Our future cities: Applebee's, farmers/flea markets and UPS trucks

By John McGory

 

Last week our blog discussed whether small Ohio downtowns were dying due to the impact of Internet commerce or if creativity could keep them alive.  One of the towns mentioned was Westerville, my home town. 

Yesterday at the library I noticed that last week’s Business First of Columbus had a front-page spread on how great Westerville’s core business area was doing. 

Well, we both can’t be right.  So let’s dig a little deeper into the impact of the Internet on bricks-and-mortar business locations. 

It wasn’t that long ago when headlines across America screamed that big-box retailers were the end of small downtowns and mom-and-pop businesses.  Large selections and low prices were kicking small town businesses where it hurt.  City councils and zoning commissions made life hell for those looking to locate a WalMart or Best Buy in their towns.


The superstore isn't so super anymore

Fast forward to today and look at what is happening to those same big box retailers:

The office supply retailer, Staples, is reducing the size of 39 of its 440 stores by about 10,000 square feet apiece.  They plan on subletting the space to other tenants including Amazon.com.  Amazon plans on installing lockers for customers to pick up online orders.

Best Buy is closing 15 of its 230 stores.

Office Max and Office Depot merged.

WalMart is testing the use of lockers for online purchases by its customers.  It is also substantially increasing its online selections. 

The US Census had retail e-comerce increasing approximately 16 percent from 2011 to 2012. 

The bottom line is big box retailers hurt small town America with lower prices and greater selection.  Big box retailers are now getting a taste of their own medicine through Internet competition.  They cannot compete with the Internet’s array of products and services, the selection and price. If big boxes were bad for small towns, then the Internet is ominous.

The problem for not only small town Ohio but strip center owners, suburbia and job seekers is the array of services and products online continue to grow.  We outlined last week a number of typical small town bricks-and-mortar businesses that are getting pummeled by the Internet.  That list will grow.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

I live in Uptown Westerville and love it.  I patronize our businesses and have brought a substantial amount of business to town through events.  But it is painfully obvious that our community and communities around the world have to wake up to reality.

People aren’t riding into town once a month to pick up their fixins’ anymore.  Small downtowns and brave store owners need to draw people through events and entertainment or face a slow and painful death.


So I was wrong.  The Internet isn’t only killing small downtowns but it has its eye on malls, strip centers, suburbia and jobs.   It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out stuff is cheaper if you don't have a store and employees.

The only way to fight it is through creativity.  People will come out if the allure is great enough.  Without some sizzle our small towns will consist of McDonalds, Applebee’s, several churches, farmers and flea markets, a BP gas station and a lot of UPS trucks. And that is depressing. 

FYF Events is a central Ohio promotions/event company that promotes being Forever Young and Fun. We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact John McGory at fyfevents@gmail.com 614-581-3610 or on Twitter@FYFEvents. We love small businesses!

Is small downtown Ohio dying?

By John McGory

More signs popping up

Is small downtown Ohio dying?  Is “eventing life” the only hope to bring back excitement and customers?

Small downtown Ohio is going through another tough stretch.  Vacant store fronts are growing in numbers in downtowns such as Bexley and Westerville.  If urban living is more hip than ever then what gives?

Starting in the 1960s, small town Ohio began to take it on the chin from new suburban shopping centers.  Large chains such as JC Penney, Sears and Kroger began putting small town shops out of business with larger selections and lower prices.

Small downtowns deteriorated until public and private dollars began to revitalize them in the 1990s and 2000s.  Customers came back but in small numbers and most towns continued to see a brisk turnover in shops.

Today towns face a growing number of shops closing without replacements.  Why?  Internet shopping is the culprit.

Let’s take a look at a few typical small town businesses and today’s competition: 

The eye doctor is competing against Zenni.com where you can get a pair of prescription glasses for $8

Book stores are going up against Amazon.com and digital books

Furniture stores are competing with manufacturer-direct operations

Online and insurance company pharmacies are taken a huge bite out the local market

Wine, cigars, wedding dresses and real estate agents can all be found online

Online banking is reducing the need for local bank branches

Can small businesses and communities fight back?  Not on price or convenience.  Internet shopping has forever changed the pricing and selection landscape.  Many items are simply going to be cheaper and with more options online than in a small store or even many larger ones.

