September 2013 Newsletter

Issue 9
September 2013
Downtown: Where Tradition Meets Today
Dear Members and Friends of Main Street Moberly,
I had the pleasure of speaking to future entrepreneurs of Mrs. Sonda Stuart’s Advanced
Marketing Students this week. These students are working on the early stages of planning
their DECA projects. The students have some great projects and I shared ideas that would incorporate our downtown businesses into their planning. It was great to see the wheels turning
as we talked more about their ideas! I look forward to working with these young people as
they continue to work on their DECA projects! Thank you Sonda for inviting me to visit with
your enthusiastic students!
During the September Main Street Moberly Board Meeting, Reid Fieber and Troy Bock
from Moberly Parks and Recreation spoke about the upcoming Trick or Treat Trail which will
be held on Thursday, October 31st from 4:00—5:30. This is a great
opportunity for our businesses to welcome families to our downtown!
In the past, we have seen 750+ children “trick or treat” the businesses
Upcoming Events
on Reed Street! What a great opportunity to hand a parent your business card or a coupon to come back and shop! If you did not receive a
form to participate, please contact the Moberly Parks and Recreation
October 31
Department or the Main Street Moberly Office.
4:00—5:30 Trick or
Treat Trail
November 8 & 9
Happy Fall,
Lisa
Holiday Open House
Downtown Moberly
November 27 & 29
Black Friday Sales
December 5
Living Windows
5:30—7:30
Welcome New Main Street Moberly Members
First State Community Bank
December 7
Chamber of Commerce
Christmas Parade
5:00
Welcome to Downtown Moberly
Lil Deb’s Variety Shop
What is Main Street Moberly?
Committee Meetings
Schedule
Design
1st Thursday of each
month
Main Street Moberly, Inc. is a not for profit organization dedicated to an
economically strong, safe, attractive and exciting downtown. Main Street
seeks to provide unified leadership to energize the business and residential life in the downtown area. Attracting new business and creating more
jobs, which in turn have a positive effect on the growth and economic
value of the entire Moberly area.
Promotion
1st Tuesday of each
month
Main Street Moberly was founded in 1989 and it’s membership continues
to be comprised of property owners, businesses, non-profit organizations,
and citizens.
Organization
3rd Tuesday of each
month
For more information on how to become a member, please contact Main
Street Moberly’s office at 263-5251.
Economic
Restructuring
2nd Thursday of each
month
MSM Board
3rd Thursday of each
month
What does each Committee do at
Main Street Moberly?
•
Design - implementation of public improvements, public spaces, façade improvement, signs, parking and streetscapes.
•
Promotion - special events, retail promotions, brochures, image development.
•
Organization – public relations, fundraising, structure and overall work
planning.
•
Economic Restructuring - developing a competitive direction for the
downtown area, market surveys, business recruitment and business
retention activities.
Committee Updates
Design Committee
The Design Committee held a successful
fundraiser on September 14th at the Airport
Fly-in Party at the Omar Bradley Airport.
Thank you for helping making this event a
success!
Funds raised for the fly-in breakfast will be
designated for a special project by the
Design Committee.
Economic Restructuring
Committee
If you know of a business wanting to relocate
to the downtown area, please contact our office, and we can find the perfect space!
Promotion Committee
Please see Page 1 for a schedule of events.
Organization Committee
No meeting has been planned.
Name: Margaret Flickinger
Business Affiliation: Co-owner—Controlled Aire
Heating & Cooling
Job Description: Office Manager
Years lived in Moberly: 50+
Original Hometown: Queen City, MO
Education: High School & Adult Education
Professional Background: 20+ years as office
manager
A local businessperson I admire and why: My
husband, Walter. He is always so concerned about
our clients, always insists on the best job done for
everyone.
Why I’m passionate about my job: There is so
much to keep up with, new products, and trends.
Keeping everyone on top of work orders, etc.
Margaret Flickinger
Controlled Aire
Heating & Cooling
If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would be retired.
Biggest career obstacle I’ve overcome and how: Computer. I have taken all computer
courses available. Worked in computer lab 6 years at MMS and had grandchildren and a
son-in-law help tremendously.
What people should know about this profession: First, it isn’t for everyone. I do all the
invoicing, receiving, payroll, pay the bills, work orders and inventory.
What I do for fun: Crochet, read, travel when time allows.
Family: Husband, Walter; 3 grown children, Mary Ellen VanHouten, Julie Danner, Brian
Flickinger; 4 grandchildren and 1st great grandson on the way.
Favorite place to eat in Randolph County: El Vaquero, great food.
Accomplishment I’m most proud: Raising 3 wonderful children, being married 50 years.
Enjoying breakfast in the hangar
Saturday, September 14th was a beautiful day for a
fly-in and breakfast in the hangar!
Our Volunteers that helped us serve.
Thank you Alex, Michelle, Marcus, & Vicki
Michelle Fainter & Marcus Burgett
Volunteers from the Future Business Leaders of
America under the leadership of Vicki Howard.
Did you know???
Thank you Bud Casey at
Funny Pages
for helping
Main Street Moberly
with breakfast!
That the redesigned $100 bill will begin circulating on October 8, 2013.
