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MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS December 6, 2003 by Linda Hirvonen Delta County Economic Development Alliance ECONOMIC GROWTH This time of year gets many people thinking of what they can do better next year. While we expect the economy to continue its positive pattern, the past uncertainties combined with revenue cuts from the state make this the time to step up economic development activities. Here are some ways citizens and businesses can assist our county’s economic growth: 1. Look at your vendor list and check it twice. Examine what you routinely purchase. Are there things you get outside of the UP? Buying local is not only a great idea for our personal lives, but also professionally. Are there vendors who might be interested in bringing their business up here or that you wish were closer? Call the EDA with their names and the product/sector. I can then use this to find out if others in the UP use this product/service and try to make a business case for them (with your help getting in the door) showing them their advantages if they located or expanded here. Are there products or services that could come from UP vendors? Give UP businesses a chance to bid on your business. Even if they turn out not to have a pricing edge, having a cache of backup vendors is always a good idea. Not sure if your product is available locally? Call the EDA and let me help you find it. Or go online to www.michigan.org/busdir and under “locate” choose “Business/organization directory link. Then there’s a drop down menu to choose the industry you’re looking for, and a place to enter the “keyword” describing the product. It will also have options of searching statewide or within 50 miles of any given city. Of course, while you’re in the system, you’ll want to see if you’re already listed. If your business is not registered, you could click on “Add your business now” section and register. The searching function when looking for businesses goes by the text in your description, so make sure to include every product or line you want to sell! If your business is there, but doesn’t have enough information, you probably have received a passcode from the MEDC. 2. Remember to be an advocate of doing business in the UP. Are you going to a tradeshow? Let the EDA supply you with some brochures about our area, so when you get into a conversation on the plane or at one of the vendor’s tables and find they are considering expansion or are unhappy in their existing location, then you can give them some immediate information. Or if you are going to have a booth at the show, please place a small stack of our community promotional materials o your display. If it’s a show for an industry we can use more of or vendors for, hand over a copy of the participants roster to the EDA and we can send them some information or call them. Remember also the request from #1, to talk to your vendors’ reps about the possibility of getting their company up here if we can make a good business case. The rep may be our best advocate if they’re of the many who love being here. 3. Familiarize yourself with the issues. It’s so easy for people who don’t have all the information to criticize, and so hard to recognize in ourselves. Whenever you hear someone (or yourself say) “I don’t know why they…” that’s your clue that all the information is probably not obvious. In these days of tight budgets and forced short-term (markets have been so erratic that it’s been hard to plan long term), flexibility and rolling with the punches a most valuable skill. Sidney Harris says it well: “Our dilemma is that we hate change, but we love it at the same time. What we want is for things to remain the same but to get better.” This certainly summarizes the reactions of a good many people when it comes to growth and development. Find out what the issues are. Explore all 360 degrees of that issue- there are never just two sides. 4. Get involved. The EDA’s attraction mantra has been “when the world’s your market, you can choose where you want to live.” We certainly believe that the UP is the best choice for many people, and that many people would move here with their world-class businesses and services if they knew about us. The most important part of economic development is preparing the community’s “soil” for growth. If the community is ready to nourish the seed that falls into it, the conditions are right for attraction of new business and industry. A warm, beautiful, and inviting community will need to be consistently displayed. Sign up for Delta Force 2004 for yourself or send an up-and-coming employee. Clubs, organizations, and government boards and commissions should also consider investing in the leadership skills of one of its members. Not only do participants get involved in the community, but they also get an in-depth look at the issues facing our community. To be attractive to positive growth, all the social, creative, recreational, governmental, and business infrastructure needs to be operating at top capacity. It also takes a plan. So volunteer for boards and commissions. Run for elected office. Be cautious in your criticism of those who are currently giving their time and energies to public service. Volunteer to make our civic organizations work. Spend time helping kids and others who need assistance in their daily lives. It will all be fertilizer for our economic garden. Come Grow with Us in Delta County! Linda A Hirvonen, Executive Director Delta County Economic Development Alliance 230 Ludington Street Escanaba MI 49829 (906) 786-2192 or fax (906) 786-8830 |
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