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Monday's Afternoon Update
What You Need to Know About Florida Today
Household income in Florida dropped faster than home values
How can Florida -- where housing prices have dropped like a stone for years -- rank No. 2 behind pricey California as the state with the highest number of "working households" paying at least half of their income on housing costs? According to this new Center for Housing Policy survey, a third of Florida working households pay more than half their income on housing. The trick is not that housing costs have not dropped in Florida. It is that household income has dropped faster, thus forcing more working households to pay more of a smaller paycheck to cover housing. Read more at the Tampa Bay Times.
United to fly between Chicago and Sarasota
United Airlines said Monday that it plans to begin daily non-stop flights between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Sarasota, Fla., beginning in November. The once-daily service will begin on Nov. 4 and operate using Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 154 seats, with both first class and economy plus class options. More from AP.
?Ron Stein Column ? Your prospect seems ready to purchase. How do you help them move to "yes" and decide to become your customer? Usually a prospect will signal their buying interest with a change in their behavior and actions. Many times you’ll know a prospect is open to your solution when they become friendlier, by changing their expressions and leaning forward... continued. |
SW Florida businesses happy with having JetBlue Park as neighbor
Chocolatier Norman Love has mastered enough baseball lingo to know the definition of "sweet spot," that place on a bat that can produce a big hit. Norman Love Confections and its new, neighboring gelato shop are just west of the new JetBlue Park, spring training home for the Boston Red Sox. The games throughout March are expected to lure thousands of tourists and local residents past Love’s storefronts. And those who are ensconced in the stadium’s VIP suites will find baseball-themed candies from his business. More information at the Fort Myers News-Press.
Small Biz Advice
Think 'customer assistance' not customer service
"Customer service" is such an overused and cliche term, it's often linked to negative experiences. Most customers call a business for help, not "service." They just want help! Customers just do not know what "service" means as it is such a broad term. Alternatively, a "customer assistance" department really resonates much better because it references exactly what they are after.
» Read more: The full column from Jerry Osteryoung is here.
Publix planning new distribution center in Orlando
Publix Super Markets Inc. is planning to build a 1 million-square-foot refrigerated distribution center in Orlando that is expected to create 156 new jobs in the first three years of operation. The distribution center marks a $188.5 million capital investment by Publix. Publix will receive $3,8 million in economic incentives from the state and the city of Orlando. The incentives include a Brownfield Redevelopment Bonus tax refund and an Economic Development Transportation Fund grant. More at the Lakeland Ledger
Out of the Box
Weekend winds allow some businesses to thrive
While the rain caused problems at the Daytona 500, some businesses were profiting. Kitesurfing is an extreme sport that relies on the weather, especially the wind. “When it’s blowing we are happy,” said 321 Kitesboarding store manager and instructor Romann Chavannes. Sunday, there were kitesurfers in the river near State Road 520 in Cocoa Beach. “Really, this location is one of the best locations in the southeast for kiteboarding because we get a constant sea breeze, even during the summer, so you can ride and do a lot of kite related sports even in the summer time,” said Chavannes. Full story from cfnews13.
» Related: Daytona 500 rescheduled to 7 p.m tonight, under the lights
