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Home My WebLink About4.7 - 1199 Small Business Saturday 2016 Page 1 of 3 STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL DATE: November 1, 2016 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Christopher L. Foss, City Manager SUBJECT: Small Business Saturday Proclamation and Update on Other Economic Development Activities in 2016 Prepared by: Erin Steffen, Management Analyst II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider proclaiming November 26, 2016 as Small Business Saturday. Additionally, the City Council will receive an update on other economic development efforts this year, including the Discover Dublin campaign. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council accept the report and proclaim November 26, 2016, as Small Business Saturday in Dublin. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Costs associated with the Discover Dublin Shop Local campaign are included in the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget. DESCRIPTION: Small Business Saturday Proclamation The national Small Business Saturday campaign was founded by American Express in 2010 to encourage people to support small, local businesses. The event traditionally takes place on the Saturday following Thanksgiving and “Black Friday,” known as the first day of the busy holiday shopping season. According to an American Express survey, an estimated 95 million people shopped at small independent businesses during Small Business Saturday in 2015. Looking to the remainder of 2016 and to 2017, the City will continue to provide support and bring resources to local businesses, to promote and expand existing programs and partnerships, and to promote the local economy where opportunities arise. Page 2 of 3 Discover Dublin In 2011, the City partnered with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and launched “Discover Dublin for the Holidays,” a social media-based campaign to encourage and increase shopping throughout the City of Dublin during the holidays. In 2015, the campaign was rebranded as “Discover Dublin CA” and expanded to a year -round effort to promote Dublin-based businesses and activities throughout the year. The City partners with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce to maintain an active Facebook page, “Discover Dublin,” where it regularly promotes upcoming retail and business events and welcomes new businesses. With an average of 4.3 posts per week in 2016, focused social media campaigns were d elivered during seasons associated with high volumes of retail, including: Restaurant Month and Valentine’s Day; Spring Break, Mother’s Day and prom; graduation and summertime; and back -to-school. Additionally, during the 2015 holiday season, free “Discove r Dublin” window clings were distributed to Dublin businesses. The clings identify the merchant’s participation in the program and help to spread awareness. Restaurant Month, in partnership with regional tourism destination group Visit Tri -Valley, utilized both Facebook and Twitter and continued its annual promotion highlighting local wine served in Dublin restaurants during January 2016. Local restaurants were further promoted through the City’s Dining Guide, which highlights the many types of cuisine available throughout Dublin. To support these social media efforts, a full -page branded dining ad was included in Diablo Magazine which promoted the City’s dining guide and Discover Dublin. The 2016 campaign will conclude with promotion to encourage shopping in Dublin during the busy holiday season. The holiday promotion will include free branded retail bags to advertise participation in Discover Dublin, and will make their debut on Small Business Saturday. It is hoped that the distribution of these bags to D ublin businesses will further increase program awareness. Additionally, the City of Dublin and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce are partnering to present the Decorate Dublin Holiday Contest, which seeks to increase festive decor in Dublin's retail areas. Dublin businesses are encouraged to participate in the program and to complete their decorations in anticipation of Small Business Saturday on November 26. Contest winners will be chosen by a panel of judges, with a special “People’s Choice” award being selected by members of the public through the Open City Hall online forum. Other Economic Development Activities in 2016 On February 24, the City of Dublin and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce co -hosted the annual “Dublin Business Expo / Taste of Dublin.” The well-attended event included over 50 vendor booths promoting local businesses as well as business programs offered by Dublin Economic Development, Environmental Services, Parks and Community Services, and Police Services. The City is also partnering with t he Chamber to host a second “Oktoberfest” Business Expo, scheduled to take place on November 3. In addition to local efforts, the City promoted the retail and commercial development opportunities available in Dublin through a regional/national marketing c ampaign, with ads appearing in real-estate focused print media, such as the San Francisco Business Page 3 of 3 Times and Urban Land Institute Magazine. Additionally, the City developed a video showcasing economic development opportunities and benefits of establishing a business in the City of Dublin, which was unveiled during the Mayor's "State of the City" address on April 20. This video has also been shared with visiting groups and on social media to further increase awareness of Dublin. Supporting and recognizing long-time Dublin businesses is also a program priority. On September 21, the City recognized over 50 Dublin businesses which have achieved significant milestone anniversaries of operation in the Dublin community. This year, recognition took place at a successful breakfast reception, which was followed by presentation of plaques to thank the businesses for their continued contributions to the community. In order to provide a range of educational resources to support businesses, the City of Dublin, in partnership with the Small Business Administration, the Town of Danville, the Cities of Livermore, Pleasanton and San Ramon, and the five respective Chambers of Commerce, organized and hosted the inaugural Tri-Valley CommerceCon on Tuesday, October 4. Over 180 people registered for this one-day regional event, which provided local small businesses with individual consultations, information, resources, and tools to encourage sustainable growth. The City of Dublin also unveiled its new print and on -line How to Start a Business Guide <https://indd.adobe.com/view/737dbf11-4d02-43df- 9d3e-c289a1340d87>, which provides step-by-step instructions and tips for locating or growing a business in Dublin. On October 7, Dublin celebrated local, modern manufacturing with participation in Tri- Valley Manufacturing Day. The multi-city effort featured facility tours and presentations at Tri-Valley manufacturers, including AMP Printing in Dublin, in an effort to educate and encourage students to consider rewarding, local manufacturing career opportunities. The City’s marketing campaign, designed to improve and increase communication efforts, included a broad outreach effort with redesigned City publications, a new resident guide, and other tools to help educate the community about reso urces and amenities in Dublin. In addition to economic development-focused advertising, branded ads supporting signature events such as the St. Patrick’s Day Festival and Splatter were run on BART ads, on regional buses, and even a 30 -second television commercial promoting the St. Patrick’s Day Festival. These branding efforts have been recognized recently with a SAVVY Award by the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA), the Award of Excellence by the California Public Information Officers Association (CAPIO), as well as with an Award of Merit from the California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED). NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: None. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Small Business Saturday 2016 Proclamation A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA “SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY” WHEREAS, the City of Dublin believes that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the glue that holds communities together; according to the United States Small Business Administration, there are over 28 million small businesses in the United States and they represent more than 99 percent of American companies, create two -thirds of the net new jobs, and generate half of private gross domestic product; and WHEREAS, small businesses employ over 50% of the working population in the United States; and WHEREAS, the City of Dublin supports our local businesses that create jobs, boost our local economy, and preserve our neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, advocacy groups and public and private organizations across the country have endorsed the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dave Haubert, Mayor of Dublin, on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby proclaim November 26, 2016, as “SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY” and urge the residents of our community, and communities across the country, to support small businesses and merchants on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year. DATED: November 1, 2016 _____________________ _______________________ Mayor Haubert Vice Mayor Gupta ___________________ _____________________ ______________________ Councilmember Biddle Councilmember Hart Councilmember Wehrenberg