Office of Community and Rural Affairs

1. Office of Community and Rural Affairs Promotion 101: More Than Events

2. Main Street Four Point Approach

3. Main Street Four Point Approach

4. All Points Lead to Promoting Downtown: Quality, unique products & services with an unequal level of personable service Welcoming, clean, safe, and historic pedestrian friendly environment Positive image; unique assets; center of activity Unification of efforts for a vital district. Sense of ownership, pride and partnerships

5. Why do we need to promote Downtown? Promotion

6. Key Ingredients to Effective Promotion Promotion “The Place is becoming more important than the product” –National Assn. of Realtors

7. Recognizing Your Assets Promotion “We take stock of a city like we take stock of a man. The clothes or appearance are the externals by which we judge.” - Mark Twain

8. Market-Based Strategies Promotion “People will stay longer, come back more often and spend more money in places that attract their affection.”

9. How to Attract Customers Promotion “If you can’t differentiate your community, you will have no competitive advantage.”

10. Strategic Marketing – to your Downtowns’ Specific Consumer Promotion • Downtown Employees • Downtown Residents • Tourists/Visitors • Senior Citizens • Women or Men (separately) • Students (all levels) • Government Employees • Day-trippers/bus tours • Nearby major employers • Military

11. Focusing Your Promotional Efforts on Product Strengths Promotion • Arts • Entertainment/Nightlife • Furniture/Furnishings • Professional Services • Health & Wellness • Sports & Recreation • Ethnic Specialties • Apparel • Agriculture • Education • Green Products • Convenience • Manufacturing • Food

12. Art Niche = Art Walks

13. Incorporate Arts Art Walks are popular – but arts can be incorporated in any kind of promotion or event.

14. Image Campaigns/Building • Perception is stronger than reality (decisions are based on perception) • What image do residents, visitors, shoppers, investors, and potential new businesses have of your downtown? • The best image campaigns distinguish your downtown, or district from the competition • People make choices by weighing their perceived alternatives “Community image is critical to economic vitality and quality of life.”

15. Image Campaigns Include: Image Campaigns/Building • Image advertising that promotes the district’s unique assets • Image merchandise that reinforce the image • Media relations that put a positive spin on the downtown • Image-building events that celebrate downtown progress “Sameness is a minus, not a plus, in today’s world.”

16. Downtown Image Image Campaigns/Building • Define image advertising / tools that reach your market / audience(s) • Online tools / Social Media • website, email blasts, blogs, facebook, youtube, twitter, etc. • Print materials / advertising • Brochures, newsletter, banners, posters, decals, etc. • Media activities / Public Presentations • Newspaper advertising (online, too), council meetings, radio/TV • Image-building events that celebrate downtown progress

17. Target Marketing • You will be most successful when you are strategic in the development of promotions • Design events based on your target market

18. 3 Categories of Business Promotions Target Marketing • Cooperative promotions “sell” businesses in the same category (competitive cluster) • Cross-business promotions “Sell” businesses with complimentary goods and services • Niche promotion focus on the consumer group (including visitors) rather than the goods and services

19. Steps Developing Your Promotion Calendar HISTORIC NEWBURGH EVENT SCHEDULE 2017 Fireworks & Evening in the Park – Jul 1 (Sat) 2017 Food, fun, games, music, and fireworks 5pm food, fun, and games 6:30pm music 9pm fireworks Free Family Movie Nights Watch a film under the stars June 24, 2017 July 22, 2017 August 19, 2017 September 16, 2017 Ghost Walks – Oct 20, 21, 22, 2017 Enjoy the spookier legends of Newburgh’s history and river lore Ghostly Stroll Halloween Parade – Oct 28, 2017 Come in costume and take part in the fun 2pm - 7pm Harvest Festival in the Park – Oct 28, 2017 Come celebrate an autumn festival, live music, kids games, food trucks, fall farmer’s market 3pm - 6pm Historic Newburgh Winery Tour – November 4, 2017 Enjoy a day visiting local wineries aboard a chartered coach Newburgh Celebrates Christmas – Dec 2, 3, 2017 Enjoy a charming walk through downtown businesses as they celebrate Christmas • Don’t plan in a vacuum • Identifying current assets • Identifying target markets • Establish promotion objectives/outcomes (how will you measure success?) • Establish overall strategy/calendar • Design individual events • Implement • Evaluate

20. Who wouldn’t want to go downtown?

21. Who wouldn’t want to go downtown?

22. Why promotion is important? “Among cities and towns with no particular recreational appeal, those that preserve their past continue to enjoy tourism. Those that haven’t, receive almost no tourism at all. Tourists simply won’t go to a city or town that has lost its soul.” -Arthur Frommer

23. Questions and Answers @OCRAIndiana Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs