INNOVATIVE 2008 BUSINESS APPRECIATION WEEK

EVENT IDEAS and MEDIA COVERAGE

The 2008 Business Appreciation Week focus, “Virginia—The State of Small Business” offers a unique opportunities for enhancing local activities. Traditional Business Appreciation Week receptions, golf tournaments, and meal-time events can include state and/or local historical perspectives and the recognition that today’s businesses are part of a long continuum of creative entrepreneurship. Other types of events can be created around the 2008 the state of small business. Multiple events in a community are encouraged and events do not have to take place during the "official" week of May 11-17. Finding sponsors or partners to help can be as simple as just asking. Here are a few specific ideas for this year’s focus and obtaining positive media coverage for the local business community:

Local Business Success Stories: Ask the local business community for a speaker to present a talk on local business climate generally, or on a specific company or industry. Hold the BAW event at a business site where there are business-related exhibits or at a local company with a company exhibit.

Tour: Arrange a bus or walking tour of a small business area with a knowledgeable guide. This idea would work well with events held by or in conjunction with Main Street communities, or in areas that had vibrant African-American business districts, such as Richmond’s Jackson Ward, Charlottesville’s Vinegar Hill, Roanoke’s Henry Street, or Martinsville’s Fayette Street.

Speaker: Invite a distinguished small business owner from outside of the area to speak on the state of small business or a topic of your choice. VDBA will have a limited number of speakers available to deliver a short but lively, “State of Small Business” presentation. Contact the VDBA for outside speaker suggestions or to schedule a VDBA speaker for your event.

Media Coverage: Editorial space in your local paper can give your efforts great exposure. If you choose to build your event around the 2008 BAW focus, encourage local newspapers to feature a small business from their archives: Ten years ago, 25 years ago, 50 years ago, etc. Work with local reporters on covering your event or suggest a series of articles on area businesses throughout Business Appreciation Week – giving them contact names and interesting success stories. And don’t forget to create photo opportunities. Also, involve local network affiliates, cable and radio stations to broadcast “live” from your event. Offer local spokespersons as guests on regularly scheduled programs to discuss local business and BAW.

Innovative event ideas from previous Business Appreciation Weeks are still applicable:

Sporting Event: Consider the fun, inclusiveness, and good-natured competitive spirit that could be tapped by a BAW sporting event. A basketball game, 5K run/walk, or a “Business Olympics” not only has the potential to draw both a large crowd of business honorees, but also family and friends. Holding the event at a local high school, involving school officials, would help emphasize the connection of local schools to business. Host local businesses at a minor league baseball game in a special section with scoreboard and Public Announcer recognition.

Community Picnic: Many Business Appreciation Week events only include top officials of businesses in the area. Having a large scale picnic, utilizing "covered dish" contributions from businesses and individuals, allows both managers and workers to be recognized for their contributions.

Essay/Art Contests: Sponsoring an essay or art contest for local students on a Business Appreciation Week focus is a low-cost, high-benefit activity if local media can be enlisted to publish entries or dignitaries recognize recipients.

Local Government Ceremony: Offering a Business Appreciation Week local proclamation at a Board of Supervisors or City Council Meeting is an effective, low-cost event, especially if outstanding businesses can be recognized or a presentation is made by local officials. A sample local proclamation is available on the VDBA website.

Business Fair/Trade Show/Open Houses: Your local businesses are always seeking “face time” with the public to show their wares. Create a trade show atmosphere that is open to the public and make podium announcements about each exhibiting business in attendance. You might also coordinate “business open house” activities throughout your locality and create a map of participating businesses.

Combination Events: Combine your local event with public service appreciation or holiday activities. Events with other organizations can trim your costs and strengthen attendance.

Email us at will.vehrs@vdba.virginia.gov for more information or assistance in planning your event.