10/28/13 Heritage ohio coming to downtown Millersburg

  • By Nick Sabo
  • October 25, 2013
  • 412
                        
SUMARRY: Historic Downtown Millersburg to host marketing workshop attended by representatives from Ohio's 22 main street programs Historic Downtown Millersburg will host representatives from Heritage Ohio’s 22 historic downtown communities Nov. 6 - 7. It will be the first time Millersburg will host a two-day training event since it established its relationship with Heritage Ohio, Ohio’s official preservation and main street organization. The quarterly training workshops give Heritage managers the chance to visit other communities and see what is working for them, Jeff Siegler, director of revitalization for Heritage Ohio, said. “Having the chance to get in the different communities is a learning opportunity all around,” Siegler said. The two-day workshop will see seminars at Hotel Millersburg. But time spent visiting with businesses, shopping and checking out Millersburg’s Victorian downtown plays a big part as well, Siegler said. The workshop portion takes a two-hour break Nov. 6 just to explore downtown. The evening’s itinerary includes dinner and a stop at Millersburg’s new brewery. Historic Downtown Millersburg executive director Judy Lamp has attended a similar workshop in Newark. Lamp, who has passed by Newark several times traveling through northern Ohio, said the opportunity to stop in Newark’s downtown had a big impact on her. “I’d drive by Newark but never stopped or drove through the downtown,” Lamp said. “What they are doing there is just mind-blowing.” Likewise, Lamp said she feels Heritage Ohio will have a similar experience in Millersburg. The seminars and shared input of her fellow Heritage downtown representatives will further be of benefit to Millersburg, Lamp said. “When it’s your turn, you’re very excited for them to come,” Lamp said. “We get this chance to visit with the other Heritage towns. I’m looking forward to showing off Millersburg. We’re small, but we have some very interesting and diverse businesses.” The Heritage representatives will be very visible throughout the two day event, checking out downtown and taking their meals at local restaurants. The workshop will focus on marketing downtowns and promotions. Siegler said that downtowns will often host events in public spaces - such as the courthouse lawn in Millersburg - but fail to follow up on the opportunities it offers merchants. “If you’re going to have an event, you have to ask yourself, is it working for you?” Siegler said. “Are we trying to ring cash registers or are we just clumping people together in one area of town.” The workshops will look at what can be done to turn community events into traffic flows through the downtown. Use of social media and other means of marketing will be explored as well, Siegler said. The speakers include the executive director for the Ohio Humanities Council, a communications /relations strategic planner, and the owner of a full service design firm. They will concentrate on promoting downtowns, as well as how to use marketing to enhance public spaces. Promotions have been a big part of Historic Downtown Millersburg in the past few years. Holiday events, such as Boo in the ‘Burg, have seen strong turnouts. Lamp said she is lucky to have the opportunity to speak on promotions and hear presentations on them as well. “They are speaking on what we are focusing on right now,” Lamp said. “It couldn’t be more perfect. It’s like they did it just for us.” Siegler said about 70 representatives are expected to attend the event. “We’re looking forward to a great couple of days,” Siegler said. “I think the (Heritage representatives) will be impressed by Millersburg. It is a beautiful downtown.” Heritage Ohio fosters economic development and sustainability through preservation of historic buildings, revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts and promotion of cultural tourism.


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