The Village of Atwood, Ontario: The Marketing Strategy Taralyn

 The Village of Atwood, Ontario: The Marketing Strategy
Taralyn Martin
20206400
April 6, 2010
Taralyn Martin 20206400 2 Table of Contents
1.0
Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………4
2.0
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….5
3.0
Situation Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………6
4.0
3.1
Overview of Community and Background Information…………………………………..6
3.2
SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………………………………...8
3.2.2
Weaknesses……………………………………………………………………….9
3.2.3
Opportunities……………………………………………………………………10
3.2.4
Threats…………………………………………………………………………..11
Competitive Analysis ……………………………………………………………………12
3.4
Past and Present Marketing Activities ……………………………………………..……13
Market Research ……………………………………………………………………………..…13
Market Research Goals and Objectives………………………………………………….13
4.1.1
Goals…………………………………………………………………………….13
4.1.2
Objectives……………………………………………………………………….13
4.2
Baseline Information…………………………………………………………………….14
4.3
Target Market for Research……………………………………………………………...15
4.4
Methodology……………………………………………………………………………..15
4.5
6.0
Strengths………………………………………………………………………….8
3.3
4.1
5.0
3.2.1
4.4.1
Data Collection………………………………………………………………….15
4.4.2
Data Analysis …………………………………………………………………...16
4.4.3
Advantages and Limitations…………………………………………………….17
Timeframe………………………………………………………………………………..18
Marketing Goals and Objectives……………………………………………………………….19
5.1
Short-Term Goal and Objectives………………………………………………………...19
5.2
Long-Term Goal and Objectives………………………………………………………...21
Target Audience…………………………………………………………………………………21
6.1
Target Population………………………………………………………………………...21
6.2
Target Businesses and Services………………………………………………………….22
7.0
Positioning……………………………………………………………………………………….22
8.0
Marketing Mix…………………………………………………………………………………..23
8.1
Product…………………………………………………………………………………...23
8.2
Price……………………………………………………………………………………...23
Taralyn Martin 3 20206400 8.3
Place……………………………………………………………………………………...23
8.4
Promotion………………………………………………………………………………...23
9.0
Evaluation Plan………………………………………………………………………………….24
10.0
Budget……………………………………………………………………………………………24
11.0
Implementation Plan……………………………………………………………………………25
12.0
Recommendations and Conclusion…………………………………………………………….26
13.0
References………………………………………………………………………………………..28
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………….30
Appendix A………………………………………………………………………………………30
Appendix B………………………………………………………………………………………31
Appendix C………………………………………………………………………………………32
Appendix D………………………………………………………………………………………33
Appendix E………………………………………………………………………………………34
Taralyn Martin 20206400 1.0
Executive Summary
4 The Village of Atwood has the potential to be a great community to both live in and invest in;
however the community has had little to no growth in its population in the past two decades and
businesses are closing in the downtown.
Atwood is an affordable, small community with approximately 1,360 residents that is close to a
number of urban areas. It offers a small-town lifestyle, a safe, quiet, clean environment, and a number of
activities that families can participate in. The community gathering areas and the businesses that are
currently in the Village, such as Rona and the Atwood Café, are a benefit to residents. A sanitary sewer
system has been installed in the Village, which will allow for more growth in the community and the new
fibre optic connections will allow individuals to start businesses from their homes. The
counterurbanization movement also provides an opportunity for Atwood to attract residents.
Although this village has a number of strengths and opportunities, the aesthetics of Atwood need
to be improved. Downtown revitalization must take place in order to retain and attract businesses. The
community also lacks a store where residents can get essential goods, such as bread and milk and parents
must drive their children to the Town of Listowel for kid’s programs and day care. Threats to the Village
include: migration to larger towns, such as Listowel, urbanization, the deteriorating downtown and
decreasing school enrolment. Atwood must also compete with the Town of Listowel, which is located ten
minutes from the Village and has a variety of businesses and services.
The purpose of this plan is to use the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to create a
marketing strategy for the Village of Atwood. A marketing strategy is needed to facilitate population
growth and economic development in the community. A market research plan is also given because prior
to the implementation of the marketing strategy, market research will need to be conducted to collect
additional information about the community from current residents and business owners; this will ensure
this marketing strategy is viable. The market research will take a little over two months to complete and
surveys and focus groups will be used to collect information.
Based on an overview of the community and baseline information, it is evident that Atwood
currently has a number of young families and provides a great environment for raising children.
Therefore, the marketing strategy will target young families and businesses and services that cater to the
needs of these families. Two marketing goals have been created. The short-term goal is to revitalize the
downtown area of Atwood and retain and attract residents. To achieve this goal, nine objectives have been
created. These objectives focus on: downtown revitalization and beautification; the creation of a slogan
and logo, a website and a Facebook group for the community; the promotion of the small town lifestyle
and the Canada Day festivities to people currently living in urban areas; the relocation of the library and
creation of new children’s programs; and the promotion of family activities offered in the Village through
Taralyn Martin 20206400 a community newsletter. By achieving the short-term goal is it anticipated that the long-term goal of
5 attracting new businesses and services that cater to families and further population growth will be met.
This marketing strategy will be implemented over a period of five years and progress will be
monitored each year by getting feedback from residents and business owners and measuring the change in
activity enrolment, sales, foot traffic and the housing market in Atwood. By positioning Atwood as a
community that is smaller than Listowel and other towns, but yet offers more activities for families than
other communities of a similar size, it is anticipated that this marketing strategy will facilitate population
growth and business development in the community.
2.0
Introduction
Many rural communities have undergone economic restructuring in recent decades due to a
number of changes, including urbanization and mechanization. Although the largest community in the
Municipality of North Perth (located in Perth County), the Town of Listowel, has experienced growth
with respect to its population and business districts, the smaller villages have become smaller as
businesses and individuals relocate to larger centres. The Village of Atwood, which has approximately
1,360 residents (estimating four people per household), has lost a number of businesses over the past few
decades and has experienced little growth in its population (R. Martin, personal communication, March 5,
2010).
Atwood has the potential to be a great community to both live in and invest in. Atwood offers a
small-town lifestyle and peaceful setting that is great for young families. The Village of Atwood is also
located within close proximity to a number of larger centres. This makes it possible for individuals to live
in Atwood and take advantage of small-town living and commute to a larger centre where there are more
opportunities for employment. Despite this potential, population growth remains stagnant and business
development is non-existent.
A positive image of Atwood needs to be created in order to attract new residents and businesses
to the community. Currently, Atwood is the small village located just ten minutes down the road from
Listowel with an unattractive, deteriorating downtown and few businesses and services. This image must
be changed if Atwood is to grow and prosper. Any change made, however, must be in line with the
community goals. Atwood strives to have an identity separate from Listowel and surrounding places. The
Village also wants to be seen as a welcoming community to outsiders and have an aesthetically pleasing
environment.
The purpose of the first part of this plan is to establish the background information needed to
create a marketing strategy for Atwood. The situational analysis will provide an overview of Atwood and
its future potential for both population growth and business development. This analysis will expose what
is currently known about the community and will provide direction for the market research by
Taralyn Martin 6 20206400 highlighting what is not known. The research plan will then describe how primary data will be collected
from the residents and business owners in Atwood to fill in the missing information. The information
collected from residents and business owners will provide a focus for marketing efforts.
The second part of the plan will identify the marketing goals and objectives, the target audience
and establish how the strategy will be positioned. A summary of the strategies used to influence the target
audience or what is also called the “marketing mix” will also be provided. An evaluation plan, budget and
implementation plan are included as well to ascertain how the achievement of goals will be measured,
how much the strategy will cost and who will be carrying out the marketing tasks and when.
Recommendations and a conclusion will be given following the details of the strategy.
3.0
Situation Analysis
3.1
Overview of Community and Background Information
As mentioned in the introduction, the Village of Atwood is located in the Municipality of North
Perth in Perth County. Atwood is situated within close proximity to two urban areas, the City of
Kitchener-Waterloo and the City of Stratford. The main service area for the Municipality, the Town of
Listowel, is only a ten minute drive from the Village. Appendix A shows the location of the Village in
relation to the surrounding urban areas.
Based on the data provided by Statistics Canada, it is likely that a large proportion of the
population of the Municipality of North Perth are employed in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors
in the Municipality. In 2006, there were 1,100 jobs in the agricultural sector in the Municipality and 2,225
jobs in the manufacturing sector, mainly in the food processing and yarn and thread sectors. The labour
