Most people don’t realize that small businesses strengthen their local community. It is quite common for large chains to employ people in the local area, only to ask the local tax board for tax abatements or other subsidies and threaten to leave the local area if their demands are not met. Many local governments have provided these subsidies in the hope that large chains would increase their business and therefore increase tax revenue, but recent studies show that this rarely happens, and when it does it can drive down the average wage by three ($3) dollars an hour.
Local businesses typically pay a higher wage rate than large national chains and have a direct positive impact on local tax revenue. Many large businesses rely on state or local governments to subsidize their employee costs by paying a lower wage and forcing employees to request state or federal aid for healthcare and even food assistance.
Chain stores and franchises have many advantages due to their size and regional or national presence. They always have larger advertising budgets and can easily cause problems for small businesses, but many small businesses have found ways to attract customers – and what is more important – they have found ways to keep customers happy and gain new business through powerful word of mouth referrals.
So how are small businesses able to compete? To understand how a typical small business can compete we talked the owner of a local family owned business. Medina Sewer & Drain Cleaning Services, based in Meriden, CT which is run by Benito Medina.
“You need to know who your customers are,” Medina said. “This is critical in any business. You need to know your competition, know the marketplace, and know your demographics. Who is going to be your customer? Small businesses are always undercapitalized so you can’t be everything to everybody. It’s important to stay focused. Although Medina Sewer & Drain Cleaning Services offers a full range of plumbing services we focus on unclogging drains and fixing or replacing sewer lines. No job is ever too big or too small.”
Benito Medina has 22 years of experience in the industry and covers the entire state of Connecticut providing 24/7 emergency services. “The average homeowner knows that sewer lines help transport waste water from the home to underground sewer mains. Other than that, most homeowners give little thought to their sewer lines. But when there’s a problem with their sewer line homeowners have to fix it quickly. This is what we focus on. Medina Sewer & Drain Cleaning Services will unclog your drain, recommend a maintenance product and provide tips for keeping your drains flowing freely. We are experts at solving all types of drain and sewer line problems, and that is what all successful small business need to do. Focus on a few different products or services, and make sure that when a transaction is complete your customer is happy so that they will refer you to their friends and family. In a local community your reputation is everything,” Medina said.
We asked how Medina Sewer & Drain Cleaning Services advertises to homeowners in Connecticut. One way Medina promotes his business is by forming relationships with other businesses. One of the partnerships that Medina has made is with Jeff Doyon of Jeff Doyon Landscaping, LLC based in Bristol, CT. “The first time I met Benny [Benito Medina’s nickname] I had a clogged toilet and he was able to fix it very quickly and affordably. Then I had a problem with a sink, and he was able to take care of that too. Because of my landscaping business I have lots of commercial accounts, and I have referred him to everyone that has plumbing or sewer and drain related issues. Everyone that I have referred him to has told me they were very happy with his service and his price. I’ve been referring people to Benny for 8 or 9 years now.
One of my clients, Brookside Manor, a condominium complex in Bristol had a problem with their sewer line. Benny was able to go out their with his fiber optic video inspection kit to find out why their sewer line was clogged. It turned out it was full of tree roots. Benny located them, removed them, and replaced the section quickly. They were exceptionally happy, and they have referred him to other businesses as well.”
Medina also uses local businesses to market his sewer and drain cleaning services. A local business designed and manages his website (www.medinasewer.com), his online marketing strategy including SEO (search engine optimization) and SEP (search engine placement), and even radio advertisements. Medina says, “When you patronize local businesses, the money stays in your town. Not only is this great for the local economy, but this helps foster a sense of community. Everyone is always willing to help their fellow small business owner. This one of the reasons I have been successful even though one of my direct competitors grosses in $100 million dollars a year and can afford to spend millions advertising in the same area that I service.”
If you want to do something to help your community, the environment, and yourself, there’s one easy step to take: Patronize your local small businesses. Not only should you shop local stores, but hire local contractors and use local service providers. When you use a local business, you improve your local economy, create jobs, keep money flowing throughout your community, build your tax base, and support your schools, fire and police departments. It’s time people starting reversing the trend of choosing large companies. Put your trust and your money in small businesses. Patronize your local businesses and build your local community at the same time.
For more information about Medina Sewer & Drain Cleaning Services visit http://www.medinasewer.com or call them at 1-203-909-1099.
Contact info is:
Benito Medina
203-909-1099
459 Center St.
Meriden, CT 06450
