bia - downtown brantford · • the bia will send out an email blast at the end of each month that...

BIASTRATEGIC PLAN

2016 - 2019

WWW.DOWNTOWNBRANTFORD.CA

Downtown Brantford @downtownbrantfd Downtown Brantford 519-753-6644

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

The Downtown Brantford Business Improvement Area Board of Management (DBBIA) is excited to present our 2016-2019 Strategic Plan. With financial assistance from Enterprise Brant, the DBBIA Board hired Colleen E. Miller Enterprise to facilitate updating the DBBIA’s 2009-2014 Strategic Plan. A comprehensive member survey was developed to determine critical issues and goals. Brainstorming sessions ensured our Mission and Vision statements were current and our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) were updated. We were pleased to see that many of the weaknesses and threats identified in our previous Strategic Plan have been minimized or eliminated and the following plan addresses our strong desire to continue this trend.

Downtown Brantford is constantly evolving, and the DBBIA is adapting with the changes taking place. Our 2016-2019 plan focuses on 3 main objectives:

First and foremost, we will be Promoting, Engaging and Supporting our members. We will connect with our members to understand their business at every level through conventional means, social media, and face to face, while continuing to celebrate our successes on Facebook and provide opportunities for promotion and networking. Our comprehensive Marketing plan, executed through TDG Marketing, will open the door to opportunities otherwise unavailable to some of our members. We are promoting the Downtown as a destination that is exciting and safe, and as we continue to engage, support and empower our members, they become champions of revitalization and help drive economic growth.

We will be creating strong partnerships with the intent of removing barriers and creating opportunities to make doing business downtown more attractive to current members and future prospects. Partnerships are the basis of downtown revitalization, as is showcased in the Urban Growth Video, produced by the DBBIA in partnership with the City of Brantford and Laurier University. It illustrates how a partnership between Post Secondary and the private and public sectors, and the DBBIA, helped kick-start the resurgence and transform our Downtown into what it is today. The DBBIA recognizes that partners in government, community, and post-secondary are the key to our success. We will leverage these partnerships as we continue to build a framework that supports the role of the downtown as a destination for shopping, dining, services, and events, and encourages an increasing density of people living in the core.

Advocating with a strong voice on real issues that affect our members, we will provide a collective voice with which to push the best interests of Downtown forward. We will work with our partners to help drive economic growth that allows people and the Downtown to grow and prosper, all while creating vibrant, inclusive places to go and things to do.

We have some exciting years ahead! The resurgence of the south side of Colborne and the Laurier YMCA project, the relocation of the Brant Museum, and the increasing investor confidence is changing the landscape of the Downtown. We welcome you to join us on this journey of evolution, and look forward to working together, with you, to create a vibrant, safe, attractive, and inclusive Downtown community.

Sincerely,Keri KorfmannDBBIA Chair

STRATEGIC PLAN WWW.DOWNTOWNBRANTFORD.CA

STRATEGIC PLAN | 1WWW.DOWNTOWNBRANTFORD.CA

MANDATE, VISION, MISSION

The DBBIA has a two-fold mandate• To oversee the improvement, beautification and maintenance of municipally owned land, buildings, and structures in

the area beyond that generally provided at the expense of the municipality;• To promote the area as a business and/or shopping area.

In carrying out these responsibilities, BIAs have become involved in numerous activities:• Marketing: Understanding who area customers are, and creating effective promotions to retain and expand the

customer base.• Business Recruitment: Working with property owners to ensure that available space is occupied, and that an

optimum business and service mix is achieved and maintained.• Streetscape Improvement and Other Amenities: Providing for more customer-friendly lighting, signage,

street furniture, planters, banners and sidewalk treatment.• Seasonal Decorations: Creating a unique and pleasant environment for customers and staff of all businesses,

retail and non-retail, through the use of decorations that are appropriate to the season and holiday.• Special Events: Organizing and/or partnering in special events that highlight the unique attributes of the area

and increase customer visits.• Advocacy: Providing a collective voice with which to champion the best interests of Downtown.

VisionTo advocate for members of a thriving Downtown Brantford,

as a destination, that typifies all that is excellent in an urban environment; a safe, fun and economically successful

community with dense commercial, residential, and cultural activity.

MissionIntensify the commercial and cultural activity of Downtown Brantford, enhance public safety and promote Brantford’s

unique character and heritage.

Downtown Brantford BIA Strategic Plan Process• Retained Colleen E. Miller Enterprises Inc. in February of 2015 to facilitate the updating of the BIA’s 2009 – 2014

Strategic Plan• The DBBIA Board of Management reviewed the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats from 2009 to identify

any additional items in April of 2015.• The DBBIA Board of Management also reviewed the Mission and Vision Statements to ensure that they were current.• A comprehensive membership survey was developed to determine critical issues/goals for the next 4 years and sent via

email in May of 2015. Hard copies were hand delivered to those members without email addresses.• At the June 2015 Board meeting it was reported that there was a response rate of 26.5% which is considered good and

a draft report would be forthcoming.• At the July 2015 Board meeting Colleen Miller presented following: Survey Findings, Geographic Comparisons, Sector

Comparisons, Developing Critical Issues – Survey Review, and Sample Strategic Objectives. • At the October 2015 Board meeting, the following Strategic Plan Strategic Objectives were presented and received

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SWOT AnalysisStrengths and Weaknesses are internal factors that can enhance an organization. They can include assets, skills, or resources that an organization has at its disposal.

Opportunities and Threats are external factors that can impact an organization. They are often not controllable in the short-term.

