Workplan | Budget

July 2008— June 2009

PUBLIC RELATIONS/ADVERTISING

Public Relations
FBID is the PR firm for Fortuna’s business community. Through the local news and entertainment media FBID distributes positive stories about Fortuna’s businesses, business community and community events.  Besides the direct marketing of Fortuna through the media, FBID staff trains Fortuna businesses to use the press to increase their own exposure.

Some of FBID's successes in public relations for the year include:

- As a direct result of FBID's activities, at least 166 positive stories about Fortuna's business community and community events have been featured in local publications, television news and radio programs (approximately 116 printed news stories, photos and related listings, over 40 TV news stories or feature appearances, approximately 10 radio interviews or broadcasts)

- The FBID office released 18 press releases regarding Fortuna Businesses.

- FBID uses community events to get Fortuna national attention through event calendars and occasional features.  FBID has distributed event information to: VIA magazine, Draft Magazine (the national magazine of micro brewing), Spaces, From House to Home and RV Journal. 

- The FBID office tells the world about Fortuna’s community events through a number of Internet event calendars including: general interest lists like Humboldt Convention and Visitors Bureau and VIA magazine sites and niche web sites aimed at wine tourism, craft brewing and agricultural tourism.


Advertising
We continued the “Fortuna Stories” television ad campaign in 2008, with a short break through the winter and a restart in spring 2009.  The interview-style ads feature everyday Fortuna customers talking about why shopping (or living) in Fortuna is important to them.  In 2008 FBID added four commercials to the line-up including our first 2 spots in Spanish for use on the Univision cable network.

The campaign is getting an update as the fiscal year ends with new interviews and a change of music.

Besides FBID’s image building advertising the office also does an advertising campaign for the “Holiday Kids Movies” promotion in November and December, encouraging customers to get tickets through Fortuna businesses.  The office also runs regional advertising going into the summer season to advertise all of Fortuna’s community events.
Event advertising is listed with specific events and programs.


Newsletter
Wrote and produced three newsletters and one mailers for distribution to the over 650 licensed businesses of Fortuna.  Newsletter topics included: Coordinator David Reed good bye, TV ad coop program, seminars and programs for small businesses, e-newsletter for the Downtown Business Association, schedule of events.

EVENTS/PROMOTIONS

Fortuna Rodeo Week July 14-20, 2008
FBID continued a 6 year relationship with the Fortuna Rodeo Association to increase Fortuna’s visibility through our most signature event.  FBID used expertise in public relations, ad campaign development, design and our relationships with local media to form a cohesive marketing plan for the Rodeo.  FBID’s results for the Rodeo:18 articles & photos in local papers and over 200 broadcast media events in TV and Radio.   FBID also arranged sponsorships for the Fortuna Rodeo with Eureka Humboldt Publishing Group, KIEM, Eureka Television Group, KAEF, Eureka Broadcasting, Bi-Coastal Media, Redwood Broadcasting, and KHSU totaling over $4000 in free publicity. These sponsorships helped lead the Fortuna Rodeo to its biggest year ever!


AutoXpo July 25-27, 2008
Included AutoXpo in FBID’s releases to regional event calendars, national event calendars and Internet travel sites.


Hops in Humboldt – August 23, 2008
The festival entered a third year without financial support from FBID and grew exponentially.  The 2008 event was insured under the Rotary Club of Fortuna, and one week prior to event the Hops in Humboldt became its own non-profit and gave Rotary twenty five percent of its earnings for their participation and use of insurance.  The event will go into 2009 and transitions as an independent non-profit organization. The fifth year of Hops saw large increases in crowd size and was recognition on the West Coast as a festival that brewers and the public should attend.  However the event also has challenges going forward in controlling crowd size, they committee faced a negative response for their attempt to and a safety balance for under 21 and family atmosphere.  FBID staff is assisting operating committee and Hops board of directors in meeting goals for 2009 and beyond.

FBID assisted the event by arranging advertising sponsorships and placing advertising in local newspapers and nationally brewing magazines as well as booking local radio and television ads.   FBID arranged advertising sponsorships valued at $3000.00.

