If you live in a small town, you may think retail recruitment is impossible for your community. Learn why it isn't, and how to be proactive in making retail recruitment success your new reality.

1. RealTalk:WhatTypes of Retail Strategies
Work for SmallTowns?

2. Overview
• Know and ShowYour Market Potential
• Focus on the Right Retailers
• Work MultipleApproaches
• Take Ownership of the Economic Development Process

3. Know and ShowYour Market Potential
Regardless of the size or location of your community, you must know the market potential
you have when communicating with retailers.
Take a look at your drive-time trade area. Consumers think in terms of minutes it takes to
get to a location, so your trade area may go beyond your city limits.This could help present
a more convincing case to retailers and is a helpful strategy for small towns.

4. Focus on the Right Retailers
Does your community think that a retailer typically located in large cities is a good fit for
you? Are you targeting based solely on anecdotal feedback/wish lists?
Data insights on your residents, visitor population and current retail mix can help you
understand your place in the market and which retailers are a good fit for you.

5. RetailersWho Often Locate in
SmallTowns

6. Work Multiple Approaches
Traditional economic development approaches focused only on primary job generators,
such as manufacturing. For small communities, growing jobs does help, but is it the only
approach?
Rather than focusing solely on primary jobs, think holistically and recruit residential,
retail, and commercial development simultaneously. Each supports the other and you
never know which path will present opportunities first.

7. It’s easy to get complacent and assume retailers will come to you. As a community, you
must be proactive in owning this process and getting the conversation started.
When starting conversations with retailers, you should be prepared with data on your
community, future and current new developments, aerial photos, etc.
Take Ownership of the Economic
Development Process