[00:00:09]
MEETING TO ORDER, UM, TO START OFF WITH, WE'RE GOING TO DO LIKE A LITTLE ROLL CALL, EVERYBODY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM.
I'M THE BASS CHAIR, SAM BREAD.
THE CHAIRMAN WILL NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.
SO LIKE TRIBECA PRINGLE, KRISTI PARKER, ELLEN SHOEMAKER.
UM, HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THE MINUTES? THERE? ANY QUESTIONS, ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THEM? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
SO IF YOU'LL LOOK ON YOUR, ONE OF YOUR PAPERS HERE, IT'S LIKE THE THIRD OR FOURTH PAPER IN.
WE HAVE THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR'S ATEC MEETINGS.
AND AS USUAL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE QUARTERLY WITH THE FIRST ONE IN FEBRUARY IN MAY, AUGUST AND NOVEMBER OF 2022.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SCHEDULE? I MOVE, WE PRESENT THE SCHEDULE.
I MEAN, WE APPROVE THE SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED AND SECOND, I GUESS, UM, WE HAVE NEW BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO.
UM, CAN WE VOTE TO APPROVE THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND APPROVED.
UM, SO THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO, UH, ELECT A NEW PERSON FOR BASS CHAIR TONIGHT.
I APPROVED NOT TO MAKE THAT IF I HEAR ANY NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR, UH, SECOND NOMINATION, UM, MIKE DRIP.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MIKE TRIP GAUCHER YOUR NEW VICE CHAIR, NATALIE.
YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND PRESENT THE FINANCIALS? OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUNDS YET.
THEY'RE ESTIMATING IT AROUND TO BE, UM, $300,000.
UM, WITH THE NEW CENSUS NUMBERS, IT'S THROWN OFF SOME OF THEIR CALCULATIONS SO THAT THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THOSE FIGURES.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET, UM, A BETTER NUMBER AT THE END OF THE WEEK WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, THERE'S OVER $1.9 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION SPLIT BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES.
THERE ARE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING FUNDS THIS EVENING, THAT TOTAL $80,136.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO, TO ANSWER ANY OF THEM.
UM, AND SINCE I HAVE THE PODIUM, THANK YOU, JEAN, FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR DEDICATION, YOU WILL BE MISSED.
IT'S ONLY FOUR MEETINGS A YEAR THOUGH, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY OR IF YOU HAVE A GOOD CANDIDATE THAT WOULD WANT TO SERVE, WE WOULD WELCOME ANY APPLICATIONS.
IS IT A PARTICULAR SLOT THAT WE NEED TO FILL? YES.
SO ACTUALLY WITH JOE COMING OFF, HE HAD A LODGING SEAT.
UM, SO WE DO NEED SOMEBODY THAT IS IN LODGING AND JEAN, UM, SERVED AT LARGE AND WE ASKED THE BLUFFTON IN, UM, I BELIEVE IN THE PAST THEY HAVE SERVED, BUT THAT'S A GOOD, UM, A GOOD RECOMMENDATION TO SEE IF THEY WOULD VOLUNTEER.
UM, SO FIRST UP IS FARMER'S MARKET, DID IT?
[00:05:01]
YEAH, I HAVE A PRESENTATION.IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY IN PERSON THIS YEAR.
UM, I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS KIND OF SHORT AND SWEET.
SO I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST THAT I CAN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FARMER'S MARKET OF BLUFFTON.
UM, AND TONIGHT I'M HERE TO, UM, SUBMIT OUR APPLICATION FOR A TAX FUNDING FOR $37,900.
AND THAT'S OF OUR TOTAL PROJECT COST OF $100,000, 600, EXCUSE ME, 100,600.
AND THAT'S FOR 49 FIVE-HOUR EVENTS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE EVERY THURSDAY AND 2022.
UM, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, WE'VE HAD A HARD COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, MOVING AROUND AND GETTING SITUATED WITH COVID.
AND WE'RE FINALLY IN OUR NEW HOME.
I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET, BUT WE'RE IN OUR NEW HOME NOW AT MARTIN FAMILY PARK.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REMAIN FINALLY.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE OPEN EVERY THURSDAY.
LIKE WE HAVE BEEN FROM, FROM 12 UNTIL FIVE, EXCLUDING THANKSGIVING.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE IN MARTIN FAMILY PARK AND WE'RE USING THE HEYWARD HOUSE TO THIS YEAR.
UM, WE STARTED THAT LAST YEAR AND IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL, ESPECIALLY WITH THEM BEING CLOSED ALL YEAR.
WE'VE ALMOST SERVED AS A WELCOME CENTER ON THURSDAYS.
WE'VE HAD A GOOD TIME TALKING TO TOURISTS AND VISITORS COMING BY ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY, UM, OFFER US A WONDERFUL SETTING AREA AS WELL AS THE STAGE FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT, OUR LECTURES, OUR FOOD DEMONSTRATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND BONFIRE DURING THE WINTER, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.
UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF RUN OVER WHAT THE FARMER'S MARKET IS.
WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 40 VENDORS OF FARMERS, FOOD VENDORS, NONPROFITS, ENTERTAINERS, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHOWCASING THE LOW COUNTRY CULTURE.
UM, WHAT WE ARE ASKING, UM, WELL LET ME, LET ME BACK TRACK A LITTLE BIT.
UM, NOW THAT WE'RE IN OUR HOME, WE FINALLY KINDA GOT INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF ROUTINE WE'VE APPLIED FOR, UM, OR WE, WE PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THE CONTESTS AND THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY DO, AND WE WERE RATED NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WITH, UM, THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST NUMBER FOUR IN THE SOUTHEAST AND NUMBER 11 IN THE NATION.
SO WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF THAT AS WELL AS GETTING THE, UM, BEST LOCAL FESTIVAL FAIR AND YVETTE FOR OUR 2021, WHICH IS KIND OF AWESOME.
UM, THE MONEY THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A BREAKDOWN OF THAT.
UM, 28,000 OF THAT WILL GO TOWARDS ADVERTISING PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING, UM, AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS, RACK CARDS AND POSTERS THAT ARE PLACED IN HOTELS, WELCOME CENTERS, STORES, BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE AREA, ADVERTISING AND VISITOR PUBLICATIONS, MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS, RADIO, UM, WEBSITE OF COURSE.
AND, UM, ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN FIND SOMETHING NEW THAT WE'RE DOING AND WE HAVE ADDED ON A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO THAT THIS YEAR IS TO HILTON HEAD.
BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS ITS OWN BLUFFTON.
NOW THAT THERE'LL BE SETTING OUT SEPARATELY, WE USED TO BE PART OF THE HILTON HEAD AND LAST YEAR THEY KIND OF GOT IT GOING AND THIS YEAR THEY'RE GOING BIG WITH IT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO, UM, WE DID GET A NONPROFIT RATE ON THAT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A PAGE OUT ON THAT.
WE DO NEED TO GET SOME, UM, UH, PICTURES TAKEN, SOME VIDEOS, TAKEN A LITTLE BIT MORE PROFESSIONALLY TO REPRESENT OURSELVES WELL.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE EXTRA MONEY IS FOR THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, $4,900 IS FOR THE HAYWARD HOUSE.
WE PAY THEM $100 PER MARKET TO RENT THE COMMON SPACE IN THEIR, IN THEIR BACKYARD THERE.
UM, AND THEN 5,000 IS LEFT FOR THE FACILITY OPERATIONAL SUPPORT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A BRICK AND MORTAR.
WE HAVE THINGS LIKE, UH, TENTS, TABLES, CHAIRS, EXTRA PICNIC TABLES, TRASH CANS, SIGNS, UM, EQUIPMENT STORAGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO THIS YEAR THAT, UM, THAT WE CAN USE THIS MONEY TOWARDS.
AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO DOUBLE IT AS ADVERTISED.
WE WANT TO GET A TRAILER, UM, TO KEEP OUR STUFF.
IN A FEW YEARS AGO, WE HAD A PLACE TO STORE ALL OF OUR TENTS AND TABLES AND NOW THEY'RE, UM, KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY'RE IN MY CAR, THEY'RE IN MY GARAGE, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SPREAD OUT.
WE WANT TO PURCHASE, UM, UM, AN INEXPENSIVE TRAILER AND ACTUALLY GET SOME VERY NICE SIGNAGE FOR IT AND HAVE IT PARKED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO IT WILL DOUBLE AS SOME ADVERTISING AS WELL AS KEEP OUR EQUIPMENT,
[00:10:01]
UM, CLEANER WITH LESS USAGE AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE IT LONGER AND NOT HAVE TO REPLENISH IT SO OFTEN.UM, AND THEN THINGS LIKE, UH, ELECTRONIC, ELECTRONIC SUPPORT, LIKE EXTENSION CORDS, FANS, UM, SPEAKERS, THINGS THAT WE USE, UM, IN THE GRASSY AREA THAT WE HAVE NOW.
UM, LET'S SEE, BESIDES WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO, OF COURSE HELP THE FUNDING FOR THE MARKET.
