In the April 2009 issue of SHOUT! we featured PS21, Chatham’s exceptional new performance space that features music, dance, theatre and film. Since the 2006 opening, I’ve handled publicity for the venue.
One year prior to opening, PS21 founder Judy Grunberg launched Rewraps, a resale clothing store located at 32 Main Street in the village of Chatham. Rewraps was designed to generate additional income for PS21 while providing a place to view program information.
The store is doing well and has a devoted following. This fall Rewraps asked me to help expand its customer base and improve its exposure.
Our first goal was to develop a website for the store. We wanted to:
1. share relevant, timely information about products and sales
2. keep in touch with customers
3. provide directions, store hours, and contact information
The free blogging service WordPress fit our needs best. Using a blog gave us the online presence we needed at minimal cost (WordPress blogs are free) and it allowed staff to post updates regularly without having to learn html. I set up the site and filled in the first few posts, then handed the maintenance responsibility to the Rewraps staff. They can post photos, add content, and respond to comments.
Our second goal was to incorporate social networking into our marketing plan. We decided that a Facebook Page would suit us well. I set up the account, built the pages, and added initial content. This too is maintained by Rewraps staff.
Google Rewraps, or any other business for that matter, and you will find their website in the search results along with references on other sites such as Yelp, Manta, Merchant Circle, YellowBot, Celinea, and HotFrog. These sites purchase basic business information from third party providers and post it online. However, the information is often incomplete. By registering for a free account with each these companies, I was able to expand on the information they provided. This is valuable for a number of reasons.
1. These sites often rank high on Google, so the business will get additional exposure.
2. Incoming links from other sites can improve your own site’s ranking.
The fourth and final phase of our 2010 campaign involved writing a press release and distributing it to local print media.
If your business needs a boost, give us a call. 518.392.0846 or email [email protected].