Downtown Sioux Falls Campaign
Kirsten Hastings, Briana Schultz, Ali Ramsley
Problems
• Infill in DTSF – Filling unoccupied, developed space
with residential and/or businesses in Downtown Sioux Falls
• Safety in DTSF• Inconvenient Business Hours
– Is this affecting potential businesses?
Goals and Objectives
• Overall goal– Increase infill efforts downtown
• Clearing up empty, unoccupied space
• Promoting safety• Determine a solution that would
allow residents and consumers to enjoy business amenities by implementing longer business hours
Research
• Current trends – Government research has shown that
moving towards to the city core has already become a trend.
– This will be helpful reinforcement for the message of our campaign and will also reinforce the communication theories we plan to use to strengthen our message.
• EPA– Expand housing choices– Make neighborhoods livelier– increase the tax base– safeguard rural landscapes; protect
natural resources• reduce infrastructure costs
Research Continued…
• Safety downtown– 2013 Sioux Falls Survey
• City of Sioux Falls– 77% said they felt “very” or
“somewhat” safe from violent crimes
– 80% felt “very” or “somewhat” safe from environmental hazards.
• Downtown Sioux Falls– 91% of people felt safe when
being downtown during daytime hours.
– 47% said they felt safe when being downtown at night.
Research Continued…
• Inconvenient Business Hours – College Professor scenario – Majority of DTSF businesses close
between 4-5 p.m. • Brienne Maner- Membership
Coordinator of DTSF– No policy on business hours – First Friday of every month
• Other cities downtown business hours – 6 p.m.– Events every other Friday
Publics
• Infill Triangle – Businesses, residents, consumers
• Businesses- variety of services stronger city core encourage infill
• Residents- more residents more consumers
– Baby boomers- looking to downsize, while still wanting access to restaurants, entertainment, etc
– Wealthy business professionals (20’s-30’s)
Publics Continued…
• Consumers – High number of consumers
increase in business profit keeps businesses running decrease the amount on unoccupied, developed space available
– College students, middle aged, older adults
– Possibility that the consumers would look toward becoming residents of DTSF if they have a positive experience downtown.
Our Campaign
• Overall goal- promote infill – 3 different strategies
• Fundraising and Events– Gym Crawl
• Safety– Good Neighbor Policy
• Inconvenient Hours– Happy Hour
Gym Crawl Event
• Exercise incentive event– Fitness classes and weight room
activities– Receive prizes for donated services– Affect on businesses downtown– Help consumers determine what
they like
Communication Tactics
• Texting service– Signs to tell people to text
a number to get updates about news and events downtown.
– Advertisement in the DTSF newsletter describing our texting service
• Older generations– Mail an event calendar
once a year
Good Neighbor Policy
• Agreement to provide safety and support to their community to the best of their abilities.– Businesses and residents
• Open door policy- looking out for one another– A written agreement- renewed every
time you sign a new lease. – Increase infill efforts downtown by
creating a sense of community between businesses and residents. • Affects consumers because they
could count on the “Good Neighbor” policy agreement between businesses and residents.
Communication Tactics
• Window signs – assurance of Good Neighbor Policy
• Information packet– Advertises the amenities that DTSF has
to offer, while emphasizing the Good Neighbor Policy
– Special insert about the “Good Neighbor” policy that describes the policy and statistics about safety downtown
– Distributed when potential residents tour the residential communities, visit on Loft Tour days, or have them in real estate offices.
Happy Hour
• Not just directed at drink and appetizer specials
• Every Wednesday afternoon from 4pm - 7pm. – Businesses encouraged to remain
open and offer deals for their various services.
– Hopefully increase sales for businesses and attract more customers to the downtown area.
– Eventually, businesses possible would extend their hours of operation on Wednesdays in addition to Fridays.
Communication Tactics
• Small handouts to place on people’s cars – “Check out your favorite businesses
this Wednesday to get some great deal!”,
• Facebook and Twitter– Focused statuses and tweets
Calendar and Budget
Budget- 5,000Fundraising/Events Safety Business Hours
Texting service- Information packets- 500 x 3 = $1,500
Car signs- 500 x .15= 75
Event calendar- 500 x 5 = $2,500
Facebook/Twitter- priceless
• Calendar• As soon as possible• Gym Crawl- late August
Effectiveness
• Campaign definition- does not need to be successful
• DTSF Campaign – Increase in sales for downtown businesses
along with more of the residential spaces occupied with new residents
– To consider the campaign successful• Increase in the number of people
utilizing downtown.– Increase awareness
• Events may not appeal to everyone• Survey
– What they would like to see– Tool in future planning