Ten Things Your Revitalization Organization Can Do Now

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1.  Re-think your "Shop Local" strategy.

Promote a "buy local" marketing campaign that invites consumers to consider the benefits of keeping shopping dollars local, to discover great locally made products, and to be “green” by supporting local businesses. The Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago has had tremendous success in building a strong independent business niche and encourages people to consider shopping local first, not only, thereby avoiding attempts to guilt customers into supporting mom and pops. Baltimore Main Streets continues its annual Miracle on Main Street holiday shopping promotion that features dozens of exciting events, but this year it is including a “buy local” message with its “Do it all without the mall” slogan (http://www.baltimoremainstreets.com/moms.html).

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2.  Bring educational resources downtown.

Creative partnerships with local colleges, school districts, and Small Business Development Centers can help you expand your services and provide access to local experts and even some volunteer labor. Some examples include a partnership between the Downtown Ellensburg Association (Wash.) and the Public Relations Student Society of America club at Central Washington University to develop a public relations campaign that pitches downtown success stories to offset negative economic news. The Marion Downtown Revitalization Association, Inc., in Marion, Va., collaborated with the Small Business Development Center at the local community college, the local SCORE chapter, and a downtown bank to sponsor a “Small Business Survival Breakfast.”
For communities without universities nearby, Holton (Kan.) Main Street offers a replicable program. Holton Main Street and the Holton High School Computer Business Instruction Program have created student teams who are developing websites for local businesses and also creating videos for business promotion through partnerships with private businesses that offer similar services.

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3.  Make marketing the top priority.

Now is not the time to cut back on advertising and marketing. They may be planning to spend less, but shoppers haven’t stopped buying entirely; your program should try to capture the dollars people are spending by using ads, story placement in the media, and business directories to keep your district in the public eye. One example is the Downtown Westfield Corporation’s (N.J.) new "economy-based" advertising campaign, "Shop in Downtown Westfield. We have practically everything," which tells people they can find basic staples downtown instead of traveling out to big-box retailers on the highway. Many Main Street businesses also participate in cooperative advertising packages through which they pool their money to develop group ads that promote the district and sometimes highlight specific products or businesses.  Along these lines, Main Street Libertyville (Ill.) has switched its advertising slogan from “Indulge Yourself” to “Unique Stores with Exceptional Values” to match the mood of shoppers this season. Business owners in Escanaba, Mich., also understand the importance of marketing. In fact, the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority reports it has had the most businesses yet participate in its Gala Giveaway, a post-Thanksgiving shopping event.

Resources:

• Promotion committee; local and regional partners, including media; and successful local business owners.
• Also check out publications like Guerilla Marketing by Jay Levinson (see http://gmarketing.com/index.phtml for free articles and other resources).

4.  Leverage new web-based tools.

Online tools from social networking venues like Facebook bring customers to the websites of Main Street business and introduce Main Street to a broader (and, often, younger) audience. To help local businesses capitalize on the power of the Internet, your Main Street program can provide workshops, training, and resources to business owners on ways to use these tools.  The City of Fairfield (Calif.) and its Business Improvement District offer business owners a “How to Make it Through an Economic Downturn” workshop series, which features training in e-commerce, blogs, and digital advertising.

Advanced website tools can help you motivate people to action – the publisher of Flagpole Magazine, an entertainment rag for Athens, Ga., currently has a “Shop Your Ath Off” campaign that asks readers to pledge online to spend $100 of their holiday shopping dollars in Athens and enter to win local gift certificates.  Downtown Lee’s Summit (Mo.) uses its Facebook page to update people on the latest happenings, ranging from holiday events to the availability of wifi downtown. It also lists downtown businesses that have Facebook pages. In less than two months, almost 300 people have become “friends” of the organization.

Resources:

• ShopMainStreet.org – list your local businesses on the National Trust Main Street Center’s independent business e-commerce portal;
• Facebook.com, MySpace.com, YouTube.com – these are just three social networking sites where you can create a profile to connect with the online community;
• The Elgin 2.0 article in the November 2008 issue of Main Street News features the many ways Main Street programs can use Web 2.0 free and low-cost tools to be more effective.

5.  Help your retailers re-focus.

Rather than responding to slow times by cutting back merchandise and hours, Main Street managers report their thriving local businesses have refocused their offerings and revisited their operations while business is slow. Encourage your business owners to do the same by making resources available to them and providing training opportunities and other assistance. Now is the time for strategic business improvement and better business planning. Help businesses research their customer’s changing preferences. Offer business counseling/coaching services to business owners who may want to reposition by adjusting the products and/or services they offer to keep pace with those changes. Strategies to pave the way for repositioning include encouraging and helping businesses secretly shop their competition and offering a free Secret Shopper Service. Facilitate one or more of the following shifts: products offered, services offered, hours of operation, price points, and business concept.

