Twin Cities Trading Post to Use Digital Marketing Grant to Adapt to the Times

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Owner Mitch Moberg and his Twin Cities Trading Post store in downtown Chehalis were approved for a Digital Marketing Grant from the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team (CCRT) on May 4.

The Digital Marketing Grant program, which debuted on April 13, is the CCRT’s response to the effects of the novel coronavirus on small businesses in the area.

The main aim of CCRT is working on projects directed at community building, economic development and downtown development, but with the recent novel coronavirus impact, CCRT has shifted to focus on supporting local businesses in this time of need. 

The Experience Chehalis website states, “The grant program is being offered in 2020 to help these businesses gain a stronger position online and help businesses that have been damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic get back on their feet and make a strong recovery.”

Twin Cities Trading Post has been using Facebook marketing ads recently to increase their exposure on social media, and this grant will help further its efforts at driving customers in. Eligible grant expenses include improving a businesses’ website, digital marketing advertising, e-commerce development costs and social media management. The grant will match 75 percent of a project’s costs, up to $2,500 per business. 

“We will be using our grant to fund a digital advertising campaign on Facebook,” Moberg said. “We try to provide a link to the items pictured in our ads.”

Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and applications will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2020 or until funding runs out. Any projects started after March 1, 2020 are eligible for the grant and applications are reviewed and decided upon by the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team.

For more information visit www.experiencechehalis.com or contact Chehalis Community Renaissance Team director Annalee Tobey at info@experiencechehalis.com

The grant comes at the most opportune time for Moberg and his trading post, which has seen a sharp downturn in business the past six weeks.

“Dramatic drop, definitely,” Moberg said. “What we’re getting is still better than some can say, so we’re appreciative of what little we do have.”

The trading post is a financial institution that offers loans and retail. For the most part, it’s been operating as a curbside business with their financial services the past few weeks. Now it’s letting customers into the store one at a time, so long as they have an appointment.

It’s been challenging for Moberg to make the switch to curbside, phone, email and social media business seven days a week the past six weeks. And there have been a small percentage of customers who believe the novel coronavirus outbreak is not a true medical emergency, and they don’t feel they should have to make appointments and adhere to the social distancing guidelines the trading post is trying to apply to keep its customers safe, Moberg said. 

“We have a couple come to the door daily who express their displeasure that we’re only operating a certain way to keep people safe,” Moberg said. 

The last couple years, the trading post has paid its software provider extra fees every month for transactions used in a mobile app, called MobilePawn, which can be downloaded from both the Google Play store and Apple’s App Store. Moberg has been directing his customers to use the app when they need to renew their loans, make loan payments, layaway payments or even to shop the store to make online purchases for curbside pickup.

The trading post is also a part of Buya Marketplace, an online store that features items from pawn brokers around the county. Twin Cities Trading Post’s in-store items, some with photos, can be found using the ‘find a store’ tab at the bottom of the homepage.

“We’re trying to reeducate a lot of our customers to use those online services or the app to try to help them out,” Moberg said.

Before people began receiving their stimulus checks and/or unemployment, many were coming to the trading post for a short-term bridge financially to pay their bills.

“Now we’re seeing folks that the businesses and industries they work in are bringing them back but they need a little gas money to get through to that first paycheck,” Moberg said. “So we’re providing some short-term bridge loans and other financial services to help folks out.”

Moberg is doing maybe 10 percent of his usual transactions at this time, which is the opposite of what he expected. He figures some people in the community who may need help aren’t aware that the trading post is open for business. 

“The pandemic has definitely affected our business as well as everybody else’s in the neighborhood,” Moberg said. 

Moberg started the trading post in July 2009 as a startup business. He had worked in the industry for a couple decades for big corporate companies and wanted to branch off to start his own financial services business.

“I was wanting to be on my own so I could do more of the community involvement that I desired,” Moberg said. “I was a little bit hindered working for large corporations.”

Since then, Moberg has been active in the community, joining small business associations and getting involved with organizations such as Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society and supporting other nonprofits such as the Boy Scouts of America.

“We just try to keep involved and support our community that supports us,” Moberg said. “We just try to do our part.”

Despite multiple setbacks along the way, the trading post has remained open, even extending deadlines for customers. The trading post’s industry is a bit different from other businesses in that it operates in a 90-day cycle. Transactions that the company didn’t do last month will affect its income for up to a year down the road, Moberg said.

“We’re working hard to adapt and work with our customers, but there are no guarantees,” Moberg said. “I like to be optimistic and focus on what we can control. The true indicator is if you see us from the time the state of Washington finally lists all the safety protocols, if we’re still here 12 months after that, then we’ve made it.”

More Information on Twin Cities Trading Post

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays

Location: 548 N. Market Blvd., Chehalis

Phone: 360-996-4259

Website: www.tctradingpost.com

Top-selling items:

Gold jewelry

Televisions

Tools

Musical equipment

Electronics

••• 

Reporter Eric Trent can be reached at etrent@chronline.com. Visit chronline.com/business for more coverage of local businesses.