Campaign to Grow Sales in Georgetown

May 16, 2010

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Challenges

• Local business are challenged because they are mostly small and entrepreneurial - meaning that they are often resource (time and money) compromised

• Georgetown and Williamson County businesses must deal with the challenge of promoting their business without designated media outlets – We do not have designated radio or television - and if we

use cable the reach to customers is limited and cost-prohibitive for most local businesses.

Businesses need help

• As a result businesses do not have adequate means of advertising to reach their market

• They often rely on word of mouth

• The Georgetown community does not have a robust means of accessing our local and retail businesses

Grow our sales? You bet!

• There is a viable, powerful means of growing our sales in Georgetown– Using social media– By providing an educational resource to all

willing businesses– It is based on a self-sustaining model that

will grow organically once the model is implemented

– Is free for businesses to implement

Simple Strategy

1. Build a unified communication effort with Twitter hashtag - #gtowntx

2. Offer an educational series for local businesses that teaches social media marketing, in conjuction with traditional marketing, and implements the strategy of growing the designated media outlet

3. Educate the consumer through print media - on social media, how to use it for what you need and how to do it responsibly

City Goals

• Increase sales revenue - and track it!

• Improve business/consumer communications

• Vitalize visitor traffic and sales

Business Goals

• Increase sale, traffic and interested consumers

• Increase targeted awareness

• Improve business/customer communications

• Track the sales!

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• Research by the University of Maryland Center for Excellence in Service show Social Media adoption doubled since 2009; 12% to 24%

• 1 in 5 small business owners actively use social media in their business

• 61% of respondents use social media to identify new customers

• 50% of users say it takes more time than expected• 17% express that social media gives people a change

to criticize their business and only 6% feel that social media use has hurt the image of the business more than helped it.

• “In order to meet the growing challenges of a tough market last year, I was forced to consider alternative options to keep my business visible,” says small business owner Dr. Alan Glazier, CEO and Founder, Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care. “With a very small investment in social media marketing, I was able to generate new business opportunities. Our Google® ranking is consistently number one for many of the phrases people use to search for eye doctors in and around my city and we have received a "bump" in terms of new visitors to the site. My blog has been picked up by different news sources and led to media interviews. I am now recognized as a thought leader in social networking within my profession and lastly but most importantly, my marketing budget has been reduced by more than 80%.”

It requires working together

• The COG Eco Devo offers the education as a part of its efforts to support and retain businesses

• The Georgetown Chamber offers space and promotion• The Community Impact partners offering print media

promotion and a regular column• DGA and other business organizations offer support

through promotion and participation• Local businesses show up and do the work to make

this work with their business• Communications and marketing firms engage to

support the effort and assist participating businesses

Program Basics

• Business Development Training– Minimum 6 month program– Once a month 2-3 hour training seminar– Goal of 40 business participants– Collect before and after sales numbers

Program Basics

• Support Segment– 2 weeks after the training seminar - open

support forum for hands on help, Q & A, exchange of problems and solutions

– Invite all marketing, communications and web professionals in community to support and participate

Program Basics

• Community Education– Monthly (or bi-weekly) column directed at general

populace on how to use social media to support their local businesses and find what they want

– Basic topics: Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare/Gowalla, Ettiquette and responsibility, Making a review - where and how

– Will go viral as businesses begin driving customers to their sites - there will be some indirect teaching

Program Basics

• Expanded Reach– Local printers or sign vendors– National partners? HubSpot, Am Ex…– State or National media coverage

Coordinate Elements

• Work with existing efforts with businesses and visitor center, eco devo, main street, rec center and library

• Work with Eco Devo to track sales and more• Work with DGA to educate and inform (non-

participants)• Possibly build off of I Found It In Georgetown/Shop

Georgetown to be central source for content• Integrate as appropriate with Chamber programs

Follow-Up

• Collect before and after business results• Debrief on progress and discuss how to

proceed– Interest in follow on group– Advanced topics?

• How to leverage for greater visibility for tourism and business recruitment

Examples of Seminar Topics

• Brand, message website and presentation• What do you have to offer that is unique?• How and why to use Twitter and Facebook• Now that you have FB and T what do you do with them or

Relationship building in social media• Promotion strategies - what works for you and how to grow it• Email marketing - a must!• Making change - how to do it easily and well• Other things to remember: signage, advertising, customer

service, partnership marketing, metrics• Are you ready for eCommerce?

• Staff training - what’s involved? How do we do it?

• Discussion and Questions

What’s the Investment?

• Program fee - flat fee: $5000 to start and $2000 per month (investment by Eco Devo/City)– So, 30 participants = $667 per participant– Or, 40 participants = $500 per participant

• Participant Commitment: $25 per month = $150 total• Inkind: $10,000 in personal time• Meeting facility provided by the Chamber• Media provided by Community Impact• Promotion by all

My piece

• Recruitment and business communication

• Marketing lead with partner support• Website promotion and participant

online community support• Writing• All coordination• Handouts and supporting materials

Presented as..

• Business Development and Retention Partnership Underwritten by:– City of Georgetown - Economic

Development– Georgetown Chamber of Commerce– Community Impact

Social media creates exponential growth