Eventing life can fill the streets

The only advantage the actual stores have is the ability for people to personally “experience” the buying process.  Our company talks about “eventing life.”  Small town Ohio and many other small towns across the world are going to have to embrace this concept. 

What is eventing life?  Towns and stores are going to have to continually create reasons for customers to come in to shop. 

These can’t be once-a-month affairs.  It has to be a steady stream of events that get people off their computers and into the streets.  It is going to take a real effort to create a new sense of community.

This is the only hope for small towns and local businesses.  Without a strategic plan to attract, entertain and sell customers on paying a little more for the experience of shopping in downtown Ohio, the time has come to turn out the downtown lights.   

FYF Events is a central Ohio promotions/event company that promotes being Forever Young and Fun. We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact John McGory at fyfevents@gmail.com 614-581-3610 or on Twitter@FYFEvents. We love small businesses!

What really matters is the power of one; support local business



Support locally-owned businesses

FYF’s philosophy of life is to be Forever Young and Fun.  Much of the world is over-the-edge serious about meaningless things.  We can all look through our lives and pick out our own fun-killers like the useless clothes in our closets.

"Pick out our own fun-killers like the useless clothes in our closets"

But many things in life do matter.  One such thing is the support of independent, locally-run businesses.  Why?  It is because the greatest ideas in the world start with one seed of thought, from one person.   FYF believes in the power of one.

The individual businessperson takes on new concepts and ideas that large corporations will not.  They change the world through inspiration and belief versus return on investment and market share.  We need to support their visions.

Tony Klausing of Good Vibes Winery, 2 South State St. Westerville, is an example of such a person.  He believes he can make wine as good as anyone.  He buys his juices from vineyards around the world and takes on the big boys.  And FYF supports him for it.

FYF is holding a Blind Date with Book event and wine tasting on Thursday, March 28, to give people an opportunity to try out his wines and support a locally-run business.

The wine tasting is $20 and allows you to try a variety of Tony’s wines and enjoy a few snacks from 6:30 pm till 8:30 pm.  If you just want to stop in and have one glass of wine and not participate in the wine tasting, then please do.  You can still participate in the book event.

To participate in the Blind Date with a Book event, bring one of your favorite books wrapped in plain brown paper.  Your book is the “blind date.” It can be any book from the classics to trashy novels.  Try and guess what others have brought and learn why they love their book.  Trading of books is allowed.

It is a great way to meet new people, find a new book to love, try some of Tony’s wines and support a great small business.  If you’d like to sign up for the wine tasting then use the Paypal button on the right hand corner of this page or send an email to fyfevents@gmail.com.

Fun events combined with social media is what we do.  FYF Events will continue to work with and support other independent, locally run companies that want to be forever young and fun by following their dreams.  We hope you do the same.

FYF Events is a central Ohio promotions/event company that promotes being Forever Young and Fun. We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact us at fyfevents@gmail.com 614-581-3610 or on Twitter@FYFEvents.  We love small businesses!

Red Light/Green Light Party: Help the hungry

By John McGory

 

The simplest ideas can often be your best.  An idea to have a singles party at my house has turned into $100,000 worth of food for central Ohio hungry families.   Here is where we are today.

Whether you’re in love or in the hunt, join 3 live bands and a party throng of fun seekers and dancers of all ages on March 9, from 6 p.m. to midnight at theBag of Nails in Westerville for the 6^th Annual Red Light/Green Light Party. All proceeds from your donated cover charge will go to Mid-OhioFoodbank.

In the past five years, money from this party generated $100,000 worth of food. The food bank bought 10,451 meals from the 2012 party donations.

The event is about showing your love or trying to find it. People wear red if they are married or in a relationship and green if they are single.  The party’s growth has been exponential.

Red Light/Green Light has both corporate and individual sponsors and collects cash and check donations at the door. This year’s sponsors include Oakland Nursery, Hetter Heating Cooling, MacMurray, Petersen and Shuster, LLP, Jungle Jim’s Lawn Service, Rotolo's Pizza, C.J. Fetchero Insurance Agency, M.K. Adkins & Associates, Dignity-First, The Bag of Nails, Webface and FYF Events.

Now here is how the whole thing got started.  After several great singles parties at my house two things became clear:  I got tired of cleaning up after slobs and everybody had a great time and told their married friends.  Now they wanted to come.

The attraction of knowing who was single made the singles parties much livelier.  I needed to keep that element.  So I asked a couple of friends what to do.  And one told me a red light green light party is the ticket.  Thanks Marten.

