BID discusses their plan for marketing and advertising

The BID (Business Improvement District) Board discussed marketing at Thursday's meeting.

One great idea that Marshall Steingold (shown above at left with David Collins and Lalo Durazo, board members) spoke about, was doubling the marketing and advertising budget of the BID through co-op money. With the extra money, they can do more than just the main billboard on US1 and 27th Avenue, which they would like to keep forever, if possible. It's almost an entrance sign for the Grove at this point.

The co-op money would come from Grove Merchants and it doesn't have to be cash, they could use "in kind" items like meals from restaurants and hotel rooms, etc. to "pay" for their side of the co-op. Ron Jakubisin, board member (above right, with Mia Stierheim and Frank Couzo), also was very knowledgeable on the subject and spoke of his experiences with other towns and their co-op programs.

I would like to do that myself, with Grapevine ads, you know, an "in kind" trade of advertising for advertising, but I heard from a few reliable sources that the Grapevine is forbidden to be a link from any Coconut Grove official websites, so I assume, we are persona non grata on billboards and magazines, too. I guess I don't always tow the line of the BID or Chamber. They never know what I'll say.

The ironic thing is that I probably bring more out of town visitors to the Grove than any advertising or marketing they could do. People read the Grapevine and see Coconut Grove as a quirky little village and they want to visit and "meet the characters." I can't tell you how many people have come to the Grove, pointed to people and said, "I saw you in the Grapevine!"

Another thing the BID may do regarding the internet is buy search engine placement, in the form of click-thru ads. They would pay up to $1000.00 per month for that, to purchase phrases and get to the top of the search engines.

Photos by AnnaMaria Windisch Hunt