in CORP Business

In our ongoing effort to better communicate with the cycling community at large, we are starting a Bike Shop Liaison program.  We are looking for folks who own shops, work in shops, visit shops on a regular basis, live near shops, or are in any position to develop a relationship with the people running the shop.  What the BSL will be tasked with is to make sure the shop, and those working there, is familiar with what we do, that they have brochures and/or other literature to give to interested customers, and to get them fliers and other promotional items in a timely fashion.  Essentially, you would need to stop in and talk about mountain biking once a month or so; you should be able to handle that.

Below is a list of local shops.  Let me know if I am forgetting any.  We already have a pretty good relationship with some of them, but I would still like to formalize that with a designated person.  Others may not currently be "mountain bike shops," but that doesn't mean that a handful of brochures and some knowledge about our efforts won't help us, and them.  I would like to see someone adopt every one; feel free to take on more than one if that works for you!

It would also be great to have someone volunteer to coordinate this effort.  This, too, shouldn't be a huge time commitment, mainly making sure the BSLs have print material, and are making a decent effort to work with their shop.

Atkins Verona Bike Shop         Budget Bicycle Center            CamRock Sport
Dreambikes                           Eric’s Downtown                    Eric’s East
Eric’s West                             Fitchburg Cycles                    Freewheel Community Bike Shop
Machinery Row                       Middleton Cycle                     Motorless Motion
Old Town Cycles                     Oregon Bike and Skate           REI
Revolution Cycles                   Stoton Cycle                          Sun City Cyclery
Trail This                               Trek East                               Trek West
Wana Bike                             Wildside                                 2Rivers

Reply here if you are interested; blue ones are spoken for.  Thanks!

I would add a couple to this list. Bike shops that are active at CamRock. They all have at least weekly rides here. And two of them have team practices here regularly.

Micheal's Cycles in Janesville
2 Rivers Bicycle and Outdoor in Fort Atkinson
BicycleWise and Sports Fitness in Whitewater

I can do Oregon Bike and Skate

Do we have anything to hand out to the bike shops? Like a simple map showing where all the trails are and some basic stats perhaps just mileage and difficulty. And then perhaps the whole link in a chain join IMBA CORP stuff. I don't really have any graphics or page layout skills but could work with somebody that has those skills and is interested in creating something. When we go on bike trips we often stop at local bike shops for guidance about trails so I think this would be great for them to hand out to people. I just re-read the post and it does mention brochures so perhaps this is covered already.

Do we have anything to hand out to the bike shops? Like a simple map showing where all the trails are and some basic stats perhaps just mileage and difficulty. And then perhaps the whole link in a chain join IMBA CORP stuff. I don't really have any graphics or page layout skills but could work with somebody that has those skills and is interested in creating something. When we go on bike trips we often stop at local bike shops for guidance about trails so I think this would be great for them to hand out to people. I just re-read the post and it does mention brochures so perhaps this is covered already.

Some of us carry and have brochures and our cards. I'll share what's in my car. Our road kit has them. I think the road kit will be at the Pleasant View race tomorrow.

We do have literature now.  Hope is to improve the quality of it, but that has been on the list for a while.  Anyway, your experience of LBSs being first point of contact for many people is what is behind the notion that the shops should have knowledge of and literature about us.

I would add a couple to this list. Bike shops that are active at CamRock. They all have at least weekly rides here. And two of them have team practices here regularly.

Micheal's Cycles in Janesville
2 Rivers Bicycle and Outdoor in Fort Atkinson
BicycleWise and Sports Fitness in Whitewater

I see the benefit in working those relationships; I wonder, though, about us having someone who can stay in contact with these further afield shops.  If someone is willing to do it, great, so I will add them to the list.

I can do Oregon Bike and Skate

You are on the list.  Give me a few weeks to get some other folks lined up, and I will get back to you with some guidelines and literature.

I work at Erik's Bike Shop on the East side and would love to help out in any way possible. 

I can help out with Revolution and Trek East. I work at Revolution in the Summer and I live close enough to Trek East that I could be in charge of letting them know what's going on. 

I'd be willing to take on REI it's right close to where I live.

I'd be happy to handle Machinery Row, Motorless Motion, Eric’s Downtown as all are a short bike ride from my place

I'm the Marketing & Outreach Coordinator for Dane County Land & Water Resources Department (A division of which is Dane County Parks).
If I can help in any way let me know.
I'd be happy to take Machinery Row.

Thanks so much for these offers to help. We have regular relationships with some of these shops and not others. All the help will be great. We can keep our cards and brochures in distribution and make sure people know how the trails and events happen.

We will have our cards and literature at the bike show this weekend. It would be wonderful to see you there. We can work out distributing the information throughout the season, and this event needs help. In past years it’s been a vital boost for reaching new faces and making the work days and events known. Our whole “road kit” will be there.

Here’s the sign up link. Jon and I will be able to brief you. I’ll get a weekend long parking pass and can probably return to meet, brief and help our volunteers.

http://doodle.com/poll/zy9ueapa3ssyi98y

I'll be adopting Fitchburg Cycles.

DV