If you want to understand what something should do in it’s most simplistic terms you simply have to break down a phrase to it’s bare bones

So with a Business Improvement District it’s exactly as it’s spelt ::: Business Improvement

Altrincham HQ have a strong history of work with businesses and local communities to improve town centres

We’ve delivered Social Media Training for Manchester Arndale, Altrincham Unlimited, The Galleries Wigan and delivered instore experiences for Selfridges in the Trafford Centre

If you’re a Business Improvement District these are the key areas where Social Media Training can help your town

INCREASE FOOTFALL
Footfall is at the heart of everything

You know how terribly depressing it is when the heavens open and you look up and down the high street and there’s only one other person than yourself out

Social Media cannot change the impact of acts of god, but it collectively the impact of social media on a highstreet can massively increase footfall

The What Do You Think Index team acknowledge that your digital output impacts your footfall, but up to 74% of High Streets retailers across the UK do not have an active social media presence

To increase the footfall you need to work as a collective – not just the early adopters, the innovators and the forward thinking who are already driving footfall to their own businesses. But the town en masse using social media to make  a town wide buzz rather than a one business buzz

As a Business Improvement District why not do an Social Media Audit as to what percentage of B2C businesses in your district are active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and which B2B businesses are active on LinkedIn, Twitter and  others where relevant

INCREASE SALES
Social Media should deliver ROI as well as the warm fuzzy feelings you get with engagement

We’ve said that from when we started up our social media business in 2010

Likes, comments and shares don’t pay the rent, rates or the mortgage

But by having the right marketing strategy you can make sure that those likes, comment and shares are part of the business strategy

At Altrincham HQ we’ve strong case studies of where businesses have increased their turnover by 50% with effective social media marketing (at the same time as doing zero traditional marketing)

For a Business Improvement District to put workshops on for businesses to increase sales it free up the time that BID’s normally spend firefighting with struggling businesses

IMPROVE EVENTS ATTENDANCE
As a Business Improvement District you know how important events are in your marketing strategy

The whole town experience is what makes your town buzz

From music festivals to town tours to children’s adventure trails to street art exhibitions

Events have an impact across a whole town with footfall monitors being able to show how one event in one side of town actually affects not just that area but the whole town

But without the attendance there in the first place the impact doesn’t happen and that’s where the whole town comes together

Before setting up Altrincham HQ I ran an events company putting on around 70 events a year as well as 15,000 capacity arts and music festivals. At the heart of a great event it was always a collective effort from everyone involved and social media is pivotal

IMPROVE COMMUNITY COHESION
People are bored of the “Angry Of Small Town” style tweeters

They want to log in and see positivity

They want to smile

They want to go back to the real world and feel happy

But what happens if those who are positive about the time are not online to spread the joy

Negativity becomes the narrative online and doesn’t represent the town in the best light

Some of your towns best ambassadors simply don’t have the technical know how to use social media – but once they understand it they will be your town’s beacons and shining lights

POSITIVE PR
We’re based in Altrincham and you probably think positive PR is an easy thing

We have Altrincham Market, a council that’s invested in the town and everything seems to be going swimmingly

But it’s worth remembering it wasn’t always this way – Altrincham was once named a Ghosttown in the national press

So how does Social Media help positive PR?

Social Media is word of mouth online – it’s helps with amplification of the positive PR surrounding a town

Imagine some amazing press coverage is being reported about your town – would you rather have 30 businesses active on social media to share it or 300 businesses?

INCREASE AWARENESS OUTSIDE THE TOWN
For a town to really thrive you have to think of the 2 markets to engage

– The Town
– Outside the town

If you can use social media to reach out to the surrounding towns so that your town is known as a destination it thrives

Our home town of Altrincham not only drives people from the surrounding towns of Knutsford, Wilmslow and Sale – but further afield

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde “There’s one thing worse than your town being talked about and that is not being talked about”

INCREASE DIGITAL INFLUENCE RANKINGS
The #WDYT (What do you think?) campaign is a proven way for retailers, towns and cities to collaboratively increase their Digital Influence to increase local footfall and sales.

With three simple steps, you can improve your digital influence right away.

Repeat every day and we’ll amplify your efforts by sharing your posts with our followers.

1. Take A Picture
2. Share It On Social
3. Tag #WYDT

Outside of this a highly engaged town on Social Media with hyper local influencers such as ourselves can greatly increase the influence of a town centre

HIGHLIGHT HARD TO REACH BUSINESSES / SECTORS
As a Business Improvement District you want to be able to support the professional services sector as much as you support retail and leisure

Offering Social Media Training for these sectors can be a great way to show them the value they get from their BID levy

Professional Services in any town are the backbone of the town and it’s vital to support them and give them a platform

Social Media Training is an easy win for this as learning and development will be at the heart of what they do

SUPPORT AWARD NOMINATIONS
So often with Award Nominations it comes down to that all important public vote

Either a social media post or a voting form online dictate the winner

So the winner comes down to how much local support there is online

Everything is cyclical with awards

Awards drives more positive pr which drives more footfall which drives more awards and repeat

You need the groundswell of support to enable this cycle to happen

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
We can improve your Business Improvement District via social media

Altrincham HQ are based in Altrincham, South Manchester – but work nationally

– In December 2011 we were (and still are) ranked number 1 for Social Media Marketing in the UK on Freeindex
– Named the Best Social Media Company in Manchester at the Talk Of Manchester Awards
– 300+ Recommendations on LinkedIn
– Businesses / organisations we’ve worked with include the BBC, Manchester City, Manchester Arndale, Selfridges, NHS, University Of Manchester and many more

NEED HELP WITH YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA?
Chat to us about Social Media Marketing for YOUR organisation , so we can better understand YOU and what will grow your organisation

We can only find out what is unique to your business by chatting with you

Look at our Social Media Training and Social Media Management services

Or

Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk

Alex

Alex McCann is owner of Altrincham HQ – a social media management and training company based in Altrincham, Cheshire that has worked with 100s of local business developing their social media strategy. Alex has 500+ LinkedIn testimonials and is Ranked Number 1 for Social Media Marketing in the UK via independent customer reviews on Freeindex.