February Meeting Minutes

Hespeler Villiage BIA Board Minutes


Wednesday Feb 17/10



Board Present: Loris Manni, Ken Buller, Rick Cowsill,

Clifford Vanclief, Deb van de Water, Greg Robbins, Lynn Craig

Board Absent: Trevor McWilliams


Members Present: Tammy from Video 99, Bernie from Hespeler Village Winemaking, Tim Hilborn, Ken Boyle, Lary Turner

Guest: Ed Correia (TCP Global Solutions), Marilyn Scott (Artigras)


Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm, after the presentations.

1. Ed Correia presented on using social media to drive traffic to your business’s website. His company (TCP Global Solutions) is an online organization that created niche marketing for specific sectors.

• Social media marketing is marketing that takes advantage of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger

• Using these sites is great for driving traffic to your site

• Use “link bait” – links on social media sites that people can click on

• Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses:

1. Blogging – use key words that refer to product or service

2. Get active on Yahoo answers

3. Make and share videos via YouTube

4. Make and share photos via Flickr

5. Try Stumbleupon

6. Join groups and mailing lists

• YouTube, Google and Facebook are the most used search sites for 18 years and younger demographic

• Takes 6 months for a new website to make on Google

• Having a website is not enough

• Ask new customers how they heard about your business

• Community Explore is one of TCP Global Solutions’ pages. Cambridge has a page with Facebook connections and a business directory. Will promote BIA events at no cost. Contact Ed if there is an event we would like promoted and they will put in on their blog page. Business members will have to pay for promotion but will get a discount if using site to place ads.

2. Marilyn Scott (volunteer with Cambridge Galleries) presented on Artigras, the annual fundraising gala. To be held on March 6th, 2010.

• Dollars raised stay in community

• Goes into programming – kids, adult and art therapy classes

• Fun evening

• Looking for donations of items. In turn will promote with advertising and thankyous

• Cash sponsorship also available

• Contact the Gallery to have volunteer pickup donation. Will pick up as late as day of event

3. Presentation by Winky – Winky was absent from the meeting.

4. Presentation by Ken Boyle on Marketing Plan

• Ken is forming a committee for Marketing. Would like to have BIA Board member sitting on committee. Tim, Tammy, Sue and a couple of other business owners interested in sitting on committee.

• Wants to have first meeting in 14 days

• Aims to promote BIA and downtown core

• Additional ideas brought forward by Ken (outside of Marketing Committee), for Board consideration:

• Christmas – work with merchants to set up and decorate trees in Library. Public votes on best tree. Pays to do so and $ collected donated to winner’s charity of choice. Or auction off decorations. Wants $250.00 for advertising event

• October – Zombie Walk proposed. From Tim Horton’s to downtown core. Prizes for costumes. Looking for $300.00 from BIA

• September – in conjunction with HVNA – Fall Family Festival on last weekend in September. Close off Queen Street. Activities for kids and families. Involve merchants. Entertainment, local bands, pie baking contest etc. Day long event. Budget of $2000.00. Wants BIA to fund 50% up to 100% for this event. HVNA has hired an event planner, planner’s fees not part of 2K budget.

Rick stated that “logic needs to flow”, need to go ahead with marketing committee as planned and have committee look at events and see if they fit in with mandate and marketing plan. Lynn Craig disagrees and wants BIA to consider events now.

5. Review of Minutes – minutes from November 2009 meeting passed. Ken Buller motioned to accept, Cliff Vanclief seconded. All in favour. Passed.

6. Marketing Strategy Followup – Rick Cowsill stated that we have approval from the membership to put together a committee (preferably of members) for marketing of the downtown core. He said it is critical that a Board Member sit on this committee. Lynn Craig asked if Greg Robbins would consider sitting on this committee. Greg needs a few days to think on this. Lynn volunteered herself as an alternate. This was acceptable to Ken Boyle. Loris Manni asked if we wish to change budget to allocate dollars for events and marketing as they come up. There is $2000 available as we now have confirmation that we will be getting money back from City for basket watering. Loris will adjust the budget to reflect this. Motion: That the Hespeler Village BIA Board approve in principle the expenditure of $2000.00 and that this amount be earmarked for the creation of Marketing Events for the Village of Hespeler Core with specifics to be approved by the Board of Directors before distribution. Ken Buller seconded. All in favour.

7. Michael Baskett – Rick wanted to discuss Michael’s sudden passing. Funeral is being held tomorrow. Loris mentioned she sent condolences on behalf of the Board to Corbett’s Funeral Home. Until someone is appointed, there are other outreach workers that can be contacted regarding issues in the downtown core.

8. Music and Lights – Lynn Craig reported that this event is expanding. Will be held on the last Friday in November and gets bigger and better every year. Willy Melt walk needs work however. Lynn was surprised that everyone followed Willy Melt on his walk, not just kids. Will do it again this year, but plan the turn around better. Planning on bringing Willy Melt to Forbes Park Festival for promotion of this event. Tim Hilborn mentioned that he has ice pack vests and fans available for wearers of heavy costuming in hot weather. Loris asked that Deb mention this on the blog.

9. New Business -

• None at this time

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.

10. Next meeting -

• Wednesday March 17th, 2010 at St. Andrew’s Church