Memo - Community Marketing•
Memorandum
Communications
To: Honorable Mayor and Members ofi the City Council
From: Bobbie Hartfiiel
Date: April ~ S, 2442
Copp:
RE: Community Marketing Campaign
Purpose
Tonight Council and Sfiaff should continue discussing the Community Marketing
Campaign. Tonight's discussion should focus primarily on reaching a consensus
regarding the reality of the strategies as wel€ as to getting the Council's suggestions for
tactics.
~VefVlew
During a February work session, Council and Staff discussed the idea and goals ofi a
community marketing campaign.
Because of the magnitude and the steps involved in developing a campaign i thought it
best to phase out the development.
Phase [, interpretation (completed at the work session in Feb.} Council and Staff
agreed on a need for a campaign and the campaign goals.
Phase Il, Shared Understanding (beginning tonight}. Council and Staff should have a
shared understanding of the meaning of the strategies and the tactics.
Phase ill, Acceptance Council and Staff should agree on the details of the campaign
such as the budget, the tactics and the responsibility.
Since our last discussion, I have made same slight changes to the campaign. I have
incorporated the key messages and the gaa[s that we discussed at our last meeting: I
reworded some of the strategies to better convey your thoughts; and I have included
some ideas for tactics to get our creative juices flowing. Typically each strategy has
several tactics. Please be reminded that tactics are the steps we are going to take to
i bring the strategy to life. Again the tactics listed are just ideas to get us thinking.
Sti•en~tl~s .
Tile City of Hnpkins offers many tI-ul}' ulligLle opportunities not fouled in other
COlll]11LtnltIeS
Hopl~ins has a vari_et}' of retail and service businesses as t~~ell as restaurants and
entcrtainnlent outlets
Hopkins has excellent access to transportation and re~iollal trails
Hopkins has all uutstanclicl` school district 4
Hopkins is home to one of dle 1o114,est rutlllin~T festivals in the state
Hopkins lea, a proacti~~c Cit}~ Coutlcil 4
Hopkins offers quality public sere ices alld pro~*ranls to the conlnlutlity
S~'eak t~ esses
Many people ha~~e nat been to do~~ I1t0~411 Hopkins itl. ``a lone time"
Solllc Wray see Hopkins as «ll2t is v,~as alld not ~;-hat it presently is or ~~-ill be
Oppc~rf~ulities
1tlarketina efforts nla~' 1_,I'1R~ people heel: to IrIopkius
1l7arketing of#-orts Ilea} c11aI1Re neu~Iti~ e 1}liblic pza'ceptioll
1~'Ial'l:etln~ erforts play I'ZI11foI'Cl or bLlllCl I72'fCle frolll Vti Etllln
M~tr3cetin~T eff~,rts Ilea}T entice econolllic dei~e(opment/r~developmcnt in the co111I111.Inity
T~treats
A Co111lnunit}' Niarketitl` Ca1np~Ii~n can he e.vpensive .
Due to alnbi~uitti', success of the plan nla}~ be difficult to accuately tlleasure
Hopkins has Liecome a diverse colllllltlnity. Reaclliny the many difl~ereflt ethnic ~vraups iIl
our otvn con1I11tInit~~, let alone in c}iher collllllunities, play be difficult
Favorable marketin~T results can Lie cr<<fted Liut are not ~Llarallteed and flee outcome is not
aln~ati~s cc~ntrollahley 4
~iC'i' ITIeSSabeS
1. Create an ellvironm nt that creates a s~n5z of bride
2. 1'hi~ is a great place to line «,z ha~~t~ it all
~. Ci~IIIZ and look at what eve have b~colilc
~. Z~'e offer a variety of experiencz
7. ~1~taintain o~I;~ flistor~~ and a sense of placz tllrou~h the colzlmuni4y
~xOa~S
°'~ Chan~~e public peI"cepiinn heynnd Hol?kins
-- Itlcrease traffic into Do~~~uto«~n HUpl;ills
•`~ Raise a«~areness of H~~pkins beyond Hopkins
'~ Build pride from ~t ithin the collununity
StI'ttfe ~1e5
I. De~~clop public and private sector involvenl~nt in n~.tirketin` paI•tllersllips and
cooperative oppol•tunities to extend resotu-ces and to nla~inlize ifnpact •
. 2. Use a range of marketing materials to meet the needs of different customer groups,
depending on their familiarity of the community
3. Develop marketing initiatives to educate, inspire, involve and cotntnunicate with all
members of the community
5. Proactively market the vision in the community
5. Market the City from the inside out
! S~rateg~
Develop public and private sector involvement in marketing partnerships and cooperative
opportunities to extend reSOLn-ces and to maximize goals
Opit>lion
Tight budgets often require both p~shlic and pri~'ate organizations to revisit their cun'ent
marketing strategies. One way organizations can reach their marketing objectives ~~~hile ~-orking
~vid-t a restricted budget is t0 forIll COllab0l'atlons vJlth Other di"ganfZah0115. The bLiStnesS, faith and
education communities are a vital part of Hopkins and catj be a powerfuE advocate in marketing
the community.
