Author | Lightnews

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20h

For better or worse, if you're a developer, you need to be checking everyone's work. Example:

You hire a surveyor to create a survey.

The surveyor's polygon doesn't close.

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 15d

Closing out this series of #DamonsFavoriteDetails (at least for now) with some favorite moments at Ponce City Market.

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 16d

The Reserve in Playa Vista has open ceilings with the cleanest infrastructure I've ever seen. #DamonsFavoriteDetails

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 17d

OK. Truth be told, I have two favorite canopies. This one is on Wycoff Ave in Bushwick. #DamonsFavoriteDetails

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 18d

Who else has a favorite canopy? Mine is this Meatpacking District gem (345 West 14th St) #DamonsFavoriteDetails

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 19d

Who else has a favorite parking garage? Mine is in the LA Arts District in the "at Mateo" project. #DamonsFavoriteDetails

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Events - embroidery workshops (custom with a certain $ spent or with a certain purchase), teaching workshops (show the public how to embroider).

What other suggestions should we be making?
12/12

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Make sure to analyze your ads to make adjustments in wording, photos, videos to improve results – run A/B tests of alternate posts to check your interpretation,.
• Collaborate with larger brands to bring awareness to your store within the local market.
11/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Some tenants started as online businesses – ad targeting is different for a physical store. Use your ads to target niche audiences in your community – for example, Charlotteans who are specifically interested in streetwear
10/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Collaborate with neighboring tenants to organize Instagram giveaways every quarter or a big one once a year. To enter the giveaway, ask their audience to follow all the participating accounts, share the giveaway post to their story, and tag someone in the comments.
9/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Allocate some budget to a part-time social media mgr to engage, promote, & share content daily - college interns are great
• Hire a firm to develop a tailored Marketing Strategy/SEO/Social Media Promo/Photo/Videos – one of our tenants, @LoydVisuals, does this very well.
8/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

Notice that all of the recommendations above are free!
7/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Develop content that brings value to your audience, behind the scenes, building hat designs, how to build a wardrobe, how to curve your brim, how to style a certain hat - make a series out of it. The algo likes content that people save and refer back to later. (FREE)

6/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Post on Instagram during peak times to boost the reach of their content – check analytics and use relevant hashtags to boost their content's visibility. The algos can be tricky, so spend time determining the days and times that work best for their store. (FREE)
5/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Partner with local influencers to reach a wider audience (provide merch or meal in exchange for promotions) (In some cases, micro-influencers willing to do this work FREE).
• Interact with other accounts similar to theirs in the community.
4/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Share project content on their page/story when we share events that are beneficial to their business or others (FREE)
• Add more photos to their Google My Business (FREE)
• Use our tools - we prioritize sharing content that our tenants make easy for us to share. (FREE)
3/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

• Include operating hours in your Instagram bio – helps people recognize at first glance they are available in-store in addition to being online (FREE)
• Engage with other tenants in the project – this becomes a virtuous circle. (FREE)
2/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

Social media recommendations for local retailers, developed by @campnorthend’s social media manager, @raqilah:

• Post 2-3x weekly (FREE).
• Lean into short form videos – Instagram algo prefers 7-15 second snips.
• Use TikTok! Post 10-20 second clips w/relevant hashtags.
1/12

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 20d

Who else loves Domino Park in Brooklyn? #DamonsFavoriteDetails

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 21d

Industry City has the best planters.*. #DamonsFavoriteDetails

* Remember, all planters should have vines spilling over the sides.

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 22d

More #DamonsFavoriteDetails, this time from The Camp in Costa Mesa, CA. I particularly love the parking lot labels.

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · 23d

When your kids tattle on each other or someone else, your response should always be, “What happened just before that?”

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · Sep 19

#1 sign of a real, real estate developer?
Scuffed shoes.

Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · Sep 3

We ask our main vendors to sign on to our Code of Conduct (the company and the individual working at our property). This establishes our expectations, and makes a future conversation about banning an employee easy.

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Damon Hemmerdinger @damonhemmerdinger.bsky.social · Aug 25

If the hand bruises are from medication infusions, why wouldn’t they just use different veins that are out of sight?