February 1, 2012
Town to look at
marketing plan
by Vance Gutzman
Perception is not always reality.
That was the message a marketing firm handed down last week to members
of Deep River's planning and development committee.
Jennifer Layman, of the Petawawa-based "Forward Thinking Marketing
Group" presented her initial findings of ways and means of enticing
more people to live in the municipality.
The town engaged Layman's services this past fall to conduct the study
- for the first step of which she examined a number of topics.
One of them was how to attract more military families to town, and
Layman found that young military families prefer living close to CFB
Petawawa, because of the amenities afforded them there, while those who
do live here usually have older children, or kids in post-secondary
education or later.
Layman also looked at how to attract more AECL families to town.
There, she found that, while 879 employees of AECL do in fact live in
Deep River, those who don't are doing so for the same reason as stated
above - because the Petawawa and Pembroke areas offer more amenities.
Layman then dug into Deep River's demographics.
She went into the study with the initial supposition that 33 percent of
its residents were born and raised in Deep River.
What she learned, however, was that 60 percent of the town's residents
are third generation or more, while 15 percent are second generation
residents.
"You would think that number would be very different," she told members
of the development and planning committee.
In terms of actual newcomers, Layman initially supposed that 66 percent
of Deep River's residents are new to the area when, in fact, just 24
percent of the populace are first generation residents.
Layman then took a look at the perception that people may not choose to
live in Deep River because the town is viewed as "snooty" due to
the number of higher-education professionals living here.
That supposition, too, was turned on its ear after she did some
research into the topic.
"That didn't come up with anybody as a barrier to moving here," Layman
said.
Continuing on with her study, Layman looked at three areas where
council can take a tangible approach to attracting more people to town.
"Housing is a major issue in the community," Layman stated in her
report.
"There is a need for retirement-living residences, more new home
construction options and maintenance-free living for work professionals.
“The housing circumstance represents a major barrier to attracting
people to live in Deep River."
Layman added that opportunities exist for the town to improve its track
record of attracting new businesses, and to do an inventory of the
services the community has to offer.
Overall, she said, improving the manner in which the municipality
markets itself may be the key to attracting both new businesses and
residents to town.
"You also need to market it within the municipality," Layman said,
"Your own residents are your best sales force."
Layman's report to the development and planning committee is a
preliminary one, at this stage of the game, and she proposed that the
town commit itself to a three-year marketing process - allowing one
year to develop a marketing plan and two years to implement its various
aspects.
"The goal is, it needs to be sustainable," she said.
"I want it to work when I'm no longer involved in the process."
Layman's next task is to present the development and planning committee
with some concrete numbers and methods as to how such a marketing plan
can be developed.
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