Specifications include, but are not limited to: Talk with CEDO staff via conference call or in person prior to commencement of the project to better understand the construction project and the needs of area businesses, and to discuss and finalize timeline and topics to be covered in the course of providing assistance. 2. Create and execute a marketing plan for services. This can be done in collaboration with CEDO, who will also market the program independently through its normal channels of outreach and communication, but applicant should have a plan for reaching out to and engaging the target audience of businesses in the vicinity of construction. 3. Offer some combination of workshops that will be available to a range of interested businesses and one-on-one consultation for individual businesses seeking in-depth assistance. This assistance/programming should last one year, with the potential to add a second year to the Scope of Work. Applicants will outline their proposed services in the section titled “Submission Requirements” below. 4. Workshops must cover topics specific to keeping a business viable during lengthy and disruptive periods of construction. These may include but are not limited to: customer retention; advertising and marketing in a difficult environment; staffing considerations; innovative ways to get new customers in the door; improving the appearance of your business and its immediate environment; setting yourself apart from the competition; strategic planning; how to make your business a destination; communications strategies; diversifying revenue streams; and ideas for minimizing costs when revenues are down. If your organization has this expertise, workshops can also include higher-level visioning exercises that explore issues such as the future of the downtown and how to market, brand and implement a promotional campaign effectively.
