Last week we urged the city and the council to get moving with
downtown redevelopment to help spur economic development. And, part
of that economic development needs to include a plan for a
sustained, cohesive marketing campaign to draw visitors to our
city, not just to downtown.
Last week we urged the city and the council to get moving with downtown redevelopment to help spur economic development. And, part of that economic development needs to include a plan for a sustained, cohesive marketing campaign to draw visitors to our city, not just to downtown.
The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and its Economic Development Committee – or someone or a group with marketing experience – needs to create a Bay-area focused marketing campaign that features all that Morgan Hill has to offer.
First, it needs to dispel the notion that Morgan Hill is so far away one needs to pack a lunch before driving south.
Most people who don’t live in Morgan Hill, think that we’re much farther from the more densely populated parts of the Bay Area regions than we really are.
People who don’t hesitate to drive into San Francisco from the East Bay for dinner or to Napa from the Peninsula for a day of wine tasting are somehow reluctant to head 30 minutes south.
Then, we need to develop a campaign aimed at highlighting all that Morgan Hill has. Other follow-up campaigns could highlight wineries, recreation opportunities, restaurants, and even the benefits of locating a business here (not the least of which is the reverse commute).
This kind of campaign requires investments of cash, time, passion and leadership. But convincing our Bay Area neighbors that we’re not so far away and that we have a lot to offer could do great things for our local economy.