THERE'S A USDA GRANT THAT JUST CAME OUT, UM, THAT I APPLIED FOR.
I WON'T KNOW FOR A COUPLE MONTHS IF WE'RE GOING TO GET IT, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO SUPPLEMENT OUR FUNDING AS WELL.
AND CERTAIN THINGS COME ABOUT THAT, THAT WE FIND OUT THAT WE CAN DO.
UM, THAT'S LISTED IN OUR BUDGET LIKE WITH, UM, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF AG, SOUTH, SOUTHEAST DEPARTMENT OF AG THAT WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY FROM THAT THAT ALWAYS HELPS, UM, FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN IN AN OLD TOWN, LIFTED ON THURSDAY, YOU'VE SEEN THE CARS AND PROBABLY SEEN THE LICENSE PLATES, BUT WE WORKED WITH A MONTESSORI THIS YEAR AND WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE OF THAT THIS YEAR.
NOW THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE SETTLED, BUT WE WORKED WITH THE MONTESSORI KIDS AND ACTUALLY PULLING PEOPLE THAT ARE DOWN THERE.
UM, I'M SORT OF A ONE MAN BAND.
SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO PULL PEOPLE AND, AND, AND SURVEY PEOPLE WHEN DOING EVERYTHING THAT I NEED TO DO DOWN THERE.
BUT MONTESSORI HAS A SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING AND THEY'VE BEEN HELPING ME COLLECT ZIP CODES AND FIND OUT WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
SO, UM, BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE COLLECTED, WHAT I'VE COLLECTED, WE'RE STILL ABOVE THAT 75% AND PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE THAN BLUFFTON, THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT THE BLUFFTON AREA.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET BROKE DOWN, WHICH I JUST SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S BEEN, PEOPLE ARE GETTING OUT OF, OUT OF TOWN.
THEY'RE COMING TO PLACES LIKE OURS TO GET SOME FRESH AIR INSTEAD OF CITIES.
AND SO WE'VE HAD TOUR BUSES, DROPPING PEOPLE OFF.
WE'VE HAD THE HOTEL SHUTTLES DROPPING PEOPLE OFF.
UM, IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR AND NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN ONE YEAR BEHIND US IN OUR NEW LOCATION, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO 20, 22 BEING PRETTY FABULOUS.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME.
SO THIS TRAILER THAT YOU'RE WANTING TO PURCHASE, YES.
WHERE WILL THAT BE KEPT? UM, IT WILL BE KEPT RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNERS.
SO IT'S THE CLOSEST PLACE THAT I COULD FIND TO THE MARKET.
IT'S ON THE CORNER OF LAWRENCE STREET AND, UH, CALHOUN STREET ON A DAILY BASIS.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS FIRST.
CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THE AWARDS.
UM, DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE AND THE GATHERING OF PEOPLE AT MARTINS PARK THAN ON CALHOUN? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? SO LIKE ON CALHOUN STREET, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST LIKE WALK ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST A QUESTION.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WHEN IT'S AT MARTINS PLATE OR MARTIN'S, UH, PARK THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY STAYING LONGER OUT, LIKE, DEFINITELY.
I WOULDN'T SEE IF YOU SAW THAT.
AND THERE'S, I MEAN, THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT TOO.
WE HAVE THAT WHOLE GRASSY AREA.
SO WHEN IT'S NICE, PEOPLE WILL BRING A BLANKET, THEY HAVE THEIR STROLLERS, THEY'LL COME AND SPREAD THEIR STUFF OUT AND STAY FOR A WHILE.
WE HAVE THAT FABULOUS SEATING OVER BEHIND THE HAYWARD HOUSE AND A NICE STAGE.
SO WE HAVE THE MUSIC'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THE VIBE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN OUR NEW LOCATION.
UM, AND WE'RE MORE SPREAD OUT.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE, SO YEAH, PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING AND THEY'RE SHOPPING AND THEY'RE GOING ALONG CALHOUN STREET, BUT THEY'LL COME AND SPEND A LOT LONGER THAN THEY USED TO.
YEAH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO THAT BEING SAID, UM, THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION, UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALL THESE AWARDS AND EVERYTHING, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DOING LIKE A BILLBOARD, LIKE ON 95 AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, FLUFFED IN WITH ALL YOUR AWARDS AND STUFF ON IT.
CAUSE THEN YOU COULD ASK FOR MORE TAX MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT.
AND I JUST THINK THAT YOU HAVE SO MUCH GOING FOR YOU THAT I THINK IT WOULD CATCH PEOPLE'S EYES.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YEARS AGO.
UM, SOMEBODY HAD AN END WITH SOMEONE THAT OWNED ONE OF THEM, BUT IT'S KIND OF BEEN OUT OF OUR GRASP, BUT NEVER WE COULD REALLY AFFORD IT, BUT I THINK WITH A TAX MONEY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
[00:15:01]
12 TO FIVE.SO I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY, UM, CRITIQUE I HAVE BECAUSE THE THINGS I HEAR ALL THE TIME IS THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK NEVER GET TO GO TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT TIME HAS CHANGED.
BUT DURING THE SUMMER, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE LATER.
LIKE IT USED TO BE TO SEVEN YEARS, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE, UH, CRITIQUE THAT I HEAR EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
WE PROBABLY REVISIT THAT SUBJECT AT ALMOST EVERY BOARD MEETING THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE IT DOES COME UP SO OFTEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT WE HAD THREE SETS OF HOURS BECAUSE IT GOT DARK EARLY AND YOU KNOW, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH AND THEN I GOT, WELL, I NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE OPEN.
I CAME IN, I THOUGHT YOU WERE OPEN.
SO THEN WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT A TIME THAT WE COULD USE PRETTY MUCH THROUGH THE ENTIRE YEAR AND NOT HAVE TO CHANGE BACK AND FORTH.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT.
UM, SOMETHING NEW THAT THE FARMERS AND THE VENDORS HAVE LEARNED DURING COVID THOUGH IS A LOT OF THEM HAVE ONLINE STORES AND THEY'RE TAKING PRE-ORDERS.
AND SO WHEN I GET THAT SUGGESTION FROM A CUSTOMER THAT SAYS, I JUST CAN'T GET THERE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER WORK IS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR DELIVERY SYSTEM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ORDERING ONLINE AND HAVING STUFF SENT TO YOU, OR YOU CAN CALL AHEAD, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED.
SO WE TRY TO, BUT IT'S, IT'S SO HARD TO MAKE THOSE HOURS WHERE IT FITS EVERYBODY.
I WOULD WORK ON TRYING TO GET THAT OUT MORE.
AND NOW THAT I KNOW THAT I WILL MAKE SURE I PASS IT ALONG TO EVERYBODY WHO SAYS SOMETHING TO YEAH, HAVE HIM CALL ME AND WHATEVER THEIR SITUATION IS, I CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF MAYBE THEY CAN GET THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
VISITORS, UH, OTHER WITH MONTESSORIAL.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO THAT? DO YOU DO, BUT THIS YEAR WE HAVEN'T DONE IT AS MUCH AS WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
AND IT'S KIND OF SEASONAL WHEN WE THINK THE DEMOGRAPHICS KIND OF CHANGING A LITTLE BIT, MONTESSORI WAS ONLY DOING THEIR PROGRAM, UM, FOR A SHORT PERIOD, BUT WE, WE TRY TO GET OUT THERE AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE EACH KIND OF CHANGE OF THE SEASON IDEA OF DURING THE SEASON, WHICH WAY IT'S EXACTLY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC DOES CHANGE THROUGH ITS SUMMER AND VERSUS THE WINTER.
AS FAR AS PARKING YOUR TRAILER, YOU'VE MENTIONED, IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE CORNER WARRANTS AND THE CALHOUN.
IS THAT GONNA BE ON THE STREET, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY? NOT THERE THAT'S OKAY.
UH, TO TOUCH ON THE BILLBOARD BILLBOARDS ON 95 OR A GIRL, SO EXPENSIVE BILLBOARDS ON THREE 15 OR NOT REALLY WHAT WE DID WAS WE TARGETED PEOPLE WHO WOULD COME OVER FROM SAY, SAVANNAH IN, OH, SAY ANOTHER BILLBOARD ON FOUR, ON 4 62 COMING IN WOULD AFFECT THE 28 OFF OF 95.
HOWEVER, GPS IS GOING TO BRING PEOPLE TO YOU AND YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED MAYBE THE 95 EXPOSURE.
I FORGET YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO BE THERE FOR FIVE HOURS A WEEK, BUT AT LEAST YOU HAVE THE OTHER ONES FOR PEOPLE COMING IN, SAY ON VACATION, REMEMBER ONCOMING.
BUT THE COST OF THAT IS, IS NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
PLUS THEY'RE ALREADY HEADING IN OUR DIRECTION.
IF THEY'RE ON 95, THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE STOPPING.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FARMER'S MARKET AND THEIR FULL AMOUNT.
