Davidson merchants will gather Friday morning for a quarterly meeting that will include information about the town’s new business license and fee requirements, and a presentation on the town’s marketing plans and new visitors’ websites. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at Town Hall, 216 S. Main St.

The meeting also will include a presentation by Todd Lotich of Fifth Third Bank about merchant credit card processing services and a review of the town’s events budget, according to Downtown Manager Kim Fleming.

The town’s business fee is a new one. In March, the Town Board approved a new licensing program for businesses housed in Davidson, with a $40 fee. Town officials say it will help the town collect data about businesses for the Main Street Program and help maintain adequate information for the police and fire departments. (UPDATE: This fee is a one-time charge, not annual. See comment below.)

New Town of Davidson logo

MARKETING PLANS

At the Town Board’s May 24 meeting, Ms. Fleming gave an update on the town’s marketing efforts, including the unveiling of a revised new logo (right).

Her presentation came about a year after the town board got its first glimpse at a time line for implementing a new marketing strategy, developed with the help of consultants Arnett Muldrow, of Greenville, S.C. Ms. Fleming said most of the work has been completed or is in the works.

The new logo will be officially introduced after July 1, appearing as the town rolls out new signs, documents, businesses cards and other materials.

In addition to the new logo, the town this month (June) will unveil a new website focused on visitors, at ExploreDavidsonNC.com. The town also is working on a web-based community calendar and a redesign of the Town Hall website, she said.

The town’s proposed 2012 budget has some money budgeted for downtown and marketing. About $55,000 is slated to go toward parking and wayfinding signs downtown, through a contract with Davidson-based Bizell Design Inc.

Another $5,000 is expected to be available for matching advertising grants for local businesses. The town public works budget also has money for parking space striping, lighting on Knox Court (behind Main Street) and other improvements, according to Ms. Fleming.

Town events, such as Concerts on the Green, have separate budgets and are paid for primarily through sponsorships, she said. Meanwhile, the town’s marketing and advertising is handled through the office of Megan Davis, the town communications director.

So far, the town’s marketing plans are drawing positive reviews from merchants. “We’re honestly in a really good place right now,” said Megan Blackwell, owner of The Village Store on Main Street, and a member of a Town Hall marketing committee working with Ms. Fleming.

“Given the economic situation, I’m really happy with the way things are going,” she said. She called Ms. Fleming “a really strong capable manager” who is helping steer the town’s marketing efforts in the right direction.

Ms. Blackwell said she’s pleased that the town is adapting and building on the marketing concepts developed by Arnett Muldrow. “They’re showing a lot of ability to work with that plan to sue what is good and use what makes sense, and adjusting what they feel needs to be worked on.”

The logo is a case in point. While Arnett Muldrow’s designers proposed a new logo and town symbol in green and black, the town now has adapted that by tweaking the symbol, and switching to red. Ms. Fleming said the marketing committee felt that red is already a color identified with the town, thanks in part to Davidson College’s use of the color.

RELATED LINKS AND DOCUMENTS

Download a copy of Kim Fleming’s May presentation to the Town Board with information about the new logo and town marketing efforts. (PDF)

March 9, 2011, “Board OKs MI-Connection moves, adds business fee.”

Comments Disabled To "Merchants to hear about new license fee, marketing"

#1 Comment By David Boraks On June 3, 2011 @ 3:48 pm