The 605 Running Company Avatar

I recently heard an explanation about how we view ourselves on social media. Basically, what was said is that we create an avatar for ourselves and only present the best parts of who we actually are. With high tech phones we can take pictures, edit them on the fly and show the world only the parts of ourselves that we want people to see. Our focus has shifted from being an active participant in the world around us; to only capturing moments, to present to a digital world that may not even notice. It is really deep stuff, especially on a Tuesday.

My peers in the business world have praised my use of social media. I’ve gone as far as to read books about social media marketing and to build strategies to engage my audience. Just writing that makes me realize how much the digital world impacts my physical. The running shop is a brick and mortar business. I depend on the physical world for my paycheck (more importantly my employees paychecks); yet my marketing is almost entirely digital. This blog in fact is promoted through Facebook, email blast and archived on my website. I did not go to school for that.

So how does the 605 Running Company avatar stack up to what we are really all about? In what ways does our social media presence shape the world around the running store? Does our digital presence connect with our physical?

Today I’m going to give you some behind the scenes insight into how our shop operates. Our business model has always been very fluid, but as time has gone on I’ve narrowed things into four categories. Retail sales, programming, marketing and community engagement. Everything you see our shop do relates to one of these four categories and it is my job to harmonise them in a way that keeps the lights on and the bills paid.

Our shop may have accidentally been on the cutting edge of the whole new world of retail. The idea of experience based consumerism. Creating an experience that will bring people into a shop. These experiences create a loyalty that translate to sales. To me this is simply our physical world shaping our digital world. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times; we are a business that is built on building a community. When you scour our social media pages you’ll find race photos, group running events, classes for runners, stories about running, information on local events and ways to get involved with the community.

We are a retail shop, that is pretty implicit. We have new arrivals of running shoes and clothes. We have margins that we need to meet and product that we must sell in order to keep our mission going. Yes, I just said our mission. Let’s revisit our mission statement.

“The 605 Running Company is a business built on building a community. Founded in 2014, the mission of the store is to enhance the running community as a locally owned and operated running specialty outfitter. No matter what your abilities, pace or running history the 605 Running Company is inclusive to all runners.”
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I’d like to think that we are active participants in the world around us, and every once in awhile we capture some moments to share within the digital landscape. We have an amazing community here in South Dakota. I’m very proud of the things we’ve done here at 605 Running Company and I look forward to the opportunities that our future will bring.

Happy Running Friends!    

Greg Koch is the General Manager/Co-Owner of the 605 Running Company. When he is not at the store he volunteers on the Sioux Falls Marathon Board and Co-Coaches his church softball co-ed team. Greg is an avid runner and enjoys being outdoors whenever possible. Follow Greg on Instagram @gregrun605

Got questions for Greg? Send them to [email protected] and watch Facebook live on Fridays at noon for his AMA (ask me anything) segments! 

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