Social media, specifically Facebook, has become standard operating procedure for most downtowns. It's a fantastic way to get the word out and receive instant feedback. Have you ever wondered why some towns have thousands of fans, while others are struggling in the hundreds? It has nothing to do with population or the size of your marketing budget. Here are a few ways to gauge the success of your Facebook Page.
Do you know your audience? It's not just your city's residents, nor is it a majority of your downtown businesses. It is a cross section of both, plus visitors, former residents and general fans of your town. So think about your audience when you're posting. Don't make your posts specific to one group. If you want to communicate something specific to your merchants, use a different avenue, like an e-newsletter or go old school and distribute flyers. If posts don't have wide appeal, you will turn off your audience. It limits their opportunity to respond and interact with your content. Always remember, it's supposed to be "social" media, and that never means one-way communication.
Are you consistent in your posts? It's like having a great first date, then the guy waits three weeks to call. Any kind of relationship that you formed is now fractured. It's not enough to get someone to click the like button on your page. You need to provide engaging content that not only reinforces their choice to see what you are posting, but to develop advocates and supporters who will share your page and posts with their friends. How much is enough? Test the waters, posting once a day, three days per week. Experiment with different kinds of posts to see where you get the greatest response. Whatever you are posting, always ask yourself why this would be valuable or interesting to your fans.
Are your posts original? If you are truly a fan of your downtown, then this should come naturally. Realize that most people seeing your posts are not necessarily coming downtown every day. Posting newspaper articles or announcing new businesses is fine, but neither happens with enough frequency to sustain an effective Facebook presence. And you don't want your page to be populated with recycled information that could be found elsewhere. Take a few minutes to walk down the street and get photos of a new business under construction, or some new merchandise being put in a downtown window. Or rotate featuring different business as the Facebook Page of the Day. And whatever you do, avoid the generic Shop Downtown (insert your town name here) posts. If your posts are genuine, you will drive home that message without actually saying it.
Like anything, Facebook will only produce results based on the effort you put forth. Focus on original content that is both informational and engaging. Having a page is a good start, but only through a consistent, authentic effort will you find success.
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Creating the Perfect Downtown Events Calendar
Much like a recipe for your favorite dessert, crafting a perfect downtown events calendar takes many ingredients, a little bit of love and a lot of patience. Event selection is key. Just because an event knocks it out of the park in one city doesn't necessarily mean that it is a fit for yours. When building an event calendar for your downtown, you want it to be uniquely yours and not a list of generic events that people can find in Anytown, USA.
Take It Slow
Event schedules are not built overnight. You need to determine your community's appetite for events and how many your organization can execute effectively. When I started in Downtown Rochester back in 1997, we had three different events, totaling 8 event days. Fast forward to 2012 and we are planning 25 events, totaling over 150 event days. Every event or promotion that was added each year was based on exhaustive research and a taking a really hard look at what we believed our downtown wanted and needed.
Friend-Raising vs. Register Ringing
One of the eternal struggles of downtown event planning is striking the balance between retail events and special events. Of course, the majority of businesses would love to have every event ring their registers. But that isn't always practical and can be a recipe for disaster. By continuing to push "sales" events, you run the risk of your downtown shoppers becoming fatigued by the constant "come spend money downtown" message that those events send. That's not to say that register ringing events don't have their place in the overall event calendar, but they should be created in moderation.
Friend-raising events are those that invite the community to experience downtown without necessarily having to spend money. One of my favorites that many cities do, including mine, is an outdoor movies series. We call ours Movies in the Moonlight. The event is simple - we transform our Farmers' Market into an outdoor movie setting every Saturday in July. The movies are free and are BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair). We average about 1,000 attendees at each movie, ranging in age from 2 to 92. We receive great feedback from the attendees and are working on plans for our 10th season. So how does an event like this benefit downtown? We take the opportunity to engage our "captive" audience with all kinds of information about downtown including other upcoming events. We also extend the opportunity to downtown businesses to advertise on-screen before the movies or to donate prizes for our contest giveaways. Through these no-cost marketing tools, by the time the Movies in the Moonlight series is complete, we have promoted over 40 downtown businesses and events.