flow analysis data shows that 905 residents of the Municipality of North Perth are employed in agriculture
and 1, 675 residents are employed in manufacturing. Although the number of jobs in the manufacturing
industry increased between 2001 and 2006, employment in the agriculture industry has decreased. This is
likely because of mechanization and the increase in farm size sizes. However, the growth in both local
sectors is higher than the sectors’ growth at the provincial level. The retail trade sector is also a main
employer in this area, employing 770 people and 690 residents are reported working in this sector. A
large number of residents seem to be travelling outside the Municipality to work in the construction,
transportation and warehousing and speciality trade industries (Rural Economic Development Data and
Intelligence, 2009).
Population statistics are not available for this small village; however, some generalizations can be
made about the population of Atwood from the Municipality of North Perth data. According to the 2006
census data, the median age of the population living in the Municipality is 38.2 with 4,225 people under
the age of 25 (slightly younger than Ontario). There are 3,415 census families residing in the Municipality
Taralyn Martin 7 20206400 and the median income of these families is 65,739 dollars, which is slightly below the median income of
all census families in Ontario. The education attainment levels are fairly low in the municipality.
Approximately 36 percent of residents over the age of 15 have less than a high school education.
Approximately 29 percent have a high school diploma, 9 percent have a trades certificate or diploma and
16 percent have obtained a college diploma or certificate. Only 9 percent have a university certificate or
degree (this includes individuals with a certificate below the bachelor level). A large group of people with
post-secondary education are trained in architecture, engineering and related technologies. Low education
attainment levels are prevalent not only in this region but also in other rural areas. Although school
attendance among individuals in both urban and rural areas are on average improving, the gap between
the education attainment levels of people living in urban areas and those living in rural areas is not
closing. On average, people living in urban areas are obtaining higher education levels (Alasia, 2003).
Despite low levels of education, the unemployment is 3.0, which is well below the Ontario
unemployment rate (Statistics Canada, 2007).
Statistics Canada (1997a) reported a decrease in population from 4046 people in 1991 to 3991
people in 1996 in Elma Township (Atwood is located in Elma Township, but it amalgamated with the
Town of Listowel and Wallace Township to form the Municipality of North Perth in 1998). This is a
negative growth rate of 1.4 percent. Statistics Canada (1997b) reported that in that same year the Town of
Listowel experienced a growth in its population. Although the Elma Ward includes other rural
communities and not just Atwood, these statistics provide a good indication that the larger community,
specifically the serviced settlement area, is attracting more new residents than the smaller communities.
The 2006 census data showed that the population in the Municipality of North Perth grew by 1.7 percent
between 2001 and 2006 (Statistics Canada, 2007); however there has been a significant amount of growth
in Listowel, which is obvious from the number of new subdivisions and houses built in the last decade.
There has been little evidence of physical growth with respect to residences in Atwood since the early
1990s. One small subdivision was built during the past decade in the south-west corner of Atwood, but
fewer than 10 houses have been built and a number of vacant building lots remain.
In addition to there being little to no growth in the population in the community, over the past few
decades, Atwood has lost a number of businesses in its downtown. During the late 1980s and early 1990s,
there were between 12 and 15 businesses (both commercial and service-oriented) operating in the
downtown. Today, there is only half that number of businesses still operating in the downtown. Many of
the commercial buildings have been converted to residential units and a few are vacant. The buildings
have also become run-down and some owners and tenants cannot access the upper levels of the buildings
because they have become too dangerous.
Taralyn Martin 20206400 The next section of this plan will provide an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the
8 Village of Atwood and the opportunities and threats that will have an influence on future growth in the
community.
3.2
SWOT Analysis
3.2.1
Strengths
As with any community, Atwood does have both strengths and weaknesses. Atwood is a very
small community surrounded by agricultural lands and as such provides a quiet, safe, picturesque
environment. This community is perfect for raising young children because residential houses are located
on fairly large lots (compared to the lot sizes in urban areas) and there is lots of room for children to play.
Since Atwood has a small population and many residents know each other, the community is also a safe
place to live in. There are also low levels of traffic and parents do not have to worry about their children
crossing busy streets to visit friends and neighbours. A fire hall is located in the community and a public
elementary school is located less than a five minute drive from the Village. There is a hospital and health
clinic as well as a few dentist offices, optometry clinics and pharmacies located nearby in Listowel.
There are a number of activities within the
community that families can participate in. In the summer,
families can enjoy the large community swimming pool
and the basketball and tennis courts. There is also a large
park with a covered pavilion adjacent to it and two baseball
diamonds. The Kinsmen Trail connects Atwood to the
Town of Listowel and to Gowanstown, which is north of
Listowel. There is also a trail that connects Atwood to the
small community of Henfryn in Huron County. The trails
are also accessible during the winter and families can enjoy the community skating rink that is maintained
by the Atwood Volunteer Firefighters in the winter.
Although there are few businesses, the Village does have a Rona, which is great for residents that
are renovating their homes. Rona bought out the Cashway that had been operating in the Village
approximately 10 years ago. Listowel has a few hardware stores, including Home Hardware and TSC;
however, the Rona in Atwood is easier to get to because there is ample parking in front of the store and it
located right on Highway 23. By being located close to the heart of the Village, Rona is likely to have a
number of customers from the Village and its’ accessibility is likely to be attractive to the farmers in the
surrounding area.
Taralyn Martin 20206400 9 Atwood offers a number of community gathering
areas as well. There are three churches in Atwood:
Atwood United Church, Atwood Presbyterian Church and
St. Alban’s and St. David’s Anglican Church. There is
also a large community centre located next to the park
and the baseball diamonds. As mentioned before, there is
also a covered pavilion in the park and this coming year,
individuals renting the pavilion can choose to have it
fully enclosed for their events.
Another strength of this village is its location.
Atwood is less than an hour’s drive to Stratford and Kitchener-Waterloo. Individuals that work in these
cities that are looking for a small-town lifestyle can easily live in Atwood and commute to the urban
centres. Residents also do not have to travel very far to get the products and services that are only offered
in urban areas. Atwood is also located within one hour’s drive to the shores of Lake Huron and The Town
of Goderich, which has a marina and nice beaches.
Housing is very affordable in this small community. A three bedroom house with two bathrooms
on the main street of Atwood is currently selling for approximately $155,000. A three bedroom house on
Albert Street in Waterloo that is of similar size to the house in Atwood, is selling for $375, 000. Not only
is the house in Atwood more affordable than the house in Waterloo, the property in Atwood is slightly
bigger and the taxes are much lower. The taxes for the house in Atwood are approximately $1,455 a year,
whereas the taxes are $3,157 a year for the house in Waterloo (Remax, 2010). These lower prices and
rates are an incentive for individuals to locate in this community, especially young families.
3.2.2
Weaknesses
While Atwood provides a supportive environment to build community and for raising children, its
business district is declining and the downtown area
needs some improvements. There are a few
businesses in Atwood including a café, computer
repair store, post office, insurance broker and gas
station; however these businesses operate out of old,
deteriorating buildings and façade improvements are
needed to attract new customers. Atwood recently
lost a small grocery store that operated in the
downtown because it did not meet health and safety
Taralyn Martin 20206400 requirements and was forced to close. More needs to be done to beautify the downtown as well.
10 There are currently no stores in Atwood where residents can pick up their daily necessities, such
as milk and bread and individuals must travel to Listowel to buy these items. Individuals also do their
banking on a regular basis and there are no bank machines in the Village. Not having access to these types
of businesses in a community can be problematic, especially for families with young children and the
elderly population. Parents must also drive their children to Listowel or another community for day care
services and kids programs. For people commuting to urban centres, this can be a hassle.
3.2.3
Opportunities
Atwood is currently under construction because new services are being installed in the area.
These new services will provide a number of opportunities to both the business community and to
residents. A new sanitary sewer system is being installed as well as fibre optic cables, which will provide
affordable telephone, television and high speed internet services to individuals. The sanitary sewers
should solve the “strong odour” problem that residents have complained about for the past few years and
residents have been told that their property values will increase with this development (R. Martin,
personal communication, March 5, 2010). The installation of sewers in Atwood will also allow for more
growth to occur in the community. High speed internet will also benefit the community because in
today’s society many businesses require the use of the internet in order to operate. It also makes it
