Joining trade show or any exhibition can be beneficial for many stores, companies, or offices. Though it is so, yet it can also be said as the tricky one. With such a double condition that is offered by trade show or exhibition to numerous business institutions, they have to be extra careful in joining the event. It can be said as the beneficial one since the company, store, office, or retailer will have greater opportunity to meet more customers, having them coming and visiting the event. On the other way around, since usually it is an open exhibition, there are many companies that will also join the event and offer their products or services to the customer to be. This means a great open competition among one company and others.

Considering such ‘challenge’, many institutions have to be able to perform at the best before their clients in the event. Being the best does not only means that they have to be able to offer the best service or product, but at the most important one, they also need to present at the best. Always bear in mind that first impression plays a great role in dealing with customers. This is one step that they should prepare and do well to attract more customers. Selecting many types of trade show equipment can be one great attempt. By the event, certain company can install trade show flooring to present themselves well, up the utmost detail to get more attention by the customer.

» Read more: Presenting the Most Representative in Trade Show

Art on First aims at luring tourists to downtown Napa, North Bay Business Journal
Numerous hotels and storefronts, along with the tourism improvement district are presenting the program as a means to keep downtown Napa and surrounding areas a tourist attraction, with activities that will draw more visitors to the city itself.

Cities consider forming a tourism special district, Ventura County Star
The partnership among the three cities would create a Tourism Business Improvement District where hotels, motels and RV parks would be assessed 1.5 percent of their total room rental revenue. The five-year assessment is expected to bring in about $1.2 million annually.

Dorchester free parking scheme set for long stay, Dorset Echo
A town in England has experimented with a parking voucher system that provides two hours of free parking for shoppers who at least spend £10 (approximately $16 dollars). The parking scheme has been hailed as a “runaway success”.

» Read more: Roundup: Commercial Districts in the News, February 28, 2011

One of the most challenging aspects of a commercial district manager’s job is engaging property owners and businesses. Without property owner engagement, retail attraction is difficult to impossible. And without business owners, marketing and promotional efforts can miss the mark in your efforts to grow retail sales. While it can sometimes be difficult for us to understand why property owners and business owners are so reluctant to participate in our efforts, there are ways to engage property owners and business owners. So what’s the answer? It starts with relationship building.

I a currently facilitating a new program by Coro New York called the Neighborhood Leadership Program. This program, funded by the New York City Department of Small Business Services, brings together 20 emerging and established leaders in commercial revitalization throughout the City of New York. It is a truly amazing group of individuals who are knee-deep every single day in the experience of managing commercial districts. So when this group of accomplished leaders started brainstorming about how to engage reticent building and business owners – you bet I took notes! Here are some of their ideas, along with some of my thoughts, about gaining trust and soliciting participating from community stakeholders.
» Read more: Engaging Property Owners and Business Owners in Commercial Revitalization Efforts