Real Estate for Business

William McHone is proposing that the most active real estate brokers in Westport (Weichert, Bradamant & Adk Realty) get together to investigate ways to cooperatively work at bringing new businesses to Westport.

Technology Training

Lets put technology to work by actively supplying the training our business members need. We could call upon businesses, such as Westelcom, and individuals with technical skills to meet one-on-one. with business owners.

European Marketing

At a recent marketing meeting held in Lake Placid the director of “I Love NY” encouraged attendees to submit “tracts” for tourists that would be made available at the London office. They also will accept and display brochures.

Arts Council @ Heritage House

If we could encourage and help the Arts Council become a permanent resident of Heritage House we could have the facility open to visitors much of the year.

Golf Cart Rental Fleet

Golf style carts, licensed for road use, could be available for rental to people arriving by train, boat or air.

When I lived in NYC I would take the Amtrak train to Westport at least once each summer. My purpose was to play golf over a long weekend at the best club in the Adirondacks. I would need to walk from my B&B to the course. With a reasonably priced rental, even one that was shared, it would have been much easier to get around and more fun as well.

I would like to propose that we do a pilot program this summer involving the follow:

• Obtain at least 4 street legal golf or similar style cars for rental. Examples can be seen at GEM or e-zride.
• Have a similar program in at least one other village along the Lake Champlain route, such as Ticonderoga.
• Do joint promotions in Montreal and NYC with Amtrak, the rental fleet manufacturer, Westport and Ticonderoga businesses, tour package providers, etc.
• Combine the marketing with an Amtrak promotion that allows passengers to buy a special ticket that allows a week pass on the NY to Montreal route, similar to a Britrail pass, that allows the holder to disembark and reboard anywhere along the route as often as they wish.
• Have businesses provide other "special services", such as discount bicycle rentals, overnight storage of golf equipment, discount boat rentals, discount golf, etc. for "by train, sea and air" travelers. Local businesses should make every effort to make this a fabulous and fun experience for the traveler.
  
• Possible local ordinance to allow actual golf carts to travel during daylight hours in special lanes within the town limits.

With the ExploreNY Quadricentennial coming in 2009 this type of program should provide positve press for our communities, Amtrak, the environmentally friendly rental fleet and everyone involved.

Podcasts

Westport is fortunate to have a rich history and a number of talented community members that could relate that history. An easy way to make that history available worldwide is by creating Podcasts.

Westport “hotspots”

Let’s make all of Westport WIFI enabled for our visitors. With today’s visitors arriving with web enabled phones, iPods and computers, we can easily make everything from Depot Theatre tickets to dinner menus available with a couple clicks.

I would also envision some of the "hotspots" having Kiosks where we might provide a touch screen monitor connected to a computer. On the screen we might have information from various businesses, a selection of Westport Podcasts, our activities calendar, etc.

Brochures at I87 Rest Areas

People visiting our region from the south often never go beyond Exit 30 or below Exit 34 from the north. We could create common theme brochures to be placed at rest areas and all Lake Champlain crossing spots.

Click title for a sample brochure.

Google Events Calendar

This free service of Google allows any number of people to be authorized to add calendar entries, do automatic notification of new or changed events and make life a lot easier. Public entries are available for everyone, private for members only.

Click Title for our calendar

Westport Marketing BLOG

By placing the ideas formulated in our meetings online in the form of a BLOG we are allowing everyone interested in the future of Westport to remain connected. Ideas and comments are immediately available worldwide.

Introduction

Entries posted to this blog are meant to provide ideas to be shared and discussed among members of the Westport Marketing Committee. The group was formed by Dee Carroll and Molly Kasriels primarily with members of the Westport Chamber of Commerce. 

All ideas that attempt to encourage new business in our community or help existing businesses to grow and remain vibrant are welcome.