Local Banker – Are you a Local Banker?

I have a crush on New Milford!

And, I want to share the love.

Dear Downtown New Milford Storefronts,

When my daughter, Tatum, started attending Education without Walls in September, I swiftly swooned over the downtown New Milford shopping district.

As the daughter of an entrepreneur, the love affair was predictable. I have always had an affinity and affection for the independent spirit and an aptitude for small business promotion. It was this chemistry that led to my concept for Local Banker.

My goal for Local Banker is simple:

Create an affordable marketing channel that leads to incremental store front revenue through building community, nurturing loyalty, and generating buzz for the downtown shopping district.

Below is an outline of the marketing service I would like to provide. My take is novel and fresh, but the concept is tried and true. And, right now, proven marketing strategies are exactly what the business climate demands.

If you have questions/interest, please reach out through the contact form at the bottom of this page. Thank you for your time and consideration, and have a wonderful day.

Jenna

My name is Jenna Roche, and I am a marketer of 28 years. If you want to learn more about me and my marketing practice, please visit Mindset Marketing.

What is Local Banker?

CONCEPT SHORTCUT: Did you happen to receive the highly-successful Daily Candy emails in the 2000s? I want to do that, for New Milford.

Simply put, the Local Banker concept is an upbeat email newsletter that promotes participating stores, eateries, services, and non-profit organizations in the downtown New Milford community. Individually, the businesses in New Milford are unique and very special. As a collection of storefronts, downtown New Milford is a meaningful destination with eclectic value and a positive vibe.

The Local Banker weekly email would be a vehicle for keeping Downtown New Milford storefronts top of mind, providing compelling reasons to stop by again soon, and celebrating the gestalt of the consumer experience.

Benefits to the Storefront

Affordable advertising. Reach highly qualified customers and prospects.
Flexible promotion. Pop in for a weekly presence, stay for the month, or opt into a dedicated email.
Low effort for a high quality marketing channel. Be part of a beautiful, professional, and engaging email newsletter.
Benefit from the fun and engaging content of collective messaging rather than relying on drumming up reasons to stop in on your own.

Benefits to the Subscribers

Receive news and deals from the stores that you already love on a weekly basis in one email.
Learn about news and deals from nearby stores that you don’t frequent often, or have yet to discover.
Feel connected to the positive vibe of the downtown New Milford and be an active participant in the Buy Local movement.
Receive special deals and be in-the-know about storefront activities.

Who is a Local Banker?

The Consumer Is at the Heart of the Brand

PERSONA

He/She/They have enjoyed shopping in Downtown New Milford and can identify with strolling along the iconic crosswalk on Bank Street.
They have favorites among all the specialty shops, eateries, and services in the rich downtown New Milford Business district–but they know that there is much more to discover!
They know the inherent value in shopping local at establishments that reflect uniqueness and community. And, they feel good about themselves when they invest their consumer dollars in local shops, eateries, and services.

GEOGRAPHY

They live in New Milford or in a bordering town.
They work in New Milford or in neighboring businesses.
They drive through New Milford on their way to their second home.
They live 20-30 minutes away from New Milford and have spent time downtown when they were in the area. They may not have made New Milford a destination yet, but would be open to it if they knew more about the shops, eateries, and services.

Inclusivity

The Local Banker silhouette in the logo would be rotated to feature a diverse consumer profile and reflect the welcoming environment of the downtown business district. Local personalities and shoppers who have interest in showing their support for New Milford and shopping local could also be featured in the logo.

How would it work?

Email Frequency

Weekly emails that go out every Thursday morning to prime weekend shopping.
Two dedicated emails per month available to any storefront that wishes to reach the group exclusively with a significant event or announcement.
Emails announcing community events, as needed.

Pricing

I would love to craft some pilot pricing that makes it an easy decision for businesses to participate. But, as a newcomer, I need a handful of conversations with business owners in order to craft a solid sensible plan. So, if you have any interest in Local Banker, please reach out to me using the form at the bottom of this page. (Note: For a benchmark, my hourly rate for marketing services is $75/hour. I want to uphold that rate and cover expenses.)

Building The Subscriber List

We can start with stylish small standing signs at check out counters in storefronts interested in participating in Local Banker newsletters. The sign would feature artwork, a curious headline, a small amount of copy, and a QR code. For example, “Are you a Local Banker, yet? Be the first to know about offerings, events, and special deals in downtown New Milford. Scan the code to subscribe to Local Banker.” When a person scanned the code, an email subscription page would pop up.

Marketing, Local Banker Style.

What would you feature?

Announce an exclusive week-long sale for Local Banker subscribers.
Promote a new product line.
Welcome a new head waiter.
Introduce a seasonal menu.
Share a special promo

Showcase a new cocktail (May I suggest a saucy martini called The Local Banker?)
Welcome a stylist back from maternity leave.
Get the word out about in-store events and exclusives.
Introduce a new store.

Feature anything that leads to incremental sales and/or promotes a sense of community.

And that's it.

Please feel free to share this page with anyone in your business or other local store owners. If you want to engage with me on this concept, just fill out the form below and let me know your preferred next step.

Thank you very much for giving Local Banker your time and consideration.