Knowledge Center

Marketing, Communications and Events

Place managers narrate and communicate the identity and outward facing mission of the place to residents, tourists, businesses, and other stakeholder groups, thereby communicating the place’s unique brand. By expressing the identity of the place, the brand should invoke a sense of place, leaving individuals with the intangible feelings that one gets when engaging with the authenticity of the place.

The brand is used to market the place to these various stakeholder groups, attracting and inviting them to live, work, play and invest in the place. A diversity of tactics are used to market a place ranging from events, messaging, online engagement, street-level activation and more.

Programming Your Downtown for Increased Foot Traffic

March 01, 2024 Presentation

Events are a long-standing tool in every downtown’s marketing tool kit and are taking on a new importance in a post-COVID world. Whether your district has “bounced back” or is still assimilating to a WFH world, events and programming can start conversations, reposition brands and most importantly – drive foot traffic.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Authentic Marketing & Return to Downtowns

March 01, 2024 Presentation

With the proliferation of social media and the ever-changing cultural dynamics, people are seeking authenticity and tune out promotional messaging. How do we find the right balance between promoting our districts and businesses while being authentic about the place? And add to that the challenge of reaching young professionals – a critical component to return to downtown.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Advancing Places: Building a Social Media Strategy Part II

January 19, 2024 Webinar

Back by popular demand – a sequel to the December 8, 2023, Advancing Places: Building a Social Media Strategy. During this follow-up, we will dive deeper into the how to of content creation, view real-world examples of strategies, and take an immersive exploration into how data is used by several districts. This webinar is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to elevate your understanding and master the nuances of effective social media strategies.

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Advancing Places: Building a Social Media Strategy

December 08, 2023 Webinar

Watch this webinar recording to understand the building blocks of a social media strategy through ideation, implementation, analysis and execution. Learn from three professionals in Chicago, San Francisco and Austin and how they create and use content.

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Darlene Jackson (aka DJ Lady D) Master Talk

November 21, 2023 Master Talk

Darlene Jackson, aka DJ Lady D, is hailed as “Chicago’s House Music Queen” by Chicago Magazine and has toured North America, Europe, Asia and Russia as an international DJ, producer, remixer and A&R. She has worked with the Chicago Chapter’s Urban Outreach committee and participated in advocacy efforts with state legislators in Springfield, Illinois.     

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Tomorrowland

October 05, 2023 Presentation

Many small communities struggle with how to differentiate themselves to attract visitors. Learn how two downtowns took inspiration from their history to look toward the future and create interactive storytelling programs and a roadmap for the future.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Engaging the Media

October 05, 2023 Presentation

Learn from about the evolution of local media ecosystems and the power of proactive relationships with journalists. Clarify the differences between earned, paid, and owned media with examples of proactive, reactive, and earned media.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Proving Your Value: Measuring & Reporting

October 05, 2023 Presentation

Reporting is a hot topic for many PMOs, but consolidating data into informative formats is challenging. Identifying key metrics, and managing data spanning various departments is critical.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Grand Ave Augmented

September 29, 2023 Award

Downtown Center BID (DCBID) pioneered Grand Ave Augmented, an augmented reality (AR) experience featuring more than 40 AR activations by over 30 artists and creators. Part exhibition, part walking tour, the project was designed to attract and engage downtowners and visitors by showcasing Grand Avenue’s world-class arts and culture, along with its beautiful architecture and public spaces.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!

Hill City Eats: A Downtown Lynchburg Cookbook

September 29, 2023 Award

In 2022, Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA) set out to create a one-of-a-kind cookbook highlighting the diverse restaurant scene that has breathed new life into the city in the past 20 years. This work culminated in a stunning 172-page hardcover casebound book which sold out its first run of 1,000 copies in under two months.

We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!