I THINK THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SUCH A BETTER, BETTER SPOT THAT THEY'RE AT OVER BY MARTIN FILLER PARK, NOT,
[00:20:01]
YOU KNOW, INFRINGING, THIS IS JUST SOME CALHOUN STREET, BUT I KNOW THAT HAVE BUSINESSES THERE.I MEAN, IT'S BAD ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, DURING SUMMER FESTIVALS AND THEN EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY WEEK, UH, IT'S PERFECT THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS RIGHT THERE, THE PLAYGROUNDS, I MEAN, IT WAS MADE TO BE A FARMER'S MARKET RIGHT THERE.
DO YOU WANT THESE PAPERS TURNED IN AS WE GO.
UH, I'M ALAN JORDAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
I ARRIVED IN JANUARY OF 2020, AND THIS IS MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOU AS MORE THAN JUST LITTLE SQUARES ON THE SCREEN.
UH, SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL, UM, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR THE PAST SUPPORT OF THE ATACS TAX COMMITTEE FOR, UH, HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY PERFORMANCES HAPPENING IN BLUFFTON.
UH, THERE'S BEEN MANY YEARS THAT THE SYMPHONY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO DO MORE THINGS IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
AND WE SEEM TO BE NOW STARTING TO GAIN SOME TRACTION, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
UH, I DID NOTE IN MY COVER LETTER THAT, UM, THERE WAS A TIMING ISSUE WITH THIS CURRENT REQUEST.
UH, WE HAD CHECKED WITH STAFF ACTUALLY, UH, BACK IN THE SPRING TIME.
AND AT THAT TIME THE, UH, TOWN COUNCIL HAD ONLY GIVEN THE FIRST OF TWO APPROVALS TO THE RIGHT WORD, AN EX, UH, ST GREGORY'S CHURCH.
AND SO THEY DIDN'T SUGGEST THAT WE PUT IN AN APPLICATION JUNE FOR THE JUNE 30TH DEADLINE.
OF COURSE THE SECOND VOTE HAPPENED, I THINK IN JULY.
AND SO WE PREPARED THIS APPLICATION RECOGNIZING THAT THIS EVENT IS TWO WEEKS AWAY AND WE'LL PROBABLY ONLY GET APPROVED BY COUNCIL AFTER THE FACT.
UM, BUT WE WENT ON A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH AND INCORPORATED BLUFFTON, UH, LOGOS IN ALL OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK FAVORABLY ON THIS REQUEST.
I ALSO HAVE, UH, SOME INFORMATION TO, UM, REPORT ON OUR LAST EVENT, WHICH HAPPENED, UH, REALLY JUST LESS THAN A MONTH AGO.
I HOPE SOME OF YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND OUR CONCERT, UH, OVER AT MARTIN FAMILY PARK.
UH, ONE OF THE EVENTS OF THE HISTORIC ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, UH, IT WAS A FREE CONCERT, OUTDOOR CONCERT, THE WEATHER COOPERATED, WHICHEVER ONE OF YOU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WEATHER.
CAN YOU STAY ON THEN PLEASE, PLEASE.
UM, IT GETS, IT GOT DARK PRETTY EARLY.
WE HAD A CONCERT AT SEVEN 30 AND SO, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TRYING TO COUNT HEADS WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
UH, BUT WE DID ESTIMATE THAT WE HAD ABOUT 800 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AND SINCE IT WAS FREE, WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A CREATIVE WAY OF FIGURING OUT WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE.
AND SO WE WERE DOING THE SAME THING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND WITH SOME CONCERTS.
WE COME UP WITH A CUTE LITTLE CONTEST OF THREE QUESTIONS.
YOU PULL OUT YOUR, YOUR CELL PHONE OR YOUR MOBILE DEVICE, AND WE GIVE YOU A PLACE TO LOG INTO YOU, GIVE US YOUR ZIP CODE FIRST.
AND THEN YOU ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS.
AND WE ACTUALLY GOT NOT THREE BUT FOUR, UH, PRICES FROM AREA, MOSTLY RESTAURANTS, UH, AS, AS GIVEAWAYS THAT WE GAVE AWAY AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.
AND, UH, I'M PLEASED TO SAY WE ACTUALLY HAD ABOUT 25% OF THE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATED.
A FEW OF THEM PARTICIPATED MORE THAN ONCE.
UM, BUT OUT OF THE 161, UH, UM, PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, DETERMINE THAT 9.3, 2% WERE, UH, DEFINED AS TOURISTS LIVING 50 MILES AWAY OR MORE.
AND ANOTHER 5.5, 9%, UH, WERE CONSIDERED VISITORS AS THE STATE CONSIDERS THEM.
SO WE EXTRAPOLATED OUT USING THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE TOTAL AND FIGURED THAT WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 75 TOURISTS AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL 45 VISITORS THAT ATTENDED THAT EVENT.
UM, I THINK WE ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS, SINCE THIS WAS AN EVENT THAT HAD TABLES FOR MANY OF THE SPONSORS FOR, I KEEP ON HITTING THE MIC, SORRY,
[00:25:01]
UH, SPONSORS OF THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL THAT WAS ACTUALLY LOCAL PEOPLE AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.UH, SO THEY MADE UP A PERCENTAGE OF THE AUDIENCE.
NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS AN, UH, FIRST VOLLEY OF THIS.
IT WAS A, UH, UH, UH, A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.
THE MAYOR WAS THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONCERT.
SHE SEEMED DELIGHTED, UH, MARY O'NEIL AND I ALREADY HAVE, UH, A DATE, UH, IN DECEMBER TO TALK ABOUT NEXT YEAR AND WE ALREADY HAVE, UH, THE, THE DATE AND ALL THE PLANS AND GOING FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN OCTOBER OF 2022, THIS EVENING, I'M HERE TO, UH, REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE MARKETING EFFORTS OF OUR HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT, WHICH WILL HAPPEN ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH AT, UH, SAINT GREGORY, THE GREAT, UH, UH, PARISH LIFE CENTER.
UM, WE ARE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE DONE THIS CONCERT.
WE DID IT, UH, BACK IN 2019 OF COURSE, LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING LIVE AND INDOORS.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHURCH.
THEY'RE EXCITED TO HAVE US THERE THEY'RE WAIVING ANY FEES.
UM, THEY WOULD LIKE A CONTRIBUTION, UH, WE'RE SELLING TICKETS THROUGH THE PARISH, UH, AND, UM, ALSO ONLINE AND THROUGH, THROUGH TRADITIONAL MEANS.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING IT, UH, SO FAR.
UH, WE, WE HAVE ARRANGEMENTS, UH, WITH WSAV AND WTOC, BOTH OUT OF SAVANNAH.
UH, WE HAVE POSTERS AND FLYERS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISTRIBUTING TO THE AREA HOTELS AND ALONG, UH, THE PROMENADE AREA ACTUALLY BROUGHT COPIES OF FLYERS FOR EACH OF YOU, SO THAT YOU CAN PUT THE DATA IN YOUR CALENDAR.
EVERYBODY WILL BE OVER THE TURKEY COMA.
AND SO IT WILL BE A PERFECT TIME TO OPEN UP THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH A HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO, UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE OCTOBER 21ST.
UM, I WAS THERE, IT WAS FABULOUS.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU PROBABLY WOULD'VE GOTTEN MORE PEOPLE ON YOUR PHONE, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW I TRIED LIKE A HUNDRED TIMES, UM, BUT IT WAS OVER BEING OVERLOADED, SO I COULDN'T GET IN, I COULDN'T GET IN, I COULDN'T GET IN, I COULDN'T GET IN.
SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT PROBABLY MORE PEOPLE TRIED, THEY JUST COULDN'T GET IN.
AND THEN THEY WERE LIKE, NO, I'M PAYING ATTENTION TO MY PHONE AND NOT TOO.
SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT FOR, UH, AN AUDIENCE MEMBER, BUT IT WAS FABULOUS.
I WONDER WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THAT THE MAYOR WAS TOUTING WHAT THE GREAT WIFI THERE AT THE PARKS.
WE JUST THINK EVERYBODY WAS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
SO MAYBE IT WAS OVERLOADING ON, ON OUR END, OUR SAME ISSUE.
WE TRIED, WE COULDN'T REALLY OKAY.
WELL, I KNEW THAT YOU GUYS WERE RESIDENTS, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO GOT ON, BUT I ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS WRONG AND I'VE GOT THE WHOLE LIST.
I SHOULD GO BACK AND CHECK TO SEE HOW YOU ALL DID.
I'D TELL YOU THE, UH, THE, THE CONCERT IN OCTOBER WAS I KNOW WHETHER WE APPROVED MONEY FOR THAT.
HOW WAS MONEY WELL-SPENT THANK YOU.
WELL, THE SMALL BAND SHELF WHO LET'S TALK, I, IT IT'S A VERY TIGHT SPACE STILL.
AND WE WENT THROUGH, WE HAD TO JUMP THROUGH A LOT OF HOOPS WITH WHERE WE POSITIONED THE STAGE.
UH, WE, WE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED PUTTING IT IN THE PARK, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE LINES ARE UNDERGROUND, SO THEY DIDN'T WANT US, YOU KNOW, POPPING THROUGH IRRIGATION LINES.
