Campaign Blueprint

Main Street Searcy Fall Festival 2011

Jessica Head

1

Executive Summary

MainStreetSearcyisanon-profitorganizationthatencouragesurbandevelopment,historicpreservation,communityeducation,andrevitalizationofthedowntowncommercialarea.Urbansprawlandnewcommercialdevelopmentshavedetractedfromthegoalofmaintainingaprofitabledown-towndistrict.MainStreetSearcyhasenabledacommunitytosupportlocalmarketsanddevelopeconomicrestructuringtotheexistingeconomicbasepromotingthedowntowndistrict.ThisbooksharesexperiencesthatreflecttheimplementationofMainStreetSearcy’sAnnual‘GetDownDowntown’Music,ArtandFoodFestivalsponsoredbylocalbusiness.

AsaMainStreetinternduringAugust-December,2011,IwasabletoworkinarelativelysmallbusinessenvironmentwithAmyBurton,theMainStreetSearcydirector,developingandimplementingtheannual‘GetDownDowntown’Festival.Ichosethisorganizationtointernwithbecauseitallowedmetohaveexposuretoavarietyofdifferentpublicrelationtacticsandhaveabiggerhandintheplanningprocessoftheircurrentcampaign.

Table of Contents

CoverPage

ExecutiveSummary

TableofContents

Mission

SituationalAnalysis

CampaignKeymessages&Objectives

EventExecution

MediaSupport

Evaluation

2

Mission

3

Provideafamily-friendlyeventfortheSearcycommunitywhilepromotingthedowntowncommercialandretail

businesseslocatedintheMainStreetdistrict.

4

Situational Analysis

InordertorevitalizethedowntowndistrictofSearcy,MainStreetwantedtocapitalizebyleveraginglocalassets.Theculturalandarchitecturalheritageofthedowntowndistrictoffersopportunityforlocalenterpriseandcommunitypride.AmyBurton,directorofMainStreetSearcy,developedthe‘GetDownDowntown’Festivalin2009torallylocalbusinessandcampaignforaestheticandentrepreneurialimprovementofthedowntowndistrict.Itwasinstrumentalthattheeventhighlightedtheimportanceoforganization,promotion,designandeconomicrestructuringasthisistheMainStreetFour-PointApproach(designedbyNationalTrustforHistoricPreservation).

Whendesigningthiscampaign,weknewthatthereneededtobeclearcooperationwiththebuilding/commercialpartnershipswithintheMainStreetSearcydistrictinordertohaveaneffective,ongoingmanagementandadvocacyforthedowntownbusinesses.

Wealsowantedtoexemplifyapositiveandproductiveenvironmentthatcouldrekindlecommunityprideandimproveconsumerandinvestorconfidencewithinthearea.Thiswouldincludethephysicalprofileofthedowntowndistrictwhichiswhyitwasimportanttoustodesignaneventthatcouldraisefundsforrenovationandrehabilitation.Oncewecouldgainsupportfromthelocalcommunity,MainStreetwouldhavetheabilitytoretainandexpandsuccessfulbusinessesbyprovidingabalancedcommercialmixwithedgyandcompetitiveurbanplanningtechniques.‘GetDownDowntown’wouldbringtheperfectbalanceofanentertainingenvironmentwithpositivebusinessexposuretopromotenewbusinessandfuturecommunitydesignproposals.

5

Campaign Key Messagesand Objectives

-Encourageeconomicdevelopment,historicpreservation,beautification,andrevitalizationofthedowntowncommercialarea.

-Providefamily-friendlyactivitiesforthecommunitywhilepromotingthedowntownretailbusinesseslocatedintheMainStreetdistricts.

-EncouragesupportofMainStreetSearcy’seffortstocontinuedowntownactivities;taxdeductibledonationscanbemade.

Event Execution

6

BooktalentandstagecrewsforFridayandSaturdayfestival: Providealldayliveperformanceon3stagesthroughouttheMainStreetDistrict andintroducethetwoheadliners,CodySlaughter(Elvisimpersonatorand performer),Fridayat9:00pmandDougStone(countrysinger),Saturdayat9:00pm.

Workwithpublicofficerstodesignstreetblockingtechniquesforthedayoftheevent. InformallbusinessestomovepersonalandcommercialvehiclefromtheSearcy Squaredistrictbysendingemailstobusinessesanddeliveringflyerstoall downtownbusinesses.

Reservemealandhotelrequestsforallperformersandstagecrew.

Processallvendorapplications,receivablebypostmail,email,andtelephonebySeptember1st. Collectallreservationdepositsfromvendorstoassurethemaspotatthefestival. (WillbereturnedtothemSaturdayevening,onceheadlinerisonstage.)

Assignallvendorspacesinthedistrictsquarebyauthorizedspraypaintbythecityplannerandcoordinateelectricityandwaterprovisionsasneeded.

Developsurveysforcommunityfeedbackwhileparticipatinginthefestival.

Organizevolunteercheck-inandt-shirtsforsaleduringthefestival. Reserveroomwithanavailablevenuespaceforvolunteercheck-in,t-shirtsand beveragestofundraiseforMainStreetSearcy.

RenttentforMainStreetSearcyvendorspace. Thiswillhouseallofthebeveragesforsaleaswellaspossiblecontributionsto MainStreetSearcy.

7

Media Support

Today’sTHVArkansasCalendarofEvent

ArkansasOnline(WhiteCountyTrucksandRoutes)ArkansasDepartmentofParksandTourismArkansasDepartmentofParksandTourism

ArkansasDemocratGazette,Inc.ArkansasTimesTheDailyCitizenChili’sRestaurant

Searcy,AREventGuideKLOVE

ABMAdvertisingGreersFerryLake

Searcy Parks and Recreation ChesapeakeQuickNews

HardingUniversityTheBisonNewspaperCampusActivitiesBoardHardingNewsStationThinkAdvertising

CityTownMagazineCWArkansas.com

WhiteCountyHistoricalSocietySearcyArtsCouncil

SearcySun/WhiteCountyRecordAY

Coordinateandsolicitthefollowingorganizationsandfoundationstopromote‘GetDownDowntown’throughvariousmediaandpublicityoutletsthroughoutthecommunity.

8

Evaluation

25,000visitorsparticipatedinavarietyofactivitiesatthe‘GetDownDowntown’festivalduringthetwo-dayliveentertainmentperiod.ThisenabledtheMainStreetSearcydistrictbusinessestogaingreaterexposurefromthecommunityandstimulatedevenhealthierbusinessempowermentandlongevity.Surveydataindicatedthatattendeescamefromasfaras11differentstates.OfthesurveyparticipantslivinginArkansas,itwasreportedtheycamefrom33citieswithinthestate.Anaverageof$34perpersonwasspentonfoodanddiningexpensesoverthefestivalweekend.Anaverageof$43perpersonwasspentonnon-fooditemssuchasfuelandmerchandiseatlocalbusinessesoverthefestivalweekend.A15%revenuewasgeneratedinhoteloccupancylevelspendinganaveragecostof$124perperson.

Thisinternshipprovidedmewithanexcellentopportunitytogainhandsonexperience.Becauseofthegrass-rootsnatureoftheorganizationandit’srelationshipinthecommunity;IwasabletomeetwithavarietyofpoliticalandbusinessleadersoftheWhiteCountyareatohelpimplementamoreprosperousandprofitabledowntownsquare.IwouldencourageanycityinAmericatojoinNationalTrustforHistoricPreservation’sMainStreetstrategytopartnerwithlocalbusinessesinrevitalizingtheirdowntowncommercedistricts.