Executive Directors Message...

I am excited to share with you that I have spent time over the past few weeks meeting some of our members, contacting marketing and tourism partners in the state and beyond and planning ways to enhance our association. I am very excited by the numerous opportunities that Freeport offers to leverage our business and community. We have a strong future together and I am looking forward to meeting every member and working with our entire Association.

The 10th anniversary of the “Fall in the Village Art Festival” will happen on September 6th (rain date the 7th) this year at L.L.Bean’s Discovery Park on Morse Street from 9 to 5. To benchmark the 10th anniversary event we have extended the hours, added an activity table for kids that Kathleen Meade form the Maine Arts Workshop and the  Freeport Square Art Gallery will host. We have also invited the Freeport Elders to join us to sell raffle tickets for a chance to win a beautiful hand made quilt. Joe Cousins has generously allowed us to use one of his paintings as the graphic for our first t-shirt which will be on sale at the FMA registration table while supplies last!   Also on the same day there is a Music Festival from 11-5 on with musicians playing center stage with a very impressive line up that we are sure all will enjoy. Want to be a part of the day? We still have opportunities for volunteers to participate, contact Alison to get your assignment! Save the date –we look forward to seeing you there.

I am pleased to announce that the FMA Program Committee will conduct meetings for members four times a year as we go forward. This Quarterly Forum will allow members to get together and hear from each other, discuss topics of interest and or concern and brainstorm new ideas. It will also follow an agenda of topics that are of seasonal interest and will allow members to hear from FMA Committee Members, Board Members and the Executive Director.  We are looking forward to hosting our first Quarterly Forum on Tuesday September 23rd from 4pm to 8pm at the Freeport Community Center and then will host the morning meeting on Thursday September 25th from 7am to 10am with the same agenda at the Freeport Community Center. We have heard from many members that this type of meeting is desirable and look forward to your participation. We have also heard from members that the morning is the preferred  time for meetings and have heard from equally as many members that evening is the better time for meetings so we’ve listened and want to try both .The agenda will be posted for your review in September. If you would like more information contact Bev Raferty at Jockey. I look forward to seeing you at our first Quarterly Forum during one time or the other.

Remember FMA is your association. My goal is to engage in what matters to you most and represent your interests as outlined in the mission statement and reinforced in the strategic plan. I always want to know what is top of mind for you.  I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with you and look forward to hearing from you.

Myra

Drop the Data - Credit Card Fraud Prevention Seminar FREE to FMA members...

We  are  pleased to offer our Freeport Merchant Association Members one final opportunity to register for the Drop the Data seminar on September 9th from 12 to 2pm at the Hilton Garden Inn. This seminar is being sponsored by the Maine Merchants Association in conjunction with the US Chamber and Visa. Through our partnership with the Maine Merchants Association and their generosity we are able to offer this to you (our members) as a complimentary lunch and workshop. To register Call or e-mail Alison 865-1212 or awiest@freeportusa.com Protect Your Business and Customers from Data Theft on September 9, 2008!

Freeport eClub gives you lots of extra visibility...

Freeport eClub is among the many exciting and exclusive opportunities FMA members have to reach Freeport focused visitors.

As we've said before, the Freeport eClub is an opt-in online monthly newsletter which is delivered to folks that have expressed an interest in what's new and what's happening in Freeport, Maine.  (We sent you an online sample of it a couple of weeks ago.) It is delivered in a way very similar to this FMA member's newsletter.

The people that sign up to receive the Freeport eClub are both regular tourism visitors and local/regional friends that frequent our town. Every day the list grows longer. The most important thing is that these folks are interested enough in Freeport to go to the effort to register for email notification about what's doing! We can't say strongly enough how important that kind of customer base can be to your business!

As we settle into a format for Freeport eClub we will use a magazine-type delivery schedule. This means a new newsletter will be delivered to the consumer approximately 10 days prior to the beginning of the month.

The eClub is a way for YOU to get YOUR message to customers - and it's part of your FMA member services. Please send any information you have about upcoming sales, special events, new product introductions, product reviews, etc. to us so we can include it in the eClub blast. All Freeport eClub material or questions should be directed to Dick at dcollins@freeportusa.com. Material should be submitted by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Sales and Marketing Seminars Coming...

Some time ago, a joint FEDC, FMA survey of Freeport businesses indicated an interest in sales and marketing training programs.In response, FEDC in partnership with FMA is presenting 3 marketing and sales seminars this fall. They will be held the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Freeport Community Center, 7:30am - 9:30am. The seminars are free to all Freeport businesses. Seminar topics are as follows:
 
Sept 18 - "How to attract visitors into your business" Presented by Lawrence Hollins and John Viehman, Down East Magazine
 
October 16 - "Come back soon - Keeping in touch with your customers" Presented by Bill Judkins, business and management consultant from Freeport
 
November 20 - "Turning employees into salesmen for your business and products" Presented by Bill Judkins.

To register now for these free presentations please RSVP to Beverly Tefer (FEDC) at 865-4743 x 137.

Keeping up with it all in the Fall...

A lot happens in Freeport in the Fall. There's events like the Art Festival, Music Festival, Lobsterman Triathlon, the L.L.Bean Hunting Expo and so on. Plus we get many cruise ships into Portland with shore excursions to Freeport. It's also time for lots of motorcoach tours for foliage and shopping. Columbus weekend in October is now one of the biggest traffic weekends in town.

All of this activity serves to bring business to town and our members. To help you make the most of these opportunities by keeping informed and involved, we have lots of tools available to you 24/7 at www.FreeportUSA.com. It's easy to make it a regular part of your routine and your staff's responsibility to keep up with stuff in Freeport that could be important to your business!

Event Calendars, cruise ship schedules, special promo opportunities, newsletter archives and lots more are there to help you be more successful. No Internet access at work? It's all available from home, quick and easy. We promise it's more than worth the few minutes it'll take you to add www.FreeportUSA.com to your home surfing routine! Start keeping up with it all this Fall.