THEY ENDED UP, WE PUT IT ON THE STREET.
AND IT ENDED UP WORKING OUT WELL AND COORDINATING WITH THE, UH, ART AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL SO THAT THEY COULD USE THE SAME STAGE THE WHOLE TIME.
IT WAS, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD SPOT FOR IT ALL.
WELL, I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE THE SAME SUGGESTION.
I KNOW THAT YOUR SCHEDULES A LOT, AND ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT ALL THIS TIME AND LAST TIME, BUT, UM, EVERYBODY JUST RAVED ABOUT IT.
SO IF WE CAN DO MORE, I, I, I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT.
I MEAN, A LOT OF THE EXPENSES ARE ON THE ARTISTIC SIDE, WHICH CANNOT BE COVERED.
AND, AND OF COURSE NOW IT WAS A FIRST EFFORT.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR ABILITIES TO, UH, HAVE SPONSORS, OF COURSE, WE, ALL OF US, THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND THE SYMPHONY, WE STILL WEREN'T SURE WHETHER WE COULD ACTUALLY DO THIS THING UNTIL IT WAS PRETTY FAR IN NOW.
I THINK WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO 20, 22
[00:30:01]
WITHOUT WORRIES.TO APPROACH AND GIVE EACH OF YOU A FLYER.
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOR THEIR FULL REQUEST OF 5,000.
DO I HEAR A SECOND, SECOND OR THE DISCUSSION ON THIS, BUT HE APPROVED SAYA.
I AM PAST PRESIDENT AND CURRENT BOARD MEMBER OF THE MAYOR THEATER.
AND I FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF DEJA VU BECAUSE IT WAS LITERALLY EXACTLY TWO YEARS AGO THAT I WAS HERE IN FRONT OF Y'ALL ASKING FOR MONEY TO RESTART BEFORE COVID AFTER THE RENOVATION.
SO NOW WITH COVID, WE'VE BEEN DARK FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO NOW WE'RE RESTARTING AGAIN.
UM, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER THE PROPOSAL, THE $11,481 FOR ROYALTIES AND MARKETING EXPENSES FOR OUR THREE SHOWS FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE HAD, WE DID HAVE A LITTLE KIND OF POP-UP SHOW THIS LAST WEEKEND.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL WERE ABLE TO ATTEND OR HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT MUSICAL THEATER, INTERNATIONAL, WHICH IS A ROYALTY HOUSE, UM, PUT TOGETHER A SHOW AND OFFERED IT TO THEATERS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I THINK THERE WERE 140, UM, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT PARTICIPATED AND IT WAS THEATERS, UH, JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE BACK IN THEATERS, TRYING TO GET, UM, PERFORMERS BACK ON THE STAGE AND IT WAS ROYALTY FREE AND THEY GAVE IT, UM, AND EVERYBODY DID IT THIS PAST WEEKEND, AGAIN, ALL OVER THE WORLD.
UM, IT WAS REALLY FUN FOR OUR PERFORMERS.
IT WAS A LOT OF MUSIC THAT WE WOULD NEVER GET OUR HANDS ON, UM, FROM REALLY BIG SHOWS LIKE LES MISERABLES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT A LITTLE THEATER LIKE US WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO.
WE HAD A REALLY GOOD, GREAT TURNOUT, GREAT RECEPTION.
UM, A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE CAME TO THE THEATER THAT, UM, WERE EITHER FROM THE ISLAND THAT HAD JUST MOVED BLUFFTON, JUST MOVED AND NEVER OBVIOUSLY BEEN TO ONE OF OUR SHOWS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, AS WELL AS A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT CAME, YOU KNOW, TO SEE FRIENDS AND WHATNOT.
SO IT WAS A GOOD LITTLE KICKOFF TO WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE A VERY PRODUCTIVE 2022.
UM, WE WILL BE DOING THE THREE SHOWS NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE USUALLY DO FOUR, BUT WE'VE DECIDED TO PULL BACK A LITTLE BIT AGAIN, JUST COMING BACK AND, UM, TO KEEP SOME OF THE OTHER PRODUCTION EXPENSES DOWN.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO SOME ONE ACTS, HOPEFULLY ONE WEEKEND IN THE SPRING, UM, THAT WE CAN GET DIFFERENT PEOPLE JUST PULL TOGETHER, UM, KIND OF POP UP THINGS LIKE WE HAD THIS WEEKEND, UM, THAT WE COULD DO TO HOPEFULLY RAISE A LITTLE MORE REVENUE FOR US.
UM, AND THOSE WILL BE VERY LOW IF AT ALL, ROYALTIES FOR THOSE.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A LITTLE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE FOR US.
UM, WE'VE Y'ALL KNOW OUR HISTORY Y'ALL KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN AROUND AND WHAT WE'VE DONE.
AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET THE SEED MONEY BACK TO, YOU KNOW, START AGAIN AND GET ACTORS ON THE STAGE AND PEOPLE IN THE SEATS.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE.
SO CAN WE TALK MORE ABOUT YOUR ADVERTISING? YES.
WHERE DO YOU ADVERTISE? HOW, LIKE, LIKE, WHY DIDN'T I KNOW ABOUT THIS LAST WEEKEND? NO, W UH, OVER THE LAST WEEKEND, OH, I DON'T KNOW WE WERE IN, WE ACTUALLY GOT MORE PRESS FOR THIS, UM, THAN WE USUALLY GET, BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A WORLDWIDE EVENT.
AND ALSO WE JUST KIND OF PULLED SOME STRINGS COMING BACK.
UM, SO WE WERE IN CB TWO AND, UM, WE WERE IN, UM, THE SUN CITY, SUN, BLUFFTON SUN.
UM, WE WERE IN, WE HAD DIFFERENT POSTERS AROUND, WE WERE ON FACEBOOK.
WE DID, WE DO A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF CAUSE IT'S FREE.
UM, BUT WE HAD ARTICLES AND ALL THOSE, SO I DON'T.
SO BASICALLY YOUR ADVERTISING IS LOCAL.
WE, WE TRY TO DO SOME HILTON HEAD.
UM, I THINK IN CBT, IF YOU DO CBT, YOU GET TO DO HILTON HEAD HH TO, I GUESS WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.
UM, HONESTLY ADVERTISING HAS GOTTEN REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE, SO WE CONCENTRATE ON NEWSPAPERS MORE THAN THE MAGAZINES, BUT WE DO AT LEAST ONE TIME PER SHOW, TRY TO GET, YOU KNOW, IN THE MAGAZINE.
SOME OF THAT IS A TIMING ISSUE TOO, WITH THE MAGAZINES.
[00:35:01]
THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER AND WE HAVE A SHOW THE FIRST WEEK IN NOVEMBER, IT DOESN'T REALLY WORK.THAT'S KIND OF A WASTED EXPENSE.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU HAD MORE ADVERTISING DOLLARS, THOUGH, YOU COULD PUT YOURSELF IN THOSE MAGAZINES AND YOU HAVE A GREATER RATE.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I GET TO KNOW A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO ON IN TOWN AND I NEVER HEARD A WORD ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I WOULD SUGGEST X MONEY.
SO YOU CAN ADVERTISE MORE LIKE THESE THREE SHOWS ARE FANTASTIC.
LIKE I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'D KNOW WHEN THEY ARE DEFINITELY ATTEND ALL THREE OF THEM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DON'T EVER KNOW WHEN THEY ARE.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE INTERESTING THINGS TOO.
YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH TO ASK FOR IN THESE GRANTS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO ASK FOR, YOU KNOW, $50,000 TO BE ABLE TO DO A BILLBOARD AND BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE, UM, FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE JUST, SO, BUT IF, IF WE CAN ASK FOR MORE FUNDS NEXT TIME, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY DO THAT FOR ADVERTISING.
OH, PRODUCTION RUN SIX PERFORMANCES, TWO WEEKENDS, YEARS AGO, WE WERE DOING THREE WEEKENDS, KIND OF BURNED EVERYBODY OUT A LITTLE BIT.
AND IT ALSO, AGAIN, THE LONGER YOU RUN, THE MORE ROYALTY YOU PAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE CUTTING BACK EXPENSES A LITTLE BIT AND WE'VE REALLY CUT BACK.
THE ONLY EXPENSE THE ONLY OVERHEAD WE HAVE AT THIS TIME IS OUR TELEPHONE.
WE LET GO OF BOTH OUR STORAGE UNITS.
WE HAVE COSTUMES THAT ARE BEING STORED AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS AT OUR HOMES AT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLACES, AGAIN, TO CUT DOWN ON THAT EXPENSE OF THE STORAGE.
UM, SO REALLY OUR ONLY OVERHEAD OVERHEADS OUR TELEPHONE RIGHT NOW, I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST TRYING TO ADVERTISE A LITTLE MORE IN SAVANNAH.
SAVANNAH HAS A HUGE THEATER, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BRING MORE PEOPLE.
AND SO YOU CAN ASK FOR MORE HX MONEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, ALAN HAS A BIG THEATER THAT IF YOU COULD TRY TO GET SOME IN SAVANNAH, I THINK YOU'LL BRING PEOPLE OVER, OH, LET'S GO WITH THE BLUFFTON.
