But remember, it an active imple– be nice, kind and conisn’t all about going out role to ment the siderate, 4) confidentialand promoting yourself. show them following ity – it’s the strongest eleIt isn’t selling and telling what you’re steps and ment that builds mutual people what you do, how Nancy Stoll, Certified made of. If keep in trust, 5) accuracy – make you do it, how much you’re only mind, they Business Advisor from sure all information you they need you while you a “Memdon’t call it Ohio Small Business share and all you do is distribute hundreds of ber” you’re “net-work- Development Center accurate, and 6) mutual business cards. Even an avid gardener like me has missing out ing” for respect – if this doesn’t Networking is truly to admit when it’s time to put a wrap on 95% of nothing! exist …you’re wasting about planting seeds on the season. When you have time, the true benefits of your • Don’t tell – ASK! your time. Pour these that will, over time, grow here are a few must-dos. membership. If you only Find out about them and six ingredients into your strong supportive busiClean up your act. Before storing live there…your name is their needs…they’ll find business relationship ness relationships with garden and lawn gear, remove soil, out about you by your ac- John Q. Public. those you meet and get to building (networking) sharpen blades and put a little cook• Know and be known. tions and follow through. efforts and the network know. It is your effort to ing oil on a paper towel and wipe the See and be seen. • Look for ways your build that supportive ‘net’ that you build will result wooden handles and blades. Michael • Find ingenious ways resources and informain building net worth in that ‘works’. It’s the perBring in any houseplants remainand reasons to recontion can help others fect foundational effort to all you do. ing outside. (I’ve forgotten a few and it Leach nect, follow up, stay in fulfill their goals. Next, develop a list of make that cliché, “people isn’t a pretty sight.) touch, follow through • Get to know at least questions that will help do business with people Tune-up the lawn mower and sharpen the blade and build that strong 30 people well enough you find out more about they know, they like, they — or mark the calendar to do this in early February business relationship that they know you by whom you want to do before you need to mow. Ready the snow-blower and trust,” come to life. which will support you in face, name and voice. business with and be a other winter survival gear. Here are some tips all you do. And finally… They know your talents, part of your network. Put a second application of fertilizer on the lawn if to implement into your • Forget about YOU, skills, abilities, character, These questions should you fertilized in early September. Early and late fall are networking efforts. You’ll take care of THEM and and your principles. be designed so you get the two most important times to fertilize, according to see they will build strong eventually you’ll see • Make sure you know to know them both on Ohio State University Extension. business relationships those 30 as well as they a personal and profesFinish planting spring-flowering bulbs. Continue and, over time, they’ll THEY will take care of know you so strong refersional level. Start on the planting shrubs and trees until the ground freezes. If build a “net” that “works” YOU! professional level and the ral networks are built. rain is scant, water the newbies until soil freezes. for you. To contact Nancy Stoll • Get involved in an personal will follow. (Go Clean patio furniture and store it. I keep a folding First, always keep in of the Ohio Small Busiorganization and in your to the Chamber’s website lawn chair handy just in case there’s a warm afternoon. mind the six ingredients ness Development Center community. Showcase to obtain a sample list No sense wasting good weather. of a strong successful at nstoll@cscc.edu Michael Leach is a master gardener and former garden reporter with The Columbus Dispatch. Visit www.enjoyyourlandscape.com and HeartlandMISSED AN ISSUE OF GROVE CITY CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY? Gardening.com, where Michael blogs. Find all your favorite columnists at gcchamer.org or thisweeknews.com in convenient page-turners.
Prepare your plants for winter weather