March 21, 2019

Marketing & Communications Advisory Committee (MCAC)

TOWN CONFIDENTIAL | FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY | DO NOT COPY

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Committee Members

• Jon Achar

• Peter Blau - Chair

• Sarah Grigerick

•Gavin Guerra

• Sharon Murphy – Vice Chair

• Andrew Palladino

• Barbara Reynolds

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Agenda

•Committee Overview

• S.W.O.T

• 4 Areas of Current Focus1. Community Outreach2. Realtor Marketing3. Town Signage and Way-Finding4. Branding

•Deliverables

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MCAC Overview

Who we are: Marketing/media

pros volunteering to help build Weston’s

brand image.

Our focus:Tactics that

are attainable, impactful, and have

little or no cost.

Our mission: Promote Weston’s positive attributes both to residents and prospective

homebuyers.

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S.W.O.T.

Strengths- Top-ranked schools – with highly accessible leadership

- Peaceful/rural lifestyle, 2 acre zoning - but near to commerce and services

- Safety – one of the 5 safest towns in CT

- Great place to work from home – about 20% of our residents do

- Outdoor activities – water, woods, hiking, biking, country, field & gun clubs

- Major arts presence – entertainers, artists. writers active in community

- Wide range of community events almost every week:(Lachat, Library, Senior Center, Short Wharf, WHS Company, July 4, Memorial Day, Outdoor Movie Night, Parks & Rec. etc.)

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S.W.O.T.

Weaknesses- Small commercial district, shopping, etc.

- Transportation, walkability, retail access

- Property taxes (particularly vs. Westport)

- Lack of city water and limited natural gas utilities

- Recent slump in real estate values (but…a strength for buyers)

- Perceived lack of teen and before/after-school activities.

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S.W.O.T

Opportunities- Revitalize existing commercial sites, e.g. Weston Center, Cobbs Mill

- Transform natural assets for recreational use: kayaking, biking, skating, etc

- More senior housing options and services for seniors to stay at home

- Consolidate services with adjoining towns for cost savings

- Add sustainability e.g. wind and solar energy

- Support for home based business / small scale commercial development

- Weston’s growing international population (e.g. expats)

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S.W.O.T.

Threats- Further pressure on housing market due to CT and national economy

- Loss of homebuyers to towns/states with lower costs

- Empty nesters move out-of-state or to other towns

- Regionalization of small school districts

- Polarization over school quality vs. tax affordability issues

- Damage rural and historical character to insensitive development

- Delay desired improvements due to NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) objections

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4 Areas of Committee Focus

1. Community Outreach

2. Realtor Marketing

3. Town Signage

4. Branding

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1. Community Outreach

•Need: With the demise of The Weston Forum, town departments and community groups need new venues to inform and involve residents on municipal/civic issues and events.

• Stakeholders: The outreach will support town services and community groups including:

• Board of Selectmen• Board of Education• Board of Finance• Planning & Zoning• Parks & Recreation• Police/Fire/EMS• Senior Center• Social Services• Sustainability Committee

• Weston Commission for the Arts• Beautification Committee• Weston Library• Lachat Town Farm• Weston Historical Society• Weston Volunteer Fire Department• Weston League of Women Voters• Weston Events (Memorial Day Fair & 5K)• Kiwanis Club

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Community Outreach – How and Who

• Facebook: Initially, town will post (official departments only) to the Town of Weston, CT Facebook page – recently updated by MCAC -soon to be accompanied by a revamped town website.

• New town website and other venues: MCAC helping Selectmen with website relaunch and also facilitate posts on targeted social media platforms and local web sites including:– Weston Today, Facebook (Weston Community Bulletin Board, Moms in

Weston, Ideas for a Future Weston, Weston DTC, Weston RTC), The Norwalk Hour, Westport News, Westport Patch, the 06880 blog, Good Morning Wilton, among others.

• Audience: Current Weston residents, neighboring communities and prospective Weston buyers.

• Events: In addition to municipal business, publicize major community events such as Weston Flea, seasonal events at Lachat Town Farm.

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Town of Weston, CT Facebook Page

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TOWN CONFIDENTIAL | FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY | DO NOT COPY 14

2. Realtor Marketing

• Primary use: PDF and print hand-out for realtors to give to home shoppers

• Secondarily: a morale-builder among current residents

• Other town guides feature amenities, anonymous smiling faces…

• Ours will be different: our people, community and shared values

• “Crowd-sourced” – Westonites - both well-known and not - say why they love our town in their own words

• Deliverables: PDF, printed piece. video clips of selected testimonials

Off the beaten path. Realtors are less likely to know Weston’s benefits vs. bigger towns nearby.

