MAIN STREET™

• Is a trademarked program of the National Trust for Historic

Preservation

• Heritage Ohio is the contracted coordinating agency for the

Ohio Main Street Program

•There are 34 Ohio Main Street Programs

MAIN STREET™ Requires:

• Paid professional manager

• Work plan for board and committees

• On-going training for manager and volunteers

• Accountability & annual evaluation

• Grassroots commitment

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

The Eight Principles

1. Main street is a comprehensive approach.

2. Main Street relies on quality.

3. Main Street is making meaningful, long term revitalization possible through public/private partnerships.

4. Main Street involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. Main Street’s approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation-oriented.

Board of Directors

The Ideal Organization

Coordinates the strategic work plan

Implements the strategic work plan

Four Point ApproachOrganization Promotion

Design Economic Restructuring

issues

Organization Committee

•Volunteer Development

•Communication/Public Relations

•Fund Raising

•Reporting

•Human Resources

Public Sources

Stakeholder Support

Sponsorship

Earned Income

Special Events

Merchandise Sales

•1/3 Public funding

•1/3 Stakeholder support

•1/3 Earned income

Main Street Budget

Distribution of Funding Sources

Board Development

Why it matters• Without a strong board of directors, the executive

director and staff are expected to not only have the vision for what the organization can become, but also to do all of the work.

Why it matters• The bottom line: Without a strong board, nonprofit

organizations show limited success in meeting both client and community need.

Economic Restructuring

Today’s economic development

•Use incentives (tax payer money) to attract industry•Use incentives (tax payer money) to attract new retail*

•Retail does not create new demand, just shiftsShopping patterns

•Economic Development is a winner takes all proposition •The biggest companies wield influence, make headlines, hire lawyers, package numbers, market their benefit

An arms race to

the bottom

Who can give it all away the fastest?

Tax incentives- it doesn’t add up

Economic Restructuring•Develop the local economy from within

•Strengthen existing businesses•Develop entrepreneurs

•Does not rely on incentives (saves tax dollars)•Keeps more money local

•Big box – 10%-15%•Chains – 30%-40%•Locally owned – 40%-55%

•Local business also donate more time and money in the community

ER and Historic Preservation

Demand for good and services

Sales

Rents

VALUE

The Plan

1. Strengthen existing businesses

2. Fill Vacancies3. Assemble incentives and

capital4. Know the market5. Monitor and report

performance* Work with promotions on shop local

Design Committee

Elements of Design

• Education

• Technical Assistance

• Public Design

Signs

Mansfield

Nelsonville

Promotion Committee

Elements of Promotion

• Image Promotion

• Retail Promotion

• Heritage Tourism

• Special Events

Promotions Committee

The Promotion Committee’s primary responsibility is to market a unified, quality image of the business district as the center of activities, goods and services to retailers, shoppers, investors and tourists.

•What is your internal image?

•What is your external image?

The promotional programshould pinpoint:

strengths to build onaudiences to targetopportunities for business growth

positive changes downtown

1. General Image Promotion

Unified graphic design (logo)Highly identifiableSimple in designEasily understoodFlexible in useEasily reproduced

What does your website say about your program?

General Image Promotion Tools

Business Directory

Shopping Guide

Restaurant Guide

Parking Map

e-blast

Initial membership brochure;Mixed results and feedback

Redesigned membership brochure better reflected district

2. Retail Activities The image presented by the district as a

whole is only as enticing as the image presented by each business.

Retail Image Building Storefront

Signage Display of Goods Window Display Five Senses Intensive Customer Service

Retail & special event combination in Defiance, Ohio

Four Areas of PromotionRetail Activities…

offer the opportunity to showcase the goods andservices available in your Main Street district.

A joint effort of several districts can also be effective

Retail Activities The greatest impact comes when the entire

business district acts in unison. Joint promotions involving all of Main Street require organization and careful planning.

Draw up a year-long calendar in advance.Back-to-School Sidewalk SalesCrazy Days Holiday Gift GivingSpring into Summer President’s DayMother’s Day Father’s DayValentines Day

3. Special EventsSpecial Events… are a long-term strategy to cultivate people’s habit of coming downtown by using downtown as the natural setting for social and civic life.

Special Events… introduce new groups of consumers

to the downtown and provide addedexcitement for existing customers.

Special Events To ensure success, every special event should include:

MusicFoodActivities for ChildrenOverlapping eventsSomething free

Special Events can kick off retail seasons... extend them with extra excitement... or fill in during slack periods in the downtown calendar.

Special Events

Encourage merchants to participate with Window Displays Co-op Advertising Provide ideas

4. Heritage Tourism

• Heritage Tourism: is traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past.

• Core idea of Heritage Tourism: Save your Heritage, Share it with visitors and Reap the economic benefits of tourism.

Heritage Tourism Travelers

Trends Stay longer Shop more Likely to take group tours/travel packages

Factors of Heritage TourismGrowth

More weekend travel Aging baby boomers Use of technology / Internet Broadening perspective and

experience of history

Ohio Main Street Reinvestment StatisticsJanuary 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

Communities Reporting 37

Volunteer Hours Donated 90,324

Annual Budget all programs $3,483,320.16

Total Investment $128,789,785

Reinvestment ratio $36.97

Investment per community $3,480.405

net new businesses 89

net new ft jobs 434

net new pt jobs 484

Becoming a Main Street Community

Create a public/private non-profit organization

Join at the Emerging Level ($2500) After 1 year and before 3 years apply to

become a Certified Main Street program Heritage Ohio will conduct an on-site

interview to determine a communities ability to succeed as a Main Street Program

Heritage Ohio Main Street Program•846-1/2 East Main Street•Columbus, Ohio 43205

•614-258-6200

www.HeritageOhio.Org