possible for residents to start businesses in their own homes or work from home, which is becoming more
popular.
Recently, there has been a trend in migration patterns of people moving from urban areas to live
in rural areas. This trend, also known as counterurbanization, provides an opportunity for small rural
communities, like Atwood, to grow. Between 1996 and 2002, 41 percent of Canada’s Rural and Small
Towns (RST) Municipalities increased in population (Mitchell, 2005). RST Canada refers to the
population living outside Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations (Statistics Canada,
2001). Of those individuals choosing to move to a rural area, many mention wanting a small town
lifestyle and wanting to raise a family away from the busy, polluted urban centres. Some find employment
in the rural area, while others continue to work in the urban area and commute back and forth (Mitchell,
2004). Research has shown that rural communities in Ontario are more likely to grow if they are tied to an
urban area through commuting (Mitchell, 2005).
In an article by Dahms (1995), it is stated that people are now moving away from metropolitan
areas to find a home in a quiet small town or village where land is less expensive. A case study of
Wroxeter, which is a small village located approximately 32 kilometres northwest of Atwood, is
discussed by Dahms (1995) to illustrate the impacts of rural repopulation and counterurbanization on a
declining village. Wroxeter had a population of 590 people in 1881, but the population declined for
Taralyn Martin 11 20206400 almost a century, with an all-time low of 242 residents in 1966. Between 1986 and 1991, the population
of Wroxeter increased from 317 residents to 389 residents, which was the largest increase in population
the community had experienced in over a century. Dahms (1995) conducted interviews with community
members and collected information from business owners through surveys to determine reasons for this
population increase. Dahms (1995) found out that residents and business owners were unhappy about
their village’s “ghost town” status and in 1988, business owners formed the Wroxeter Improvement
Association. This association was successful in raising money to destroy old buildings, beautify the
business district and dredge an old millpond and rebuild the old dam that was a swamp for so many
decades (Dahms, 1995). Like Atwood, Wroxeter is located within close proximity to a number of urban
areas and large towns and by improving the downtown, the village was able to benefit from the
counterurbanization movement and attract new residents.
Future residential growth is possible in Atwood as there are a number of vacant lots in the new
subdivision and more subdivisions can be developed on vacant land. See Appendix B for a map of
Atwood that shows were new subdivisions can be built as well as where lots can be severed for future
residential development.
3.2.4
Threats
While the trend of counterurbanization is an opportunity for Atwood to attract new residents, it
may also be a threat. Individuals may choose to locate in a larger rural area, such as Listowel, where there
are a variety of businesses and services to provide for their needs. Locating in a larger rural area may also
be beneficial to those individuals commuting to urban areas because there would be more opportunities
for car-pooling. Potential business owners may also choose to locate in a larger rural area because of the
larger market size. They would also benefit from the infrastructure already in place in a larger community
such as Listowel.
Like other rural areas, school enrolment is decreasing in the Municipality of North Perth and this
poses a threat to Atwood. As mentioned before, there is a small elementary school located just outside the
boundaries of the Village and for people that want to send their children to a small rural school, residing
in Atwood is a viable option; however the local school board, Avon Maitland District School Board, is
currently conducting accommodation reviews of Elma Township Public School, which is outside of
Atwood, and other nearby rural schools. This means that the School Board is reviewing capacity levels
and looking at projection levels to determine the future of the school (Avon Maitland District School
Board, 2010). In Avon Maitland District School board alone, there are 8 schools that have been
recommended to close or are slated to close; 13 schools are under review in the School Board (People for
Education, 2009).
Taralyn Martin 12 20206400 Urbanization is also a threat to this small rural community. While some people are choosing to
move from urban areas to rural areas for lifestyle reasons, a large number of individuals are moving to
urban areas to find employment. Between 1991 and 2001, there was an overall decrease in the population
of Canada’s RST areas (Mitchell, 2004). Youth out-migration has become a major threat to rural
communities. The high out-migration rates of youth from RST Canada have been evident since 1971. The
highest out-migration rates in RST Canada between 1971 and 1996 were among individuals between the
ages of 20 and 24 and overall RST areas lost more youth under the age of 25 then they gained (Statistics
Canada, 2001). Most of these individuals are leaving rural areas for post-secondary education. The youth
are not the only group leaving these communities. Between 1971 and 1996, more individuals aged 70 and
older moved out of RST Canada than moved into these areas. Statistics Canada (2001) states that this may
be because this cohort needs the specialize health care available in urban areas.
The deteriorating buildings in the downtown area pose a threat to the retaining businesses and
services in the community. As previously mentioned, the small grocery store that operated in Atwood a
year ago was forced to close because it did not meet health and safety regulations. There are currently
discussions between the municipal council and the North Perth Library Board about the future of the
Atwood branch of the North Perth Public Library that operates in the building adjacent to the old grocery
store. The upstairs of the building has been deemed “unsafe” and the public is questioning the safety of
the rest of the building. Even if the downstairs of the building is found to be “safe”, the library will likely
be closed because the maintenance costs of the building are becoming too high (R. Martin, personal
communication, March 5, 2010).
3.3
Competitive Analysis
The Town of Listowel is located less than a ten minute drive from Atwood, which means that the
businesses in Atwood must be competitive with those in Listowel in order to attract customers. Listowel
offers a large selection of clothing, sports attire and equipment, hardware and grocery stores. There are
large department stores in Listowel as well where people can get many of the goods they are looking for
in one location, which saves time and money. In addition to these businesses, Listowel has a number of
restaurants and offers a variety of services for individuals and families. Nevertheless, residents in Atwood
must travel ten minutes to access these services and businesses, which can be inconvenient.
It is unlikely that consumers would travel from Listowel to Atwood to shop at stores that are
already operating in Listowel. It is also unlikely that the residents of Atwood and the surrounding area
alone would be able to support a large grocery store, such as Zehrs or a department store like Zellers.
However, if residents had the option of picking up essential items, such as milk, from a store in Atwood, a
small grocery store would likely be supported. The convenience of being able to get these items in a short
period of time is attractive to busy families and for people that commute long distances.
Taralyn Martin 13 20206400 Atwood must also compete with Listowel to attract residents. When comparing business districts,
Listowel has everything that Atwood has and much more. The living environment is different though
because Atwood has fewer residents and is a quieter community, with only one highway passing through
it. There are other villages in the Municipality that also offer a quiet neighbourhood; however, Atwood
also has community services, including a swimming pool and community centre, which other villages
lack.
3.4
Past and Present Marketing Activities
Since Atwood is one of the smallest settlement areas in Perth County and in the Municipality of
North Perth, it often gets overshadowed by the larger communities in marketing efforts. Larger municipal
events and festivals are held in Listowel and because it is the service area for the surrounding farming
community, economic development activities are concentrated in this town. This focus on the larger
towns in the County is clearly shown on both the municipal website and the Perth County website.
Atwood is only mentioned as having two annual festivals, the Canada Day festival and Atwood Country
Jamboree, and a hiking trail (Municipality of North Perth, 2005; Perth County, 2010). The fact that the
Atwood Country Jamboree has not been held for at least five years also shows that the marketing
activities in Atwood do require some attention. The Canada Day Parade and Celebration is advertised on
a local radio station and in the local newspaper; however, promotion for this event has not reached the
urban areas nearby. A marketing strategy has never been created for the Village, but one is needed to
renew its identity and put Atwood “on the map”.
4.0
Market Research
4.1
Market Research Goals and Objectives
4.1.1
Goals
The market analysis revealed that Atwood has a lot to offer to families with young children and
that there must be features that both families and commuters like about the community. It also revealed
that there are improvements being made to the community to allow for more growth to occur. What is not
known is why the community’s business district and population is not growing. The first goal of the
market research is to determine if the residents’ needs are currently being fulfilled by the services and
businesses offered in the Village. The second goal is to find out if the current infrastructure (both hard
and soft) in the community is adequate for the development of new businesses. By achieving these goals,
an appropriate marketing strategy can be developed that recognizes and markets the strengths of the
community and attempts to fill any gaps in the community environment and structure.
4.1.2
Objectives
To achieve the goals described above, the following objectives will be addressed in the market
research:
Taralyn Martin 20206400  To find out what aspects residents like about the community
14 
To determine any disadvantages of living in the community, as identified by community members