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Wilton’s realtor brochure features physical amenities. Ours will focus on Weston’s people and community spirit.

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Our list of 50 prospective spokespeople includes these categories:

• Media / Arts: Well-known actors, musicians, artists, writers, producers, journalists and media executives

• Work at Home: The over 20% of Westonites who work out of their home offices and studios

• Local Heroes: Devoted volunteers, philanthropists and community supporters

• Multicultural: Westonites from varied cultures, nationalities and traditions adding to our community’s diversity

• Nature Enthusiasts: Devoted outdoorspeople, cyclists, hikers, organic farmers, gardeners and protectors of the environment

• Children of Weston: Graduates who have gone on to make a name for themselves elsewhere in the world

The People Who Make Weston Special

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What We Love About Weston• Education: “Our schools are top-ranked. Even more important, it’s incredibly easy to get

in touch with school staff and leaders, to get any extra help my child needs.”

• Nature: “Weston’s environment isn’t just about 2 acre zoning – it’s also the fiercely protective attitude to nature and historical character, and the vast wilderness preserves for hiking, mountain biking…or just decompressing.”

• Interconnected: “We’re centered between Westport, Fairfield, Wilton and Georgetown, so we enjoy the shops, restaurants and activities of 5 great communities, not just one.”

• Uncongested: “We love our quiet street, where you can barely hear the cars pass by. And it’s great to have a choice of so many wide-open roads to reach surrounding towns without sitting in traffic.”

• Artistic: “You wouldn’t believe how many top actors, artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians live here, and actively participate in the community.”

• Small = Easy: ”I’m on a first name basis with the people in the schools, Town Hall Parks & Rec…even the Transfer Station. They’re friends and neighbors, not employees.

• Value: ”We got a lot more for our money in Weston.”

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Weston’s Value by the Numbers

Less money for same sized house – and lower tax.

More house for the same money.

Source: Halstead Real Estate

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Realtor Marketing Deliverables

•MCAC members responsible for text, photography, videography

• Small cost for outside design/production services

• BOS invite letters going out starting this weekend

• First video interviews Sat. April 6 (thanks, Gavin Guerra)

•Condense interview into brief quote w/photo

• Finished pieces May; interim piece possible earlier

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3. Town Signage and Wayfinding

•Overall improvement of municipal office signage

• Identify town buildings. Direct visitors to desired campus location

• Practical improvement of sign post, structure, aesthetics and clarity

•Make it easy and intuitive to find your way to the right place

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Signage Deliverables

Which Signs?

• Six specific signs under consideration for installation

• Includes, replacing/updating existing signs, and new wayfinding signs where needed

• Locations are visible, in and around Town Hall, WPD/WFD/EMS, and Library

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4. Branding Weston

• Brand– Create a style guide and branding colors– Standardize logo (in conjunction with the website launch)– Town wide photos and photo gallery– Establish a more engaging, personable, informative “voice” for Weston

• Recruit brand ambassadors to attract new citizens– Realtors committed to Weston and who recommend us to clients– Community leaders who champion Weston to media, realtors, prospective

buyers– Town advocates who promote Weston in their social networks (particularly

reaching new transplants from cities we’ve identified as potential feeders)

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One goal: more positive media coverage

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Public Input (1/31 meeting and general)

•Consolidated events calendar!•More community outreach on non-electronic media

• Post LWV voter guide on FB and/or website

• Town “welcome center” to distribute info/brochures

• R.E. value comparison a positive for buyer – let’s publicize it

•Concern on social media negativity (FB and mention of City Data)• Youth involvement (sports/arts etc.) easier here vs bigger towns

•Make it simple to arrange school tours for prospective movers

•What ever happened to Weston Ambassadors?

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Town of Davidson, NC “Welcome Center”

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Deliverables Recap

What’s coming:

• Realtor marketing piece

• Facebook page integration into new town website

• Organize posts on multiple social sites (Instagram, Twitter, etc.)

• Signs and wayfinding for town buildings

• Brand identity/graphics standards

What’s been done:

• Town of Weston, CT Facebook page

• Signage/promotion for town survey

• Marketing support for recent events (e.g. Weston Flea)