Impressions - August/September 2024 - 34

from the chamber. We meet once a month,
and plan marketing and community events
paid for from a budget. "
Support Your Local Tourism Bureau
" Tourism brings dollars into our businesses.
We work closely with the tourism director, "
says Badger. " The Mahanay Memorial Carillon
Tower (mahanaybelltower.org) located
in our town square was Iowa's number-one
tourist attraction last year...It's now possible
to come to our little town of 4,200 and spend
one or two days visiting our bell tower, shopping,
dining and participating in activities
like our annual Bell Tower festival in June.
The Racoon River Valley bike trail runs from
Waukee to Jefferson and that attracts a lot of
bikers. So, we've made a concentrated effort
to work on marketing to the bike riders,
tourists and our local residents. "
Organize A Monthly
Promotional Weekend
This is an idea that works well if you are in
a small town or if you are in a defined community
within a bigger city. For example, in
downtown Austin, Texas, there is a section
of South Congress nicknamed " SoCo. " It's
a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood known
for its shopping, restaurants and live music.
Getting this started will be easier if your
shop is part of small-business group of the
kind ShineOn designs' Badger is involved
in. However, if you are willing to step up
as an organizer, it can be done without an
established group.
In the small-business group Badger helped
organize, they designate the second weekend
of each month for some kind of special
promotion. It always has a theme. Sometimes,
shops offer special things for sale only
during this weekend. It's up to them what
they do in their individual establishments.
Every business uses the same theme and
graphics in their marketing and decorates
their windows accordingly.
In addition, during most promotional
weekends, there is some kind of contest or
giveaway. Shoppers don't have to buy anything.
They can simply to come into a store
and register to get their name in the drawing.
Another enticement is a weekend punch or
stamp card promotion. Visitors who have their
card punched by every store collect a gift.
Prizes range from chamber checks to gift
baskets to merchandise donated by the shop
owners taking part in the program. Chamber
checks can be used to buy products from any
of the participating businesses. The money
for these checks is donated via an annual
pledge campaign. Others donate because
it helps bring people in from out of town
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ImpressionsMagazine.com Aug./Sept. 2024
thereby boosting overall traffic downtown.
Oftentimes, the theme has a service or
charity aspect. In August 2023, for example,
the theme was the " Dog Days of Summer, "
and shoppers were encouraged to donate to
the local animal shelter. Organizers also set up
a booth in the town square with adoptable
pets on display. A sidewalk sale is also held
annually, usually in the summer, so people
can stroll up and down the street looking
for deals.
Another annual activity is called " Cruisin'
to the Square. " People are encouraged to
register and bring their vintage cars, trucks,
motorcycles and even antique tractors. They
are then allowed to park them downtown
for visitors to see. Prizes are awarded to the
most outstanding vehicles in a variety of
different categories.
In October, children are also invited to
dress up in costumes and take part in " Trickor-Treat
Around the Square, " in which shops
hand out treats for the kids.
Promoting Issue Awareness
Not every activity has to require a lot of
time and money. Consider planning a promotion
or event around a cause you have a
connection to or want to support.
Something Badger supported in a simple
way was Suicide Prevention Month. " We
didn't print shirts, but we put sidewalk chalk
out in front of the store and encouraged
people to write messages on the sidewalk.
These said things like " You are enough, "
and " You are important. "
People walking by could read the messages
that were already there or add their
own. We got a card from someone who
had lost her son thanking us and saying
the effort did not go unnoticed. Doing this
went hand in hand with what is a big focus
for our business and that is to make sure
people understand we're a safe space, " says
Badger. " We also offer free encouragement
stickers all year round. "
Community Festivals
Similarly, as a way of saying thanks to the
children's hospital that treated his premature
son, Tom Rauen, president of 1800Tshirts.
com, based in Dubuque, Iowa, decided to
host a fundraiser. His idea was to have a
" Mac & Cheese Fest " with local chefs competing
against one another to see who made
the best mac-and-cheese dish, with local
breweries also competing for the best beer.
In the 2023 edition of the fest, 20 chefs
and 50 breweries participated. Prizes included
The Golden Noodle for best of the
fest, best presentation, most creative and
people's choice. There was also an award
for best brewery. The Golden Noodle is
a traveling trophy, which stays with the
winner the rest of the year. All winners
receive a plaque commemorating their
achievement.
General admission, which included all
the mac and cheese you could eat, was $45.
VIP tickets, which went for $65, included
a goodie-filled swag bag, with a T-shirt,
sunglasses, koozie and pint glass.
" The main purpose of the fest is to raise
money for a good cause, but it also aligns
us with restaurants and breweries, some of
whom have become clients. It's great word
of mouth and brings people together for
a unique experience they can share with
friends and family, " Rauen says.
" The plaques allow us to showcase our
business, " Rauen adds. " Winners hang
them in their restaurant or brewery, and
that creates word of mouth for us. We've
been doing this for the past six years. About
800 people show up, and we raise about
$30,000 every year. "
Among the other activities ShineOn designs takes part in is
the local bell tower festival. Photo courtesy of ShineOn designs
http://www.mahanaybelltower.org http://www.ImpressionsMagazine.com
Impressions - August/September 2024

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