So we started small.  Only 75 or so showed up at the first party and we raised $600 in donation.  Little by little the party has grown to a great event.  And the reds love it just as much as the greens.  

The real heroes of this effort have been my friends and family. They jump-started a decent idea by coming and helping, and by opening their wallets and purses.  Now we’ve been able to get some attention and turn the party into a real positive for the community.

A-list party band Conspiracy, which draws large crowds with its soul, R&B and funk sounds, will headline the show for the third year. Donna Mogavero and the McGory Brothers will open.

Mogavero plays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; the McGory Brothers from 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.; and Conspiracy from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. Checks should be payable to Mid-Ohio Food Bank.

A big part of the fun is the reaction of people to the red or green they choose to wear.

I’ve had some pretty funny conversations with guests about what to wear.  We do a lot of relationships good. Making them choose who they are, red or green, can cause moral dilemmas!  I’ve also learned that 90 percent of single women have no green clothes, so we do provide beads.

So come on out to the party.  All are welcome and it is for a great cause.


John McGory is the founder of FYF Events, a central Ohio promotions/event company, that attracts the distracted. We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact us at FYFEvents@gmail.com. or at 614-581-3610. Check soon for our website at www.fyfevents.com or on Twitter @FYFEvents

Businesses leave Valentine's Day money on table; new events needed

 by John McGory

Valentine’s Day is big business but companies are leaving money on the table.

This Thursday is Valentine’s Day, one of the big event days of the year.  Restaurants, flower and candy stores, jewelers and travel agents all make out like bandits on February 14.

I am happy for those celebrating their Valentine’s Day love.  But what are the rest of us who are alone that day to do?  Hide in a closet?  Drink heavily and drunk dial ex-partners?  Pretend we don’t care?  Turn into haters?  We don’t want to go there.

Hallmark Cards’ research says about 50 percent of Americans purchase a Valentine’s Day greeting card.  That leaves another 50 percent of the country looking for something to do on February 14.  That spells big opportunity to me.   

What kind of events will work for singles?  Let’s first look at U.S. Census Bureau statistics on who is single.

There are 119 single men who are in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same age. Here is the breakdown for specific race and ethnic groups in their 20s:

Hispanics:  153 men per 100 women

Asian: 132 men per 100 women

Non-Hispanic whites:  120 men per 100 women

Blacks:  92 men per 100 women

A 20-something Valentine Day event for the singles could be a more male-oriented, testosterone-fueled event.  Things such as a rousing game of dodge ball or beer pong would work.  These would be good for getting out any excess energy in this crowd.  Having a bouncer or two available may be a good idea.  There could be some displaced anger. 

A male-oriented, Hispanic-themed event could bring in a good crowd considering the overwhelming number of young, single Hispanic males compared to females.  On the other hand, an event attracting black females could work as well since young black women outnumber black males.

The numbers flip heavily as we age.  There are only 34 single males for every 100 single females aged 65 or older.  The ethnic/race numbers are all in the 28-to-34-males for every 100 women range.  Ethnically-speaking it is the same when it comes to aging, men die off and women survive.  I think God realized one of us had to go.

Women-oriented events such as art or literature-themed events or wine tasting for singles have the ability to attract a good, female-dominated crowd.

Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday offender of forgetting about “the rest of us.”  Too often businesses chase the same dollars and forget about the people who aren’t celebrating that special day.  There is more money to be made.

Maybe a Chinese New Year’s celebration would work.   The Chinese new year kicked off on February 4^th and lasts for 15 days.  And it is the Year of the Snake so that could work well with people who aren’t celebrating Valentine’s Day.

There are plenty of opportunities to give us losers in love a few options.  We don’t want to be haters.  We just want something to do.  We deserve a life too.

John McGory is the founder of FYF Events, a central Ohio promotions/event company that attracts the distracted. We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact us at FYFEvents@gmail.com. or at 614-581-3610. Check soon for our website at www.fyfevents.com or on Twitter @FYFEvents

Super event tips from the big game

By John McGory

 

The biggest sporting/entertainment event of the year came and went this weekend.  You have to admit that the National Football League knows how to throw a party. 

Football is America’s number one sport. It always is a plus when your event involves something people cherish.  But this alone doesn’t guarantee an extravaganza. 

Here are five super reasons why the NFL Championship Game sets itself apart from other championship games.