WE DO HAVE A FOLLOWING IN SAVANNAH.
AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ACTORS THAT, UM, PLAY WITH US THAT ARE FROM SAVANNAH.
SO THAT ALWAYS BRINGS PEOPLE TO YOU.
BUT YEAH, WE WE'VE BEEN ON THE NEWS FOR A LOT OF SHOWS.
EXCUSE ME, HISTORICALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL DO THAT.
JODY'S NOT ON THE CHANNEL 11, I DON'T THINK ANYMORE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL DO HER NEW, NEW THING THAT SHE USED TO DO, BUT WE HAVE THAT BRIDGE THAT'S ON, UM, TV, IT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEW NEWS AND THEY GO AROUND AND THEY INTERVIEW PEOPLE DOING INTERESTING THINGS.
AND THIS WOULD BE RIGHT UP THERE AT THE CHANNEL.
OH, GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS ON THERE.
NATALIE, CAN SHE ON THE NEXT MEETING, AMEND THIS AND ASK FOR MORE, IF SHE CAN SHOW THAT SHE PUTS IT OUT LIKE IN SAVANNAH OR IN SOUTH MAGAZINE OR WHATEVER? WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY UP TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THE MOST ON THE TABLE FIRST AND OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION TO DO THAT.
UM, I MOVED THAT WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVED THE THEATER FOR THE 11,041 THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS EXACTLY, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT ADVERTISING A LITTLE FURTHER SPENDING SOME MORE MONEY AND GETTING PEOPLE IN.
SO YOU CAN START MAKING A LITTLE MORE INCOME, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE, PUT THE STUFF IN YOUR HOUSE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK BECAUSE HE JUST LEFT, BUT I THINK WITH THE SYMPHONY COMING, I MEAN, FROM, JUST FROM WHAT I HEAR, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TALKS TO ME, UM, THAT PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT CULTURE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT, UM, SYMPHONY THAT WE JUST DID IN OCTOBER HAS BROUGHT IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE BACK TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO DO NEXT? WELL, AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO I DROVE BY, I WAS LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
SO I THINK THAT YOU CAN NOT PIGGYBACK ON IT, BUT, BUT PIGGYBACK ON IT.
SO AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS, BUT I WOULD TRY TO GRAB SOME MORE ADVERTISING OUT THERE TO SAY, YOU CAN GET A BIGGER, I THINK PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY READY TO GET OUT.
SO IF WE DID APPROVE A ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAN WHAT YOU'VE REQUESTED,
[00:40:01]
YOU DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE YOU COULD, UH, OH NO, ABSOLUTELY.I MEAN, WE COULD HIT MORE THAN WE COULD HIT THE MAGAZINE'S HARDER.
WE COULD HIT SOME OF THE SAVANNAH PLATFORMS. WE COULD, YOU KNOW, DO A BILLBOARD ON INSTEAD OF DOING FREE.
I THINK IF YOU BOOST ON FACEBOOK AND ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT BRINGS IN A WHOLE BUNCH, NOT JUST DO THE FREE ADVERTISING, LIKE I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING WELL, AND YOU KNOW, ON FACEBOOK AND THE DIFFERENT SOCIAL PLATFORMS, THE MORE YOU POST, THE MORE HIGHER AND THE MORE YOU'RE SEEN AND WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'D POST EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE KIND OF TO STAY RELEVANT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A SHOW TO PROMOTE.
SO YOU KIND OF GET DOWN THAT TOTEM POLE.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA THING TOO.
I THINK BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS AT THIS TIME NEED TO COME BACK WITH A CONCRETE ME, PRINT ADVERTISING IS NOT THE WAY TO GO.
DEFINITELY NOT EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD WITH PRINT ADVERTISING HAS BEEN A CB TWO.
GETTING THAT, READ THEIR REPEAT THING WAY OF THE WORLD TODAY IS THIS COMES UP ON WHATEVER PLATFORM ON FACEBOOK OR NO, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU REACH OUT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERTISE IN THAT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WOULD SPEND FOR A QUARTER PAGE AD PAPER, WHATEVER ELSE.
AND THEN SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THE OPPOSITE COST IS FOR SOMEONE DIGITALLY TO DO THAT.
AND THEN COME BACK TO US WITH MONEY RATHER THAN IN THIS THROWING, THROWING MONEY AT IT.
RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO HAVE MORE, I MEAN, I JUST, JUST TODAY, I JUST, YOU KNOW, LOOKING THROUGH FACEBOOK AND THERE'S AN AD FOR ZZ TOP OVER IN SAVANNAH FOR TOMORROW FOR TICKETS THERE COMES UP.
DID I ASK FOR IT? NO, BUT IT'S THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT LAST THING, YOU KNOW, WHAT FRESH, AND THEN I THINK YOU GET MORE IMPRESSIONS THAT WAY TOO.
AND THINGS THAT'LL LAST RATHER THAN JUST, UM, IN PRINT THE PRINT, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ME, BUT I REALLY DON'T CARE.
WELL, HISTORICALLY OUR PATRONS HAVE NOT BEEN THE TECH SAVVY PATRONS.
THEY'VE BEEN THE 50 AND OVER, THEY ARE READING CB TWO.
THEY ARE READING BLUFFTON SUN.
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A POSTER.
THIS IS THE WAY YOU NEED TO REACH OUT, YOU KNOW, TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERNEATH THAT DEMOGRAPHIC BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE YOUR FUTURE.
WELL, WE'LL PROBABLY POP UP ON YOUR FACEBOOK NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.
LOOK FOR AUDITIONS FOR STEEL MAGNOLIAS THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER.
SO WE HAVE, UM, SO THE PRINT ADVERTISEMENT THAT JENNIFER MENTIONED FOR OUR CURRENT SHOW, THAT WAS ALL PEOPLE THAT CAME TO US THAT WE SEARCHED OUT.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN OUR WORLD FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IS SCROUNGING FOR WHAT'S FREE.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF OUR STORAGE UNITS, WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE NOT PRODUCING SHOWS, YOU'RE NOT PRODUCING REVENUE IN A THEATER, THAT'S JUST KIND OF BEEN WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, SO REALLY OUR FOCUS OUTSIDE OF THAT HAS BEEN, UM, RE-ESTABLISHING OUR FACEBOOK PRESENCE, UM, WORKING WITH INSTAGRAM, LIKE WE HAD OUR FINAL SHOW, WE HAD ONE OF OUR YOUNGER CAST MEMBERS TAKE THAT OVER FOR US AND START REACHING OUT TO KIND OF THAT DEMOGRAPHICS, THAT, THAT 20, 30 YEAR OLD DEMOGRAPHIC, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS A BOARD IS HOW DO WE DO BOTH? HOW DO WE HONOR OUR PATRONS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE USING THE MORE TRADITIONAL PRINT ADVERTISEMENT, BUT THEN HOW DO WE ALSO BRING IN AND HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR 20 FIVE-YEAR-OLDS OUR 30 FIVE-YEAR-OLDS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T NECESSARILY A LOT OF NIGHTTIME ENTERTAINMENTS FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT DEMOGRAPHIC, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ONE OF OUR OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS, SO THERE IS SOME AWARENESS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU SAY IN THAT, BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
[00:45:01]
IT HASN'T GONE ON SCENE AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.LIKE IT'S DEFINITELY THE, THE DEEP BREATH AND THE LET'S DO THIS 20TH SEASON NOW.
AND HOW CAN WE GET THAT BACK OUT THERE AND GET IT TO EVERYBODY I JUST THOUGHT OF, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE CONCERT, WHAT OF DOING ANY, WHEN WE DID THIS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, OKAY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO THE PHYSICAL PLANT HERE OR WHEREVER YOU'RE GOING TO BE AT.
THAT COULD BE SOMETHING SPRING, SUMMER, FALL.
I'M NOT SAYING A LOT, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PUT ON.
AND THEN WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT HELPS YOU WITH YOUR EXPOSURE, FOR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
WE DID A COUPLE POPUPS LAST FALL OVER AT HAYWARD HOUSE.
WE WERE AT HAYWARD HOUSE TWICE.
AND THEN WE DID DO A PRODUCTION WHILE WE DID TWO PRODUCTIONS.
WE DID ONE THAT WE SPLIT BETWEEN ONE OF THE TOWN BUILDINGS, AND THEN OUT AT, UM, THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET INTO THE THEATER.
SO WE KIND OF DID THIS, WE'LL GO HERE THIS PAST SUMMER, WE DID A JOINT PRODUCTION WITH MAYOR OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ACTUALLY USED THEIR STAGE.
UM, SO, UM, AND THEN ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING TO THE SYMPHONY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BAND SHELL, AND YOU'RE SAYING, I'M LIKE YOUR THOUGHT EXACTLY ABOUT THE ALBUM, LIKE, HMM, THAT'S AN OUTDOOR SPACE, BECAUSE THAT WAS A STRUGGLE WE HAD WHEN WE COULDN'T GET INTO THE AUDITORIUM.