STRENGTHS1. Momentum 2. Enthusiasm3. Optimism 4. History: heritage structures and gentrification5. Continuity6. Board Commitment7. Board and staff skill set and knowledge/experience8. Membership composed of small businesses 9. Growing BIA Geographical size – new opportunities10. Strong municipal government support 11. Ability to keep members informed12. Improvements in policies and procedures13. Harmony Square14. Post-secondary institutions 15. YMCA 16. Library17. Arts & Culture facilities (Sanderson Centre/galleries)18. Farmers’ Market

WEAKNESSES1. Limited staff and budget2. Lack of Performance Indicators (to be revisited/survey)3. Changing membership pool (nature of business stability)4. Board member time availability5. Diversity of BIA geographical areas6. Community’s lack of awareness of business

membership in the downtown – what and where.

OPPORTUNITIES1. Enhanced opportunity for networking2. Partnerships – corporate, government, education

(revenue stream other than tax base)3. Strong Municipal Staff support4. BIA speaks and advocates for Downtown 5. Priority of local government6. Provincial govt. “Places to Grow” (Government funding

may be available)7. Downtown Master Plan8. Streetscape plan 9. Transportation plan (Two-way traffic & infrastructure

changes, Go Transit)10. Ample retail space available 11. Heritage status or attributes 12. Southside Colborne renewal13. Post-secondary growth will bring stronger retail/

commercial businesses14. Safe Brantford Initiative15. To strengthen media support

THREATS1. Lack of awareness of downtown businesses2. Negative perceptions of downtown i.e. stigma of crime

in the downtown3. Politics of development (restricted access to businesses

due to construction, inadequate infrastructure)4. Infrastructure delays inhibit BIA from fulfilling our

mandate of beautifying the downtown (lack of notice on street digs and construction, etc.)

5. Absentee landlords (property standards)6. Concerns for unknown future development (types and

structural appearance)7. Parking management issues


Downtown Brantford Business Improvement Area – Strategic Plan 2015 – 2019Strategic Objectives

Marketing/Communications

GOAL #1:To work with our members to drive downtown business

1.1 Formally recruit specific people from the 4 sectors (Dining/Shopping/Services/Entertainment) to participate on the Marketing Committee1.2 Develop, execute and monitor the annual Marketing Plan

GOAL #2:To work with our members and community partners to attract and support doing business downtown

2.1.1 Identify 3 key initiatives2.1.2 Develop action plan with specific goals2.1.3 Monitor achievements and seek new opportunities

Advocacy

GOAL #3:To advocate with a strong voice with our members on issues critical to the growth of our catchment area

3.1.1 Brainstorm critical issues and possible partnerships3.1.2 Develop action plan with specific goals, timelines and leaders responsible

At the October Marketing meeting, TDG Marketing presented the 2016 Marketing Plan (points to be included in the Strategic Plan Final Report)

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2016 MARKETING PLAN

PreambleAll marketing activities in 2016 will focus on two primary objectives.

A. Drive foot traffic and awareness of the catchment area for downtown business (external). The intent is to continue with the construction theme (Faces Campaign). The messaging will evolve based on pace and impact of construction.

B. Effectively communicate with the BIA members about all of the ways the BIA is working on their behalf (internal).

Key Executables

1. Direct marketing tools including web management, video production, social media management, collateral tools (newsletters, leave behinds)

• Direct marketing tools are a cost effective mechanism to reach a broad spectrum of the target audience with messaging that is 100% controlled by the BIA.

2. Strategic event support• The BIA will support events that are bringing people into the downtown core and provide an opportunity to

showcase the businesses within the catchment area. TDG will provide marketing support for those events that the BIA deems to fit the criterion.

3. Paid advertisements• The BIA will develop a strategy to receive a maximum return for a limited advertising budget.

4. Public Relations• The BIA will work with local media outlets to encourage positive stories about Downtown Brantford.

5. 15 Second Video Spots• The BIA will continue to produce a 15 second video spot every week. These will be utilized to promote specific

businesses, or events happening in the downtown core. Each video will be pinned to the top of Facebook for a week.

6. Monthly Marketing Updates HTMLs• The BIA will send out an email blast at the end of each month that shows the marketing that has been done

that month including “Faces of the month” featuring the four 15 second video spots, the blog that was posted that month, as well as a longer video if applicable. This will help to gain views on videos, and increase blog readership.

Please note that the Marketing Plan is reviewed annually, and a new plan will be developed for each 2017-2019.


2014 - 2018BIA BOARD OF MANAGEMENTContact Information:

Board of Directors

Keri Korfmann –Tim HortonsChair of the Board53 Dalhousie Street Brantford, ON N3T 3C2 519-756-4555Cell: [email protected]

Tina Wolak – The BodegaTreasurer of the Board75 Dalhousie StreetBrantford, ON N3T [email protected]

Darren McCormack – Nexus StaffingVice-Chair of the BoardChair of the Marketing Committee108 Colborne StreetBrantford, ON N3T [email protected]

Michael Harrington – Millennium SecuritySecretary of the Board185 Market StreetBrantford, ON N3T 3A6 [email protected]

Bill Keighley - Keighley’s Jewellery Store201 Colborne StreetBrantford, ON N3T [email protected]

Cathy Oden – GK York Management ServicesPO BOX 4647, 325 West StreetBrantford, ON N3T 6J7 519-756-5385 Ext. [email protected]

Dwight Rose - OK Tire and Auto Service 28 Dalhousie StreetBrantford, ON N3T [email protected]

Brian Xurieb – Lonnie’s on Market42 ½ Market StreetBrantford, ON N3T [email protected]

John O’Neill – Brant Stereo44 Market StreetBrantford, ON N3T [email protected]

Councillor John UtleyWard [email protected]

Councillor Brian Van TilborgWard [email protected]

Mayor Chris [email protected]

Councillor David Neumann (Alternate)Ward [email protected]

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