How Much Is Too Much?
I think the answer to this question is really up to each downtown to answer. When planning any event, whether it's a one-day flower sale or a summer-long public art project, you need to have buy in from your community, both businesses and residents. How receptive are your businesses to staying open during events? What kind of volunteer support do these events require? How much fundraising is required to make new events happen? These are all questions you should ask yourself before adding any event to your calendar.
So where do you start? Conduct surveys after every event to see how they affected the businesses in terms of traffic and sales. An annual online survey for the public is a great way to determine what events are resonating with your visitors and what else they would like to see. Review every event every year to determine ways it could be improved. And you should never be afraid to remove an event that isn't working in favor of trying something different. Events are a fantastic way tell your downtown's story. Don't miss that opportunity!
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
Take It Slow
Event schedules are not built overnight. You need to determine your community's appetite for events and how many your organization can execute effectively. When I started in Downtown Rochester back in 1997, we had three different events, totaling 8 event days. Fast forward to 2012 and we are planning 25 events, totaling over 150 event days. Every event or promotion that was added each year was based on exhaustive research and a taking a really hard look at what we believed our downtown wanted and needed.
Friend-Raising vs. Register Ringing
One of the eternal struggles of downtown event planning is striking the balance between retail events and special events. Of course, the majority of businesses would love to have every event ring their registers. But that isn't always practical and can be a recipe for disaster. By continuing to push "sales" events, you run the risk of your downtown shoppers becoming fatigued by the constant "come spend money downtown" message that those events send. That's not to say that register ringing events don't have their place in the overall event calendar, but they should be created in moderation.
Friend-raising events are those that invite the community to experience downtown without necessarily having to spend money. One of my favorites that many cities do, including mine, is an outdoor movies series. We call ours Movies in the Moonlight. The event is simple - we transform our Farmers' Market into an outdoor movie setting every Saturday in July. The movies are free and are BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair). We average about 1,000 attendees at each movie, ranging in age from 2 to 92. We receive great feedback from the attendees and are working on plans for our 10th season. So how does an event like this benefit downtown? We take the opportunity to engage our "captive" audience with all kinds of information about downtown including other upcoming events. We also extend the opportunity to downtown businesses to advertise on-screen before the movies or to donate prizes for our contest giveaways. Through these no-cost marketing tools, by the time the Movies in the Moonlight series is complete, we have promoted over 40 downtown businesses and events.
How Much Is Too Much?
I think the answer to this question is really up to each downtown to answer. When planning any event, whether it's a one-day flower sale or a summer-long public art project, you need to have buy in from your community, both businesses and residents. How receptive are your businesses to staying open during events? What kind of volunteer support do these events require? How much fundraising is required to make new events happen? These are all questions you should ask yourself before adding any event to your calendar.
So where do you start? Conduct surveys after every event to see how they affected the businesses in terms of traffic and sales. An annual online survey for the public is a great way to determine what events are resonating with your visitors and what else they would like to see. Review every event every year to determine ways it could be improved. And you should never be afraid to remove an event that isn't working in favor of trying something different. Events are a fantastic way tell your downtown's story. Don't miss that opportunity!
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
How Christmas Lights and A Little Pixie Dust Changed My Downtown!
In 2005, I was on vacation at my favorite destination, Walt Disney World, minding my own business when inspiration struck. I had been to Disney World many times before, and had heard about the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Lights at the Disney-MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios) but was never there at the right time to see it. That year, we decided to stay longer than usual, and that meant we would be there for opening night of the light show.
We staked out our spot at the end of the event street, excited to see what all the fuss was about. As the snow fell (thanks to Disney magic), the announcers hosted a mock radio show, telling the story of the lights and how they came to be at Disney World. When they flipped the switch, my heart skipped a beat. Being a Christmas chick at heart, the lights made me feel like a kid again. Then I realized the 5,000+ people around me were feeling the exact same thing. And it hit me. Could we do this in Rochester?