Resources:

• SCORE – provides small business improvement information, from surviving the downturn to finding funding;
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) – offers training and counseling for small business owners;
• NTMSC Program Officer Todd Barman’s archived webinar, Thriving in a Slow Economy, offers specific actions business owners can take now to weather a tough retail season.
  

6.  Don't forget advocacy.

As competition for funding heats up in lean times, it's more important than ever to make the case for local revitalization efforts. The onus is on your organization to remind local officials, residents, business owners, and everyone else about the great work your organization does to keep the local economy going. To accomplish this goal, the Downtown Las Cruces Partnership (N.M.)  has created an annual accomplishment report that emphasizes the economic impact of the Main Street program.

Resources:

• National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Advocacy Center – provides tips on outreach and working with elected officials (PreservationNation.org);
• the Main Street Advocacy article in the January 2005 issue of Main Street News explains the basics of communicating with decision makers.

7.  Give everyone a forum.

Some Main Street programs are reporting that many business owners not only look to the organization for guidance and advice, but they also appreciate having a sympathetic ear to voice their concerns and a network they can use to discuss stresses. Many communities are reporting increased participation from independent businesses owners and are finding new ways to share their challenges and ideas. One example is Bristol, Vt., which has convened a mini "Economic Summit" of downtown merchants to brainstorm ideas to get through the tough economic times.

Remember that while private venting is cathartic, public grousing diminishes consumer confidence. A Main Street organization and local businesses should remain positive and instill confidence in area stakeholders.

Resources:

• Collaborate with local businesses to set up a place and time for a forum;
• Look to the Internet for virtual meeting spaces (use your organization’s website or free social media tools such as Facebook or GoogleGroups).

8. Build excitement downtown.

Use retail promotions and special events to attract people to the district. Most Main Street programs organize holiday open houses that provide an extra incentive for shoppers to patronize the district’s businesses. From coordinating with each business to offer hot cocoa and special services such as free gift wrapping to full-scale winter festivals, Main Streets throughout the nation are making the heart of their communities special destinations. For fun all season long, Folsom, Calif., and Durant, Okla., have set up temporary ice skating rinks in their downtowns to provide shoppers with entertainment and make downtown special. Hays, Kan., has found another way to make downtown exciting – its annual Downtown Dollars Giveaway gives local shoppers a chance to win $2,500 in downtown dollars and prizes.

Don’t forget that your district should be the center of not only commerce, but culture and civic life. If commerce is slowing down, people may rely on a sense of community to get through the hard times. Strengthening the cultural and civic aspects of your community now will pay off later during the upswing.

Resources:

• The MainStreet.org Knowledge Base has hundreds of promotion ideas that have been successfully executed by local Main Street programs;
• The Downtown Promotion Reporter has a free e-newsletter and subscription-based newsletter with details on various promotions communities have produced.

9. Enlist the help of all local stakeholders.

Ensuring that downtown thrives is benefits everyone and is everyone's responsibility. Enlist the support of the municipality and as many other stakeholders as you can identify that benefit from a strong commercial district. Some examples: The municipality in Twin Falls, Idaho, offers free metered parking on Saturdays; landlords in Summerville, S.C., have lowered rents; the Main Street program in the St. Mark's neighborhood in Boston holds its committee meetings in local cafés; and the local newspapers in Quakertown, Pa., did their part by featuring local businesses in print and offering bundled advertising rates. 

Resources:

• Your municipality, local media, local and regional organizations and clubs, business owners, and property owners.

10. Remain optimistic.

Stay the course. Main Street programs have a history in dealing with downtimes and have a track record of reversing negative trends. While the media publish stories of doom and gloom daily, nonprofit organizations historically weather economic downturns quite well. According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, charitable giving in the U.S. tends to be recession‐proof, demonstrated by the fact that U.S. charitable donations have increased during 39 of the past 40 years. The Giving USA Foundation reports that even in years that had eight or more months of recession, individual giving (the source of much of Main Street’s funds) declined only 2.4 percent. A recent survey by Giving USA found that 46 percent of people "whose own situation had deteriorated over the past year" still planned to make charitable donations. “If an organization is providing a worthwhile service, individuals [who] have a passion for that mission will continue to give,” says Jim Yuker of Giving USA. This recession should not mean the end of your organization, and donors will be more comfortable giving to Main Street if its board and staff are publicly optimistic. (Consider developing talking points for board members to use in discussing Main Street's "party line" about its position during the recession.)*

Resources:

• Your staff members and volunteers, mission statement, past successes, and vision plan.

* This tip provided by the New Mexico MainStreet Program’s “Strategies for Taking Care of MainStreet During the Economic Downturn: Organization."