Westport Marketing

Vélo Québec Voyages

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:17:00 +0000

Last summer I noticed a distinct increase in bikes, bicycle variety, passing through Westport & Wadhams. We have a wonderful spot for tour organizers to schedule us as a stop on routes. With a little thought and planning I believe we could also be a wonder Base Location.

Here is a link to an article in today's Plattsburgh Press Republican, Canadian bike tour to bring $1M to region. The link on the title of this post goes to The Grand Tour, to which the article refers.

Looking at the offerings on the Vélo Québec Voyages website I see they have 2 additional tours passing through Westport, these will be at the end of May and originate in Montreal, all the way to Nyack, near New York City.

Suppose as these bikers pass through we handed out something as simple as a collectable pin with our new brand logo and link to our website along with perhaps a sports drink. Perhaps we could charge some nominal amount for people wanting a souvenir water bottle with our brand.

Prominent on our website might be a link to suggested bike tours originating in Westport and accommodations. I have long wanted to see what we might do as a group to influence Amtrak to accommodate passengers wishing to bring bicycles on trips.

Membership Form - Business

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:10:00 +0000

Please review the proposed Membership Form - Businesst by clicking the title and leave comments & suggestions below or by emailing Wm@WilliamMcHone.com.

Membership Form - Not for Profit

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:44:00 +0000

Please review the proposed Membership Form - Not for Profit by clicking the title and leave comments & suggestions below or by emailing Wm@WilliamMcHone.com.

Boater's View of Westport

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Hi, Here is more feed back from a former boater with us. D

How do you brand Westport? That is a challenging questions. There are many factors but difficult to capture in a short phrase. Certainly the location and spectacular setting connecting the Lake with the Adirondacks is a major attraction and one that will not change. For us the first attraction was the lake and the marina, which quickly led to lots of good friends and good times. People and businesses come and go but the small town friendly atmosphere continues. Westport is unique in vacation and recreational offerings with theater, music, dining, shopping etc. One of the few places on the Lake where such things are readily available, especially from the water.

Creative Brief

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:26:00 +0000

From: kbseguin@aol.com
To: Normandie@aol.com
Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:11:24 -0500
Subject: Creative Brief Form
Hi Molly,

I wanted to send along the framework for a creative brief that would summarize a project for creative execution. There has been so much new feedback since we met that I thought you might be closer to summarizing this in the document. Also, I have been very involved with the GMA shoot that takes place this weekend in LP. I hope this helps!

Kathy

Vermont Town Turns to College in Bid to Guide Change

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:10:00 +0000

By ABBY GOODNOUGH

Published: December 4, 2008

Hoping to avoid conflict that often stymies planning, officials in Staksboro, Vt., are asking Middlebury College students to help steer development.

Westport as a Technology Port/Hub

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:20:00 +0000

I might have added this as a "comment" to the notes, but decided I wish to solicit comments specific to this thought.

Westport is privileged to have the home office of Chazy & Westport Telephone Corp., part of Westelcom, one of the leading technology companies in the region. A "port" or "hub" takes on another meaning here and, I believe, one we would be remiss if we failed to incorporate in our discussions and planning as we move forward.

Please take a quick peak at a website that I feel could be cloned to show Westport as a Port/HUB. Nodes could encompass our diverse themes in a technologically cleaver way. This would be very iPhone, iPod touch friendly as well.

WESTPORT CREATIVE GROUP MEETING 11/18/08

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:00:00 +0000

Kimberly Rielly, marketing wizard

Ticonderoga Federal Credit Union
518.585.6725 x2303

Visit us online at tfcuNOW.com

Objective: Per a sneak-preview of the agenda for the meeting on the 25th, we attempted to prioritize 2-3 themes for next week's meeting with Jim McKenna, choosing one theme/brand under which the other themes could be folded.

Consensus by the end of the meeting:

Overall theme: PORT/HUB

Discussion led to this umbrella theme, which plays off Westport's "accessible" attribute. (Westport is the easiest town to access from I87, Amtrak stops here, working waterfront welcomes boaters from Lake Champlain, the Lake Champlain bikeway goes right through town, many Adirondack destinations are less than an hour away, etc.).

Other related terms were "Port of call", "crossroads", "jumping-off point".

It's a flexible brand that will allow us to allude to other sub-themes- the "hub's" spokes:

RECREATION

INTERACTIVE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE

(Chris can clarify; interaction within historic venues. Eg: depot, library, fairgrounds, Inn, marina – all historic buildings that are being used – visitors can interact and experience these historic buildings in a contemporary, working setting.)

ARTS/CULTURE

---------------------

Other notes Kim took:

Culture/quality of life
A large number of artists choose to live here – why? Maybe there's a way to highlight the cultural aspect from the perspective of the quality of life that draws so many artisans to the area. In my personal opinion, it is a combination of several of the area's attributes; access to (hub) unique cultural outlets/experiences/ opportunities – Depot/Meadowmount; the spectacular landscape provides inspiration; safe, quiet.

Nov. 8 Branding Initiative

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:46:00 +0000

A big Thank you to all who gave up a valued Saturday. The general consensus is that it was worth it. All in all, this was yet another high energy conversation that just keeps moving forward. Yes, some of it was repetitive of our previous meetings, but the difference here is that now we are getting very close to a marketable product.

