Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Town Square is good marketing

---

After more than 30 years as a marketing professor and consultant, I feel that the Idaho Mountain Express doesn't understand marketing, as evidenced in its Feb. 24 editorial "Build it and they will come?"

The editorial questioned whether it was appropriate for Ketchum to spend money on a town square rather than marketing. Marketing 101 makes it very clear: The best marketing is a good product or service at an attractive price. Advertising and other promotional efforts are wasted unless this basic is established.

Our downtown product/service is not in good shape relative to our competitors. It is dominated by cars and parking and in many places not very pedestrian friendly. Look at Vail and Whistler villages—these are car-free places that are lively and fun—ones that visitors seek out. Ketchum, do all you can to make the downtown a fun, pedestrian place, and the town square is a great start. This would be the best marketing effort, and money spent on a few more "cutesy" advertising efforts is not appropriate at this time.

comprare cialis
comprar cialis
acheter cialis

Peter Everett

Ketchum