Thanks to City Crews, a City staff member, FBID and Lost Coast Communications the event was broadcast live to the entire county.   FBID also produced the event’s public relations effort resulting in 22 newspaper mentions and 1 live broadcast interview & various live DJ mentions.

FBID worked with the Hops committee in 2008 on managing the growth of the event to Fortuna’s benefit, meeting goals and promoting the event as it matures.


Civil War Days – September 20-21, 2008
Assisted the Fortuna Sunrise Rotary in the production and promotion of Civil War Days.  Arranged all advertising and public relations for reenactment and surrounding events (i.e. Barbecue, Ball/Dance). FBID staff sat on the event committee, responsible for PR and Advertising.  Also assisted event with site preparation and facilities when needed.


Apple Harvest Festival - October 4, 2008
FBID staff acted as part of the Festival committee and coordinated efforts of Chamber, Downtown Merchants, Redwood Village Merchants and private businesses for the festival. FBID directed fundraising effort for the Festival bringing in just under $2500 in cash sales and business sponsorships.

T-shirt sponsors and wagon sponsors gave a total of $1600 to support the event. 

The event was just over budget. FBID assisted festival in producing promotional T-shirts. Produced event informational brochure and poster, organized t-shirt and information at Downtown location.  FBID provided event insurance for venues and hay wagon rides.

FBID arranged all public relations and promotional support for the event resulting in 18 printed articles and 7 broadcast media mentions.


Core Area Halloween Activities - October 31, 2008
FBID staff and core area merchants arranged Halloween activities in Downtown to draw parents and children into the commercial areas.  The promotions are in their sixth year now and have become a tradition for families and a marketing success.


Citywide Christmas Events 2008
Assisted core areas Fortuna Downtown Merchants and Redwood Village merchants in producing their holiday open houses. Redwood Village took a chance in a larger, better promoted event.  Despite poor weather, businesses saw a decent-sized crowd.  Downtown’s open house may have been the best in years with coordinated activities for children in three locations, live and piped-in music, a line for Santa and crowds before and even after the Electric Lighted Parade.

Assisted Christmas Music Festival Committee and the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce in promoting and advertising the Christmas Music Festival. Designed program for the event in-house.  Produced event poster design, which was professionally printed.


Holiday Kids Movie Days December 6 & 13, 2008
The 2008 edition of the Kids’ Holiday movies was a surprise in terms of businesses participating and the number of children and adult chaperones we could fit in the theater. The theater was packed for both December Saturdays of the event with 390 total attending December 6, and an even 500 on December 13. 607 children got a free movie plus popcorn and a drink, the other 283 were chaperones, parents and grandparents.

The event began in 2003 at the suggestion of a business owner and councilperson.  Since then, FBID has used the money that the City donates back to FBID that would go to rent for our Monday Club office to pay for most of the promotion.  As the event has grown, additional funds from business sponsors and promotional funds have been added to pay for the promotion. All tickets are distributed through Fortuna businesses, giving tickets to their customers. This year over 100 businesses handed out over 3000 tickets.

This should be the last year of growth for the promotion.  Growing any more would affect theater business adversely.


Fortuna Daffodil Show March 20-21, 2009
Coordinator search during this event.


Cobra Butterfly Martial Arts Tournament March 14, 2009
Assisted event organizers in relaying press releases to the local media.  Also assisted with placement of Downtown event banner.


Spring Fling – April 11, 2009
Assisted event organizers in relaying press releases to the local media.  (New Coordinators 1st event)


Citywide Yard Sale June 6, 2009
Worked with Downtown Business Association organizers to publicize event.  Produced flyers, handbills, advertisements in house


Art and Wine in the Park June 14, 2009
FBID helped event organizers with their advertising buys and public relations.   Arranged sponsorship and Spirit of the North Coast spot with KIEM TV; also arranged radio advertising and print advertising at reduced rates.   

Business Recruitment/Retention/Relocation
The FBID office is the first stop for many businesses looking to start-up or relocate to Fortuna.  Thanks to a website focused on business recruitment, referrals from City Hall and the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce, the FBID office fields several “Relocation/Recruitment” calls, emails and visits weekly.

