MENDOCINO Co., 5/2/18 — It’s National Small Business week, many locally-owned Mendocino-based retail businesses are looking for new ways to provide valuable customer service and keep visitors shopping in our towns’ centers. To help our local independent retailers, West Company and the Small Business Development Center are holding two free “Retail Revolution” seminars in Willits and Ukiah this week.
The events feature Marc Willison, of the Willison Company, who has 35 years of retail experience and is a nationally recognized business presenter, will offer tips, strategies, and ideas to “help local small business start, grow and thrive.” The events are also co-hosted by the Willits and Ukiah Chambers of Commerce.
The two free events are offered at 8-9:30 am on Thursday, May 3 at Willits City Hall, 111 E. Commercial Street, and at 8 – 9:30 am on Friday, May 4 at Ukiah City Hall Chambers, 300 Seminary Avenue. Register at these links to attend one or both of these seminars: Willits and Ukiah.
“Because our clients need to start thinking differently about customer acquisition and ways to improve their online experience we wanted them to hear from experts who have developed new strategies to reenergize retail and hospitality entrepreneurs”, states Mary Anne Petrillo CEO of West Company in a press release about the seminars.
Here’s all the details and the event flyer below:
Retail Revolution Seminar FREE Events for Mendocino County Small Business Independent Retailers
How Independent Retailers can Keep Customers While Overcoming Challenges in an Ever-Changing Economy
(UKIAH, CA – April 27, 2018) You won’t want to miss this timely Retail Revolution Seminar sponsored by the City of Ukiah, the City of Willits and the Greater Ukiah Chambers of Commerce and the Willits Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Mendocino Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the West Company. Two FREE events are offered at 8-9:30 am on May 3rdat Willits City Hall, 111 E. Commercial Street, and at 8 – 9:30 am on May 4that Ukiah City Hall Chambers, 300 Seminary Avenue. Register to attend one or both of these seminars. Willits: https://retailwillits.eventbrite.comUkiah: https://retailukiah.eventbrite.com
Nationally retail is undergoing a revolution. Consumers are purchasing in new ways and not purchasing in the same amounts. Today’s retailers need to come up with creative strategies to succeed. In Mendocino County, where small business is our economic engine, retailers are struggling to understand new buying patterns in this changing economic climate.
Seeking new ideas, and in some cases reinventing business models, to stay relevant and sustainable is paramount. Retail businesses are often threatened by big box stores, competition with online merchants, and being out-maneuvered on social platforms. As a result, small business owners need to start thinking outside the box and learning to implement new business strategies.
“Because our clients need to start thinking differently about customer acquisition and ways to improve their online experience we wanted them to hear from experts who have developed new strategies to reenergize retail and hospitality entrepreneurs”, states Mary Anne Petrillo CEO of West Company.
Mr. Willson has been brought in to speak on new trends in retail management and merchandising. He is a nationally known speaker, for the Small Business Development Center Network, and brings 35 years of retail experience to bear in assisting retail, restaurant, and tourism-related small businesses refine, redefine, and promote their concepts to the public. The Willson Company focuses on helping small to midsize towns and merchants. In Mendocino County our small businesses face a wide variety of economic hurdles including those brought on as cities try to improve their streetscapes so that downtowns remain a shopping destination for locals and for tourists. Marc’s seminar will provide timely ideas, with actionable solutions to help local small business start, grow and thrive.
Register to attend one or both of these FREE seminars Willits: https://retailwillits.eventbrite.comUkiah: https://retailukiah.eventbrite.com
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