Retention Roulette:They Love Me, They Love Me
Not
David LymanCity of Bakersfield
Today we will explore . . .
Why BR&E gets little, if any, respect. Should you have a BR&E program? Some tools used in successful BR&E
pgms. How to develop a survey and what to
do with the information you get.
What is Business Retention and Expansion?
Why Business Retention is Unique
You can’t pass on a business.
You may have to work through others.
S E X Y
Should YOUR community have a BR&E program?
Statistically, it’s a no brainer. Need the backing of elected officials. Elected officials need to be convinced. All jobs are not created equal. More entrepreneurs are starting firms.
► They seldom move to start a new business.
Remember your existing businesses.
Should YOUR community have a BR&E program?
Look at your team. Know your weaknesses. Can you deliver? Incentives: protect your
investment. Every large business started
small. Companies want to be wanted.
Rules for Working with Businesses
Explain your role up front. Don’t nickel and dime them with
Q&As. Get them invested in the project. Don’t waste time on a dog.
Maintain confidentiality. Give them a chance to tell their story. Stay in communication.
Source: Mark Barbash, Columbus (Ohio) Countywide Development Corp.
Permit streamlining Rapid response Buyer supply system Visitation program Newsletter Appreciation event Telephone or e-mail hotline Survey
What Should Your BR&E Program Offer? Hmmm, how
‘bout . . .
What is a survey and how do I write one?
The first thing you do . . . Noitca fo nalp ruoy poleved. Borrow other surveys. Who will be completing the
survey? Every question has a purpose.
What is a survey and how do I write one?
Two types of questions. How many questions will you
ask? Group questions into logical
components. Get the results out. Have your team ready.
? ? ? ? ?
David’s Book Club Recommends . . .
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell
Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Responses to Decline in Firms, Organizations, and States, Albert O. Hirschman
City Limits, Paul E. Peterson
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell
David’s Book Club Recommends (cont’d)… The Rise of the Creative Class, Richard Florida
Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Summary
BR&E gets little respect. Is a BR&E effort right for you? Existing successful tools make it easy. Meet the needs of businesses, not you. Survey: backward mapping. Every survey question needs a purpose. Survey: Who will be completing it? Existing firms are already in your
community.