A series of summer classes designed to help small-business
owners compete with an expanded Wal-Mart have received rave
reviews, despite less-than-spectacular turnout.
Gilroy – A series of summer classes designed to help small-business owners compete with an expanded Wal-Mart have received rave reviews, despite less-than-spectacular turnout.
“I found it to have a lot of good ideas to promote my business,” said Sue Thurman, who owns Country Clutter in the outlets. “One of the key suggestions is that you work hard on defining your business and you promote that definition. Sometimes as a retail store you try to be everything to everybody. What we are trying to do right now is narrow it down and say we are this kind of store. We are focusing on personalization, accessories for females, and focusing on home decor.”
The seminars are one of more than 40 conditions placed on Wal-Mart as part of the city’s approval for the creation of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter. The new 220,000-square-foot store will add groceries to its list of discount offerings when it opens in mid-September in Pacheco Pass Shopping Center.
In the meantime, the company has paid an estimated $2,000 to help small business owners learn how to survive competition from the retail giant.
The classes, taught by San Jose State University professor Tim Hendricks, offer training in marketing tactics designed to help businesses improve customer relations and offer specialized services. The first two sessions in June attracted just 13 people, according to the Gavilan College Small Business Development Center.
In collaboration with the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation, the center has attempted to spread the word about the classes through local chambers of commerce and newspapers. But so far, only 15 people have signed up for two classes scheduled for August, the first of which took place Tuesday night.
“Certainly you want to get to more of them,” said Richard Gillis, director of the Gavilan small business center. “The difficulty is that some folks are a single owner and it may be tough for them to get away.”
Gillis said the center has tried to schedule classes during both day and night hours to accommodate as many business owners as possible. He said a final evening class is scheduled for Aug. 16, although he held out the possibility of an additional session if enough businesses show interest.
“People are feeling like they’re getting something,” Gillis said. “It’s really focused on a guerrilla marketing approach that appeals to small businesses. Obviously you cannot compete on prices with Wal-Mart. But what you can do is compete on customer service and personal touch. The people who understand that are the ones who are going to survive.”
The next training session will take place Aug. 16, 6 to 9pm, at Gavilan College Small Business Development Center, in the Dry Creek Village Center, 8351 Church Street, Building E. Details: 847-0373.
