DL Marketing Committee Minutes – October 13, 2010
Downtown Lakeland Partnership, Inc.
Marketing Committee Meeting Agenda
MIDFLORIDA Tower, 7th Floor Conference Room
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Attending: Julie Townsend, Carl Stutzman, Gregg Hooth, Ellen Simms, Michael Maguire, Kay Morgan, David Brandt, Gene Turchan, Casey Taylor, Cathy Hayes, Erin Geiger, Cathy Wolosin, Brenda Paul, Margaret Stephens, Kiki Velazquez, Sarah Butler, Mackenzie Cox, Chris McArthur, Christine Boring and Christie Alcock
The meeting was called to order at 8:07 AM.
Marketing Committee Structure:
Julie Townsend introduced the proposed structure of the Marketing Committee as follows:
- Purpose of committee: To develop and implement the marketing plan and develop new marketing ideas for Board consideration as presented to them by the Chair.
- Committee Chair: Works with the Executive Director to develop and implement the marketing plan; to present proposals from the committee to the Board of Directors; and follows-up with committee members on assignments.
- Committee members: To be a voting member of the Marketing Committee, potential committee members must attend at least three consecutive marketing meetings, and accept committee assignments and play an ongoing role in the events and promotions of the DLP.
Voting members are required to attend at least three (3) consecutive Marketing Committee meetings and to play a continuing role in support of the marketing efforts of the DLP. All DLP members are welcomed to attend the marketing meetings, but will not be eligible to vote, unless they fulfill the requirements.
The 2011 budget, which has already been developed and approved by the Board of Directors, was discussed. The Marketing Committee Chair has some latitude within the line items of the marketing section of the budget. The committee voted to adopt the new committee structure and to entertain nominations at the next marketing meeting for committee chairs.
Events & Activities:
Plans for upcoming DLP events and the need for chairs were reviewed. Themes require participation of businesses – both brick & mortar and others who set up in Munn Park. Block chairs (Cathy Hayes, Casey Taylor, Ellen Simms, Christine Boring, Margaret Stephens & Kay Morgan, Michael Maguire) volunteered to make certain businesses on their block are aware of the events:
First Fridays – November 5 (College Spirit Night) & December 3 (Holiday Happenings)
Holiday Walkabout – Tuesday, November 30
Holiday Fest – Friday, December 10
Nicks Mix – December 1 at Hauger-Bunch Realty (in lieu of General Membership Meeting)
First Friday:
Casey Taylor volunteered to develop the “Downtown Prize Patrol” for events including a Twitter application/ hash tag. Casey to provide a “blurb” to Julie for the poster and an e-blast asking for donations to give away. Casey & Cathy Hayes have contacts with all colleges, except FSC. Carl Stutzman has contact with FSC.
College admissions directors will be contacted to see if they want to set up booths.
First Friday chair is responsible for coordinating the theme related activities, staying within the budget, and managing street closures.
Holiday Events:
Julie is contacting schools to see if they want to play at one of the three holiday events. “Photos with Santa” is part of the Holiday Walkabout, but are available for the other two events, First Friday and Holiday Fest if we have volunteers. Walkabout is more of a family-event because of Santa and the carriage ride. Chair needed for Holiday Walkabout and Holiday Fest. Erin Geiger (Lighthouse Ministries) volunteers 10 adults to manage the Santa photos event at Pansler Law Firm. GrayRobinson has agreed to sponsor the carriage ride again this year ($500). There will be two kiddie trains this year – one for kid’s rides (charge) and one for a people mover (free). Kiddie trains are a $300 sponsorship. Members who set up in the park will be assigned one of the villages (Santa’s Village-Pine, Reindeer Games – SoKen, and Whoville-NoKen). Lighthouse Ministries may do a “toy walk” (like a cake walk) during the Walkabout. The only food vendor we have at any event is city-approved Becky’s Hotdogs. Focus is on promoting restaurants in Downtown.
Other non-DLP events were reviewed and block chairs volunteered to make certain that businesses on their block were aware of the events.
Munn Park Garden Extravaganza – October 23
Hispanic Festival – October 23
Terror in Downtown – October 30; this is the only event with which DLP will have involvement
ISO Concert at Lake Mirror – November 5
Veteran’s Day Parade – November 6;
Christmas Parade – December 2 – busy night for restaurants
Advertising & Promotions:
The Downtown Dish – The latest issue will be out on Thursday, October 29th – Chair needed. There is no rule on how many articles one person may write during the year. Crescendo volunteered to write articles. Magazine runs between 16 – 24 pages, depending on how many advertisers there are. Ads are priced as a benefit of membership, but non-member rates are available. Magazine is available on-line, but we choose to have a printed edition (15,000 in Ledger’s Time Out and 5,000 distributed throughout Polk County and mailed.) Volunteers for distribution outside of Downtown are needed. Michael Maguire volunteered to distribute outside of Downtown. Crescendo is contemplating the chair position.
Goodie bags – chair needed
VIP Card 2011 – chair needed – Need volunteers to enter VIP applications into a database for upload into Constant Contact. Michael Maguire will develop a template for data entry. If none of the three e-mail option boxes are checked, it defaults to “full e-blast” option. Survey of both participating businesses and people holding the VIP card will be performed before year-end to determine if we’ll repeat it in 2011. There are 5 businesses actively distributing the card daily. We need suggestions as to places to go, outside of Downtown, to distribute the VIP Cards. David Brandt volunteered to be VIP Card chair.
New Business:
Marketing meetings should last from 8:00 am – 9:30 AM.
Julie previewed the form to use when proposing new events or promotions.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:28 AM
Respectfully submitted,
Kay Morgan
km/ehs
