The job of the Promotion Committee is to PROMOTE downtown as the center of commerce, culture, and community life for residents and visitors alike. To be effective, your committee must move beyond the typical “tried and true” downtown promotion ideas of year. You must think about promotion in a broader sense and develop new strategies by:
- Understanding the changing market-both potential shoppers and your “competition”
- Identifying downtown assets-including people, buildings, heritage and institutions
- Defining Main Street’s market niche-its unique “position” in the marketplace
- Holding meetings-to analyze data, develop strategies, brainstorm ideas, and plan events
- Visiting merchants-to get their ideas, solicit participation in events, and update them on plans
- Talking with the media-to answer questions, give them fresh news, or negotiate advertising
- Coordinating groups-to participate, attend, sponsor, or be a partner for promotional activities
- Organizing projects-to schedule participants, vendors, contractors and services
- Running events-to set up equipment, staff booths, supervise volunteers and manage events
- Creating NEW image campaigns-retail promotions and special events
–to lure people back into the downtown