Seeing several “Be Loyal to Local” stickers in the windows of downtown businesses along the shoreline “got on my nerves,” said Guilford resident Jim Kohn—not that he didn’t appreciate the sentiment behind the stickers, but Kohn believes the concept requires more than lip service.

“Of course we want to support our local businesses, but are you going to change something you buy out of guilt?” said Kohn. “The businesses need to create an experience that makes us want to shop there.”

With a background in customer service, Kohn traveled the country presenting training sessions on delivering superior customer service. Now semi-retired, he has time to pursue his passions.

After seeing the stickers, Kohn wrote a blog post that “stirred the pot a little bit.” He met with representatives from the local Chamber of Commerce to explain his point of view.

“As a customer service trainer, I wondered what these small businesses were really doing to raise their game to be better,” said Kohn. “I sat down with people I know and love in the community, and we had a healthy dialogue. I said, ‘If you really want to do something that makes a difference, educate them.’ In a lot of professions, continuing education is required.”

The result is the Shoreline Small Business Symposium with a tagline of “Customers have choices. Help them choose you.” The event is Wednesday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Guilford Yacht Club. The event will feature local business leaders Andrew Page of Page’s Hardware and Tim Geelan, the president of Guilford Savings Bank.

“Those are two businesses we’re lucky enough to have in our community that are iconic for customer service, and you’ll be able to sit in a room with those guys and hear how they do it,” said Kohn. “As a bank and hardware store, it’s hard to differentiate yourself, but they’ve done it, and they’ve done it with customer service.”

The authors of Appreciation Marketing, Tommy Wyatt and Curtis Lewsey, have donated their time to present, as well. Ann Nyberg will moderate the event, which costs $25. The ticket price covers the cost of the event, and any proceeds will benefit the Guilford Food Bank. The Guilford Economic Development Commission has also committed to the event, with Kohn extending thanks to Brian McGlone for his support, as well as Leslie Krumholz of GoodStreets.org, the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a gazillion-dollar education packed into four hours,” said Kohn. “We’re handing these retailers world-class talent. The Internet, economy, and weather are things we can’t control. What we can control is the quality of the experience we give to our customers.”

Tickets for the event are 70 percent sold; Kohn expects the symposium to sell out. While Kohn is happy that tickets are selling, he’s hoping to reach even more of the downtown merchants along the greens in Madison, Guilford, and Branford. Several of the businesses that have purchased tickets are featured in videos on the event’s Facebook page (Shoreline Small Business Symposium) speaking about the importance of the topic.

“We know we’ve got momentum with merchants around Guilford Green and getting a toehold in Madison; Branford remains to be seen,” said Kohn. “Anyone in business is welcome, and they should be there.”

Kohn acknowledged the challenges that many small businesses face, noting that many opened more than 10 years ago and could not have imagined the way the Internet could have affected the competitive landscape of business.

“Our aim is to put tools and techniques in their hands to help them compete more effectively,” said Kohn. “The symposium grew organically from our deep caring about our community. We understand how important these small retailers are to the fabric of our community. The material presented will be life-changing for some in the audience. They’ll go back with a whole different point of view. Our dream is to change lives that day.”

To register or for information, visit www.marketingformainstreet.today. Information is also listed on the event’s Facebook page.