Promoting Main StreetPromoting Main Street

Promotion CommitteePromotion Committee

RecognizeRecognizeChangingChangingDemographicsDemographics&&Market TrendsMarket Trends

Recognize AssetsRecognize Assets

Define a Market “Niche”Define a Market “Niche”

Create Create NewNew Image Image Campaigns, Campaigns, Retail Retail Promotions, Promotions, and Special and Special EventsEvents

Physical image is only part Physical image is only part of the storyof the story

Promoting changes Promoting changes community attitudes and community attitudes and builds a unified imagebuilds a unified image

Promotion generates fresh activityPromotion generates fresh activityand communicates progress and and communicates progress and excitementexcitement

Image must be crafted from district Image must be crafted from district assets, market potential, and assets, market potential, and community valuescommunity values

Identify visual Identify visual elements that elements that set Main Street set Main Street apart from the apart from the competition in competition in a a positivepositive and and compellingcompelling wayway

Survey all Survey all stakeholders stakeholders to discover to discover positive and positive and negative negative attitudesattitudes

Survey the variety of activitiesSurvey the variety of activities

Evaluate the Evaluate the quality of quality of existing existing promotional promotional activities and activities and materialsmaterials

Match assets to target market…Match assets to target market…be strategicbe strategic

Identify negative images and Identify negative images and reduce those perceptions reduce those perceptions

PromotePromotepositive positive imagesimages

Image campaign has four parts:Image campaign has four parts:

1.1. Image advertisingImage advertising2.2. Print materialsPrint materials3.3. Media relationsMedia relations4.4. Image-buildingImage-building eventsevents

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Media TipsMedia Tips

• Develop a thorough list

• Meet with everyone

• Stay in touch

• Provide story ideas

• Don’t be a pest!

What is your market?What is your market?

Use “positive”Use “positive”retail events…retail events…

… …but not but not “discount” sales“discount” sales

Cross-retail Cross-retail promotionpromotion

CooperativeCooperativepromotion promotion

Niche Promotion: consumer group Niche Promotion: consumer group targeted targeted not not the product mixthe product mix

Use heritage and Use heritage and “local culture” “local culture” events…events…

””Heritage Tourism”Heritage Tourism”

Five Essentials of a Five Essentials of a Good FestivalGood Festival

• Music

• Food

• Overlapping Activities

• Appeal to all ages

• Something free

Develop annual work planDevelop annual work plan

Do not:Do not:

• Do not plan more than one large Do not plan more than one large event during first few yearsevent during first few years

• Do not schedule events in Do not schedule events in competition with otherscompetition with others

• Do not focus only on holidaysDo not focus only on holidays

• Do not focus only on retail orDo not focus only on retail or festivalsfestivals

• Do not use the same volunteersDo not use the same volunteers

Do:Do:

• Plan your events in advancePlan your events in advance

• Match activities to groupsMatch activities to groups

• Delegate tasksDelegate tasks

• Evaluate every promotionEvaluate every promotion