The next morning I woke up in logistics mode. We raced back to the park to figure out how it all worked. (Did I mention how lucky I am to have such and understanding and supportive husband?) We took photos of everything, picked up every piece of advertising I could find and was well on the way to creating a proposal for my Board. Two weeks later, I had my DDA Executive Committee Meeting (including the City Manager and Mayor) and pitched the idea, complete with a video of the show. Surely they would see the same thing that I saw? How could they say no? Well, they did. Very nicely and politely, they let me down easy. The reason - well no one else has ever done this, it's too big of a risk. I was disappointed, but I understood.
But my disappointment didn't last for long. A few hours later, the Mayor called. He had a chance to think about it and the idea really grew on him. He became the champion for the event, even going so far as to ask the Council to throw in $35,000 of seed money to get the event off the ground. By February 2006, I had all the City approvals and monies needed to pull off the show and The Big, Bright Light Show was born.
The next few months I was back in logistics mode, getting signed agreements from all the property owners to allow us to string holiday lights on their buildings every four inches. To make it interesting, our Main Street is a state highway, so I had to get the Michigan Department of Transportation involved. As you might imagine, they are not big fans of anything in their right-of-way, let alone a really large display of lights. After several meetings, phone calls and a fair amount of begging, everything was in place. Now the big question, will anyone come to see it?
So there we were the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2006, ready to flip the switch on 500,000 lights. Around town, we now lovingly refer to that night as The Perfect Storm. Who could have predicted that we would have 65 degree weather, that our local ABC affiliate would take a special interest in the show and that about 50,000 people had nothing better to do than to come downtown? The lights went on, and in an instant, my downtown changed.
Over the next month, the visitors continued to flock to downtown to see the lights. And more importantly, they stayed. They shopped in our stores, they ate in our restaurants and that translated to an average 29% increase in sales for our downtown businesses. Fast forward to 2011 and next Monday we will be flipping the switch on over 1.5 million lights during the 6th Annual Big, Bright Light Show.
So what did The Big, Bright Light Show teach me? You can't find inspiration, it finds you. No doesn't always mean no. Christmas lights and a little bit of pixie dust can change your downtown.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
P.S. - Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
We staked out our spot at the end of the event street, excited to see what all the fuss was about. As the snow fell (thanks to Disney magic), the announcers hosted a mock radio show, telling the story of the lights and how they came to be at Disney World. When they flipped the switch, my heart skipped a beat. Being a Christmas chick at heart, the lights made me feel like a kid again. Then I realized the 5,000+ people around me were feeling the exact same thing. And it hit me. Could we do this in Rochester?
The next morning I woke up in logistics mode. We raced back to the park to figure out how it all worked. (Did I mention how lucky I am to have such and understanding and supportive husband?) We took photos of everything, picked up every piece of advertising I could find and was well on the way to creating a proposal for my Board. Two weeks later, I had my DDA Executive Committee Meeting (including the City Manager and Mayor) and pitched the idea, complete with a video of the show. Surely they would see the same thing that I saw? How could they say no? Well, they did. Very nicely and politely, they let me down easy. The reason - well no one else has ever done this, it's too big of a risk. I was disappointed, but I understood.
But my disappointment didn't last for long. A few hours later, the Mayor called. He had a chance to think about it and the idea really grew on him. He became the champion for the event, even going so far as to ask the Council to throw in $35,000 of seed money to get the event off the ground. By February 2006, I had all the City approvals and monies needed to pull off the show and The Big, Bright Light Show was born.
The next few months I was back in logistics mode, getting signed agreements from all the property owners to allow us to string holiday lights on their buildings every four inches. To make it interesting, our Main Street is a state highway, so I had to get the Michigan Department of Transportation involved. As you might imagine, they are not big fans of anything in their right-of-way, let alone a really large display of lights. After several meetings, phone calls and a fair amount of begging, everything was in place. Now the big question, will anyone come to see it?
