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