New to BRE? Start here.
The plays most EDOs and chambers already run. If you are a brand-new director, these are the ones to know before your first board meeting.
All Start here Campaigns Communication Events Money Programs Recognition Research Service Visits Workforce
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The business visitation program
The core of BRE: scheduled visits to existing employers, the same short set of questions every time, and a system to follow up.
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The BRE survey and the red-flag list
A standard questionnaire that turns visits into data, and a short list of answers that trigger a response.
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The facade improvement grant
A matching grant for the front of a building. The most common small-business incentive in Texas downtowns.
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Business After Hours: the monthly mixer
A come-and-go evening at a member business, same slot every month. The chamber staple that still works.
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The business newsletter
One email a month to every business you know, with things they can use. The delivery channel for everything else on this list.
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Shop local and the community gift card
A campaign that moves spending to local businesses, often with a gift card that only works in town.
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Ribbon cuttings, anniversaries and awards
A photo, a crowd and a plaque. Cheap, and owners remember it for years.
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Improvement grants beyond the facade
Signs, interiors, build-outs: smaller matching grants that reach the businesses a facade grant never will.
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Skills for Small Business: free training money
A state grant that pays for community college training for employers with fewer than 100 employees. A gift you can bring on a visit.
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The one-stop: permits, licenses and a person to call
One place, one person and one plain guide for opening or expanding a business in your city.