How do I get current information for all the businesses in my Improvement District?
In our previous blog post we discussed how to engage the local community with your Improvement District. You can read about that here
Businesses within your Improvement District are “busy” making things happen. An alternative approach to just asking for their information, is to get them to give it to you in exchange for some type of incentive for either a person (think owner or store manager) or the actual business store front (think sticker that says “Featured Business for “Your District”).
Here are 5 tips that can help you get current information for the businesses in your district:
1. Create a Detailed Business Directory with information you may already have about the businesses in your Improvement District.
Give the businesses the option to change data prior to a major mailing/email marketing blast. Send a copy to each business with their business info highlighted. Add a note that says let us know by (Date) that your data is correct. Then we will update your current information before we send out a campaign.
2. Create a Featured Business of the Week (or Month) on the home page of your website.
Print a flier or Send an email with updates regarding the district. Ask businesses if they would like to become a featured “Business of the Week”. Have a form available on your website that allows users to send you current information for their business. Use form fields that are relevant to district data you need (i.e Restaurant, Office Space, Warehouse, etc.).
3. Partner with a coffee shop in your Improvement District and have your businesses get a “Free Cup of Joe for your INFO”
Give them a Free cup of coffee when they send in their updated Business Information. This not only drives foot traffic to a local business, now the coffee shop has potential for repeat business. Doing this, you’re getting businesses to get to know other businesses within the district.
4. Offer any business that heads over to your website to update data a free “Upgrade your Space” consultation.
One of the goals of many Improvement Districts is help make the business district look better with curb appeal. Partner with local consultants who would be willing to give a free 15 minute evaluation on ways a the businesses could increase traffic. Some businesses with street side frontage could use curb appeal and for others suggestions on window signage would be a big help.
5. Partner with your local Business Chamber .
Get to know your local Business Chamber to help spread the word and swap them out with some advertising on your site or at one of your upcoming functions. In exchange they can provide links back to your website where Business can upload their info directly on your website.
Get creative. Be inventive in reaching out to Business Owners. They will remember you for your creative ideas!
PBIDmanager is an Improvement District Software to keep all your updated information in one place. Designed exclusively for Improvement Districts to have easy access to all their information about every property and business in their district.