Tactics
Develop a collaborative business marketing effort with the HBCA.
Purpose:
This group would design a marketing campaign to market the business community of
Hopkins.
?. Develop a co]laborative ]narl:eting effort ~~-ith the faith communit}~.
Purpose:
This Group would design a rnarketin6 campaign to market the faith colnrrlunity ofHopkin5.
3. Develop a collaborative marketing effort with the coltununity schools.
Furpose:
This group would design a trlarketing campaign to market the educational realm of Hopkins.
II Strategy
Use a -'ange of conununication opportunities to meet the needs of different customer groups,
depending on their falrliliarity of the community.
Opinion
Currently, the City relies primarily an the use of print media as a means of transmitting
information to the public. Press releases and stories about City programs and developments are
often written and submitted to local newspapers and trade magazines. As the conununity papers
and some trade magazines are very receptive to Hopkins happenings, popularity outside of the
City limits is weak. Once interest stories or press releases are submitted to loco! papers and
magazines, publication is left to the ~~~ill of the editor. Often times editors do not fnld our stories
as compelling as we do and they are never printed. However, there are other avenues available to
get the "story" out. Currently, the City has two communication avet3ues that I believe are
tulderutilized: the «eb Site and Cable Television.
. Tactics
1. Make City HaII 24 hours accessible via the ~i-eb.
Purpose: •
Provide 140 pcrcctrt custolncr service ?~ hours a clay, seven days a «•eek. This may
be reachable by putting permits, licetlses and registration forms ills line as «rell as
making all brochures maps, repo~•ts and publications do~vnloadable.
2. Stocl: tra~Tel outlets «~ifh high end coni<ia~~rnity brochures
Purpose:
This ij•ould 6ivc Hopkins an opportunity to reach vacationers and attracE ne~~r
business. Brochures ~~ould ~o to hotels and the MN Explore Store in the MOS.
?. Design a 1`Teighhorbood Tool Boy
E 0 I ~~r~alk~~Y
Develop nlarketiug initiati~Ies to educate, inspire, invalve and comnllulicate «-ith all
members of the conllnunity
Opinion
Staff, Council and nlenlbcrs of the conullunity hate. indicated a desire fol- more
partnership opportunities het~z een the Cily alld the camltlunity and ~;~itllin the
comin~lnit~-. The City alre~ldv has orally established partnership opportlulities (see
attached). Snllle of tllesc opportunities are prop-ided yearly while others are offered
intermittentl~~. Sanle prograllls are partnerships with other araanizations or rnunicipalitics
~~-bile athers are solelS~ massaged h<< the City of Hopkins. Soule programs carry a financial .
burden while other pt'o~arallls ll~lve Ininilnai financial implications. Listed l,elo~~• are some
of programs the City offers on a reatllal- basis. The que:;tion before us is if these prngl-alll.~
aT•c nleetina our objectives, do ~~~e want to calllinue to offer these programs and are thel•e
odler proL7talns that ~~•e ~voulcl like to incorporate.
t ~1Ctics
I. Caring ~ OLitll ~eCUgllltI0I1
~'iI['pO5e:
A partnersflip program ~s ith the Cities oI Goldcn Nassau, Minnetonka, tflz Hopkins School
district and Nlinn~tonka Schuul District. The event is its 6~' year. The celebration honors
~uull:T pzople ~r~~deti 7-1?, «Ill~ h::~•e demonstrated caring b~~ re~ichin~~ aL[t to others
(v(71Llllteel"l[lg). The reC{+?n1t1011 d(l~5 Ill1t r2l'l~~Clll%t athlet]C Or SC11011)t]C aChl~~'elTli~I1tS.
