1. Twin Cities Unchained! - Sat. Nov. 19th
November 19th is our national event - America Unchained!, sponsored by AMIBA with participating IBAs around the country. Check out [http://www.amiba.net/Unchained.html] to learn more about the event and what others are doing to celebrate.
Locally we are celebrating Twin Cities Unchained! Below are our planned activities...
Film Showing - Sat. 11/19 at 7 pm
Independent America: The Two Lane Search for Mom & Pop
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Macalester College, St. Paul, 1600 Grand Ave (corner of Snelling)
Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center in the John B Davis Hall
Seating begins at 7pm, film at 7:30pm. (seating capacity 260)
Refreshments Provided
$5 donation encouraged
This 80-minute documentary feature follows Emmy Award-winning journalist Hanson Hosein and his partner Heather Hughes, as they hit the road and travel 21,000 kilometers through 32 states in search of "Independent America." It's a place populated by hardy souls fighting for the right to remain independent in a land smothered by Big Box stores and fast food chains.
PLEASE JOIN US and invite your friends -- this event is open to the public. To print movie flyer off website, go to [http://www.metroiba.org/node/252]
Our first member business directory and window decals are at the printers. I will deliver copies of the directories, called "Passport to Independents" and a decal for each storefront to members next Thursday and Friday. We are printing 2,000 copies of the directory, with each member receiving about 20 to begin with. You will have to decide the most effective way to get them into the hands of your customers who are most likely to use them to patronize other members. We intend to do a follow up printing after we get some feedback on the first batch, possible edits, and distribution ideas. We are also making the directories available for printing off our website, so you can direct people there also. I'll send a link when we set that up next week.
Press Releases
The main focus of the event is calling attention to the economic benefits of locally-owned, independent businesses. I will be sending out Press Releases today that share this information, and hope we get some radio and print coverage next week. I ran some compelling numbers using gross retail sales figures from 2003 in the Twin Cities, and the Andersonville study from Chicago, which showed that independents return 68% of sales revenue back into the local economy, compared to 43% of sales at chains.
In the Twin Cities 7 county metro area in 2003, retail and food/beverage sales averaged $80 million for a day. If people shop only at independents for one day versus only at national chains, $20 million more stays in the regional economy. A 10% shift from shopping at chains to independents would bring $730 million more into the Twin Cities economy over a year. If you want me to run the numbers for your city, let me know.
2. Welcome new members of MetroIBA!MetroIBA is up to 52 business members and 14 individual members. Welcome to our recent additions: Savories Bistro and Wine Bar (Stillwater), Harmony Cedar (online, based in St. Paul), Mississippi Market Co-op (St. Paul), First Avenue and 7th St Entry ( Minneapolis), Micawber's bookstore (St. Paul), Kellie's Corner (Oakdale), Curl Up and Dye (St. Paul), Cahoots Coffee Bar (St. Paul), Izzys Ice Cream Cafe (St. Paul), Eastside Food Co-op (Minneapolis) and Cooks of Crocus Hill (St. Paul). Check out our newest members on our website "Member Businesses", or better, visit their stores.
3. Results of MetroIBA Member Survey - August / September 2005
Ways MetroIBA can apply its resources to improve the competitive standing of Independent Businesses, ranked from most important to least, based on 22 survey responses. (Weighted total of votes shown as number after each.)
#1 - Educate the public as to the merits of supporting local independent businesses. (99 points)
# 2 - Lobby legislative bodies to enact legislation favorable to, and oppose legislation destructive of, independent businesses. (90 points)
#3 - Organize MetroIBA members and the public to actively oppose commercial developments, legislation, etc. which would prove damaging to independent businesses. (70 points)
#4 - Provide opportunities for MetroIBA members to periodically meet to discuss current problems or opportunities. Such meetings could incorporate guest speakers on pertinent topics. (55 points)
#5 - Maintain and make available to the public a list of MetroIBA members and encourage their patronage. (53 points)
#6 - Develop programs to offer savings to MetroIBA members through group purchasing programs (insurance, business supplies, etc). (48 points)
Check out the complete survey results at www.metroiba.org.
4. Do You Feel Hassled by Credit Card companies and others?
Please check out the letter posted on our website from MetroIBA Board member, John Kolstad, to all of you. [http://www.metroiba.org/kolstadletter or on the website go to 'Forums' link, and choose 'general'.] He shares his experiences and wants to know if other small business people are having similar problems. If we hear from you that these problems are not isolated, then we will discuss it and what to do at one of our member meetings in early 2005.
5. Business Pictures for Website
Our MetroIBA website is looking for business photos or graphics from our member businesses to post. If you want your business included, e-mail a graphic file to Jesse (at jesse@idcwebdev.com) preferably in the JPG/JPEG format, though TIF is also acceptable. It doesn't have to be large - less than 1 MB is preferable for web purposes. Jesse can scan business cards or physical photos sent to him, but he'll have to do that on an as-time-allows basis.
6. Linking Websites
For mutual benefit, we encourage our member businesses that have a website to link with the MetroIBA website. Directions to do this are at http://www.metroiba.org/materials
If you have questions, contact Jesse (jesse@idcwebdev.com).
That's it for this newsletter. Have a great November! Best, Merritt