WE WERE LOOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR AN OUTDOOR PERFORMING PLACE, BECAUSE WITH COVID, IF YOU COULD GET OUTSIDE AND YOU, YOU KNOW, OPEN AIR SITUATION, YOU COULD PERFORM.
AND THERE REALLY WASN'T A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.
AND YES, YOU CAN DO IT IN THE GRASS, BUT IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THAT AND DO THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO FORWARD WITH THAT, UH, BAD SHELL OUT THERE, I'M ALREADY IN MY BRAIN'S ALREADY WORKING ON PLANS FOR THAT ONE TOO.
AND IT MAY NOT EVEN BE THERE, RIGHT? DON'T FORGET THAT THERE IS OVER A NEW RIVERSIDE.
THERE IS A FRACTAL LANE AT THE TOWN IS FOR USE, AND IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF USE, UH, AREA THAT, THAT I'M FROM A LARGE PARK WILL ROOSEVELT PARK, UH, MANY, MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF, ONE OF THE ONES WAS PLAYS IN THE PARK, BASED THAT OVER THERE IS BIG ENOUGH TO DO IT.
WHARTON FAMILY PARK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CRAMMING IT IN INTO THERE.
SOMETHING MAYBE TO EVEN APPROACH PROCESS OF NOW PUTTING TOGETHER SOMETHING, GETTING ON ON THAT.
UH, WHEN, SO YOUR AUDITIONS ARE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER.
WHEN IS YOUR FIRST PLACE? MOST TO BE IT'S THE LAST WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY AND THE FIRST WEEKEND OF MARCH? UM, THAT'S OUR FIRST ONE.
UM, JENNIFER MENTIONED OUR SERIES OF ONE ACTS.
UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY.
UM, WE HAVE OUR MUSICALS IN AUGUST AND THEN OUR, UM, FINAL PLAY OF THE SEASON WILL BE AN OCTOBER.
WE HAVE A, WELL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON GETTING THAT KIND OF THAT WHOLE LIKE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED THERE.
UM, I THINK THE BIG THING RIGHT NOW IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE ADVERTISING IS FOR US.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE ROYALTIES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SECURE THE ROYALTIES BEFORE WE CAN ADVERTISE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO SECURE THE ROYALTIES.
THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE DO ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR IN PRINT BECAUSE LEGALLY WE CAN'T.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, THE SOONER WE CAN GET THOSE PAID FOR, THEN THE QUICKER, THEN THE MORE WE CAN GO INTO ADVERTISING AND START GETTING IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MY INTENT TO HAVE THAT FULL CALENDAR FOR OUR 20TH SEASON UP AND RUNNING ON FACEBOOK, ON OUR WEBSITE, THROUGH ALL OF THAT BEFORE JANUARY 1ST HITS SO THAT ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT MAY RIVER THEATER IS DOING CAN LOOK AT IT JANUARY 1ST AND THEY COULD PLAN THEIR ENTIRE YEAR FOR WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING.
WHEN, WHEN CAN I AUDITION FOR THIS SHOW? WHEN CAN I DO THIS? AND ONCE WE HAVE THAT FOUNDATION IN PLACE, START TO BRANCH OUT AND DO THOSE OTHER THINGS.
UM, I THINK JENNIFER ALISON MENTIONED, WE HAD A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE, SO WE DO OUR TICKETING THROUGH EVENBRITE NOW.
SO THAT TRACKS EVERYTHING FOR US.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THEIR NAMES, ALL OF THAT SORT OF STUFF.
SO JENNIFER IS A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH MAY REFER TO MAY RIVER THEATER FOR LONGTERM, COULD LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW MANY OF THESE ARE PAST PATRONS, HOW MANY ARE DUE.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH OUR DOOR.
UM, WE PROBABLY, WE WERE PROBABLY AT ABOUT 70, 75% CAPACITY.
[00:50:01]
THE FOREST SHOWS, WHICH WAS ABOUT ALL WE WANTED IN THERE GAVE US A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE IN THERE, BUT IT WAS, YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.SO IS THIS WHERE YOU WOULD MAKE A MOTION OR IS THIS, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO NOW? IS IT FEASIBLE IF WE, UM, APPROVE, UM, WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED AND THEN, UH, SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS YOU COME BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING THAT, UM, DOES THAT SEEM REASONABLE, THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK IN OUR FEBRUARY MEETING AND MAYBE WE COULD HELP WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING? UH, IF YOU PRESENT A PLAN OF HOW YOU REINVENTED.
BECAUSE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I COULD PROBABLY SHARE SOME DATA WITH YOU ON LIKE THE SUCCESSES OF WHAT WE'VE HAD FROM THE, UM, WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE WITH THE ADVERTISING AND WHAT WE'RE PULLING, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF STUFF WE COULD GIVE YOU SOME MORE OF THOSE ANALYTICS, WHAT WE HAD, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE APPROVED THIS EVENING COULD YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD AND THAT WOULD GET YOU THROUGH THE FIRST PLAY.
AND YOUR MARKETING, IT WOULD GIVE US ROYALTIES FOR THE OTHER TWO AND YOUR ROYALTIES WOULD BE ALL COVERED.
AND THEN WE COULD DISCUSS MORE MARKETING TOOLS AT YOUR FEBRUARY PRESENTATION.
THAT'S DUE DECEMBER 30TH, RIGHT.
THAT APPLICATION FOR FEBRUARY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THAT MOTION, BUT WE BELIEVE WE'VE MADE THE MOTION.
SO YEAH, HE HAD HIM VOTE ON IT THE WAY IT STANDS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT Y'ALL WERE GOING TO COME BACK.
AND ONE IN FAVOR OF FUNDING, THE 11,041.
SO YOU WENT, WELL, I WON'T SEE YOU, BUT I'LL SEE ALL OF THEM.
YOU CAN COME FOR MORAL SUPPORT.
I AM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA, LOW COUNTRY TOURISM COMMISSION.
WE ARE, UM, THIS IS A PRESIDENT THAT WE HAVE DONE.
UM, WE ARE, UM, THAT'S, THIS WAS OUR VISITOR CENTER.
IT IS LOCATED RIGHT OFF OF EXIT 33 OFF I, 95.
WE'VE BEEN THERE SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN, UM, ESTABLISHED IT'S 91.
UH, WE WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE.
WE ARE ONE OF 11, UM, GROUPS THAT COVER THE STATE AND WE'RE MOSTLY BOUND BY COUNTIES.
UM, SO WE, UM, WE REPRESENT BEEF AT HAMPTON JASPER AND CARLTON COUNTY.
SCATTER IS THE UMBRELLA GROUP THAT ALL THE 11 OF THE REGIONAL, UM, GROUPS ARE UNDER.
WE GET SOME FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THROUGH PARKS, RECREATION, AND TOURISM, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR PRETTY MUCH, VERY, VERY CLOSEST PARTNERS.
UM, WE ARE COMPRISED OF, OF THE FOUR COUNTIES.
WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMISSION BOARD FROM EACH OF THE FOUR COUNTIES AND B FOR COUNTY.
WE HAVE ROB WELLS, WHO IS THE CVB, UH, BUFORD CVB DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE ARIANNA BERNICE, WHO IS A HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON CHAMBER, VICE CHAIR OF MARKETING.
UH, AND WE HAVE, UM, JONATHAN SULLIVAN, WHO IS A HOTELIER WITH THE BUFORD IN AND, AND SOME OF THE AREAS AND IN IT.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT WE HAVE IN BEAVER COUNTY SAID WE'RE VERY CLOSELY RELATED WITH THIS STATE LEGISLATURE, BUT WE ARE NOT WE'RE QUASI GOVERNMENTAL.
WE HAVE ALSO FUNDING THROUGH A ATEX.
WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING THROUGH OUR GIFT SHOP THERE AT THE VISITOR CENTER, UM, AND THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE, OOPS, EXCUSE ME.
THIS IS JUST, UH, ONE OF THE LATEST, UM, US TRAVEL, UH, STUDY THAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THIS WAS THE MOST RECENT, UH, IT JUST IS KIND OF A, JUST A REMINDER OF HOW, YOU KNOW, I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE, BUT A REMINDER OF HOW IMPORTANT TOURISM IS TO OUR RESIDENTS, BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES THE $1.8 BILLION AT THE TOURISM, UH, INDUSTRY OR THE TOURIST PAY IN OUR LOCAL SATAN PACKS AT STATE AND LOCAL TAXES REALLY DOES GIVE US THE ABILITY TO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT OUR OWN.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE MARKET, WE DO HAVE BILLBOARDS ON, ON 95, 495, 217.
THIS IS WHAT THEY CURRENTLY LOOK LIKE.
[00:55:01]
THE ONES THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE HOUSE.CAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO DRIVE TRAFFIC FROM THE, I HAVE PEOPLE STOP.
ONE OF THE THINGS I, UM, WHEN I WAS A KID, WE ALWAYS, MOM AND DAD HAD EVERYTHING PLANNED OUT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DISCRETIONARY TIME.
