Creative Business in Hard Times

The current economic environment will intensify the need to pay attention to sound business management and marketing. Referring back to Peter Drucker’s three phases of business development (innovation, growth, and inertia), the need for innovation becomes a hot issue. Now is the time to get creative about re-inventing a business to survive the challenges of a downturn that has yet to hit bottom.
Creativity often leaves some business owners and managers with an uneasy feeling. It is not always quantitative, linear and repeatable. But it can be employed successfully and safely, if a few guidelines are followed:
1. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, as all mistakes are not bad. A number of products on which we depend for our daily comfort and productivity arose from errant lab experiments, such as Teflon and Post-It notes. To open yourself up to creativity, one needs to allow yourself to make mistakes. Of course, mistakes resulting from inattention to detail or carelessness rarely have a positive outcome. Apply due diligence before trying something new, and give it a chance.
2. To err is human, but to blame it on someone else is even more human. Owning the outcome of chemical experiments at DuPont and 3M gave us Teflon and Post-It notes because experiments did not offer the expected results. But rather than placing blame and a “Failure” label, positive uses were found for the unexpected substances that created entire markets and vast corporate profits. When your attempts at creative marketing or display don’t render the expected results, look for the other possibilities. How can the results be used profitably?
3. You can’t tell how deep the puddle is until you step in it with your full weight. Budget for creativity, both in funding and stress management resources. Don’t step off into an unknown without either the capital or intestinal fortitude to deal with whatever comes from it. Then let it run to completion.
4. Look for ways to remove organizational roadblocks. Take a close look at how policy, budget, control, consensus, specialization, centralization, recognition systems stifle a creative approach to the economic situation. What processes can be shortened? What steps can be combined or changed in order to be more effective or less time consuming?
5. Try management by positive deviation. In our culture, there is a dominant tendency to focus on what went wrong. Look at the other side of that coin. What has been going well and what can be done to enlarge on that trend?
Keeping a positive attitude can be very difficult in these times. But that positive attitude is where one’s energy comes from. And its presence or absence is apparent to every staff member and customer that comes in the door. A laser-beam focus on the light at the end of the tunnel can lead a business through a downturn. And surviving the downturn makes you stronger and puts your business way ahead of the start-ups that appear at the other end of the tunnel. See you there!

Looking Back over PMSA’s 2008

It has been a very busy year for PMSA. When the work is hectic, it is easy to forget how much was done and how many people were involved in making it happen. This is a very brief summary of PMSA’s 2008.  It is by no means an exhaustive compilation of events, tasks or names of those who made the year possible. Our gratitude goes out to all who played a part in making the year the success that it was. PMSA Board of Directors and staff are committed to carrying into 2009 the same schedule and commitment to serve the community.

 

Dave Eatwell

 

January

More than 65 Puyallup Main Street members and staff gathered at the historic Liberty Theater to review 2007, celebrate successes, recognize hard work and leadership, and to look ahead to the future. Out-going Board President Glen Zevenbergen passed the gavel to 2008 President Kent Hojem and new officers. Rich Guzman was named “Volunteer of the Year” for his many hours of donated work during Meeker Days and the Farmers Market. Mary Johnson received the “President’s Award” from Glen Zevenbergen.

February

Approximately 100 prospective brides visited Downtown Puyallup during the second annual Wedding Walk in search of services, décor, fashion and accessories that would make their special day magical. PMSA Office Manager coordinated the efforts of more than 30 participating businesses and sponsors to make it a special and festive day for them all. Meeker Days/Marketing Manager Shelli Williams launched the new PMSA website featuring a new color and graphic scheme, more events and program pages, and enhanced interactivity.

March

Farmers Market Manager Janie Morris staged Puyallup’s first annual Celtic Faire celebrating all things green (Irish and sustainable, that is). Celtic garb was the uniform of the day, with kilts and tartan on every block of Downtown Puyallup, moving to the call of bagpipes. Step-dancers, storytellers and singers entertained the hundreds of people, while workshops and presentations on sustainable lifestyle informed many more.