To determine whether the community would support additional services and businesses offered in
the Village and what type of businesses and services they would like to see in the community
4.2

To find out if business owners are satisfied operating a business in Atwood

To determine the advantages of operating a business in Atwood

To identify any problems faced by current business owners in Atwood
Baseline Information
Based on evidence from other villages and the research that was previously mentioned, residents
of Atwood are likely to mention that they like the peaceful environment and that they like being a short
drive away from a number of larger centres. The Village of Creemore Ontario, which is approximately 40
minutes west of Barrie has used these characteristics to market the community to urban dwellers.
Creemore is growing and currently has a population of approximately 1,300 people. Fifty of the business
owners in Creemore`s downtown formed the Creemore Business Improvement Area and they work
together to beautify the downtown and retain and attract businesses. This group also created a website to
showcase the strengths of this village that they say is just “a stone’s throw from the beaten track”
(Creemore Business Improvement Area, 2009).
There is also some information already known about the community that provides insight into the
findings of the market research; however, this information is not formally documented. First, it is not
always certain that residents will be able to access the businesses and services in Listowel every day.
Highway 23 connects Atwood to Listowel and is the only highway that passes through Atwood. This road
is often closed in the winter due to drifting snow and poor visibility. There are very few houses and trees
along the highway to block the wind so if there is snow on the ground and moderate to high winds, the
highway is usually closed. This highway is sometimes even closed for a number of days in a row. This
can be problematic, especially for families with babies or toddlers who made need essential items such as
diapers and formula that are only available at a grocery store.
Second, the Atwood community has been able to support a grocery store in the past. As
mentioned before, up until approximately a year ago, there was a small grocery store located in the
downtown area. The fact that a grocery store operated for so long in the community and was only closed
because of health and safety concerns is an indication that there is a market in Atwood for this type of
business.
Lastly, it is known that there are currently several commuters living in Atwood and many young
families. A number of residents commute to the Kitchener-Waterloo area. There is also physical evidence
that there are many young children living in the community. Many properties have swing sets and play
Taralyn Martin 15 20206400 areas and in the summer the pool is full of kids and the park is always well-used. There is a swimming
pool in Listowel, so it is unlikely that parents are driving their children over to Atwood to swim there.
Based on this information, the market research will focus on the needs of young families and
people that commute to urban centres. More details on the target market are described below.
4.3
Target Market for Research
Since Atwood has a very small population, all residents and business owners will be invited to
participate in the research. It is unlikely that many people living outside the community or at least those
living closer to Listowel would shop in Atwood and therefore data will only be collected from individuals
living in Atwood. There will be a focus on the needs of young families and commuters because they are
likely to spend money on goods in the community; shopping in the same community one lives in is
convenient. As described in the previous section, it is also assumed that there are a lot of families living in
the Village and therefore it is essential that their needs are addressed. It is obvious that there is something
that young families like about the community and it is important to find out what this is and use it to
market the community to other young families. By attracting young families, the population will increase,
support to local businesses should increase and it is anticipated that individuals with children will become
involved in the community.
4.4
Methodology
4.4.1
Data Collection
In order to answer the research questions and objectives, qualitative research will be conducted to
collect both resident data and business owner data. This approach is necessary to gather detailed data on
the pros and cons of living and doing business in Atwood. Resident data will be collected from every
household in Atwood. Last year, every household in Atwood had to register with the Atwood Sewer
Project to be hooked up to the new sewer system in the community. At that time, 340 households
registered and there have not been any new homes constructed since (R. Martin, personal communication,
March 5, 2010). Therefore, 340 households will be sampled as part of the market research.
Surveys will be used to collect resident data. The survey instrument will be designed so that all
the questions can be answered in less than 20 minutes (See Appendix B for a list of sample questions).
Although all home-owners are encouraged to participate, regardless of age, questions will be aimed at
individuals who have young children or commute a long distance to work. The surveys will collect
information on the demographics of the population of Atwood; residents’ places of employment; the
businesses that residents shop at and the services they use; and their opinion of the community. Specific
questions will be asked to find out what businesses and services they would like to see in Atwood.
Surveys will be delivered door-to-door and with the cooperation of the owners of Ralph’s Gas Station, the
Atwood Café and the approval of the workers at the Post Office, residents will be able to drop their
Taralyn Martin 16 20206400 surveys off at these locations. It is expected that residents will complete them within a two week period.
By allowing residents to complete the survey in two weeks, residents will be able to complete the survey
at their earliest convenience, but will not be given a long period of time so they do not forget to complete
them.
Focus groups will be used to collect data from business owners in the downtown area and from
business owners in other areas of Atwood. Business owners are likely to collaborate with one another to
come up with ways to improve the shopping environment for consumers and attract new customers. An
increase in visitors to the community benefits all business owners and in the case of the downtown
businesses, an increase in foot traffic benefits all of them. It is also likely that business owners will have
some of the same concerns. Therefore, by bringing business owners together to talk about the advantages
of doing business in Atwood and the challenges they face, it is hoped that detailed information can be
gathered and that good solutions to the problems they may currently be facing can be discussed. Only
seven questions have been created to facilitate the discussion because spontaneous conversation is likely
to occur (Appendix C lists some of the questions that will be asked).
Two focus groups will be held at a public location (likely the Atwood Community Centre). The
first focus group will include all the business owners in the downtown area. There are approximately
eight businesses in the downtown, which includes the library and post office. The second focus group will
include business owners operating a business outside of the downtown area. There are approximately
seven of these businesses. It is anticipated that the business owners in the downtown will have concerns
about the state of the buildings they operate their business out of; therefore by separating business owners
into two groups based on their location, more attention can be given to this problem.
4.4.2
Data Analysis
Descriptive statistics will be used to analysis the data from the surveys. The first three objectives
of the market research will be addressed through the analysis of the surveys completed by Atwood
residents. The first objective is to find out what aspects residents like about the community. There is an
open-ended question on the survey to meet this objective. Residents are asked on the survey instrument
what they think the strengths of the community are. Their answers will be grouped in categories of
different types of strengths such as, physical environment, social environment, location and amenities and
services. The second objective is to determine the disadvantages of living in the community. Again, there
is an open-ended question on the survey that asks residents to list the weaknesses of the community,
which meets this objective. Their answers will be grouped into similar categories as the strengths. The
results of the analysis of these two objectives will reveal the elements of the community that should be
marketed to people living outside Atwood (the strengths) in order to attract new residents. It will also
uncover, which elements need to be improved for considerable growth to occur. The final objective
Taralyn Martin 20206400 determines if the community would support additional services and businesses. A number of survey
17 questions were created to meet this objective. Residents will be asked what services they currently use
and what services they would like to see brought into the community. Individuals with children are asked
specifically if they would support a day care in Atwood. Residents are also asked if they think that
Atwood needs more businesses or a certain type of business. The answers will be grouped and the
findings will determine if there is a market for additional services and businesses in Atwood.
The analysis of the data collected from the focus groups will be a little more difficult than the
analysis of the surveys because there is not as much structure. Reoccurring themes and answers will be
categorized to answer the three objectives related to business development (the last three objectives listed
in section 3.1.3). If similar weaknesses of the business environment are being mentioned by participants,
they will be identified as problems that the community needs to address immediately. Similar to the
evaluation of the findings of the resident surveys, the strengths of the business environment will be
identified as elements to market to potential business owners to attract new businesses to the community.
4.4.3
Advantages and Limitations
There are some advantages and limitations to the methodology used in this market research. An
advantage to using surveys to collect data from residents in this community is that every household can be
sampled. It would be impossible to conduct 340 interviews. Since every resident gets to voice their
opinion, accurate representations can be made about the population. Data can also be collected in a short
amount of time from participants and this method does not require a lot of money. The advantages to
using focus groups is that they are an easy way to collect a lot of detailed information in a short amount of
time and participants can build on each other’s answers; more data is then collected (Region of Waterloo
Public Health, 2003).
A limitation of surveys is that mailed surveys tend to have low response rates (as part of this
research, surveys will not be mailed back; however residents will need to take them to a certain location).
It is not uncommon to only receive back 20 to 30 per cent of the surveys sent out (Nardi, 2003). In the
case of this market research though, every household is being given a survey and therefore it is
anticipated that enough surveys will be returned that the results can be generalized. The survey instrument
being used in this market research will have a number of closed-ended questions so that the analysis can
be done quicker. A disadvantage to using more closed-ended questions than open-ended questions on the
survey, is that responses are more limited (Nardi, 2003). Therefore, a participant may be forced to choose
an option provided that is not in agreement with the answer they have to the question. To minimize this
problem, an option is provided, for some questions, for other responses.
A disadvantage to using focus groups to collect data from business owners is that the data may be
difficult to analyze. Although the facilitator will ask direct questions, the information will be unstructured
Taralyn Martin 18 20206400 because participants are free to discuss the questions with other participants (Region of Waterloo Public
Health, 2003). When creating the timeline for the market research, this was taken into consideration and a
significant amount of time has been allocated to data analysis. Another disadvantage is that participants
may conform to another’s idea and not reveal how they truly feel about a subject (Region of Waterloo
Public Health, 2003). Since the group sizes are very small in this study, it is hoped that business owners
will feel comfortable expressing their own opinion on matters.
4.5
Timeframe
This last section of the Market Research Plan outlines the time it will take to complete the
research. This market research will take approximately two months to complete. The following chart
gives a detailed timeline of the market research process.
Date
rd
Activity
Comments
April 10 and
Surveys administered
Surveys administered on a weekend so that the data
April 11th 2010
to residents of
collectors are more likely to find someone at home.
(Saturday and
Atwood
Speaking to the residents and telling them why this
Sunday)
information is needed will increase the chances of them
returning the survey.
Week of April 12th
Focus groups held at
Depending on the availability of business owners, focus
2010 or week of
the Atwood
groups will be held sometime during these two weeks after
Community Centre
business hours.
April 26 2010
Surveys to be
All of the surveys that have been returned will be collected
(Monday)
collected from the
this day; however, any surveys dropped-off late will be
drop-off locations
considered until the data analysis process is completed.
th
April 19 2010 (in
the evening)
Individuals frequently visit the drop-off locations, which is
why they were chosen.
April 26 to May 26
Data Analysis
2010
The analysis process will take approximately one month to
complete. This will allow for a thorough analysis to be
done.
June 21 2010
Conclusions of study
The conclusions of the market research study will be
released
completed and released to the public on June 21st. The
results will be posted at the survey drop-off locations and a
summary will be printed in the local newspaper.
Taralyn Martin 20206400 5.0
Marketing Goals and Objectives
5.1
19 Short-Term Goal and Objectives
Keeping in line with the community’s objectives that were identified in the introduction of this plan,
two marketing goals have been created. The short-term goal is to revitalize the downtown area of Atwood
and retain and attract residents. To achieve this goal within two to three years, the following objectives
have been created:

Apply for funding through the Rural Economic Development (RED) Grant Program for
downtown revitalization

Beautify the downtown by doing façade improvements, adding flower boxes, benches and trees

Create a slogan for the community

Create a webpage for Atwood and create a link to this webpage from The Municipality of North
Perth’s website

Create a Facebook group that showcases the rural lifestyle and the businesses and services