The office gets questions on the basics of starting a business, help with locating in Fortuna, finding financing, and marketing a new business.

FBID works with partner the North Coast Small Business Development Center on business questions beyond our scope and with funders Redwood Region Economic Development Corporation and Arcata Economic Development Corporation when entrepreneurs need a referral to a lender.

The FBID website’s good rankings in search sites and information for relocating businesses have started to pull more interest.  Several “hits” can be attributed directly to the fortunabusiness.com


Banners and Street Light Vertical Banners
FBID helped City with specifications for street banners placed over Main street at 11th street.  Also explored possible changes to over-street banner procedures with City staff.

FBID Board is taking role as review board for the new “vertical banners” or flags on street lights.  FBID will keep master schedule for banner hangings and with the Fortuna Downtown merchants, will review new banner designs before they are produced.


Goods and Services Guide
Completed an online version of the Goods and Services guide.  All Fortuna businesses are categorized on FBID’s website.  List is searchable by businesses and the public.  Businesses have the ability to add to and alter their own information, to include web links, photos and narrative.

The online guide went live in late March 2008. The FBID office is contently adding new links, and features to the website.


Fortuna Citywide Gift Certificate
Continued to administer and promote the Fortuna Citywide Gift Certificate (Fortuna Buck) as a method to encourage employee and consumer spending in Fortuna. Have continued periodic advertising campaigns to boost sales during the holidays.


Core Area Work
FBID staff worked on many events in the core areas of Redwood Village and Downtown.  FBID staff also assists with advertising plans for both areas.  Assisted Redwood Village merchants in developing campaign and open house for holidays and worked with Downtown volunteers on advertising for holiday open house, citywide yard sale. Easter promotions and generic marketing.

FBID is hoping to start working with Downtown Business Association, City of Fortuna staff again to relook and work closely with the downtown business/property owners to develop an “area plan” for the downtown to guide the next 15 years. 

The plan will help FBID in our business recruitment activities, existing businesses in changing to meet new challenges, property owners in developing their commercial spaces and the City in future planning decisions and when making physical changes to the downtown area.  Have helped facilitate and publicize first two plan meetings.


Farmers’ Market
FBID assists the Fortuna Farmer’s Market as requested with public relations support.  This is usually three or four feature articles and news briefs a year.


Stuff the Bus (Now known as Supply Our Students) –June, July or August 2009
FBID will help Strongs Creek Plaza, by driving crowds to an event hosted and funded by FBID. Event is very much in the beginning stages committee will continue to meet for decide logistics.


FBID Online (FBID web site)
FBID’s website does three jobs: conveys general information to Fortuna business owners and the community about what FBID is doing, acts as a brochure of FBID’s programs and, most importantly, is our principal business recruitment tool.

All marketing goes towards this last goal: getting seen by as many people as possible who are searching for a home for their business, whether start-up or relocating. 

Our greatest success has been in search engine maximization.  If you search for “business friendly”* on Google you will find the FBID site THIRD in a field of 21.5 million sites.  If you search for “California business friendly” you’ll find FBID in the top two sites.  These and other search terms we’ve pursued have account for most visits to the website.  An average of 7,500 people visit the site per month, about 250 per day.

The question last year was whether all the top-notch marketing would lead to inquiries on locating in Fortuna and eventually, businesses opening in the city limits.  This process has taken longer than getting noticed on Google and Yahoo, but results are coming in.  Several inquiries this year started with web searches that led to a phone call to the FBID office.  One recent inquiry bypassed other, county-wide economic development offices for the FBID office, due to the quality of information contained on the site.

The Business and Community sections of the site have grown slowly as we’ve been able to add content.  What has been most valuable to business owners and the public has been the regular updates of community news and press releases that are done by FBID interns. * Search conducted 5/5/08


Bulk Mailing Member Benefit
Any Fortuna business can use the bulk mailing rate using FBID’s mailing privileges.  The benefit saves businesses that send a large amount of mail to customers about $18 per 100 pieces mailed.

There is a small group of regular bulk mail benefit users with other businesses using the benefit on a one-time basis.