So there we were the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2006, ready to flip the switch on 500,000 lights. Around town, we now lovingly refer to that night as The Perfect Storm. Who could have predicted that we would have 65 degree weather, that our local ABC affiliate would take a special interest in the show and that about 50,000 people had nothing better to do than to come downtown? The lights went on, and in an instant, my downtown changed.
Over the next month, the visitors continued to flock to downtown to see the lights. And more importantly, they stayed. They shopped in our stores, they ate in our restaurants and that translated to an average 29% increase in sales for our downtown businesses. Fast forward to 2011 and next Monday we will be flipping the switch on over 1.5 million lights during the 6th Annual Big, Bright Light Show.
So what did The Big, Bright Light Show teach me? You can't find inspiration, it finds you. No doesn't always mean no. Christmas lights and a little bit of pixie dust can change your downtown.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
P.S. - Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Business Retention is Business Recruitment!
So how many new businesses opened in your downtown this year? Often, this is the only number used to gauge the success of a business recruitment program. I believe that there are a lot of things behind that magic number, not the least of which is business retention. You can recruit new businesses all day long, but if you are not stabilizing those businesses all you are really doing is creating a revolving door effect which certainly doesn't help the overall perception or image of your district. So how do you retain businesses?
Let me state for the record that I am not suggesting that you are solely responsible for their success, but you can't just cut the ribbon with the big scissors and wish them luck. There is a middle ground between hand-holding and hands-off and it should have three elements - communication, partnerships and education.
You need to establish an open line of communication or open door policy with your businesses. Make sure that they know that you are available to them anytime. How do you communicate this? You have to be out there, visiting the stores. Let this be the first step in forming these relationships. You know the signs when a business is in trouble - limited hours, lack of participation, elimination of advertising, no new merchandise, etc. Be aware of what's happening so you can respond to businesses at risk immediately.
While your relationships with your businesses are a great tool, it's even more important to encourage partnerships with fellow merchants. They can become a source of mentoring, a confidant or even an opportunity to share customers through special events and cross-promotions. Being an independent business owner doesn't have to mean that they are on their own. Small businesses locate in downtowns because they want to be a part of a community. It is that community - both the businesses and residents - that will help them succeed.
I'm a big fan of teaching people how to fish. Sure, it might be easier and quicker to do it for them, but then what have they really learned? You're not always going to be there, looking over their shoulder (nor should you). In addition to including quick-hit marketing tips in our monthly Merchant Forum meetings, we also offer a quarterly Speaker Series. The series is a more intense, workshop-style seminar. Topics are selected based on merchant input and key topics in the marketplace.
Six years ago, we added an aggressive business retention element to our business recruitment program and in the last few years, we have started to reap the rewards. This year, we are on track to open over 30 businesses and should finish the year with a 96% retail occupancy rate. Even more exciting, 10 of our existing businesses have expanded, relocating to larger spaces within the downtown. It doesn't take a big budget, just a consistent, long-term strategy that is focused on both recruitment and retention.
By integrating communication, partnerships and education into your business retention efforts, you can execute a comprehensive approach that will foster a business-friendly environment in which small businesses can thrive. And that's just another selling point in your business recruitment pitch!
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
P.S. Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
Let me state for the record that I am not suggesting that you are solely responsible for their success, but you can't just cut the ribbon with the big scissors and wish them luck. There is a middle ground between hand-holding and hands-off and it should have three elements - communication, partnerships and education.
You need to establish an open line of communication or open door policy with your businesses. Make sure that they know that you are available to them anytime. How do you communicate this? You have to be out there, visiting the stores. Let this be the first step in forming these relationships. You know the signs when a business is in trouble - limited hours, lack of participation, elimination of advertising, no new merchandise, etc. Be aware of what's happening so you can respond to businesses at risk immediately.