1.    The cyclical nature of the event.  It happens every year at the same time for three or  four hours.  It is not a seven-game series.  It is always on Sunday.  It is a party waiting to happen.

2.    The timing for the game is fabulous.  The beginning of February is the low point of the year for fun and excitement.  Christmas is long gone and cabin fever is setting in for a large portion of the country.  The 6:30 pm eastern standard time kick-off allows all of the time zones to enjoy the game during prime eating and drinking hours.

3.     The entertainment value for those who don’t know who is playing in the game is very high. High profile pre-game and halftime entertainers draw the non-football crowd to the television screens.  The brilliance of making the commercials the highlight of every year keeps people glued to their seats during timeouts.  It is the only time advertisements rule.

4.     It spins off money to all that get a piece of the action.  Food, alcohol, travel, bars/restaurant and television sales all soar.   They keep everyone focused on what we will be doing that day.  The NFL soaks up plenty of free advertising.

5.     It is fun.  The combination of the big game, funny commercials, a boring February weekend and food and alcohol are the ingredients for a country-wide party.  The NFL’s only goal is don’t screw it up.

What can you learn from the big game for your next big event?  Here a few super event ideas from the big game.

1.     People do enjoy things that they can count on for entertainment.  We are cyclical creatures.  Create events that people know that they’ll have fun at each year and you’ve got a winner.

2.     Timing is key.  Don’t compete with other activities or events.  Try and pick a time for an event that is yours alone.

3.     Keep others in mind who aren’t a fan of your theme.  Spouses, relatives and friends get dragged along to events.  Think of creative ways to entertain them if they could care less.

4.     If others can benefit from your successful event then they are sure to be a supporter next year.  Try and spread the love and money and it will return to you many times over.

5.     Keep it fun. 

When throwing an event, learn from the best.  The big game is a great place to start.   

John McGory is the founder of FYF Events, a central Ohio promotions/event company that attracts the distracted. We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact us at FYFEvents@gmail.com. or at 614-581-3610. Check soon for our website at www.fyfevents.com or on Twitter @FYFEvents

Attracting the distracted generation

 
By John McGory

A long-held principle is the Law of Attraction. It is simply like attracts like.  If you are negative, then you will attract negative.  If you are positive, then you’ll attract positive.   

The law’s basic logic makes sense in many ways.  People feel much more comfortable being with people like themselves.  That is why clubs, organizations and gangs are popular.  It is people hanging with others who think and act alike.  It makes life comforting whether it is the Goths, the Crips or the PTA.

Let’s take this concept and turn it toward the business world. What emotion does your brand send out?  Who does your message attract when you send them out via advertising, public relations, social media or branding? 

Keeping the concept of like attracts like in mind is crucial when developing your attraction messages. 

Now let’s take another piece of information from a University of Texas study.  It said that people read, hear, see and do things every day.  Thirty days later they will remember 10% of what they read today, 20% of what they heard and 30% of what they saw. 

But people will remember 90% of what they DID.

So if like attracts like and you mostly advertise via written materials such as post cards or emails, then you attract readers.  The chance that they will remember your ad in 30 days is 10 percent.  Radio spot listeners recall ads 20 percent of the time after a month and television or video ads bump it up to 30 percent.

If you attract customers through doing things such as events, then your chances of being remembered skyrockets to 90 percent. 

Remembering anything today in the blur of information we all face is a challenge.  We live in the Distracted Generation.  The distracted are everywhere.  At the mall, at the movies and at restaurants, texting, gaming and watching videos while carrying on conversations and watching a football game on the big screen.   The distracted keep each other busy even while ignoring who is right in front of them.

But the distracted do like to do things.  That is their problem. They like to do numerous things at one time.    Businesses best chance at attracting the distracted is by giving them things to do.  Events, the crazier the better, have a much better chance at attracting the distracted.  That is your best shot. 

Plus, if they are amused, they are guaranteed to distract others with your message.  That would be attraction by distraction.  So maybe the principle should change to the Law of Distraction where like distracts like.

We’ll talk more about this in coming blogs.  And, I just want to say, I only checked my email three times and sent a couple of texts during the writing of this blog.  Not bad.

John McGory is the founder of FYF Events, a central Ohio promotions/event company that attracts the distracted.  We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact us at FYFEvents@gmail.com.  Check soon for our website at www.fyfevents.com or on Twitter @FYFEvents.