As a small business owner in an obviously challenging economy, I’m always trying to find new and cost-effective ways to let the community know about my business. From email to postcards to in-store referral marketing, it’s all about maximizing how we spend our dollars in promoting the business.
I’m working on a new web site and advertising co-op concept for businesses in our neck of the Capitol Hill woods and calling it ‘SoCapHill’ in reference to our location on the South end of the hill near Madison. The goal I’m working toward is developing a destination web site that highlights all of the participating businesses in one place, organizing a specific day of the week where the businesses all offer an extra incentive for people shopping/eating/drinking/etc. on that day each week, and pooling some advertising dollars to run ads on CHS, in the Stranger, and in the local printed monthly magazines like Seattle Magazine and Seattle Metro. Many of these publications even have cheaper rates for non-profits, so maybe that is the route we take in forming this co-op so our joint spending goes further. Not sure yet, but what I do know is that most early stage small businesses by themselves cannot hope to afford the rates for print publications like the ones above (some are around $3000/month!) but when you get 15 businesses to participate, you can see how the affordability factor kicks in.
The web site will be at www.socaphill.com and I will be hosting an open house in the next week or two for any business owners and managers who are interested in helping guide this effort and getting it off the ground. There are a lot of new businesses open in our SouthEast corner of Capitol Hill and I want to see us all succeed and thrive so we are still around when the economy bounces back. The reception we’ve received so far in our new location has been amazing – customers are excited about all of the new life coming to this part of the hill and we just need to get the word out in a cost-effective way to people who aren’t as savvy and in the know about this growing micro-hood.
If you are interested in the concept and want to help or learn more, please email me: [email protected]
Thanks!
David
run ads in publications like the Stranger and the local monthly magazines like Seattle Magazine and Seattle Metro
Hopefully you save some dough in your budget for truly local community news and information. hint hint!
SoCapHill – Love it!!!
Way better than my landmark-oriented “Mad Market.” (Although Mad Market does have a double meaning for that little micro-hood.)
Who reads the slick monthly pubs for small business stuff?
Don’t forget the gay pubs, last time I checked there are still a lot of queers on the Hill, thank god, and they gossip a lot. (Passing the word about new stuff)
— Disclaimer, yes, I know someone who works at the SGN —
I thought it went without saying that we’d advertise here, given that this was the forum I picked for the ‘SoCapHill’ coming soon press release. :) But point taken – bad oversight on my part!
Besides SGN, are there other online/print publications that you think are a good place for promoting something like this?
does that mean I live in “nocap”? :)
good luck!
I would recommend attaching a blog and Twitter to the main site – that way you can post up the latest and greatest Cap Hill biz news. Tweets from site sponsors…where have I seen that idea before…
You’re talking to the Chamber about this too, right? Because this seems like it would be right up their alley.
While I think that CHS should get the most money (being local and awesome and all), it is not a bad idea to put aside a little for ads in publications that reach outside the Hill. As heretical as it seems, Cap Hill businesses do get customers from other neighborhoods.
This http://www.pikepinetriangle.com/map.php is a highly polished effort. How will socaphill be different?
Great questions! To be honest, I’ve actually never even heard of this effort. And we’ve been open for 6 weeks and haven’t been approached about being listed, and their web site doesn’t seem to indicate how to suggest a business – ideas?
Their ‘press’ page doesn’t show anything updated since November 2008 so I’m wondering how frequently they add new content. I do see my neighbors at Healeo and Anchovies & Olives so it’s at least updated that part this year. But Porchlight Coffee, Old School Custard, Cupcake Royale, and Meza are also missing.
The main goal for this SoCapHill effort would be to promote the businesses in the South Capitol Hill neighborhood in a way that is economically viable for a small business owner. An advertising and PR ‘co-op’ approach where each member’s individual investment is magnified by the investment of the entire group.
This Pike/Pine Triangle site is great, and I’d love an intro to the group that sponsors or manages it so I can get more info. There isn’t a contact us page that I can find. How did you hear about it?