As seen in the March edition of the Chamber Voice, the 2019 Business Plan was created to introduce you to the Strategic Plan’s Critical Success Factors and supporting Program of Work. Our mission is “to be the voice of business, to promote and initiate responsible economic growth, and to address community challenges in the Rogers-Lowell Area and region.” We’re celebrating our 97th year as the premier advocacy organization for business and we take our leadership role of being the Keeper of the Community Vision and Voice of Business seriously.
To accomplish our mission, we’re growing business and building community through mission-based strategic focus areas and increased collaboration with our members, partners and investors. Strategic areas
of focus include economic development, downtown development, workforce recruitment and retention, government affairs, small business outreach, destination marketing, community education and leadership programs, and long-range community planning to improve quality of life. Below is the Business Plan for Downtown Rogers Inc.
Downtown Rogers Inc.
Downtown Rogers (DTR), Inc. creates experiences designed to bring our community together in the downtown district to celebrate the past and embrace the future. We’re making downtown a destination where people can explore our historic brick streets, buildings and recreation. We’re also uniting the downtown area with its creatives, artisans, cuisine, and entertainment.
Strategic Focus Areas:
- Creating and promoting all downtown activities and targeted marketing
- Creating relationships with businesses and connecting them to their customers through experiences
- Promoting the importance of supporting local markets and farmers
- Starting and stopping more trains in Rogers
- Bringing people to downtown to celebrate their furry friends and raise money for the Rogers Shelter
- Bringing people to downtown to connect with each other and showcase local food and beverage talents
- Bringing people to downtown to enjoy live music and feature local artists
- Bringing people to downtown for the holiday season
Division Goals:
- Increase Day-to-Day Activities in Downtown, Developing a Denser Program Rhythm
SMARTY Objective:
1. Position Chamber as the go-to source for what’s happening in Downtown Rogers.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Diversity in events: Broadening events to increase appeal both culturally and age wise
–Marketing:Targeting teens and single adults as well as existing clientele
–Altering image projection to show that downtown paints the picture that this is a place where folks want to go and feel welcome
–Partnering with regional organizations and local schools
–Providing specific mini-surveys for feedback before and after events as well as input about creating new events
–Competitions to entertain and introduce new ideas
- Stronger Support from Community for Program Funding
SMARTY Objective:
1. Doubling operations budget by the end of 2020 to start providing world-class programming.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Find out what companies want and need in return for their sponsorships.
–Help them move product, reshape their company image, connect their brand with new customers and get them a place in local culture.
–Collect and share data from events and social media, and surveys post-event.
–Create interactive connections with companies and their products, make them part of the event experience. Sourcing volunteers from companies to connect them to customers attending the event.
- Develop and Sustain the Farmers Market
SMARTY Objective:
1. Surviving the renovation of Frisco Park and having a quality selection of vendors with followers for 2021.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Surveys for regional customers and vendors to gain new perspectives
–Maintain strong core of diverse, quality vendors
–Increased advertising and social media presence
–Cross promotions with downtown businesses
–Developing brunch garden featuring local food trucks
- Increase Train Activities
SMARTY Objective:
1. Showcasing our heritage while entertaining the public and connecting the region.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Stops in Rogers anytime possible within trains existing schedule
–Bring other cities to our downtown
–Increased advertising and social media presence
–Cross promotions with downtown businesses
–Connecting us to other train cities
- Barks & Brews
SMARTY Objective:
1. Bringing the dog lover community together in downtown and showcasing local beer and pet-related businesses.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Pet related vendor presence and experiences
–Bring new people and dogs to our downtown
–Increased advertising and social media presence
–Cross promotions with downtown businesses
–Embracing the outdoor doggie activity opportunities in Rogers
–Platform for businesses and sponsors to connect with residents
- Community Meals
SMARTY Objective:
1. Promoting our downtown culture and its talents while also creating a great networking opportunity.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Folks getting to connect and have that sense of place and community
–Bring new people to taste what downtown has to offer
–Increased advertising and social media presence
–Cross promotions with downtown businesses
–Showing off the beautiful backdrop that is our downtown
–Farm to Table Dinner, Good Life Dinner, Fall Celebration events and more
–Platform for businesses and sponsors to connect with residents
- Live Music
SMARTY Objective:
1. Entertaining and convening the community through music to downtown.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Folks getting to connect and have that sense of place and community
–Bring new people to hear what our downtown has to offer
–Increased advertising and social media presence
–Cross promotions with downtown businesses
–Showing off the beautiful backdrop that is our downtown
–Frisco Festival, Fall Celebration and more
–Platform for businesses and sponsors to connect with residents
- Christmas Town
SMARTY Objective:
1. Entertaining and convening the community through music to downtown.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Folks getting to connect and have that sense of place and community
–Bring new people to see what our downtown has to offer
–Increased advertising and social media presence
–Cross promotions with downtown businesses
–Showing off the beautiful backdrop that is our downtown
–Christmas Parade, Holiday movies, merchant events, Holiday Market and more
–Platform for businesses and sponsors to connect with residents