My Proposal to the Tarboro Town Council.

It was suggested that I submit a proposal to the town council in regards to updating the town's website and developing an internet marketing plan for Tarboro, but I really have no desire to work for the town council in an official capacity I just know some things about internet-based marketing and wanted to give them a little more information to work with when making their decision.

After giving it some thought . . . I DO want to make a proposal.

I propose that the town council take that $60,000 they might pay to ANY internet marketing company and use it to make improvements to our town.  I think we're putting the cart before the horse. We're not quite ready to market ourselves in a BIG (expensive) way.  The internet marketing project is intended to attract new residents, new businesses, new growth, yet what are we prepared to offer these newcomers? 

Here's a little analogy.  I've learned from being in the retail business for many years that you never open a store or restaurant before you have everything in order, all of your inventory in place.  First impressions are VERY important.  If you open the doors too soon, your potential customers form their opinion of your business on that less than perfect first impression.

We can spend $50,000 - $60,000 promoting Tarboro, and attracting new people, but what will they find when they get here?  What will make them choose to stay?

For that same $60,000 , Tarboro could follow Selma's lead and pay the rent for 10 antique shops and art galleries for one full year.  Ten new shops would be very "attractive" in several ways.  Not only would they fill the empty store fronts and add vitality to the downtown, but they in themselves would attract people to Tarboro. The people would spend money at the new shops, the existing stores and at the restaurants.  The business owners, in turn would have more money to spend, they could afford employees who would also have money to spend and "voila" our economy has improved.

I propose we hold off spending a big lump of money on the website right now and focus on getting ourselves ready for our "customers", the folks that we are trying to sell Tarboro to.  Let's take one year and get our ducks in a row.  Let's revitalize our downtown.  Let's support and promote our wealth of talented artists and in turn develop our arts culture economy. Let's work on improving our schools.  Let's get the newly renovated malls completed and filled.  Let's get ready for the newcomers as we would get ready for any visitors to our home.  We want everything looking good so when they see Tarboro for the first time, they love it as much as we do.

Update on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 03:24PM by Grassroots of Tarboro

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