While your relationships with your businesses are a great tool, it's even more important to encourage partnerships with fellow merchants. They can become a source of mentoring, a confidant or even an opportunity to share customers through special events and cross-promotions. Being an independent business owner doesn't have to mean that they are on their own. Small businesses locate in downtowns because they want to be a part of a community. It is that community - both the businesses and residents - that will help them succeed.
I'm a big fan of teaching people how to fish. Sure, it might be easier and quicker to do it for them, but then what have they really learned? You're not always going to be there, looking over their shoulder (nor should you). In addition to including quick-hit marketing tips in our monthly Merchant Forum meetings, we also offer a quarterly Speaker Series. The series is a more intense, workshop-style seminar. Topics are selected based on merchant input and key topics in the marketplace.
Six years ago, we added an aggressive business retention element to our business recruitment program and in the last few years, we have started to reap the rewards. This year, we are on track to open over 30 businesses and should finish the year with a 96% retail occupancy rate. Even more exciting, 10 of our existing businesses have expanded, relocating to larger spaces within the downtown. It doesn't take a big budget, just a consistent, long-term strategy that is focused on both recruitment and retention.
By integrating communication, partnerships and education into your business retention efforts, you can execute a comprehensive approach that will foster a business-friendly environment in which small businesses can thrive. And that's just another selling point in your business recruitment pitch!
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
P.S. Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
So You Want To Be A Downtown Manager...
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how I got into this job (okay, I'd have about $11, but I digress). Most people I know in this field never intended to be here and typically have a long story, filled with twists and turns that led them to the magical place known as community development. I asked my fellow geeks what they think are the keys to success for anyone in downtown development. As you might imagine, they had a lot to offer.
I took the best of the best, added a few of my own and here's the final product:
10. Flexibility - Accept the reality that there isn't just one way to do things. Strong organizational skills are important, but you need to know when to scrap the plan and try something different.
9. Opportunist - The ability to look at your downtown and see what could be.
8. Crazy - Let's face it, we're all a little crazy in our own way. You need to learn how to harness your craziness for the good of your community.
7. Patience - It's a fast paced job, but not everything moves as quickly as you might like and road blocks come out of nowhere. Take a deep breath, focus on your goals and keep a smile on your face.
6. Talk People Into Anything - Getting people to say yes to giving you money, time and the green light to do some pretty quirky stuff is an art form.
5. Talk People Out of Anything - Taking a step back from a new idea to do some due diligence without squashing enthusiasm.
4. Broad Shoulders - You'll have to do the heavy lifting and be a shoulder to cry on. Both are equally important.
3. Enjoy Rejection - You'll hear the word no a lot. It's nothing personal, remember that. Embrace the rejection as an opportunity.
2. Believe In Something - People follow those who inspire by their actions and beliefs. You have to believe in your community and what your organization is doing. If you don't, why would anyone else?
1. Be MacGyver - You need to be able to create anything out of a paper clip, the Dukes of Hazzard First Season DVD and a stick of bubble gum.
So there you have it. A not-so-scientific study into what makes a downtown manager tick. What do you think of the list? What's missing?
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
I took the best of the best, added a few of my own and here's the final product:
10. Flexibility - Accept the reality that there isn't just one way to do things. Strong organizational skills are important, but you need to know when to scrap the plan and try something different.
9. Opportunist - The ability to look at your downtown and see what could be.
8. Crazy - Let's face it, we're all a little crazy in our own way. You need to learn how to harness your craziness for the good of your community.
7. Patience - It's a fast paced job, but not everything moves as quickly as you might like and road blocks come out of nowhere. Take a deep breath, focus on your goals and keep a smile on your face.
6. Talk People Into Anything - Getting people to say yes to giving you money, time and the green light to do some pretty quirky stuff is an art form.
5. Talk People Out of Anything - Taking a step back from a new idea to do some due diligence without squashing enthusiasm.
4. Broad Shoulders - You'll have to do the heavy lifting and be a shoulder to cry on. Both are equally important.
3. Enjoy Rejection - You'll hear the word no a lot. It's nothing personal, remember that. Embrace the rejection as an opportunity.