Budget implications:
?00' - X500
General Fund
?. City" ~'L'ide Qllen Honse
Purpose:
Dane every other fall in conjrlnctioll ~~ ith tl1~ Fire Department Open Hc~l.lse. 4y'as last drnle in
1999. Pcsrpo~e is to educate and inform about city prograllls and services, boards and
COnll111SSlOllS.
I3udgct Implications:
Genes"al Fund
3. Citizens Academy
Purpose:
Managed by the City cif Hopkins. Offered for the fast time in 20x1 and then main in 2002.
CA is a six week City gowernmenUser`~ices education course offered to residents.
Budget implications:
2000 - ~s3oo.oa
2001 - $9000.00
General Ftu~d
4. Vo[urateer Reca;r-ition
Purpose:
An event done sporadically to reco~tzize and that the board and commission
members.
Budget implications:
2000 - $3000
2002 - $3000
General fund
5. Citizens Academy Graduate Course
Purpose:
During the last two CA's many participants eon~mented on the desire to hate snore
tithe to discuss certain topics. A graduate course offered only to the people who «~ent
tluough the first two academies would Bite the City an opportunity to go into more
details about the subject matter.
v. ~uiii icr i jT uitj' ~r..aui2 vi0`si'
Purpose:
To relay information to those people who rely on TV as an information sotarce. lam
unaware of how many people watch the Hopkins Community Chatulel. Hot~~ever,
despite the number of vie~~fers, Cable TV is a communication avenue that we could
make better use of. A City cable show could be an}thing from a staged Council/ Dept
Director forum, a six minute bite on an upcoming project or a half hour bud;et
discussion.
7. Breakfast? with the Mayor? Council? City 117anager? Police Chief?
Purpose:
These meetings would be driven by an a¢enda of "hot" topics of interest. The purpose
would be to share infoi~nation as well as give the presenter an opportunity to get face
to face feedback. The meetings could be held at various City facilities such as the Art
Ctr, the Activity Ctr or the Depot.
!J Strategy
Continue lnarl~etin~ the ~~ision t~~ithin t[le conllntlllity.
Upiltiolt
Tactics
1. De~'eloi. a Comlt~unity Vision '1'aslc FoI-ee
Purpose:
The tall: force «~ould act as a rep ie«~ board. We ~~~ould i.n~~ite nlembel•s from the Vision
De.si~n ,rotlp to Sit orl the Task Farce. If «e did not het enough intereslec[ people we
could open it up to the public or by ins it~ltion. The Task Force ~~•ould review Cit`• and the
Conlnlunitr t~iSic7n efforts ati «~eil as offer su4Re.,tic}ns fol- irnprcl~-emellts or alternatives.
~~ Stratee~~+
1•~Zarlet the City from the inside o(It
Opinion
Good comnltulity ser~•ice requires ~oocl elllp[OS'ee./iiltetrlal seI•~-ice. Clll•1~ently' the City
does not have an intel-tlal enll~loyec conllllullications plan. Ideally this plan ~=o(!ld
idclltifv Iial7-ie1~5 such as up«'al•cl and dot n~°~-ard collllnEUlications and enlplo_yee morale
and offer s1I~TRestions and tactics to alle~~iatc or clinlinate the bal-~'icrs,
Tactic .
I. I)e~elop aIt itltcl•nal eluplo~~ee coltllttll.Ilicatiotts 1ltarl:etittg board.
YUI'p052:
IIlcrea5e lntel~lal/tlp~~`ard CO111I11llIll~atl~fll5, I'EtC11tI011 aIld ellll?loye.e I110I'ale.
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