Telling Your Story in the 21st Century

Lately, many very “traditional” downtowns have started doing “nontraditional” marketing and promotions. Social media is here to stay and is an integral part of any city’s overall communications strategy. This session is chock-full of real examples of low-budget, high-return social media strategies that Main Streets and local businesses have used to keep customers and find new ones. Ideas and details from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and rating and review sites (like Google Local, Yelp, and UrbanSpoon) will be presented. Witness social media in action: see how Downtown Rochester, Mich., not only bought social media for their organization, but brought their merchants along for the ride. Learn how they created a citywide Facebook initiative, engaging businesses, residents and visitors alike. Handouts will give additional resources and information, so you can replicate in your own community.

Learning Objectives:

  • Use Facebook to create a stir locally and beyond that leads to sales
  • Find out what others are saying about them and find new “ready to buy” customers using Twitter.
  • Replicate and measure the success of their own social media strategies/tactics based on practical examples.

Presenters:

Marianna Hayes, HALO Business Advisors, Clinton, Miss.;

Kristina Trevarrow, Rochester Downtown Development Authority, Rochester, Mich.

Track:

Capitalizing on the Power of Main Street

Date/Time:

Tuesday, May 4, 10:15-11:30 a.m.