WE DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NINE O'CLOCK THIS NINE 30, THIS 10 O'CLOCK NOWADAYS A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE THE TIME AND HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY ARE STOPPING IN OUR VISITOR CENTER AND SAYING, OKAY, UM, WE GOT SOME EXTRA TIME.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO? ONE OF THE WAYS WE REALLY, WE WERE RIGHT HALFWAY BETWEEN CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH THERE, OUR REGION, WHICH OF COURSE INCLUDES BLUFFTON.
AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE TRY TO MAKE THOSE PEOPLE.
WE KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THEY'RE SPENDING AND TRY TO BRING THEM IN AND SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME IN OUR, AS YOU SEE THIS ACCOUNT 48,000 VEHICLES PER DAY, PASS OUR EXIT AND 9,600 COME OFF AND PASS OUR, OUR VISITOR CENTER.
AND THOSE THAT VISITOR CENTER, ANY OF THE, THE, UM, TOURISM INDUSTRY ARE WELCOME FOR FREE TO HAVE ANY OF THEIR RAT CARDS IN EITHER INFORMATION IN THEIR MAGAZINES, WHATEVER WE WERE HAPPY TO DO, UM, DO THAT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE, AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DO AS FAR AS OUR PRINT ADS GO.
UM, AGAIN, AS COVERING FOUR COUNTIES, IT'S KINDA TOUGH TO TRY TO GET IMAGES THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL FOUR, BUT OF COURSE, THE LOW COUNTRY BEING WHAT IT IS, A BEAUTIFUL ASSETS THAT WE HAVE NATURALLY, WHICH REALLY DID BENEFIT US SO MUCH IN COVID.
SO THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING IN, UH, THE SOUTH CAROLINA GUIDEBOOK.
AND THAT USUALLY IS, UH, LIKE THE NUMBER TWO LEAD GENERATION LEAD GEN GENERATOR FOREST.
UM, WE, THEY ALSO HAD THE DIGITAL PIECE TO THAT.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE USED TO DO A LOT OF THE PRINT, A LOT MORE HEAVIER PRINT.
UH, NOW WE DO, IT'S WE SAY 80 20 THERE, IT'S MORE LIKE 90 10 HERE.
AND THOSE ONES THAT WE DO DO IN PRINT, UH, HAVE A DIGITAL COMPONENT, WHETHER THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING THAT TO DO USER REMARKETING AND THE RETARGETING AND, UH, THE YOUTUBE AND THE, UM, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, YOU NAME IT.
WERE THEY ALL VERY CLOSE WITH THIS GROUP, UM, CON COMPASS MEDIA, AND THEY HAVE REALLY SHOWN THEY'VE REALLY EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THE NUMBERS THEY'RE PRODUCING.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF OUR BANNER ADS.
WE DO THE VANITY URLS WHERE I CAN TELL WHERE THE, UM, THEY'RE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS OF CLOSE.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ON INSTA AND WE'RE DOING SOME OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL, ICONIC, UM, REPRESENTATIONS OF OUR AREA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, DEI IS, IS REALLY SOMETHING DIVERSE AND EQUITY INCLUSION IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY BIG ON HOT TOPIC.
UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, INCLUDING EVERYBODY AND MAKING EVERYBODY FEEL WELCOME.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME REALLY HOT, HEATED TOPICS THAT ARE GOING ON, NOT ONLY ABOUT WITH THE PEOPLE OF COLOR, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING THAT, BUT ALSO OF THE LB CUTIE, UM, RELATIONSHIP TEETH.
SO THERE'S SOME INTERESTING STUFF THAT'S COMING OUT THERE, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY TALK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, AND LET'S SEE.
I MEAN, WHAT, HOW DO PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO BE REPRESENTED? WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE? THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I'M REALLY PROUD OF.
THESE ARE OUR GOOGLE ANALYTICS, EVEN THROUGH COVID.
WE DID GET SOME EXTRA MONEY THROUGH THE STATE.
EACH OF THE SCATTER REGIONS GOT AN EXTRA 50 GRAND AND WE, IT WAS THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
AND SO THERE HAD TO BE A SEPARATE CHECKING ACCOUNT.
IT HAD TO GO EXACTLY STRAIGHT TO EITHER CONTENT DEVELOPMENT OR MARKETING.
UH, AND BECAUSE WE HAD SOME OF THIS EXTRA MONEY, OUR GOOGLE ANALYTICS HAVE REALLY, REALLY BLOWN UP AND, AND THIS IS WHAT IT WAS FOR 2021.
UM, ONE I'M REALLY, REALLY PLEASED ABOUT IS, UM, AS WE MOVE ON, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THIS FYI.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR SESSIONS ARE UP OR, OR ALREADY OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT FROM JULY ONE TO NOVEMBER.
AND I'M GONNA BACK THIS UP JUST A SECOND TO SHOW YOU HOW THIS IS.
SEE THAT 3 0 7 WAS THE FULL YEAR.
WE'RE ALREADY AT 1 72 AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN HALF A YEAR YET.
SO WE HOPE TO DOUBLE OUR NUMBERS, UM, NOT ONLY SESSIONS, USERS AND PAGE VIEWS.
AND WE USE THOSE GOOGLE AD WORDS, AND WE USE THAT RETARGETING AND WE USE THAT REMARKETING TO BRING HIM BACK AND BACK, WHETHER THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THE FACEBOOK, WHETHER THEY'RE COMING THROUGH INSTAGRAM, WHICH WE DO THE, UH, PAID BOOSTS ON THOSE ALSO, WE'VE DONE A NEW THING WITH PINTEREST THAT HAS REALLY SHOWN US A REALLY, A LOT OF REALLY GREAT RESULTS.
SO WE'VE DONE A NEW GROUP WITH YOUTUBE.
AND THE REASON WHY WE DID A NEW GROUP WITH YOUTUBE IS BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE, AS I SAID, THAT EXTRA MONEY THAT WE HAD SOME CONTENT, UH, WE USE A GROUP OUT OF BLESSED AND, UM, TO DO NINE ONE MINUTE VIDEOS AND ONE 15 MINUTE VIDEOS.
AND, UH, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING LIKE.
THIS IS A PLACE FULL TITLE ARCHES.
YOU HADN'T BRING STREAMS AT SANDY BEACH,
[01:00:02]
THAT IS ONE OF, AS I SAID, NINE, AND WE WENT ALL AROUND THE REGION FOR THAT.AND THAT IS A CHALLENGE BEING A REGIONAL GROUP.
SO THIS IS JUST A EXAMPLE OF SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE.
THIS IS STUFF I LOOK COUNTRY.COM.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE HAVE ON ABOUT BLUFFTON SPENDING THE DAY IN OLD TOWN, BLUFFTON THERE'S ONE THAT'S JUST DEDICATED TO HAYWARD HOUSE.
THERE'S ONE THAT'S DEDICATED TO CHURCH CHURCH, CHURCH ACROSS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE AROUND IN OUR AREA, WHETHER THEY'RE STAYING AT HILTON HEAD OR A REALLY IT'S MORE WHERE WE ARE SOUTH OF CHARLESTON, NORTH OF SAVANNAH, JUST NEAR HEAVEN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PULL.
THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO THESE OTHER PLACES AND USE US IN THE LOW COUNTRY IS MORE OF THE HUB AND SPOKE, STAY WITH US AND DO A DAY TRIP TO CHARLESTON, DO A DAY TRIP TO SAVANNAH.
SO, UM, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I KNOW Y'ALL'S IS A DAUNTING TASK.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T BEEN TO BLUFFTON TOWN OF BLUFFTON IN ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS TO COME TO FOR FUNDING FOR THROUGH ATEX.
UM, ACTUALLY THE ATEX COMMITTEE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.
COUNCIL WAS ALWAYS NOT THIS DOWN BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT ON, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT IN BLUFFTON.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE A REGIONAL, THIS IS ALL ABOUT BEING A TEAM.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT COLLABORATING AND WORKING TOGETHER.
THIS IS NOT DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.
WE TALK TO ALL OF OUR CHAMBER PEOPLE.
WE TALKED TO ALL OF THE AREA PEOPLE, AND WE TRY TO BE A COLLABORATIVE FORCE, NETWORKING EVERYBODY TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN LIFT EACH OTHER UP, NOT FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU'VE GOT A FOOTNOTE DOWN HERE THAT HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $100,000.
DID IS THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE 182,000, YOU HAVE IN YOUR BUDGET, OR DOES THAT CUT OR DOES THAT REDUCE YOUR 182,000? THAT REDUCES OUR TOTAL REVENUES FROM 4 97 TO 5 97.
AND THAT WAS IN STATE APPROPRIATION.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT SCATTER, THE GROUP HAD BEEN FIGHTING FOR.
UH, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WE HADN'T HAD AN INCREASE IN OUR FUNDING.
WE GOT 45 IN RECURRING FUNDS AND 55 AND NON-RECURRING FUNDS.
SO THE 45 WILL, BUT THE 55 MAY OR MAY NOT.
SO DOES THAT IMPACT AT ALL THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU NEED FROM A TECH? NO, MAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE, THAT'S AN EXTRA HUNDRED.
