Project Summary: A press release is an official statement issued by the BID. Press releases can announce a variety of topics from staffing decisions, new programs, events in the neighborhood, etc. Press releases are typically concise and direct announcements but provide enough information for news outlets to write their own stories on the topic.

Step-by-step – writing a press release

1. Start with a strong headline - grab the reader’s attention while accurately reflecting the content of the press release. A strong headline will be concise, informative, and engaging.

2. Focus on the most newsworthy content - in the opening paragraph, highlight the most important information, such as a new program, event, or initiative. Make sure to include the who, what, when, where, and why of the news.

3. Provide details and quotes - this is important – quotes from key stakeholders, elected leaders, and local businesses owners provide insight on the news and help make the announcement newsworthy.

4. Keep it concise and focused - generally, keep it to no more than one page and avoid using overly technical language that may be difficult for readers to understand.

5. Include contact information for the BID representative who can answer questions - this will make it easy for reporters to follow up and schedule an interview.

Step-by-step – distributing a press release

1. Before you have a press release to distribute, be sure to compile a media list - develop and cultivate a list of contacts at local media outlets, including newspapers, television stations, and radio stations. Include email addresses and phone numbers for each contact.

2. Send the press release to the media outlets on the media list - there are also press release distribution services that will distribute press releases for a fee. However, for small and medium size BIDs, your best bet over the long haul may be to cultivate relationships and develop your own customized media list to use for your press releases.

3. Don’t forget to follow up - after sending the press release, follow up with each media outline to confirm they have received it and gauge their interest in covering the story.

4. Share the press release on the BID’s social media.

Project Summary: Press Conferences can be useful consumer marketing tactics for those more special occasions and occurrences in your District. Press conferences are interactive and allow for more information to be shared than in just a press release. Press conferences can lead to valuable earned media, i.e., a clip on the 6:00 PM news that may reach broader than your typical audience.

Step-by-step

1. Define the key message. This message should be summarized in 3-5 succinct points.
   

2. Schedule the date and time and check with local media outlets to avoid conflicts.
   Helpful Tips: Tuesdays – Thursdays are the best days for press conferences because they are slower news days. Hold the press conference in the morning. Around 10:00 AM is ideal because it allows for maximum coverage by the media.

3. Pick the site – aim for one that is generally convenient (subway accessible), visually interesting, and relevant to your key message. Consider the following questions.

   1. Will this press conference be inside or outside?

   2. Do you need electrical outlets?

   3. Is this location very loud?

   4. Is there active construction?

   5. Will you need any permits to use this location?

   6. Will attendees sit or stand?

4. Reach out to media – compile a comprehensive mailing list to reporters you have worked with before, media contacts, assignment editors at local TV stations, news directors at radio stations and major newspapers, and editors at weekly newspapers.
   - One week ahead of the press conference, send a press advisory to your mailing list to be used as background information.

5. Develop a press kit – a press kit is a folder of information given to reporters and attendees of your press conference.
   It should include the press release and may include supplementary information such as:

   1. A list of press conference participants and short biographies

   2. Background information on the issue, photographs, related news stories from reputable national publications

   3. Key facts and figures on the BID

   4. Contact information for a BID representative

6. Prepare a media briefing – Develop a briefing for anyone who will be speaking at the press conference. This should include key talking points, anticipated questions from the media, and other relevant information.

7. Set up the venue - Make sure you know where speakers will stand, and that you have microphones, speakers, seats for attendees (if necessary) and any other necessary equipment. Take care to select a location with a good background behind the speakers for recording purposes.

8. Conduct a dry run – make sure everyone in your office understands the run-of-show and your speakers have the chance to practice their delivery.

9. Greet the media - start with a brief introduction and then follow your run-of-show. After the presentation, allow time for questions.

10. Follow up with the media - after the press conference, follow up with the media to answer any additional questions or provide further information.

Project Summary: Email newsletters are a very popular form of communication in the NYC Bid Community. When used and maintained correctly, these newsletters have the potential to be a very powerful source of communication from you to your community. If newsletters are sent out with proper supervision and maintenance, they can also serve as an insight into what is resonating within your target audiences.

Step-by-step: growing your mailing list

1. Promote your newsletter on your website - make sure your newsletter signup form Is prominently displayed on your websites homepage. Offer an Incentive, such as a discount or special offer to encourage people to sign up.

2. Leverage social media - use your BID’s social media accounts to promote the newsletter and encourage people to sign up.

3. Collect email addresses at events - if you host events, collect email addresses and let them know they can sign up for the newsletter to stay Informed about future events and BID news.

4. Partner with local businesses - ask local businesses to promote the newsletter to their customers. You can offer to feature their business in your newsletter In exchange for their help promoting It.

5. Offer valuable content - offer exclusive content, such as access to a webinar or whitepaper to people who sign up.

Project Summary: Influencer marketing can be a very effective way to make your consumer marketing budget go further. This is particularly true for BIDs with limited staff who may not have the time to keep up with the latest social media trends and create engaging content consistently. Influencer marketing has the potential to become highly generative. Not only, does it provide content for you to share and reshare on your own social media channels, it can help grow your audience and shift your sponsored user-generated content to earned influencer media.

