Category: VMS

Recap: Virginia Main Street communities host informal (and informational) sessions

May 6, 2009

Two recent regional Virginia Main Street gatherings in the Southwest Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley offered an opportunity share resources and discuss current issues in an informal setting. In Marion, Main Street Manager Ken Heath hosted a group of nine at the Marion Town Hall for an update on the stimulus package and new efforts in the … More Recap: Virginia Main Street communities host informal (and informational) sessions

Virginia’s Main Street in the news

April 7, 2009

The Sunday, April 5 edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch had several articles of note about Virginia Main Street communities.  First was an article about Abingdon’s latest downtown promotion, then an article about Page County’s (including Luray) attempt to be designated as the “Cabin Capital of Virginia.” Then yet another article, this one talking about the … More Virginia’s Main Street in the news

Keep your books in order

March 12, 2009

Want to be sure your small business never becomes a big business? A surefire method to ensure a lack of success is to have shoddy accounting practices.  Knowing where your money is, how much of it there is, and when you can expect more are key to proper business planning.  Without a plan, your endeavor is … More Keep your books in order

Focus and attitude

February 27, 2009

When times are tough, even the most successful retail business can have some trouble.  Making the right business decisions is paramount when the margin for error is slim. “Fear can be a motivator, but it can also lead you into bad decisions, particularly in times like these,” says Norm Brodsky, small business writer for Inc. … More Focus and attitude

Home grown business

February 25, 2009

Think the talk of “green jobs” is malarkey?  This article on RichmondBizSense.com provides an example of how targeted incentives help promote growth in designated industries, such as home solar power, especially in the early stages of an industry’s growth when the economies of scale have not yet kicked in. Another article from The News Leader reviews the growth of the … More Home grown business

New media

February 18, 2009

Question: What took 89 years for the telephone; 38 years for the television; and 14 years for the cell phone?  The answer? How long it took for each of these communication devices to be adopted by 150 million users. In only five years Facebook has attracted more than 175 millon users – and it’s not … More New media

Economic gardening: Part I

February 13, 2009

Over the past two decades, communities across the country have begun fostering economic growth from within using a technique called economic gardening.  This technique is a response designed to reduce dependence on the traditional targets of economic development – large industry. The benefits of an entreprenuerial society are immense.  Number one among them – profits from … More Economic gardening: Part I

23 ideas for tough times

February 4, 2009

Helping the downtown merchants is one of the most important functions of a Main Street organization.  At the recent Virginia Main Street (VMS) Designated Community Managers’ Retreat, several VMS communities reported that their retailers had a successful 2008 holiday season with increases in sales over 2007.  While much of the increase was because the downtown merchants … More 23 ideas for tough times

Recession advertising

January 22, 2009

This article  in Entrepreneur magazine could help some of your downtown businesses use their limited advertising dollars more effectively.  Then again, it could help your promotional efforts as well. While Entrepreneur’s Kim Gordon gives a four-point recession advertising checklist to make sure your ad budget does the most good, her advice should adapt well to … More Recession advertising