By David Eiranova, Sun Correspondent
LOWELL -- With foot traffic downtown not as steady as merchants would like, the city sponsored a free seminar yesterday designed to help businesses improve their bottom lines.
The event, called "Best Retail Practices," featured retail consultant Christine Graber and was first planned during last year's Downtown Summit series. Graber has given similar presentations to merchants in Cambridge and Nashua.
Among those impressed by them was Theresa Park, Lowell's director of economic planning and development.
"We thought it would be a great fit, and be something that would add to the vitality and attractiveness of our downtown," she said.
Yesterday's event was attended by close to 40 business owners from downtown and other neighborhoods. It included an enticement: the potential to earn one of six free one-on-one consultations and grants of up to $2,500 to cover the cost of recommendations made.
Graber offered tips to grow small businesses, including improved presentation and promotion as well as successful marketing. She advised paying attention to the type and arrangement of lighting, to storefronts and window displays, and to color schemes, as well as more obvious considerations as tidiness and cleanliness.
Graber urged participants to create a diagram that helps them to better understand exactly what it is that their business does well, and how it helps customers.
She also discussed promotional and marketing processes, such as how to advertise, and the importance of knowing how customers learn about the marketplace. Coupons and "frequent buyer" cards (e.g., buy six coffees and the seventh is free), volume discounts, and special events were presented as inexpensive ways to drum up business.
Police Superintendent Ken Lavallee spoke of the role police have in enforcing security in the city, which Graber said was essential for customers to feel comfortable while shopping.
"It's absolutely great that they're doing this," said Maria Kozombolis, a co-owner of Captain John's restaurant in Cupples Square. "It's great that (the city) is reaching out to the business community."
But not every attendee was impressed.
Mahmoud "Moody" Eltobgi, owner of Moody's Buried Treasures, a Merrimack Street gift shop specializing in Egyptian goods, said merchants are encountering problems that run deeper than simply changing the signage or installing new lighting.
"People don't have money," he said, reasoning that even if merchants are successful in bringing in more people, it won't make a difference until consumers have more money to spend.
Andy Jacobson, proprietor of the Brew'd Awakening Coffeehaus, thought the presentation was good, but expressed some concern about future prospects for all downtown businesses.
"How does this take us to the next step and bring people down here?" he asked.
This story appeared in the Lowell Sun on Wednesday, February 27, 2008