Making Your Community & Business A Destination

CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS

Susan Kellum, Main Street Project Manager, NC Department of Commerce

susan.kellum@commerce.nc.gov

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Small business owners and managers: retail stores, restaurants, service businesses, and professional practices in any of the 72 designated NC Main Street communities. Main Street staff, leadership, board, and/or committee members in any of the 72 designated NC Main Street communities.

WHAT IS IT?

A fast-paced and fun in-person, all-day workshop with Jon Schallert of The Schallert Group, the world’s foremost expert in teaching independent businesses how to reinvent themselves into consumer destinations. The 2024 Destination Marketing Training workshop series will lay the foundation of attracting customers that will be followed and supported the balance of the year by on-line action groups and Q&A sessions. In 2025, an advanced series will, in addition to offering more in-depth information and support, highlight those businesses that have successfully put the training into action.

Jon provides a roadmap, strategies, tools, and easily implementable ideas for your community so consumers will say, “I have to go to that place!”

In-Person:

A choice of convenient, in-person, full-day workshops offered in 8 regions

• A 14-step strategy of the basics of how to identify their business’s unique good or service and turning your business into a consumer destination

• A personal, one-on-one meeting with Jon Schallert to discuss your individual business

• A basis to build on for Advanced Destination Marketing Workshops to be held in 2025

After Workshop Support:

• Online Virtual Actions Groups after the in-person training to reinforce steps and provide additional assistance.

• Online Virtual Group Q&A sessions from participating business owners/managers

• Online archival and access to the workshop, Virtual Action Groups, and Group Q&A sessions

This training will position small, local business owners and managers to understand what is necessary to differentiate themselves from others to make consumers drive hours to visit! Local staff, such as Main Street programs, city staff, and local economic development staff in designatedNC Main Street communities will also benefit from the training so they may actively support their local businesses.

These workshops are hosted by the NC Department of Commerce Main Street & Rural Planning Center. Funding was secured through a State Outdoor Recreation, Travel & Tourism Grant from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) to expand the NC Main to Main Trail website. The virtual trail leads visitors through North Carolina’s designated Main Street communities, highlighting each town’s best downtown and outdoor experiences, and provides links to the local Main Street program, VisitNC, and the local tourism websites.  maintomaintrail.com