STEP-BY-STEP – ENGAGING INFLUENCERS

1. Research Influencers relevant to your BID - look for influencers who have a large following in the local area and whose content aligns with the district’s brand. You can use tools such as BuzzSumo, FollowerWonk, or Hootsuite to help identify potential influences. Other strategies include conducting a hashtag search using your district or neighborhood’s name, checking out local blogs, and looking at the social media followers of local businesses and local social media groups on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

2. Reach out to Influencers - once you have identified potential influencers, you can send them direct messages on social media or email them. Make sure to personalize your message and explain why you think they would be a good fit for the BID.

3. Develop an individual partnership agreement for each influencer - this agreement should outline the expectations and responsibilities of both parties. This might include:
   1. compensation in the form of a fee, commission, products, services, perks and experiences, or some form of hybrid of these payment options
   2. deliverables the influencer is expected to provide (i.e., number of social media or blog posts, videos, or other types of content)
   3. timeline for the partnership and when content will be created and published, exclusivity and ownership (does the BID own the content and can it be used by the influencer for other customers?),
   4. the expectation of the use of the BID’s brand guidelines

4. Create Content - work with the influencer to develop blog posts, social media posts or videos about the district.

5. Amplify Content - share the content on the BIDs social media channels, website, and other relative platforms.

6. Measure Results - use analytic tools to track website traffic, social media engagement, and other metrics to determine whether the partnership was successful.

Social Media Payment Guidance:

According to InfluencerMarketingHub, the standard 2023 Instagram influencer rate sheet is based on reach as follows:

• Nano influencers (1000 - 10,000 followers): $10 - $100 per post

• Micro influencers (10,000 - 50,000 followers): $100 - $500 per post

• Mid-tier influencers (50,000 - 500,000 followers): $500 - $5,000 per post

• Macro influencers (500,000 - 1,000,000 followers): $5000 - $10,000 per post

• Mega influencers (1,000,000+ followers): $10,000+ per post

Helpful Tips:

• 70% of creators say long-term brand relationships are their favorite way to work with brands. Focus on building relationships with influencers to turn them into ambassadors. Through this relationship, a brand is building trust with the influencer’s audience and the partnership is perceived as much more authentic.

• Use local influencers that are relevant to your business because leveraging that relationship builds a sense of belonging with consumers and there is instant access to like-minded consumers. Brands can build and nurture customer relationships and boost customer loyalty through influencer marketing.

• Check out their content on all platforms to make sure it aligns with your brand (personas on Instagram and TikTok can differ). But do understand that you work with a particular influencer to engage their audience, so you want them to keep the content they create for you authentic to their brand and following.

Project Summary: A successful consumer marketing strategy begins by developing an understanding of local customers through customer segmentation. District managers will want to gather basic customer information, including age, gender, family size, income levels and psychographic and behavioral data for every consumer segment that spends time and money in the district. This often includes a mix of residents, daytime employees, students, visitors, professional/medical visitors to local hospitals, and sometimes business travelers. Customer segmentation enables a BID to develop and execute creative and impactful marketing strategies that are tailored to the intended consumer.

Tactics to understand a district’s audience can range widely in terms of effort and cost. The costliest option yielding the most sophisticated results would include hiring an outside consultant who specializes in consumer market analysis. However, when budgets are tight, there remain plenty of other ways to improve an understanding of BID customers.

1. Get to Know your Customers - find out more information about the resident population within your district.The NYC Population FactFinder is a useful tool for consumer marketing research and is available to commercial district practitioners in the City of New York. To use it effectively, start by selecting the relevant geography, such as a specific neighborhood or borough. Then select the demographic characteristics you are interested in, such as age, gender, or household income.
   
   Find out more about your district’s non-resident population. While most demographic data for residents can be gathered using NYC Population FactFinder or other syndicated data sources like Claritas or ESRI. Surveys, intercept interviews and focus groups offer additional insight, particularly when the target customer is a non-resident for whom data is limited. Some questions to include – whether in form of an online survey or in-person - include:

   1. Demographic Data: income, age, zip code, household size
   2. Purpose of visit
   3. Frequency of visit
   4. Frequency and type of media consumption most frequently used
   5. Type of social media platforms uses
   6. Sources used for information about local events and community activities

2. Analyze Your Findings - review your collected information to determine who the most dominant customer segments are, as well as identify any meaningful patterns and trends in their interests, lifestyles, and media consumption habits.

3. Develop Customer Personas - once the data has been collected and findings analyzed, develop specific customer personas that represent each customer segment. These personas should include the detailed information collected during market research, including age, gender, income, education, occupation, hobbies, interests, and media consumption habits. Try to tell a story of each customer and put yourself in their shoes.
   
   Once established, customer personas give you a powerful filter through which you can determine which marketing and events are most aligned with the target market. For example, a district with a high proportion of young adults without children might be more responsive to ​“happy hour” gatherings, while a district made up of parents with young children might be more engaged in children’s book readings. The ideas for ​“what” to do are endless – but you need to know your audience first or your efforts might miss their mark.