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Making Winchester better promoted

Marketing Winchester is a key element of the BID proposal. We aim to raise the profile of Winchester as an excellent location for modern business.

Raising awareness of Winchester as a quality destination to key target audiences and promoting a positive view of the city centre to local retail, leisure and employment markets.

Developing the brand image of Winchester as a contemporary, vibrant high quality location for retail, leisure and business.

We will continue to:

• Build upon the current promotion of business in Winchester.
• Increase Business to Business communication within the City Centre.
• Develop Winchester BID’s online activity.
• Raise the profile of key areas in the city with the use of place making events.
• Strategically evaluate and monitor marketing campaigns.
   

PRINTED ADVERTISING

Press and magazine advertising is a key component of the marketing of the city that the BID will be taking forward. Currently the BID produces three monthly pieces in the Mid Hampshire Observer, the Hampshire Chronicle and Hampshire Society. The feature show a different section of the city every month and includes 5 retail businesses showcasing a product, a minimum of 2 service businesses, an overview of the area and a full list of businesses.
 

RADIO ADVERTISING

The BID uses local radio to market the city. So far we have averaged on 8 advertisements per day and between 5 and 9 10 second slots (Free additional extras). The radio adverts are split between 6 common themes promoting Winchester as a whole. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, along with a generic New Year / January sales shopping advert and a come to Winchester to wine and dine advert.
 

CREATIVE ARTS, EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

Culture, the arts, events and festivals brings footfall into the City Centre. Every year over 400,000 visitors come into the city to visit a festival.

Winchester BID coordinates the following City Events:

• Winchester Bunny Hop
• Christmas Light Switch On event
• First Thursday events
• Street party and place making events

Winchester BID sponsors the following events:

• Winchester Chamber Music Festival
• One Big Table and Festival of Volunteering
• Winchester Fashion Festival
• HatFair
• Winchester Guildhall Food and Produce Show
• Winchester Comedy Festival
• Winchester Fireworks 
• Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market

SPONSORSHIP

Along with sponsoring events, the BID sponsor projects and schemes such as the Winchester Tourist Guides publications. With this sponsorship Winchester Tourist Guides can distribute 50% more leaflets than 2010 and this has certainly benefited their tour take-up. The figures for this year so far 31 July, 2011 indicate a 25% increase in daily Rota tours of the city (90% up on 2009 ie pre-BID support). The increase in take up of the Special evening and weekend tours has been 29% (55% on 2009).
 

WEBSITE AND ONLINE MEDIA

The BID has a website that offers a web presence for all retail and service providers within the BID area. The Portal serves to showcase the work of work of the BID and support Winchester City Council’s Tourism Marketing function, helping to direct visitors to the unique Winchester offer increasing consumer spend and dwell time.
Online presence is in the form of banner advertising on local press websites, such as Hampshire Chronicle and Hampshire Society. BID actively use social media including Twitter and Facebook to inform people of current BID projects, BID activities and events in the City. Nearly 700 people follow BID on Twitter.
 

RETAIL MAP AND SIGNAGE

The retail map was developed in 2009 as a direct result from BID members. The map is published on a 6 month cycle with 20,000 copies printed every time. BID is looking at developing this into a ‘family of maps’ so that Food and Drink providers can have their own map, Services can be represented in another map and there could potentially be an attractions and museum’s map.
Signage is an on-going project for the BID. Currently BID is working with Winchester City Council to address the current issue of signage and look for a solution.
 

CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN

Winchester BID work with project partners, such as Winchester Cathedral, Winchester City Council, the Theatre Royal, to create the ‘England’s Christmas Capital’ campaign. In 2011 £48,000 was funded by project partners to promote Winchester as England’s Christmas capital, driving footfall into the city.
 

VISITOR INFORMATION POINT

This project is a direct result from the BID committee. In July 2011 the BID introduced the scheme, an information bike manned by 2 people, to encourage footfall off of the High Street and to assist visitors where needed. There scheme was extremely successful and is being developed to run over Christmas trading times.
 

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE WINCHESTER

The BID work with in partnership with a number of bodies, such as Winchester City Council tourism department, Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Chronicle, Mid Hampshire Observer and other local media companies to promote Winchester as a vibrant, cultured City centre.
 

 For more information about current marketing campaigns please contact Amy via email - amy.mccartan@winchesterbid.co.uk