What we love about electronic communication (web development and email marketing) is that one gets real data on what is happening. If the strategy is working, it can be seen. If it is not working, the numbers don’t lie. The Downtown Wheaton Association is great to work with because they are open to new ideas, they trust Spire2, and have been committed for the long haul. We were more than pleased when they asked us to provide them the numbers for their annual meeting. If you hear a horn tooting in the background while reading, we apologize.

• Downtown Wheaton Association’s website traffic increased 37% over the last year (20,000 eyeballs).

The Shoppers’ Club email marketing program continues to flourish:

• The last 5 campaigns had an average open rate of 52% (national average open rate is 19%).
• Membership in the club has grown 190% in the past year.
• Merchant participation increased with more than 27 merchants making submissions.

So how did we get these results? There are no shortcuts. It takes, time, effort and creativity. Growing a good list is hard work, but if one takes the time, it will deliver the results. Are we totally satisfied? Nope. I want better results. We are working on some ideas to bring more attention to all the good things that are going on in Downtown Wheaton. Stay tuned.

So are you getting the inside scoop on what is going on in Downtown Wheaton? Are you getting exclusive deals and offers from local businesses? Join the Downtown Wheaton Shoppers’ Club right now!

Spire2 was nominated for the Wheaton Chamber of Commerces 2011 Gammon Awards for the work we did for the Downtown Wheaton Association.

As part of our Spire2’s redevelopment of www.downtownwheaton.com Spire2 recommended that the association start an email marketing program. Spire2 created the Downtown Wheaton Shoppers’ Club program. This free club with a monthly newsletter creates a channel for the association to communicate on behalf of membership while enhancing the image of Downtown Wheaton. The club is also critical in driving traffic to the website to learn more about upcoming events and news from stores.

The results have been incredible. The first five campaigns averaged an open rate of 61.9%. The club grew almost 400% in the first 12 months and continues to grow with new members joining on a daily basis. “As other forms of advertising continue to be less effective, developing a house list has become a strategic move in helping us stay connected with Wheaton residents and those who are passionate about the value of shopping locally,” says Noel Wiedman, manager of the Downtown Wheaton Association.”

Along with creating and managing the program for the Downtown Wheaton, we helped the Downtown Wheaton Association develop some strategies to promote the club. The most visible and unique was the creation of the sidewalk decals (shown above). These proved just as effective in building awareness for the Shoppers’ Club to merchants as it did for residents. Thanks goes to The Sign Authority for their help in finding a material that lasted well beyond the manufacturer’s guarantee – making these a very cost-effective promotion.

The awards are chosen by the public, so I will post the link for voting as soon as it goes live. If you shop in Downtown Wheaton and you are not part of the Downtown Wheaton Shoppers’ Club, sign up and you will be automatically entered to win a $100 gift certificate.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE : I am the third option under the “Nathan Lewis Best Marketing of the Year Award” You don’t have to live in Wheaton to vote!

I spoke to Cheryl, my contact at Community School of the Arts (CSA). She called with a question and casually shared with me some news.  A whopping 40% of their new students came through the new website this fall. At their teachers’ retreat the director shared that many community art schools are letting teachers go and cutting programming back. It is a different story at Wheaton’s CSA; they are blessed to have a waiting list. Cheryl said, “We have gotten a tremendously positive response to the new site, and appreciate the marketing counsel you provided.”

I am proud of the Spire2 team – thanks Andrea and Andriy.

And, Cheryl, call anytime. I am happy to answer any question – especially if you want to share things like: “your work is responsible for solving world hunger,” or “I have five contacts who own companies that need your marketing expertise,” or even, “I am buying you a large quantity of chocolate and it will be at your office this afternoon.”