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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:red">This email is being distributed over the OMS listserv – all responses will also be over the listserv.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Need to give your Economic Vitality Committee a boost? Here’s a couple suggestions to keep them active over the holiday season:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">       
</span></span></span><![endif]>Targeted market research: Did you know that 80% of the buying and dining decisions are made by women between the ages of 30 and 60 years old? You can use that stat and develop a fun way to engage this demographic in a targeted
 market research effort over the holidays. Identify a group of twenty or so women between these ages and bring them together for a fun kick-off. Bring them back together a month after the holidays to provide feedback on what they discover. Some of the things
 you want them to notice:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">  
</span></span></span><![endif]>As they find themselves entering a shop, notice why it attracted them and jot that down.  If they find themselves passing on entering a shop,  notice why it DID NOT attract them and jot that down.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">  
</span></span></span><![endif]>When you get together in January, you will discuss their shopping experiences.  Have them share their full story.  What they found, how they were serviced, what they thought of the product displays on the floor and the displays
 in the windows. Also note other things about their experience in downtown. Also note the things they bought for gifts that they could not find downtown.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">Attached is an example of this exercise by Livermore Downtown Inc. (California) including the invite letter to women to participate and a report of the findings. Super fun & they received a lot of great feedback.
 This is a great project for the EV Committee because 1) it provides useful info for the committee and downtown business owners, 2) is a project they can implement and get done in a relatively short amount of time and at a low cost, and 3) will also be useful
 info for the other committees.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">       
</span></span></span><![endif]>Not ready to launch retail-oriented market research? How about using the winter months to do a business cluster analysis with the Economic Vitality Committee? This is a fun process that forces the committee to look at the district
 in a different way to identify related businesses. Attached is a short article on business clustering as well as some additional info.
<o:p></o:p></p>
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