April

Downtown filled with spectators who came to see the Daffodil Parade again wind its way through Puyallup. PMSA staff and volunteers assembled and manned a colorful booth promoting the Farmers’ Market and Main Street activities at the Spring Fair. Youth Investment’s Friends and Servants, along with the Rogers High School ROTC squad, a Troop of Scouts, and many other volunteers scoured Downtown sidewalks and storefronts during PMSA’s Spring Clean-up.

May

Market Manager Janie Morris opened the Farmers Market. In spite of unseasonably cool weather, attendance and revenues were good. The Spring Art and Wine Walk drew more than 500 visitors to downtown to sample a wide variety of wines, food and art at 22 tasting and entertainment stations. Performances by Washington State’s Poet Laureate high-lighted the day.  Downtown Puyallup’s unique business mix received a shot in the arm as PMSA took six business owners to John Schallert’s Destination Marketing Bootcamp to learn the secrets of drawing customers from hundreds of miles away.

June

The Farmers Market continued to draw record crowds and revenues, in spite of a late growing season. Perfect weather appeared in time to make the Meeker Days Festival the largest ever, with attendance estimates exceeding 105,000. PMSA submitted a proposed plan to mitigate cramped business parking in Puyallup’s central business district. Segments of that plan have been adopted and implemented. Other segments remain under consideration.

July

The Farmers Market continued to draw farmers and artists that attract thousands of shoppers to Downtown Puyallup every weekend. On one weekend in July, Governor Gregoire and a contingent of state legislators toured the Market, greeting vendors and shoppers.

August

The Farmers’ Market continued its successful run as PMSA staff and volunteers assisted the City of Puyallup with the Grand Opening of the $40 million City Hall on 8-8-08. Thousands of residents and visitors attended the ribbon cutting and open house. A special goody bag and wine garden presented by PMSA welcomed City staff to their new Downtown home. On August 16^th, Downtown’s streets were filled with classic cars and their owners, as the NW Crown Victoria Car Club met in Puyallup for three days and displayed their pride.

September

The central business district opened its doors to greet the rodeo parade that annually signals the onset of the Puyallup Fair. Perfect weather and a couple thousand parents, grand-parents and children came to follow the cows, horses and cowboys through the opening gates. Renewed efforts to counteract the “Fair Effect” (sunflower contests, salsa contests, dancers , and fashion show) resulted in doubled Farmers Market revenues over previous years . A special coupon booklet stuffed into 14,500 back packs sold at the Fair invited fair goers to come back downtown. September also saw PMSA and the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber cooperate on the first annual Puyallup Economic Development Conference. They also combined efforts to host 90 local business owners at a special workshop presented by destination marketing guru Jon Schallert.

October

The Fall Art and Wine Walk drew 510 attendees to downtown Puyallup, in spite of a bit of nasty weather. The close of the Puyallup Farmers’ Market marked total revenues for the season of more than $1.1 million, making it the third largest farmers market in Washington State. Perfect weather and an atmosphere of fun brought more than 1,200 children and parents downtown for an afternoon of trick-or-treating and games.

November

November was a month of preparations for the Holiday Season to come. A group of volunteers from Friends and Servants converted 50 snowflakes to LED’s while Jordon Gerry, working toward his Eagle Scout award, led a volunteer group of Scouts from Troop 274 to install hardware and new holiday banners on 65 light poles throughout Downtown Puyallup.  While hanging the 75 snowflakes, volunteers John Hopkins and Rich Guzman also adorned 15 street trees with strings of LED’s. A first meeting of building owners initiated the Facade Improvement to restore 8 downtown buildings with the distribution of $62,000 in matching grants funded by Absher Construction and the Pierce County Historic Preservation and Landmarks Commission.

December

The Holiday Season kicked off with a bang as Puyallup again had near-perfect weather bringing  more than 5,000 children of all ages downtown to welcome Santa to Puyallup. “Thanks!” to Kerry Yanasak, Larry Bargmeyer, Ted Maloney, and their crew for their hard work on all the parades that bring so much joy to Puyallup during the year.

In spite of generous sponsorships by the Puyallup Auto Dealers Association and Main Station Dental Care, the following weekend’s weather did not cooperate so well, as wind and rain collapsed awnings and kept folks from coming to meet Santa’s reindeer. Salon 210 won the Herald’s and People’s Choice Awards in the Window Decorating Contest with its rendition of “A Christmas Story.”