ATTENTION TOURISM PARTNERS & RELATED BUSINESSES

Save the date!  September 29 is when you'll have the opportunity to hear first-hand the findings of tourism consultant Roger Brooks who secretly visited our region last month.  It is imperative that we heed and act on his recommendations.  Here's what you need to know about this presentation.

With the 100 mile diet transitioning from trend status to long-term sustainability model, farmers and other producers are taking advantage of increased consumer interest in where food comes from, and how that food gets to the dinner table.  Here's how one family reinvented its farming business.

More and more tourists are asking for Canadian-made, environmentally friendly products, even if it means paying more for the item.  Based on customer requests, Brier Island's Icehouse Gift Shop has found a top quality Quebec supplier to design and produce the store's funky new T-shirts.  Here's how, and why, owner Joyce Devries decided to rethink the store's retail strategy.

The Globe and Mail has a great business video series called Incubator Case Studies.  Last week, they released a new instalment called What's Good Customer Service?

If you read my blog entries from November 21 and 24, 2008, you'll see two shining examples of excellent customer service here in Annapolis Digby.

Check out the Globe and Mail video by clicking here -- there are some great tips for service providers!

Local retailer Cinnamon Creek has been named Hot Store of the Month by ESPE, one of North America's trendiest handbag designers!

Leading the Cinnamon Creek team is creative entrepreneur Carol Hay. What makes Cinnamon Creek so special is Carol's excellent product choices and how she presents them - she clearly knows her market. But what really makes the difference is Carol's commitment to providing stellar customer service. When you walk into one of her stores, you immediately feel welcome and comfortable. But Carol goes one step further - she has chosen to communicate with her clients with an e-newsletter. These messages arrive in the quiet of evening and are a wonderful invitation to take advantage of her special offers and contests. Simply brilliant!

If you have any doubt about the importance of great customer service and the power of web-based marketing, just talk to Carol. She's doing so well that she recently opened a second store in Middleton at 52 Commercial Street, with the original shop in Bridgetown still going strong.