Multifaceted program to boost Mt. Prospect business
The Village of Mount Prospect is reaching out to help its business community thrive in these challenging times. What started as an Internet marketing program to promote downtown Mount Prospect merchants two years ago has expanded to a villagewide initiative to promote ALL of its local businesses.
The village has created a unified marketing program - "Experience Mount Prospect" - to help businesses market their goods and services.
The intent of the Experience Mount Prospect campaign is to generate sales, increase awareness and create excitement about local business, special events and the Village in general.
The program has four components:
• A free Web site, experiencemountprospect.org, and monthly e-newsletter promoting local businesses.
• Free member card program: Member cards are distributed through merchants. Card holders are eligible for special offers/discounts from participating merchants.
• Street pole banners that businesses can sponsor, featuring business names/logos. Banner sponsorship costs $200 for two years and the banners will be displayed for up to six months of the year.
• ExMPTV, a new monthly television program on MPTV Channel 17 (the locally produced cable station), showcases Mount Prospect's unique businesses and makes them come to life. it is produced on location by Mount Prospect residents Colleen Kelly and Tricia Fusilero, who formerly hosted and produced NBC's "24/7 Chicago."
The show runs daily on MPTV at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. and any time on-demand on the Web site, experiencemountprospect.org.
Production cost for the show is just $500 for 5-7 minute segment on the 30-minute show. The show then runs for one month on MPTV Cable Channel 17, for one year on experiencemountprospect.org and the business receives a DVD for their own use.
"Mount Prospect is wonderfully unique," said Mount Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks. "Our local businesses all play their part in the fabric of this special community.
"With the unified marketing program we are showcasing those businesses to village residents and to our friends from neighboring towns and via the web, to the world. "
Many other communities have similar programs, but many of them charge to participate. Mount Prospect has tried to make as much of the program free (e-newsletter, Web site and member card program) or at the lowest cost possible, simply to cover costs (merchant banner program and ExMPTV production).
Contact the village's public information officer, Maura El Metennani, at (847) 818-5308 or at melmeten@mountprospect.org to learn more.