Advertise the community in nearby urban areas

Promote Canada Day festivities in urban areas

Relocate the library and create new children’s programs

Create a community newsletter
One of the community’s goals is to have an aesthetically pleasing and welcoming environment.
The downtown area is currently an eyesore and it is a landmark that everyone sees as they are passing
through the Village on Highway 23. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(OMAFRA) offers a RED Grant Program, which provides up to 50 percent of the costs of projects that
benefit rural Ontario. A downtown revitalization project requires a significant amount of funds and since
this is a very small community, additional sources of funding are necessary. With this grant funding,
downtown revitalization and beautification can take place, which will make the community more
attractive and inviting. A fresh coat of paint on the buildings, new window coverings, new signs, plants
and benches will renew the image of the downtown. Research has shown that downtown revitalization
projects can attract new residents, which would fulfil the short-term goal.
Atwood strives to have an identity that is separate from Listowel and the surrounding
communities. To maintain this identity, Atwood must counter decline and welcome change. To set this
community apart from others, a slogan and logo for the community will be created (a sample logo has
been given on the next page). To further attract people to the community, a website and Facebook group
will also be created. The internet has become a common tool for accessing information. By creating a
website for Atwood, it is anticipated that more people will find out about this small community and learn
Taralyn Martin 20206400 about what it has to offer. The website will
20 have a link to the community profile, which
provides details about the community that
potential residents and business owners
would be interested in knowing. Included in
the community profile will be a section
about economic development and
information useful to individuals starting a
new business (See Appendix E for an outline of the community profile). Atwood now has fibre optic
connections and this will make starting a business from home possible. The website will also include a
map of the community, the Village’s history, a business and service directory, a map showing land
available for development and a calendar of events. The website will also be linked from the Municipality
of North Perth’s website and Perth County’s website. Social media is another way to reach the public,
especially younger generations. A Facebook group will be created that will include information similar to
what is given in the community profile. The Facebook group will also provide a networking opportunity
for Atwood residents and business owners and potential residents and business owners. Members of the
group will be encouraged to share their experiences in Atwood to give people that are unfamiliar with the
Village a feel for the community. Concerns may be expressed on the Facebook group page as this will
give some direction on how to further improve the community.
As mentioned before, research has shown that rural areas that tied to urban areas through
commuting are more likely to grow. Therefore, two of the marketing objectives focus on creating this tie
and making individuals that currently live in a nearby urban area aware that this small village exists. A
flyer will be created that includes a description of the community and what it has to offer as well as well
as pictures that showcases the community’s peaceful, clean environment. Atwood’s website address will
also be given on the flyer so individuals can get more information about the community. Approximately
500 of these flyers will be placed in real estate offices in the three closest urban areas to Atwood:
Kitchener/Waterloo, Stratford and Guelph. Individuals that are looking to move outside the busy city will
see these flyers at their local real estate office and learn that they can enjoy a small town lifestyle without
giving up their job in the city. Another marketing objective is to promote Canada Day festivities. It was
mentioned previously that the Canada Day festivities are currently advertised in the local newspaper and
on the local radio station. By promoting Atwood’s Canada Day festivities to individuals in urban areas
through newspaper advertisements, it is hoped that these individuals with come to the Village and get a
“taste” of the small town lifestyle and want to return. The Canada Day festivities include a parade,
children’s games, free family swimming, a baseball tournament, live music and a barbeque.
Taralyn Martin 20206400 The final two objectives will improve the function and operation of some of the community
21 activities that are offered in Atwood. These objectives relate to community goals because having a safe
community with a variety of services and activities is important to the people living in Atwood. Currently
the Atwood Library is not able to host children’s programs because there is not enough room. By
relocating the library to the Atwood Memorial Community Centre, the library would be able to run
children’s programs. Moving the library to the community centre would also solve the problem of the
high maintenance costs that the library currently has to pay. The last objective is to create a community
newsletter, which would keep residents informed about the activities taking place in their community. A
newsletter would be issued to residents twice a year; the first issue will focus on activities for all ages
during the spring and summer months and the second issue will describe activities for all ages taking
place during the fall and winter months. These two objectives will retain current residents and attract new
residents to the community.
5.2
Long-Term Goal and Objectives
The long-term marketing goal is to attract new businesses and services to the community that will
cater to families and promote further population growth. By attaining the short-term goal it is anticipated
that the long-term goal will be achieved. This goal is consistent with community goals because the
community believes in growth and welcomes outside businesses. Downtown revitalization will make the
downtown area more attractive to potential business owners and an increase in visitors to the downtown
will encourage more business development. By promoting the new services that Atwood has (sanitary
sewers and fibre optics), it is hoped that more businesses will locate in Atwood and that there will be an
increase in entrepreneurs operating their businesses from home. The new Atwood website will also make
it easier for individuals to start a business and prove that the Village welcomes outside businesses because
it will have a map that shows lands available for development. There will also be a growth in business
development by attracting new residents because there will be a larger market for products and services.
Once potential business owners see a need for a store or service, they are likely to create a business that
will respond to these needs. New businesses and services will promote further population growth.
6.0
Target Audience
6.1
Target Population
Marketing initiatives will target young
families. Marketing efforts will focus on
retaining and attracting residents and there are
already a number of young families in the
community, which makes this target population
Taralyn Martin 22 20206400 reasonable. Young families, especially those from urban areas, will be looking for a safe, quiet, affordable
community to raise their children; Atwood can offer families this type of living environment. By
attracting young families, it is hoped that school enrolment will increase and activity enrolment will
increase. As mentioned previously, enrolment in the local elementary school has been declining and if the
school enrolment does not increase in the short-term, the school may close. Another benefit of attracting
families is that they will spend more money on goods than couples without children and seniors. They are
also more likely to patronize local stores because it is convenient; this is especially true for commuters
with young children.
6.2
Target Businesses and Services
Since the target population is young families, marketing initiatives will also target businesses and
services that cater to the needs of these families. Atwood currently does not have a grocery store where
residents can pick up items, such as bread and milk and as mentioned in the situational analysis, this type
of business is needed in the community. Many young families will also require diapers and formula that
are available at grocery stores. After a few renovations, a small grocery store could locate in the same
building where the old grocery store operated. Parents with babies and/or toddlers will also need a day
care. Residents in Atwood currently must drive their children to Listowel for day care; however this is