2. Believe In Something - People follow those who inspire by their actions and beliefs. You have to believe in your community and what your organization is doing. If you don't, why would anyone else?
1. Be MacGyver - You need to be able to create anything out of a paper clip, the Dukes of Hazzard First Season DVD and a stick of bubble gum.
So there you have it. A not-so-scientific study into what makes a downtown manager tick. What do you think of the list? What's missing?
Kristi
The Downtown Geek
Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Stop Doing What You've Always Done
Inspiration made an appearance this past week at the Michigan Downtown Conference in Kalamazoo, MI. I attended many fantastic sessions on various topics (alternative funding sources, branding, in-store events, etc.). As time went on, I realized that there was a common message connecting all the information I heard throughout the conference. The message? Stop doing what you've always done - start thinking differently. The playing field has changed. It's not about change for the sake of change, but reacting to a new landscape that throws the traditional rule book for downtown revitalization out the window.
It all came together for me as I was listening to Closing Session Speaker Rob Bliss talk about his creative perspective and how he brought some pretty off-the-wall events to life in Grand Rapids, MI. Have you heard of the Grand Rapids Lip Dub? (4 million YouTube hits and counting) As he took us on a "tour" of his creative mind, one thing became clear. He wasn't telling us to all go out and replicate what he did. He was encouraging us to find the creative people in our community and engage them in our revitalization efforts.
On the three-hour ride home, I took time to reflect on what I learned over the past two days and started translating it into something I could use. The word that kept coming into my head over and over was engagement. What are we doing to engage all segments of our community? Are we successfully telling our story to our residents and visitors? Are we asking for their support, rather than waiting for them to come to us? Yep, looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me. I always know that a conference was worth the time spent if it sends my mind spinning in all directions with new ideas and inspirations. The Michigan Downtown Conference was a home run for me.
So whether you're tossing 100,000 paper airplanes off downtown rooftops, creating art out of scrap yard finds or covering historic buildings every four inches with Christmas lights, inspiration comes in many forms. Don't be afraid of new ideas just because they have never been done before. Embrace them for within those opportunities you may find the means to set your downtown on the path to future stability and success.
It all came together for me as I was listening to Closing Session Speaker Rob Bliss talk about his creative perspective and how he brought some pretty off-the-wall events to life in Grand Rapids, MI. Have you heard of the Grand Rapids Lip Dub? (4 million YouTube hits and counting) As he took us on a "tour" of his creative mind, one thing became clear. He wasn't telling us to all go out and replicate what he did. He was encouraging us to find the creative people in our community and engage them in our revitalization efforts.
On the three-hour ride home, I took time to reflect on what I learned over the past two days and started translating it into something I could use. The word that kept coming into my head over and over was engagement. What are we doing to engage all segments of our community? Are we successfully telling our story to our residents and visitors? Are we asking for their support, rather than waiting for them to come to us? Yep, looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me. I always know that a conference was worth the time spent if it sends my mind spinning in all directions with new ideas and inspirations. The Michigan Downtown Conference was a home run for me.
So whether you're tossing 100,000 paper airplanes off downtown rooftops, creating art out of scrap yard finds or covering historic buildings every four inches with Christmas lights, inspiration comes in many forms. Don't be afraid of new ideas just because they have never been done before. Embrace them for within those opportunities you may find the means to set your downtown on the path to future stability and success.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Successful Events - It's All About Selection
Ever wonder why an event is a smash hit in one town, but completely falls flat in another? Event selection is the key to making sure that you are spending your time and dollars wisely. Before you add a new event to your downtown's calendar, make sure you can answer some key questions.
Find Your Event Sweet Spot - Who is your target market? Families, young singles, teens, baby boomers? The tendency is to say all of the above but it is rare to design an event that has wide enough appeal to hit all those markets. (Not impossible, but that's a blog post for another day). What does the crowd look like at your events? When people are calling to get more information, what kind of things are they interested in (i.e. children's activities, alcohol availability, entertainment, etc.). Pay attention to the feedback you receive through your social media channels as well. This approach should give you the clues you need to design an effective event calendar. Design events for the market you have, not the market you want.
