Page 46 - High Knob Master Plan

REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT
These strategies look to the High Knob Regional Initiative (HKRI) to bring regional assets and stakeholders together for marketing and communication.
1. Establish a Communication Council to Identify and Implement Regional Initiatives- This could be a continuation of the HKRI Community Participation and Marketing committee with marketing partners that represent area communities and destinations. The committee would establish an internal work plan to implement branding and communication strategies, including identifying cooperative funding strategies for regional marketing.
2. Create a HKRI Facebook User Group- This should connect to social media platforms of partner groups and businesses in order to grow awareness of the Initiative and its efforts to leverage outdoor assets to grow local economies. The page should be managed to promote regional events, activities and businesses to local residents. Similarly, a visitor Facebook page could be created from the existing HKRI Facebook page. Multiple administrators, perhaps one from each county, can be used to create content and upload events.
3. Create a High Knob Region Internal Website- Partner with Friends of Southwest Virginia (SWVA) to incorporate the regional brand into the existing High Knob presence. Consider using www.virginiasbackyard.com in any promotional advertising for High Knob to direct people to the SWVA site (http://www. opportunityswva.org/).
4. Establish a Partner Communication Strategy- Working with the HKRI community participation committee, establish communication strategies, goals and benchmarks for various partners, including government, public, property owners, volunteers, and funders. Branded strategy worksheets were created as part of this master plan.
5. Coordinate a “PARKing Day” Placemaking Strategy- Build local awareness of High Knob regional assets by bringing activity into the communities through tactical placemaking. This would be branded as PARKing Day whereby events would be coordinated in various High Knob downtowns to highlight destinations (Flag Rock Recreation Area, etc) by creating “parklets” in parking spaces to market and promote the destination.
6. Coordinate a “Backyard Proud” Initiative– Create a program 7. Establish a “Backyard Party” Effort- Celebrate successful projects,
to build community pride, foster volunteerism, and organize community cleanup days. The program would be branded based on “Backyard Proud” internal messaging and would focus on engagement and public service.
new start-up businesses and other achievements by connecting them to the regional identity, reinforcing the importance of community efforts. The branded “Backyard Party” would be promoted through social media, ribbon cuttings, and other events to highlight these achievements.
government
public
PARKing Day Parklet Idea in Downtown
Internal Communication Sheets
Backyard Proud Community Pride Initiative
46 CHAPTER 7: THE HIGH KNOB BRAND
HIGH KNOB REGIONAL INITIATIVE