Arena Sports Gets It – The 3 R’s of Local Business

This is from my “Local Business Done Right” files.

From my tweet this morning about a local business that’s doing it right. A local Redmond based company by the name of Arena Sports caught my attention with a reminder for an upcoming game. You might think --- so what? --- but for our busy family a reminder for an upcoming game is a nice touch.

I’m a big proponent of supporting local businesses. Especially businesses that take the extra step to keep me coming back. I’m happy to spend money with local businesses because I want them to stick around and continue providing a great service.

What does a reminder do?

• Reinforces – While it’s obvious a reminder reinforces something you have already committed to do it’s still important to remind and reinforce. Everyone is busy and a reminder now and then helps keep us on track.
• Revenue – As Woody Allen said “90% of success is showing up” – again, this one is obvious. In business - having your customers show up can be the difference between living to sell another day and … the alternative.
• Returns – as in Many Happy Returns. This simple and seemingly obvious act of sending me a reminder will make me want to work with them again.

What Local Businesses in your area are Doing it Right?

• How do local businesses keep you coming back?
• What reinforces your desire to return?
• Do these return visits cause you to spend money at these local establishments?

Other Local Business Done Right articles

• Pacific Bicycle - Praise your LBS
• Combat Sports - Ready for Combat – Little League Style
• Puget Sound Blood Center - You’re Invited to Jeff Shuey’s Birthday Party Blood Drive
• ImageSource - The PR Value in Green ECM Technololgy
• Gnomedex and Chris Pirillo - Gnomedex 9.0 --- I’ll be back
• RealNetworks - SMC Seattle & The Launch of RealPlayer SP
• El Gaucho - Giddy up and mosey on over to El Gaucho
• Chris Elliott Fund - Ellie at 13 (months)

What Local Businesses in your area are Doing it Right?

Share your stories here.

About The Author:
I have spent the better part of the last 16 years working in various aspects of the ECM industry. I spent time at Kofax, Microsoft, FileNet, K2, and most recently Captaris (which was acquired by Open Text in Nov 2008). Prior to that I was a Unix VAR running my own company. Follow me on Twitter, check my blog, send email or find me on Facebook or LinkedIn.

** I am available for speaking engagements and consulting projects. My areas of emphasis are business development and alliance management where Social Media and Enterprise Content Management intersect.