This note incorporates new security features such as a blue, 3-D security ribbon, a gold ink well
on the front and 100 printed in gold on the back of the bill. This new bill “will be easier for the
public to authenticate but more difficult for counterfeiters to replicate” according to the press release on www.newmoney.gov. To see a picture of the redesigned bill and use the interactive
option, visit www.newmoney.gov.
Seven tips to maximize holiday sales
For a small retail business, the fourth quarter can be a big deal for the bottom line. For some retailers, the holiday
season can represent anywhere between 20 - 40 percent of annual sales. Good planning now will help retailers
make the most of this important season.
1. Create a stellar holiday marketing plan—Start by creating a detailed plan that includes a variety of marketing
platforms such as print and online advertising, holiday store signage, direct mail, email marketing and social media.
In addition, consider implementing some grassroots marketing strategies to inexpensively target customers in your
community. For example, you can partner with other small businesses in your community to hand out coupons or flyers for one another, network at local chamber of commerce meetings (many of the members will be looking for holiday gifts for family members or clients), call VIP customers to personally invite them into the store, post on your
town’s forum, post on local “mom blogs” and distribute store flyers in places such as a gym or supermarket.
2. Plan special holiday events. Store events are also a very effective way to drive more traffic to your store during
the holiday season because they give customers a reason to shop during a specific time frame. One event you
should add to your holiday event marketing plans this year is Small Business Saturday. This is a nationwide initiative
on the day after Black Friday, November 30, that encourages consumers to go out and celebrate and support the local independent businesses that are a vital part of their communities.
Last year, millions of consumers shopped small. With growing consumer interest in supporting local businesses, you
can leverage this powerful national event by inviting your customers to participate in the day through email marketing, direct mail, store signage, and social media posts. You should also promote your participation in Small Business
Saturday in all of your print advertising as a way of attracting new prospects into the store on the day. You can
download free marketing materials on the Small Business Saturday website.
3. Offer holiday deals and discounts. Consider running special product promotions throughout the holiday season
as an incentive to get customers to come into the store and buy. Some stores even sell a few products during the
holiday season at a loss, known as a “loss leader” to lure customers to the store because they know that once the
customer is in they will typically buy more.
4. Hire ahead of the holiday rush. Most retailers agree that exceptional staffing is a key element in holiday sales
success. If you need to beef up your team for the season, it’s important to start the hiring process as early as possible. Remember to execute a thorough training program for your entire sales team that includes customer service tactics, in-depth product information and tips on handling a large sales volume to get everyone ready and excited for the
holiday rush.
5. Make sure you have enough inventory. It’s very challenging to stock just the right amount of inventory to ensure that you have a vast product selection with a mix of specialty items that holiday shoppers are searching for. Plan
on doing a holiday inventory assessment to confirm that you have ordered enough across the different product categories to last throughout the season and hit your numbers. If you realize that you still have not ordered enough, it’s
not too late to reach out to wholesalers to add to your holiday buying.
6. Use your store windows. Store windows are a powerful marketing vehicle to help you promote and sell specific
holiday products. They also serve as great tool to help you attract more customers into the store. Make sure your
windows create visual impact, are well lit, have strong signage and that you use vertical and horizontal space to tell
your merchandising story.
7. Promote holiday gift cards and gift certificates. There is a lot of research that shows that holiday gift card giving is on the rise. Make sure that your store is top of mind with customers who want to purchase a gift card rather
than a specific gift. Promote your store gift cards in all of your marketing efforts. In addition, you might also consider
giving a small gift card to buyers who spend over a certain amount in your store during the holiday season.
Implementing these savvy marketing strategies can keep you ahead of the curve this holiday season and make it a
signature year for blockbuster sales.
Barbara Wold
International Speaker, Author and Business Strategist
Downtown: Where Tradition Meets Today
To Main Street Moberly Business Owners & Friends
112 N. 4th Street
Moberly, MO 65270
Phone: 660-263-5251
Email: mainstreetmoberly@att.net
Like us on Facebook!
Main Street Moberly, Inc.
WE’RE ON THE
WEB
www.mainstreetmoberly.org
Lunch & Learn Brown Bag
Tuesday, October 22
12:00 noon—1:00 p.m.
Entrepreneurial Business Development
Center @ MACC
Who’s Your Mentor?
Why every entrepreneur should have one …
Your friends, family and even casual
acquaintances can provide you with information
on how you should run your business. But only a
mentor can truly share wisdom with you when you
encounter a situation or a need arises. How do
you find the right one? Pack your lunch and join
the Grow Mid-Missouri team along with local
successful entrepreneurs, business magnates and
members of the community who are interested in
supporting growing businesses.
Please RSVP to 660-263-5865
Save the Date:
Tuesday, November 26
Choosing Your
Pathway?
Skatepark41, Moberly's only indoor skate
park is now open to area children and
youth! Children ages 1st-5th grade are
invited to attend during KidzSkate on the
2nd and 4th Mondays each month and
6th-12th graders are welcome to
participate on the 1st and 3rd Mondays
monthly. A signed waiver is required for
participation. Skatepark41 is located at
526 W. Reed Street in downtown Moberly
and is a ministry of Family Life Fellowship.
For more information about Skatepark41
and KidzSkate, call 660-263-0488 or visit
flfministries.com