As you know, we are now at the stage where a smaller group is going to take the attached raw data to the Creative Staff at the Visitors Bureau of Essex County. This will be an important event that will narrow down all that we have put together. VERY IMPORTANT: Please take a minute to review the attached raw data. We need to hear from you very soon if any of the following apply:

If something you deem important did not make it to the compilation
If you feel particularly strong about an entry, or particularly against an entry
If you have thought of something since our gathering this past weekend

If any of the above apply please let Molly know and the data summary will be updated to reflect your comments. I see our smaller group meeting with the VB in the next week to ten days, maximum. Meanwhile, thanks again to Joe Lathrop who facilitated this process so well and who put up with our bumps and bruises.....Also, by signing in to the meeting you have now been added to The Marketing Group e-mailing list. Should you wish to be removed, do let me know. Take care and thanks again, Molly, Dee and the gang

{Added by Wm McHone}

Here are a couple links and an address you may be interested in:

Joe Lathrop, jlathrop@ocg-intl.com website: www.ocg-intl.com

Normandie Beach Club
Your Place in the Sun!
(518) 962-4750
(518) 962-2050 fax
www.normandiebeachclub.com

Authoring, Commenting & Tracking

Wm@WilliamMcHone.com (Wm) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:55:00 +0000

It is hoped that this blog will serve as one more way to present items of interest to the Westport Chamber of Commerce in general and the Marketing & Website Sub-Committees in particular. Some things that come to mind in this regard are:

Tracking of entries through automatic notification is done by simply entering your email address at the top right to "Subscribe".
At the bottom of all entries you'll find "Post a Comment", anyone can and everyone is encouraged to do so.
If you wish to bring particular notice to any entry click on the time of the line at the bottom that begins "POSTED BY...". That brings up just that entry, paste the link in your browser window into an email and send it to whomever.
Become an "Author" and make your own posts. Please email Wm and he will take care of that and help with any questions.

Google Map to Wm McHone's Place

Wm@WilliamMcHone.com (Wm) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:58:00 +0000

Directions to William McHone's place:

Click the title of this message for a map to Web Marketing Meeting (1).

When you head south on Main Street you'll see a sign at what many people know at Tanneberger's old house that says "Bonnycroft". Turn up the driveway and come in throught the main door on the side porch.

Web Marketing Meeting (1)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Casquilho) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:48:00 +0000

Hello folks,

The first web marketing meeting is penciled in for Thursday at 1 PM at Bonnycroft (McHone's). Directions will be posted. Please call me at the Depot if you have any questions - 518.962.8680.

Organizational Meeting

Wm@WilliamMcHone.com (Wm) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:55:00 +0000

Hi folks,

I would like to organize a meeting ASAP to begin working on this.

Please let me know your availability for a two-hour opener next week, and let’s plan to have two more meetings prior to March 4.

At the first meeting, I’d like us to discuss the purpose of the website and the intended market or markets that we want to hit. We’ll use that to describe a scope of work. We should also discuss the relationship between the existing site and its purpose and the new site.

After we decide on the purpose and the market and get a general scope, we should gather information on development and hosting, which should give us an idea of the upfront costs and potential maintenance costs, as well as who’s in charge of the maintenance.

The last meeting before March 4 will be a meeting to summarize the findings, and compile a presentation of options to present to the Chamber for comment.

If anyone has additional input, please contact me at your convenience. I’m looking forward to this – should be some right good fun!

Many thanks,
Chris

Chris Casquilho
Managing Director
Depot Theatre
Westport, New York
depottheatre.org

Website Revision Committe Directive

Wm@WilliamMcHone.com (Wm) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:15:00 +0000

[the following was an email message from George King outlining the objectives of the new website subcommittee formed on 2/7/08]

This message is to confirm discussions held last evening concerning the formation of a committee to address a revamping of the website. The primary addresses above constitute the members of the committee. The exception is Adam Facteau who as the advisor at the school and is responsible for providing a student to work on the committee (in this instance it is Spencer Mehr).

The committee is to set its own timetable and procedures. Chris Casquilho has valiantly agreed to chair the committee. The broad outlines of what is desired is as follows:

1. The committee is to start initially from a "tabula rasa" and there are no preconceived requirements for the website with the exception that it should be the best possible product.

2. The committee should explore all possible means for development and hosting. This means looking at various firms that do this and see what they can bring to the table. A comparison of these firms and their strengths and weaknesses is desirable.

3. The committee should, after development of their own options, look at the existing website with an eye towards what should be retained of the existing website.

4. The committee should explore a business model as to how the website revision and operation will be financed.

5. The committee should develop and present all possible options that they have developed to the marketing group for their comment and input within the next month. This input will be incorporated into the website as much as possible.

6. The committee should be prepared to provide a status report to the Chamber Board at the next chamber meeting on 4 March.

Should questions arise at any time during the process; Mollie Kasriels, George Maffey, Dee Carroll and I will be readily available. Do not hesitate to contact any one of us.

Thanks for volunteering and good luck. Geo

George W. King
Kingdom Come Farm
44 Eggleston Lane
Westport, NY 12993
518-962-2316
kinggeo@westelcom.com
AUT VIAM INVENIAM AUT FACIAM

Real Estate for Business

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:08:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:07:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:06:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:04:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:53:00 +0000

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”

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:48:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:39:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:34:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Westport Marketing) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:52:00 +0000

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.