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Sechelt business operators were advised Feb. 28 to aim high when focusing on the future of downtown Sechelt and their businesses.
Ted Topping, left, addressed the annual general meeting of the Sechelt Downtown Business Association Feb. 28 with tips on how to make their businesses stand out. Connie Jordison photo
The advice came from Ted Topping of Creative Insights Incorporated, who addressed the 23rd annual general meeting of the Sechelt Downtown Business Association at the Trail Bay mall.
“Price is only a consideration in the absence of value,” said Topping. To create value and avoid having to lower prices, he recommended places of business focus on positive and memorable first impressions. In his view, this is critical for attracting visitors to the community. He noted that with tourism as a large part of the local economy, this was an important consideration for Sechelt’s downtown businesses.
Topping also stressed that excellence in the processes used to conduct business – in every employee who interacts with customers and in the products being offered – are essential parts of maintaining and growing a successful business. Highlighted was the need for owners to aim to make every customer experience an exceptional one. He suggested doing this by viewing it as a customer would.
He also asked owners to look further than the numbers in building their businesses. “How did you do a year ago? Who cares? What owners need to understand is where they are going, not where they have been,” said Topping.
Annual general meeting business included electing of association members Alton Toth, Dennis Olson, Kristine Toynbee and Paul Meyer to new two-year terms on the board of directors.
The meeting included a moment of recognition for the contributions of past-president Katherine Trueman, who was unable to be in attendance. The group also recognized member businesses marking milestones of 10 to 40 years of operating in downtown Sechelt. These included Redecor, Sechelt Sign and Printing, J&B Consulting, Remax, Richmond and Feenstra CPAs, Gibsons Building Supplies, South Coast Ford and Suncoast Lock and
Trophy.
Connie Jordison
