Body: Council Type: Document Meeting: Committee Date: 2018 Collection: Agenda Attachments Municipality: Frontenac County
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/frontenac-county/Item Attachments/Agenda Item/2018/August/2018-104 Community Development Advisory Committee Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey/Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey.pdf)
Document Text
Report 2018-104 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Alison Vandervelde, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
August 9, 2018
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey
Recommendation This report is for information only. It is intended to solicit advice from the Committee on the draft questions for the Frontenac Ambassador Program Survey that will be open for feedback in September 2018. Background Since September 2016, the Frontenac Ambassador Network has grown to include 140 businesses and has been the driving force behind the successful implementation of the Frontenac regional brand. Each ambassador is welcomed with an announcement on social media, which assists in the exposure and reach of the business. In addition, several collaborations between ambassadors have resulted because of their connection through the program. This includes, but is not limited to:
Wolfe Island Craft Springs Beer at Mill Street Café
Cabinscape location at Frontenac Outfitters
Cheesecakery Bakery at Fargo’s General Store
In September 2017, Ambassadors were surveyed for feedback on the program. Of the approximately 100 members at that time, 46 completed the survey. The complete (redacted) results accompanied Report 2017-125 Frontenac Ambassador Program One Year Review at the October 2017 CDAC meeting.
Based on the survey results, feedback at the fall ambassador meet-up, and many conversations in person or over the phone with Ambassadors, five goals were developed for the program:
- Increase tourism by promoting Frontenac as a visitor destination to audiences outside the region.
- Help local businesses achieve success by connecting them to resources they need.
- Increase resident support of local businesses by developing and executing an innovative shop local campaign.
- Improve the relationship between local municipalities and local businesses by focusing on improved communications.
- Grow Frontenac’s reputation as a desirable place to do business by leveraging local business success stories. Over the past year those goals, combined with ongoing Ambassador collaboration, have led to the following initiatives: a. Ambassador networking events b. Monthly Email Newsletter Program c. Frontenac Merchandise (t-shirts, hats, hoodies, etc) d. Frontenac Five e. Increased Frontenac social media presence f. “Proudly Made in Frontenac” Product Tags g. Spend $10 in Frontenac Print Campaign h. Open Farms in Frontenac (September 9, 2018) i.
Frontenac Visitor Guide (Coming, February 2019)
The program has proven to be a powerful connection to the business community in Frontenac, resulting in efforts that are well aligned with the economic climate. We have also developed an efficient system for gathering specific feedback from Ambassadors to inform projects in real time. Ambassadors continue to engage regularly in program initiatives and have started turning to Frontenac County staff as a resource for progressing their own projects. While there has never been a formal outline of the Ambassador program, this has been an intended result since the beginning.
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey August 9, 2018
Page 2 of 6
Staff will survey Ambassadors annually to ensure continued program success. To maintain a consistent reporting schedule, the survey will be open for responses during the month of September. Comment Below are the draft questions for the 2018 survey. Staff are seeking input and advice from the committee in regard to the content of the questions.
- Since September 2016, the Frontenac Ambassador Program has grown to include 140+ businesses and organizations. It has also driven a number of specific initiatives. Please rate the value of each of the following: a. Ambassador networking events (to jog your memory, we’ve gotten together three times so far: March 2017 at the Crossing Pub, Sharbot Lake; November 2017, at the Holiday Country Manor, Battersea; April 2018, at the Mill Street Café, Sydenham) b. Frontenac County staff response to Ambassador requests for support c. Frontenac Merchandise (t-shirts, hats, hoodies, etc) d. Frontenac Five e. Monthly Email Newsletter Program f. Frontenac social media presence g. “Proudly Made in Frontenac” Product Tags h. Spend $10 in Frontenac Print Campaign i.
Open Farms in Frontenac (September 9, 2018)
- In general, how valuable do you think the Ambassador program has been to date? (Acknowledging that we all define “value” differently).
- Has the Frontenac Ambassador Program facilitated new relationships for you and your business?
- Has the Frontenac Ambassador Program positively impacted your business in some way?
- Five goals were developed based on last year’s survey results. Please give us your feedback for each of the goals: a. Goal 1: Increase resident support of local businesses by developing an innovative “Shop #inFrontenac” campaign. i. How have we done so far? Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey August 9, 2018
Page 3 of 6
ii. How applicable is this to your business? iii. Should we continue working on this goal? b. Goal 2: Help local businesses achieve success by connecting them to resources they need. i. How have we done so far? ii. How applicable is this to your business? iii. Should we continue working on this goal? c. Goal 3: Increase tourism by promoting Frontenac as a visitor destination to audiences outside the region. i. How have we done so far? ii. How applicable is this to your business? iii. Should we continue working on this goal? d. Goal 4: Grow Frontenac’s reputation as a desirable place to do business by leveraging local business success stories. i. How have we done so far? ii. How applicable is this to your business? iii. Should we continue working on this goal? e. Goal 5: Improve the relationship between local municipalities and local businesses by focusing on improved communications. i. How have we done so far? ii. How applicable is this to your business? iii. Should we continue working on this goal? 6. How involved have you been in projects that help to achieve these goals? (rating scale with room for comments) 7. Are there alternative or additional goals that you think the Frontenac Ambassador network should start working toward? 8. Are there other ways the Frontenac Ambassador Program could be enhanced to benefit your business and Frontenac? 9. We’d like to know how you reach your potential customers. Please rank the following marketing tools in order of importance to your business. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey August 9, 2018
Page 4 of 6
a. Social Media b. Other Online (website, email newsletter, referral sites, etc) c. Paid Advertising d. Trade shows e. Signage 10. Where are most of your customers from? Please select all the markets that best identify the majority of your customer base. a. Frontenac b. Kingston c. Eastern Ontario d. Ontario e. Canada f. The United States g. International 11. Has your workforce grown over the past year? 12. Are you planning to grow your workforce in the next year? 13. Have you invested in upgrading your property or equipment in the last year? 14. Are you planning to invest in upgrading your property or equipment in the next year? 15. If you have any other comments or concerns that haven’t been captured in the survey already, please let us know here: Sustainability Implications The continued vibrancy of the Ambassador program is critical to the successful implementation of relevant and valuable initiatives. The responses to this survey will impact the direction of the program moving forward. Financial Implications The survey will be conducted using software we already license, so there is no additional costs associated with this project. Any survey feedback that carries financial Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey August 9, 2018
Page 5 of 6
implications would be vetted through the proper approval process prior to being implemented. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Members of Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac County Council & staff Township of Frontenac Islands Township of South Frontenac Township of Central Frontenac Township of North Frontenac Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation Local Businesses Frontenac County Residents
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Ambassador Program Review & Annual Survey August 9, 2018
Page 6 of 6