inconvenient especially for people commuting to the city for employment. There is vacant land close to
the downtown area where a day care could be built. By attracting these types of businesses, community
members will not have to drive to other towns to buy these goods and services and there will be growth in
the local economy.
Employment opportunities are also needed with an increase in population. A small grocery store
and day care will not employ many people; however there is some vacant industrial land along the
northern boundaries of the Village where a larger manufacturing business could operate. As stated
previously, the Municipality of North Perth has a large agriculture and manufacturing sector so attracting
this type of business makes sense. At the present time, there are no abattoirs located within the boundaries
of the Municipality of North Perth and people must travel outside the area to get fresh meat. This type of
plant would have a market in Atwood and would provide jobs to residents.
7.0
Positioning
To achieve the marketing goals, Atwood will be positioned as a community that is smaller than
Listowel and other towns, but offers more activities for families than communities of a similar size.
Listowel is a small urban settlement and some individuals will be looking to live in a smaller, quieter
community. Atwood also has a friendlier environment because residents tend to know each other. Despite
being smaller, Atwood does have a community centre, a swimming pool, a library and a hardware store
Taralyn Martin 20206400 and these services and business are missing from other villages in the surrounding area. These
23 characteristics make Atwood an attractive place to both work and live in.
8.0
Marketing Mix
This marketing plan uses a holistic approach by focusing on community economic development.
The purpose of this section of the plan is to summarize the strategies used to influence the target
audience.
8.1
Product
Atwood offers a small-town lifestyle, family activities, a variety of housing and fibre optic
connections. It is a safe community to raise children in and there are a number of activities for kids to
participate in. Atwood is also surrounded by agricultural land and offers a clean environment. There is a
variety of housing in the Village and lots are much bigger than the ones found in urban areas and in
Listowel, which is great for families. The new fibre optic connections make it possible to operate a
business from home, which is another product to entice the target audience to live or work in Atwood.
Young families are also likely to do renovation projects and there is a Rona in the Village.
8.2
Price
Housing is more affordable in Atwood than in urban centres and rent is also cheaper. This makes
Atwood a great place for business start-ups and for families. Parking is also free in the community. A
variety of activities for all age groups are offered in the community either at no cost or for a small fee.
8.3
Place
Atwood is located on a Provincial Highway and is less than one hour’s drive from Stratford,
Kitchener/Waterloo, Guelph and Goderich. Its location is perfect for businesses and residents because
they benefit from the community’s affordability, but urban areas and a larger market are still accessible.
8.4
Promotion
Both print media and the internet will be used to promote the community. A slogan and logo for
the community will be developed (a sample was given earlier) to convey the message that an individual
can feel at home in this community. Newspaper ads will be created to inform people about the Canada
Day festivities that take place in the community every year. These ads and the community newsletter that
will be printed twice a year, show that this is a family community and that there are lots of exciting
activities to participate in year round. Flyers will also be printed and distributed in nearby urban areas to
promote the product, price and place that Atwood has to offer. These flyers will convey the message that
Atwood is “the little village next door” and that urban dwellers do not have to travel far to fulfill their
wishes of raising a family in a small, quiet, affordable community.
The internet will also be used to promote the community. A website for Atwood will be
developed to provide information about the community to the public. This website will show that Atwood
Taralyn Martin 20206400 is “open for business” by providing a map that shows vacant land that is able to be developed for
24 commercial or industrial use. The website and the Facebook group that will be created will also convey
the same messages as the flyers; that this is a safe, quiet, affordable community that is perfect for raising
children.
Downtown revitalization is also used to promote the community. By cleaning up the downtown
and beautify it by adding plants and benches, a more welcoming atmosphere is created.
9.0
Evaluation Plan
Since a holistic approach is taken in this marketing plan, both economic development and
community development will be measured. Economic development will be measured by a change in foot
traffic, sales and the housing market. Any increase in foot traffic and sales is good for the local economy
and this marketing plan will be deemed successful if the rate of residential development increases. During
the past decade, fewer than ten houses have been built. Therefore, if two or more houses are built in
Atwood each year that the plan is implemented, then the plan will have been successful at attracting
residents. This evaluation method for economic development has been selected because Atwood is a
small community and business owners will have a fairly accurate account of how many people visit their
businesses and what their sales are each year. Since this strategy also focuses on attracting residents,
determining how many building permits are issued in Atwood each year is a direct way to measure the
change in households. Monitoring the success of the strategy is important and therefore evaluation will
take place at the end of each year.
Community development will be measured by getting feedback from residents and business
owners about the community’s environment and by a change in activity enrolment in the community. If
there is more positive feedback than negative feedback from community members and business owners,
this marketing plan has been successful at fostering community development. Feedback can be collected
from talking to people in the downtown or even from the Facebook group page. A positive change in the
enrolment of activities taking place in the community is an indication that more people are becoming
involved with their community. This evaluation method has been chosen because when assessing
community development is it important to talk to community members themselves. Talking to people will
provide qualitative data. Activity enrolment numbers are collected to obtain quantifiable information. The
evaluation of community development will also take place each year.
10.0
Budget
The following table provides a list of elements that are part of the marketing strategy and their
associated costs. Details of the elements are also given in the table to provide justification of the costs. It
is assumed that a person already working for the Economic Development Department in Perth County
will market the community and therefore wages are not included in the marketing costs.
Taralyn Martin 20206400 25 Element
Details
Cost
Market Research
Survey instrument design, creating
$400 (printing costs, overtime
focus group questions, data collection
hours)
and analysis
Downtown
Painting ($3,050), new signs ($3,200),
$8,000 (including RED Grant
Revitalization and
window dressings ($400), benches
money, not including
Beautification
($400), flower boxes ($150), trees ($800)
community member
contribution)
Print Media and
500 flyers in real estate offices in urban
Internet Promotion
areas, website creation, newspaper
$1,500
advertisements, community newsletter
Cost Before Funding:
$9,900
Assumed Red Grant Funding:
$4000
Total Cost:
$5,900
To get an idea of the revenue from this strategy, it can be stated that one new customer is gained
from every $50 spent on advertising. It is estimated the $1,500 will be spent on print media and internet to
attract new residents. This means that it is projected that this promotional activity alone will attract 30
new residents ($1,500/$50). It was stated previously that the residential taxes in Atwood are
approximately $1,455 a year. If 30 new dwellings are built, this means that there is a projected revenue of
$43,650 or $37,750 for the Municipality once the costs of the marketing strategy are deducted. It is also
assumed that downtown revitalization will attract new businesses to the community, which is another
source of revenue.
11.0
Implementation Plan
This plan will be implemented over a period of five years. After five years it will be decided if
any strategies will be continued into the future. The short-term marketing goal is to be met within three
