marketing matters

Drawing New Business to Old City

Alicia Isenberg Hoglund

Location is everything, so the saying goes. In fact, location is often the crux of a business' success or failure.

This thought begs the question: Would investing in your community help improve your location? As one dispensary owner found, working to enhance a neighborhood's image helps build the bottom line, and can be fun, too.

FROM THE BEGINNING

When Valerie Vittu, owner of Margot & Camille Optique, opened her store in the historic Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, she knew no one. Wanting to build her business and connect with her new community, Vittu reached out to area businesses for help.

Vittu gathered a group of local business owners to discuss ways to increase foot traffic in the area—something that would benefit all involved. “Everybody in the neighborhood, regardless of what they sell, would benefit from more business,” says Vittu.

With a common desire of improving the overall business climate in the area, Vittu and 12 others came together to form the Old City Business Collective (OCBC). Since its inception in 2008, the organization has collaborated on a number of initiatives to get people talking about and visiting the Old City area.

WINDOW VIEWS

The OCBC's first and arguably most successful venture was the Old City Window Design Contest. Now in its fourth year, what began as a small endeavor has blossomed into a yearly competition with an ever-growing audience.

The contest, which was designed to bridge the gap between visual design and commerce by inviting local businesses to redesign their storefront windows in creative ways, draws thousands of visitors to the area, Vittu notes.

Local businesses pay a small fee to enter their storefront window into the contest. During the two-week competition, the public visits the entrants' windows to vote for their favorite storefront display via voter cards or text messages.

For the 2011 Window Contest, Vittu's designers chose a fall theme for the windows of Margot & Camille Optique

Vittu says the $50 entrance fee is well worth the added exposure her business sees. More important than bragging rights and the monetary prize—the top design is awarded the pool of entry fees—the contest provides Vittu with an opportunity to welcome back clients and connect with potential customers.

“Last year, [the month of the contest] was my best month of the year,” adds Vittu, who saw a 30 percent increase in sales. “The impact was significant. I saw a huge influx of new clientele as well.”

HELPING HANDS

Like many businesses in the area, Vittu elicits outside help for her storefront designs. She often turns to local universities for inspiration because she finds them a breeding ground for out-of-the-box thinking.

“Students are the best,” says Vittu. “They are creative and enthusiastic—and they work for free, for the fun of it.”

Employing students to design her storefront also leads to more exposure through word-of-mouth advertising. “Students post pictures to Facebook and invite friends and family to come see their work and vote for their window, which allows me to reach even more potential customers,” says Vittu. “Even if they don't come out, my business' name is still spread.”

It's not so much the window displays themselves as it is the interactive and entertaining environment the voter-decided contest provides passersby that makes it so successful.

“Events like these are the best way to attract people to the area,” says Vittu, noting that the contest encourages visitors to explore the community. “They come to experience the entire neighborhood.”

Working both outside and in, the display perfectly coordinated with the interior's seasonal decor

CROSS PROMOTION

A savvy marketer, Vittu applies the contest's principles to her year-round marketing efforts, holding special events and promoting other city-wide initiatives. A lover of the arts, Vittu is a member of the Old City Art Association and promotes the Philadelphia art scene.

“When the economy isn't doing well, people do what matters to them. And art is often one of those avenues,” says Vittu. “It's a good thought in a bad economy.”

Throughout the year, Vittu supports local artists, displaying their collections and holding receptions at her dispensary to further immerse herself in her community. “These events are great for cross promotion,” explains Vittu.

The artist invites friends to view her work, and while there, the guests get a glimpse of the latest eyewear styles on display. In turn, patrons of Margot & Camille Optique are exposed to local art.

“If I do something with businesses, my customers become theirs and vice versa,” says Vittu.

STAY ACTIVE

The most important thing, advises Vittu, is to stay active. “It is not inviting to walk through a boring neighborhood or into a boring store and talk to boring employees,” Vittu says, who suggests changing your displays regularly.

But, as Vittu points out, this begins with creating the right neighborhood atmosphere. “All of the neighborhoods have their own identities, says Vittu. “You have to work together to maintain that identity.

“If you keep things fresh, you always have something new to see and talk about.” EB