What's The Point? Is the point of the event to raise money, ring registers or raise awareness? It could be a combination of any of these, but you should be able to identify the primary purpose. To me, it's all about balance. You don't want to overdo the "sale" events because of the negative consequences it can bring (customers wait for the next sale, because there are so many). Conversely, it's impractical to only host friend-raising events because the value is much harder to measure and these types of events are only a part of your overall promotional effort. The best event calendars I see have a mix both fundraising and friend-raising, with some retail events sprinkled in.
Can You Execute It? There are tons of great event ideas out there. But the single difference between a successful event and an epic failure comes down to one thing - execution. Whenever I'm thinking of adding a new event, these items are part of my evaluation. Logistics - Develop a sketch in your mind of what the event looks like. What do you need to bring in to make the event happen (i.e. electricity, rental items, signage, etc.)? Community Support - Determine how much support do you need to run the event. Volunteers are key. What do you need from the businesses and are your expectations realistic? Make sure you are not setting yourself up for failure before you even get started. And finally, the dreaded "B" word, Budget. Do you have the dollars to do it right? Identify any opportunities within the event that could generate revenue to offset costs.
Last, but certainly not least, what is the "right" number of events for a downtown? It varies from town to town, and it depends on the willingness of your businesses and the appetite of your event-goers. In Downtown Rochester, our calendar has grown over the past 14 years from 3 events to now over 100 event days annually. Learn from each event, and build your calendar gradually. Don't be afraid to make the hard decisions to eliminate events that, while they have some nostalgia, have run their course. Events are a key element of any downtown revitalization program and, when well-executed, can deliver significant traffic, dollars and awareness to your downtown.
Find Your Event Sweet Spot - Who is your target market? Families, young singles, teens, baby boomers? The tendency is to say all of the above but it is rare to design an event that has wide enough appeal to hit all those markets. (Not impossible, but that's a blog post for another day). What does the crowd look like at your events? When people are calling to get more information, what kind of things are they interested in (i.e. children's activities, alcohol availability, entertainment, etc.). Pay attention to the feedback you receive through your social media channels as well. This approach should give you the clues you need to design an effective event calendar. Design events for the market you have, not the market you want.
What's The Point? Is the point of the event to raise money, ring registers or raise awareness? It could be a combination of any of these, but you should be able to identify the primary purpose. To me, it's all about balance. You don't want to overdo the "sale" events because of the negative consequences it can bring (customers wait for the next sale, because there are so many). Conversely, it's impractical to only host friend-raising events because the value is much harder to measure and these types of events are only a part of your overall promotional effort. The best event calendars I see have a mix both fundraising and friend-raising, with some retail events sprinkled in.
Can You Execute It? There are tons of great event ideas out there. But the single difference between a successful event and an epic failure comes down to one thing - execution. Whenever I'm thinking of adding a new event, these items are part of my evaluation. Logistics - Develop a sketch in your mind of what the event looks like. What do you need to bring in to make the event happen (i.e. electricity, rental items, signage, etc.)? Community Support - Determine how much support do you need to run the event. Volunteers are key. What do you need from the businesses and are your expectations realistic? Make sure you are not setting yourself up for failure before you even get started. And finally, the dreaded "B" word, Budget. Do you have the dollars to do it right? Identify any opportunities within the event that could generate revenue to offset costs.
Last, but certainly not least, what is the "right" number of events for a downtown? It varies from town to town, and it depends on the willingness of your businesses and the appetite of your event-goers. In Downtown Rochester, our calendar has grown over the past 14 years from 3 events to now over 100 event days annually. Learn from each event, and build your calendar gradually. Don't be afraid to make the hard decisions to eliminate events that, while they have some nostalgia, have run their course. Events are a key element of any downtown revitalization program and, when well-executed, can deliver significant traffic, dollars and awareness to your downtown.
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