Social Media for Your Business Webinar
Social media is an invaluable tool for today’s business, whether you are just starting out or have been established for years. Not understanding how to use social media effectively can leave you overwhelmed and ultimately hurt your bottom line as your potential customers can easily find your competitors. This workshop hosted by the Toronto Digital Service Squad will leave you with a better understanding of how to leverage the power of social media to grow your online community, drive sales and reduce marketing costs.
This free webinar will take place on February 1, 2022 at 10 am.
Downtown Dollar Gift Card Survey
The Downtown Dollar Gift Card program was launched in September of 2021 in hopes of encouraging local spending. We would like to hear how the program is operating and would appreciate any additional comments you may have about the program. If you are interested in signing up or hearing more information about the gift cards, please reach out to members@downtownlondon.ca to learn more.
EmployerOne Survey 2022
The EmployerOne survey is open now. This survey is conducted every year by the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board to better understand the needs of locally owned businesses. Your feedback and input will be used for program development for both employment and education.
The EmployerOne Survey…
- Is a helpful program development planning tool
- Helps us to support you in a way you actually need/want
- Helps identify skills shortages
- Informs the community about their workforce needs
- Is a confidential, once-a-year survey
- Is for businesses big and small
- Can be completed by business owners, hiring managers, and employers
Core Area Garbage Collection Survey
The City would like to hear your thoughts on the garbage collection system that has been in place since July 2021. Please share with them how the changes to the Core Area garbage collection have impacted your business or property, and then please add any other comments you might have.
Nominations for the Business Achievement Awards
Are you unsure of how to brand your business? Looking to refresh your existing brand? Join the Small Business It has been a difficult year for many businesses in London, but it’s still important to celebrate our achievements as a business community. We are still optimistic that the London Business Achievement Awards will continue to be the largest in-person business awards gala of its kind in Canada.
The event is scheduled to take place in person at RBC Place on September 27, 2022.
City of London Core Area Ambassadors
Have you seen the new Ambassador team out on the street? They are here to foster a welcome and friendly atmosphere for our businesses, employees, and visitors of the downtown! This team is available to identify needed service requests and respond to questions or issues you may have about the downtown. You can reach them at (519)-661-2489 ext 7455 or corearea@london.ca
City of London Spotlight Program
The spotlight program is a new City initiative that supports safety and security in the Core Area and deters criminal activity. Through the program businesses in the Core register to receive a Spotlight program sticker to display in their storefront window. This sticker identifies that there are cameras actively monitoring the storefront area. Learn more about the Spotlight program at london.ca/spotlight.
Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program
The Ontario government has introduced a new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program to support businesses that are most impacted by public health measures in response to the Omicron variant. Eligible businesses that are required to reduce capacity to 50 per cent, such as smaller retail stores, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 50 per cent of their costs, while businesses required to close for indoor activities, such as restaurants and gyms, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 100 per cent of their costs. A full list of eligible business types will be available through a program guide in mid-January 2022. Online applications for this program will open in mid-January 2022. Payments to eligible businesses will be retroactive to December 19, 2021.
If you have questions about the Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program, call 1-866-668-8297 (1-866-ONT-TAXS).
Find it in London Campaign
You’re invited to join the Find it in London campaign! This city-wide effort is in collaboration with Tourism London, Argyle BIA, Old East Village BIA, Hamilton Road BIA, Hyde Park BIA, and Downtown London BIA. This campaign is to create a sense of community while also stimulating economic growth across the city for our businesses. There is no cost to your business to be involved … and there are other opportunities as well! Your business will be listed in the online business directory on the campaign’s website www.finditinlondon.ca . You have the opportunity to be included in future activations that will bring customers to you!
FREE Parking has been extended!
Citi Plaza offers 1 hour FREE parking Monday through Friday and 2 hours on the weekend. The City of London has extended the free parking program in Downtown London for the time being.
On the HonkMobile app, Londoners can use the promo code ‘CORE’ to receive two hours of free parking. This is only valid for on-street and municipal parking and excludes privately managed spots.
Drivers are still able to park for free up to one hour along Dundas Place with no code required. Anyone not able to use the HonkMobile app can also phone Parking Services at 519-661-4537 to arrange the discount.
STEPS TO THE DOWNTOWN DOLLAR SYSTEM UPDATE
As a Downtown London business, you have the opportunity to accept Downtown Dollars and Construction dollars as a form of payment. These dollars can only be spent in the Downtown Core and Old East Village, encouraging local spending and bringing people to our boundary!
Do you already accept Downtown Dollars?
We are moving to a gift card system. There are a few steps you need to complete to ensure you will be ready to assist customers shopping with the new gift cards. We are planning to release these this summer.
- Process a transaction with the details provided in this link as you would a regular credit transaction. (You can type in these numbers on your debit/credit machine)
- This is a test account, so the transaction will come up as DECLINED. This is a good thing!
- Enter your information on the form in the same link that will ask for the business’s name, location, phone number, and your signature. Submit this form once it is completed. It will ask for your email after you have clicked submit.
- This will send an email to your account from “Adobe Sign” confirming that your virtual signature was your own. You need to click CONFIRM YOUR EMAIL in this message for your sign up to be complete.
*If you would like downtown dollar gift cards to be used as a transaction method on your online platform/e-commerce site, simply attempt a purchase with the same numbers as step #1. It will also decline and successfully set up your system.
More Information:
Payment is automatically deposited into your account when a customer makes a purchase using the gift card, much like a debit or credit transaction. You no longer will have to hold on to paper bills to bring to the office for redemption. Paper bills will still be in circulation and can be accepted as we continue to phase them out.
Should you have any questions or concerns, or would like to join this program, please contact either Colleen (colleen@downtownlondon.ca) or Vicki (vicki@downtownlondon.ca).
Financial Assistance
Click here for a list of curated grants and loans available to small businesses from a variety of sources (Federal, Provincial, Municipal, Private).