years. An employee of Perth County that works in the Economic Development Department will be
responsible for the plan’s implementation. This person will work with the Information and Technology
Department to create a website for the community and a Facebook group within the first six months. Also
Taralyn Martin 26 20206400 during the first six months, the flyers that will be distributed in urban areas will be designed as well as the
community newsletter. Once the design process is over, they can be distributed. The community
newsletter will be distributed twice a year; therefore a new newsletter will need to be created during the
second half of the year. A location where these newsletters can be picked up by residents will also have to
be determined. Assuming that the post office workers allow it, picking newsletters up at the Atwood Post
Office would be convenient for all residents. Promotion of the Canada Day festivities will begin the end
of May. Downtown revitalization will take place over a period of three years. During the first year, an
application can be made to OMAFRA for RED grant funding. Once funding has been secured, business
owners and individuals that own commercial buildings in the downtown area can make improvements to
their buildings. It is expected that these improvements will be made within a year; however some
beautification projects may require an additional summer for completion. By implementing these shortterm strategies, it is expected that long-term goal will be met within five years.
12.0
Recommendations and Conclusion
It is recommended that this strategy be implemented to promote population growth and business
development in the Village of Atwood. A marketing strategy has never been created for Atwood and
marketing activities for this community have been limited. This marketing strategy will create a new
image for Atwood, which will retain and attract residents and businesses.
The situational analysis in the plan highlighted Atwood’s assets as well as identified the
weaknesses of the Village and areas of improvement. Based on this analysis and baseline information
collected from the market research, a marketing strategy was proposed. Keeping in mind the size of the
community and the budget that is likely available, this marketing strategy was designed to be simple and
many of the objectives can be met in a short amount of time with few resources being required.
Downtown revitalization and website creation should take place immediately. The downtown
area is unattractive and does not provide a welcoming environment to individuals entering the Village on
Highway 23. By revitalizing and beautifying the downtown, more people passing through the town might
stop at the businesses and the number of people interested in either working or living in Atwood would
likely increase. A website is also needed because most people living outside the Municipality, likely have
never heard of the Village. The majority of the marketing objectives focus on advertising the Village for
this reason. If people do not know that this village exists, then individuals looking to raise their children
in a small community may locate in a rural community adjacent to the urban area they currently live in;
however, if they knew about Atwood, they may consider moving here. Along with a small-town lifestyle
and accessibility to urban areas, Atwood offers affordable homes, a variety of activities for children and a
Rona, which will help them establish their new home.
Taralyn Martin 27 20206400 With new families moving into the community, new businesses and services are likely to open
that respond to their needs. Atwood has the potential to be a great place to both live and work in;
believing in its potential and taking action to revitalize and promote the Village are necessary steps
towards this goal.
Taralyn Martin 20206400 13.0
References
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from: http://blog.amdsb.ca/accommodation-pages/accommodation-review/
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http://www.creemoreontario.com/creemore/home/index.asp
Dahms, F. A. (1995). ‘Dying Villages’, ‘Counterurbanization’ and the Urban Field: a
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Mitchell, C.J.A. (2004). Making Sense of Counterurbanization. Journal of Rural Studies,
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Municipality of North Perth. (2005). Accessed February 25, 2010 from
http://www.northperth.ca/
Nardi, P. (2003). Doing Survey Research: A Guide to Quantitative Methods. Boston:
Pearson Education, Inc.
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March 30, 2010 from: http://www.peopleforeducation.com/schoolclosingreport/nov2009
Perth County. (August 13, 2009). Designation Change for Atwood and Shakespeare Settlement
Areas. County Council Report.
Perth County. (2010). Accessed February 25, 2010 from http://www.perthcounty.ca/
Region of Waterloo Public Health. (2003). Focus Groups: Quick Guide. Accessed March 1,
2010 from http://www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/hsg/documents/QUICK_GUIDE_-_focusgroupsDS.pdf
Remax. (2010). Accessed March 2, 2010 from: http://www.remaxoa.com/Pages/Find.aspx?search=property
Rural Economic Development Data and Intelligence. (2009). Community Economic Analysis
Tools. Accessed February 27, 2010 from http://cscroute.mah.gov.on.ca/Reddi/
Statistics Canada. (1997a). Elma Township, Ontario (table). 1996 Community Profiles. 1996
Taralyn Martin 20206400 Census.
29 http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil/Details/details1.cfm?SEARCH=BEGINS&ID=7431&PS
GC=35&SGC=3531036&DataType=1&LANG=E&Province=35&PlaceName=Listowel&CMA=
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Census.
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GC=35&SGC=3531042&DataType=1&LANG=E&Province=35&PlaceName=Listowel&CMA=
0&CSDNAME=Listowel&A=&TypeNameE=Town (accessed March 3, 2010).
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October 3, 2008).
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9.pdf
Taralyn Martin 20206400 Appendix A
Adapted from the Perth County Community Profile (2009)
30 Taralyn Martin 20206400 Appendix B
(Perth County, August 13, 2009)
31 Taralyn Martin 20206400 32 Appendix C
Atwood Resident Survey Questions
1. Gender: [ ] male [ ] female
2. Age: [ ] 19 years or under [ ] 20 to 34 years [ ] 35 to 49 years [ ] 50 to 64 years
[ ] 65 years or older
3. Have you lived in Atwood your entire life? [ ] yes [ ] no
If no, why did you choose to move to Atwood? [ ] employment [ ] family [ ] small town life style
[ ] other
4. Place of employment: [ ] in Atwood [ ] within the municipality [ ] in Perth County [ ] an urban
centre [ ] other ____________________
5. Marital Status: [ ] single [ ] married [ ] divorced [ ] widowed
6. Do you have any children living with you under the age of 18? [ ] yes [ ] no
If yes, how many children under the age of 18? [ ] 1-2 [ ] 3-4 [ ] more than 4
If yes, would your family benefit from having a day care centre in the community? [ ] yes [ ] no
7. What community facilities and services do you or your family use in Atwood (check all that
apply)? [ ] swimming pool [ ] park [ ] tennis courts or baseball diamonds [ ] hiking trails [ ] public
library [ ] community centre [ ] other _____________
8. What additional community facilities or services would you like to see offered in Atwood?
_________________________________________________________
9. Are there any businesses that are not currently operating in Atwood that you would to see in this
community? [ ] yes [ ] no
If yes, what type of business? ___________________________________________
10. If a small grocery store opened in Atwood, how frequently would you visit it? [ ] never
[ ] less than once a month [ ] once a month [ ] two or three times a month [ ] every week
11. Based on your living experience in Atwood, in your opinion what are the strengths of this
community? ________________
_________________
___________________
12. Based on your living experience in Atwood, in your opinion what are the weaknesses of this
community? _______________
_________________
_______________
13. Would you recommend living in this community to others? [ ] yes [ ] no
If no, why not? ___________________________________________________
Taralyn Martin 20206400 Appendix D
Sample Focus Group Questions
1. What are the advantages of operating a business in Atwood?
2. By your definition, has your business been successful in Atwood?
If yes, why do you think this is so?
3. What are the disadvantages of operating a business in Atwood?
4. How could these disadvantages be eliminated?
5. Are there other types of businesses that you think would do well in the community that are not
currently operating here?
If yes, would these businesses increase the sales of your own business (either through direct or
indirect sales)?
33 Taralyn Martin 20206400 34 Appendix E
An Outline of the Sections and Information to be Included in the Atwood Community Profile
About the Community

