7 Tips for Starting a New Business in a Small Town
by:
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Q. I am transitioning to a new career after sixteen years to spend more time with my family. We affected to a really small town (less than ten thousand people) and I want to start an coffee shop business and besides offer PC repair. How can Iinvestigate and then promote this business?
A. In a big city, you'll do decisions by amount and neighborhoods. In a small town, you schmooze!
On the surface, everyone will be friendly, optimistic and positive.
Your challenge: Get below the surface and discover the true story. You mightiness consider asking a lot of questions before you disclose your own intentions. Listen for, "I will we had"
1. Talk to others who have opened businesses recently.
What challenges have they faced? What works and what doesn't? Were others newcomers successful? If so, were they truly new or did they have deep roots in the town, such as a brother who lived here forty years?
If nobody's opened a business for awhile, dig deeper. Possibly there's no market. Or possibly they're simply waiting for you to arrive! Sometimes a new business can generate latent demand. It's a judgment call.
2. Do a great 1st impression.
Promotion isn't hard in a small town. Ten minutes after you've opened, everyone will know! Several towns resist doing business with overweening newcomers. Others welcome new blood. Regardless, your 1st impression will linger a long, long time. And you'll have trouble convalescent from a local opinion leader with a bad experience.
3. Uncover the town's market and memory.
Considering purchasing a business? Take time to discover the owner's reputation. Once
the local residents seem eager for a change of management, you'll need a new name and image. But if someone's simply affected away and everyone misses them, you've got a fantastic opportunity. Right now in Silver City we could use a few first-rate pet-sitters and dog groomers.
But be sensitive to change. Before I affected here, I'm told, at least three coffee shops failed. Now we have several, on
with a wine bar and a microbrewery. All seem to be thriving.
4. Search the fine print of local regulations.
Here in Silver City, our newest businesses had to fight all kinds of red tape to get opened. One called City Hall to get help with a business that was new to the area. "It's not listed here," aforesaid the clerk, "so it's probably illegal." (The business has opened and thrives.) Another discovered his license hadn't move through because the Council forgot to add it to the agendaand they weren't interested in devising last-minute changes.
Any time you serve food or drink, you cognize you're facing permits. Find out what's involved locally.
5. Prepare to do most of the activity yourself.
In a small town, you can have trouble finding nice help. The local activity ethic may surprise you - in either direction.
6. Cognize your community.
Will your market move from second and third generation local residents? Or are you serving those who resettled recently from urban areas? Here I've met peoples who think three dollars is way too more to pay for coffee drinks. But those who guaranteed with Starbucks will buy at least one cup a day, every day.
7. Build relationships.
If you can attract a town leader, you'll draw a following. Conversely, if you unwittingly alienate a key player, or if a local person's got an idea on the drawing board, you'll be miserable.
And in a small town, you'll be expected to be a super-citizen. Choose alliances and sponsorships carefully. Prepare for all sorts of friendly requests to give time, materials and money.
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, portion midlife professionals take their 1st Steps to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com
"Ten private secrets of mastering a major life change"
mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com
Contact: mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294
