[0:00] I'm Rusty Ray and I'm here at the [0:02] offices of Westopoulos, the destination [0:04] marketing organization for the cities of [0:06] St. Louis Park and Golden Valley. And [0:08] I'm joined by the president, Becky [0:10] Bachan. Nice to see you. [0:11] >> Nice to see you as well. [0:12] >> Happy New Year. [0:12] >> Thank you. [0:13] >> And something to offer and something to [0:15] to talk with business owners in the two [0:17] cities about is something called [0:19] destination uplift. What are we talking [0:22] about here? What are you offering for [0:23] them? [0:23] >> Yeah. Well, we're offering something [0:24] we're super excited about. It's going to [0:26] be a series of 10 sessions. It's all [0:29] about marketing. Um, a lot of digital [0:32] marketing, but really all marketing. Um, [0:34] we want to make it super accessible to [0:36] all businesses in the St. Louis Park and [0:38] Golden Valley communities. It's free to [0:40] anyone who wants to to partake. Um, all [0:44] they have to do is scan a QR code that I [0:46] think we'll show later. Um, and the [0:49] sessions run for uh approximately a [0:52] year. They'll the first session will [0:54] start in February, February 26th at 9:00 [0:57] a.m. That one is unique. That one will [0:59] be in person um for two hours. And the [1:02] reason for that is we've partnered with [1:03] a really great digital agency called uh [1:06] 26 digital and they are going to be here [1:08] in person and it's just a great way for [1:10] them to sort of level set what the [1:11] program is all about. um take a little [1:13] bit of a deep dive, help people [1:15] understand if they don't have somebody [1:17] from their organization that they now [1:18] realize they should have be part of [1:20] this, they'll have an opportunity to ask [1:22] questions going forward. Then there will [1:24] be um nine more sessions. They are all [1:27] on the fourth Thursday of the month. And [1:29] I think the real beauty of these [1:30] programs are that they're offered in a [1:32] variety of ways. If you work best [1:35] putting it on your calendar and having [1:36] it a time, then you attend on that [1:38] fourth Thursday of the month. Um, if you [1:40] like to come in person, if you really [1:42] like to uh network and visit with others [1:44] and have a chance to talk about what [1:45] you've just learned, we're going to host [1:47] some um what we're calling watch parties [1:50] and they will happen at the same time [1:52] every month. Um people will have a [1:54] chance for a continental breakfast. [1:56] They'll have a chance to watch the [1:57] session together and talk about them [1:58] after. But thirdly, if if nine in the [2:01] morning just doesn't work for you um or [2:04] that or one particular session doesn't [2:06] work for you, these sessions will all [2:07] live um on a platform along with other [2:11] great marketing material that's [2:12] constantly getting added and updated, [2:14] tutorials and educational courses um and [2:17] the like and you can watch it really at [2:19] your leisure whenever you want, whenever [2:21] it's conducive to you. [2:22] >> Yeah, that's the key here. These are [2:24] busy folks. These are busy folks [2:25] >> trying to build a successful business or [2:27] maintain success or or attain more [2:30] success. And so you're really just [2:31] trying to make it available any way you [2:33] can. [2:33] >> We just want this available to any and [2:36] all businesses. I don't think there's [2:38] really any business too big or too [2:39] small. [2:40] >> Yeah, it is always changing. It's always [2:42] good to whether you've gone through this [2:43] or whether you've found success in the [2:45] digital realm with any of these things, [2:48] video or or looking at the metrics or [2:50] tracking your customer base or your [2:52] audiences or whatever the case may be. [2:54] You can always learn more and always [2:55] keep up. [2:56] >> Yep. Because truly there's little things [2:58] that you can add or tweak or change that [3:00] you didn't know about two weeks earlier. [3:02] >> Right. So, we'll put the QR code and [3:03] we'll put some more information at [3:05] ccdia.org. [3:06] But if folks are interested, now's the [3:08] time to sign up before that February uh [3:10] kickoff. Yep. And get involved in this [3:12] and kind of plan your year and know that [3:14] these are coming up and available a [3:16] variety of ways. [3:17] >> Yeah. And the other thing I'll just add [3:18] is uh there's no limit. If you are an [3:20] organization that wants to send one [3:21] person, if you're an organization that [3:23] wants to send five people, it's it's all [3:25] good with us. [3:26] >> All right, Becky with Westopoulos. Thank [3:28] you so much. [3:28] >> Thank you. [3:31] >> For more city stories, check out [3:33] ccdia.org [3:34] or or find us on social media.