Population Statistics - including population growth statistics, income distribution,
household income and number of people employed in each industry (these statistics
would be of the Municipality of North Perth)

History - a brief history of the community

Maps - a map of the community in relation to other communities and a street map of the
community

Climate – average annual temperature, rainfall and snowfall and the number of frost free
days
Community Life

Community Organizations – a list giving the contact information for all the community
organizations

Education – contact information for all the education institutions

Religious Institutions – addresses and contact information for churches and other places
of worship

Medical Care – addresses and contacts for area hospitals, health clinics and veterinary
clinics

Housing – links to local real estate agents, affordable housing locations and contacts

Arts and Culture – information about museums, libraries, theatres, festivals and events

Sports and Recreation – programs offered at recreation complexes and hours of
operation, a list of sports clubs and information about conservation areas

Media and Communications – local newspapers, radio stations, televisions stations and
phone and internet providers
Town Hall

Services and Departments – a list of all municipal services and departments and their
contacts

Utilities –what services are available (most of Atwood is fully serviced with sewers and
water)

Finances and Taxes – information about financial assistance and taxes
Taralyn Martin 20206400 35 Visitors

Accommodations –addresses and contact information of local hotels, campgrounds, bed
and breakfasts, etc.

Places to Eat – addresses and contact information of restaurants, bakeries, etc.

Festivals and Events – descriptions of festivals and events in the community

Shopping – addresses of shopping outlets

Things to see and do – local attractions, recreation facilities

Visitor Information – address and contact information for the community’s tourism
centre
Economic Development

Transportation – transportation networks in the area

Financial Assistance – descriptions of grants available and contact information

Land Available for Development – addresses of land that is available for development
(Outline created based on a community profile critique submitted for the course LED 685)