WE BASED OUR BUDGET ON WHAT WE HAD TO HAVE TO DO OPERATIONALLY.
THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'LL GET IN THIS EXTRA A HUNDRED THOUSAND HAS ALREADY BEEN NOW THAT WE KNOW 60% OF THAT HAS ALREADY GONE TO THE DIGITAL, THROUGH COMPASS MEDIA.
WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF MORE PLACEMENTS ON, UM, IN AMERICAN ROAD MAGAZINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THEY HADN'T GOT A REALLY STRONG DIGITAL PROGRAM ALONG WITH, THEY HAVE ITINERARIES THAT REALLY GIVE US A LOT OF GOOD LEAD GENERATION.
AND WE ALSO DID AAA, WHICH WE HADN'T DONE AAA IN A WHILE, BUT A LOT THAT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPULAR AND THEY'VE KIND OF CONDENSED THEIR AREAS.
THERE'S LIKE, AAA, GO AAA WORLD, AAA.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT NOW THEY'RE CONDENSING NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, VIRGINIA, AND FLORIDA, I BELIEVE IT IS.
AND SO THAT'S GIVEN US MORE OF A MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND THOSE ARE OUR NEIGHBORING STATES.
GEN COM GOES, TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA HAVE RECENTLY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS HAS REALLY COME UP IN OUR TOP 10 FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ASKING FOR INFORMATION.
NOW, SINCE COVID A COUPLE OF STATES HAVE COME IN THAT WEREN'T LIKE, ALABAMA NEVER WAS ONE OF OUR TOP 10, BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SWITCHING THE WAYS THEY MOVED AROUND AND DOING SO MANY MORE ROAD TRIPS AND WHERE THAT'S, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CAPITALIZE ON THOSE.
SO ABOUT 90 OF THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT WE GOT EXTRA IS TOTALLY COMMITTED, TOTALLY TO MARKETING.
WE DO WANT TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT THE VISITOR CENTER, SOME SIGNAGE THAT WOULD WOULD, UM, WE GOT SOME FROM HONEY HILL.
WE WANT TO DO THE HARRIET TUBMAN.
WE WANT TO DO THE, UM, LA ROB.
UH, WE HAVE A REVOLUTIONARY WAR TRAIL HEAD.
WE WANT TO DO SOME THOMAS HAYWARD.
WE WANT TO DO SOME, UH, JOHN LAWRENCE.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE REPRESENT HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
I HAVE MENTIONED THIS AND I JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT.
UM, ALL THESE 9,600 CARS THAT GET OFF AT YOUR, UM, EXIT, UM, DO YOU KEEP UP WITH WHERE THOSE VISITORS COME FROM THAT ACTUALLY STOP AT YOUR VISITOR CENTER? YES, MA'AM WE DO A 10, UH, WE DO THREE DIFFERENT REPORTS EVERY YEAR, EVERY MONTH.
SO ONE IS A VISITOR CENTER REPORT WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE ASKING WHERE THEY'RE FROM AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE HAVE A BOOK THERE, WE HAVE A COUNTER.
SO WE HAD 10,000, 0 22 COME FOOT TRAFFIC, WHICH WAS HIGHER IN THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WE ARE JULY ONE TO JUNE 30.
SO THAT WAS, OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO BE UP THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS FROM 21, OUR LAST OF THE LAST NINE MONTHS, ONLY ONE MONTH DID NOT ECLIPSE 2019, WHICH WAS OUR BASELINE NUMBERS.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE JUST REACTING DIFFERENTLY.
ANOTHER THING ONE OF OUR GUIDEBOOKS ARE FLYING OFF THE SHELF.
[01:05:01]
PRINT IS NOT DOING WHAT IT USED TO DO AS FAR AS YOUR MAGAZINES AND THINGS, BUT OUR GUIDEBOOKS NOW THAT BECAUSE OF COVID, I THINK, I THINK PEOPLE JUST WANTED SOMETHING IN THEIR HANDS AND WE DO HAVE THE OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC.IT IS KIND OF SKEWED TO THE FEMALES THAT ARE 50 PLUS, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE DECISION ARE AND THE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME OUT OF OUR GOOGLE AD WORDS, AND SOME OF OUR RETARGETING IS WE'RE GETTING THAT YOUNGER MALE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT THE 25 TO 35.
AND WE THINK THE REASON THAT IS BECAUSE, BECAUSE DURING COVID, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE WILLING TO GET OUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE THEY'RE ON THEIR CELL PHONES AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE HOUSE WITH THE KIDS ANYMORE.
THEY WANT TO GET OUT AND GO PLAY.
SO IT'S BROADENED OUR AUDIENCE.
SO WE REALLY, REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO GET THAT WHOLE CROWD BY ANY CHANCE, HAVE A GUIDEBOOK WITH YOU SO WE CAN SEE HOW BLUFFTON AND WE SANDED.
I CAN CERTAINLY GET SOME TO Y'ALL.
AND THERE AGAIN, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS, YOU KNOW, OUR, YOUR OTHER MANY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE BEEN, UM, SUPPORTING US A LOT MORE.
AND SO THERE ARE LESS THINGS IN BLUFFTON IN THERE, BUT IT'S ALL, YOU KNOW, AND WE QUIT DOING THE RESTAURANT LISTINGS AND THE SHOP LISTINGS BECAUSE OF COURSE, LORD HAVE MERCY.
THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH THAT.
WE DO HAVE ALL THE LODGING AND ALL THE BLUFFS AND LODGING THAT'S IN THERE.
AND IT'S ALL HIGHLIGHTED ON OUR WEBSITE THAT YOU'RE CERTAINLY LOVED IT FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, SO IN YOUR, UH, PROJECT DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT IN THE LAST SENTENCE, IT SAYS OUR PROJECT IS TO FULFILL THIS MISSION BY INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AS THE DESTINATION OF CHOICE.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? WELL, WE, WE, AS I SAID, THE AWARENESS PIECE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS, THAT IS WHO WE ARE, YOUR DESTINATION OF CHOICE.
UM, WE ARE HOPING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT, UM, THAT'S WHAT, THE ONES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE AND ASK THEM TO MAKE THEIR CHOICES.
UM, SO I, WHEN I SAW THIS COME UP, I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED.
UM, BUT, UM, OKAY, SO YOU HAVE THE VISITORS, VISITORS SCENARIOS RIGHT THERE OFF OF 33.
SO WHERE'S YOUR OTHER LOCATION THAT YOU HAVE ANOTHER STATION.
CAUSE ON YOUR, UM, BUDGET HERE, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE YOUR TOURISM COMMISSION AND YOU HAVE ALL YOUR EXPENSES FOR THAT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR VISITORS CENTER, UM, EXPENSES, RIGHT? THAT IS A FRAPPE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO IF YOU ADD BOTH OF THOSE TOGETHER, COME UP TO YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, YOU HAVE UNDER THE, UM, FIRST ONE YOU HAVE, UM, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRICITY IS $3,250.
YOU ALSO HAVE ELECTRICITY UNDER THE VISITORS CENTER OF SO YOU'RE ADDING IT TWICE.
NO, WE'RE NOT ADDING IT TIES WHERE WE'RE COMMITTING 50% OF THE ELECTRICITY TO THE VISITOR CENTER AND 50% TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION BECAUSE THE COMMISSION OFFICERS ARE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, THE GIFT SHOP AND THE, AND THE VISITOR CENTER ARE THE FIRST FLOOR.
SECOND FLOOR IS A COMMISSION OFFICES.
SO INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING THAT THE VISITOR CENTER IS PAYING ALL THE ELECTRICITY, WE JUST SPLIT IT UP.
SO THE SAME THING GOES WITH WATER AND TRASH AND EVERYTHING, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN HALF.
MOST OF THEM ARE TH THE VISITOR CENTER PROBABLY USES TWO THIRDS OF THE WATER AND COMMISSION USES ONE THIRD BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY THREE OF US OR TWO OF US UPSTAIRS.
SO HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? THERE'S THREE FULL-TIME AND AN EIGHT.
PART-TIME THAT WORKED THE SUNDAY, MONDAY.
I MEAN THE SATURDAY, SUNDAYS WE'RE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, EXCEPT FOR STATE HOLIDAYS.
SO I I'M A NUMBERS PERSON, TOTALLY.
SO I HAVE LIKE, I'VE GONE THROUGH THIS A HUNDRED TIMES.
SO LIKE, THE QUESTIONS THAT JUST POP OFF TO ME ARE THINGS LIKE YOUR RETAIL SALES, FORTY THOUSAND FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY FOUR DOLLARS AND 90 CENTS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT'S CASH AND CREDIT CARDS.
WELL THEN IF YOU GO TO YOUR CREDIT CARD FEES, EITHER ARE PAYING WAY TOO MUCH IN CREDIT CARD FEES, OR YOU PROBABLY NEED TO KNOW, AND PRESENTED MYSELF IS CREDIT CARDS TOO.
WHAT, I MEAN, 90% OF THE STUFF IS CREDIT CARDS TO, RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE PAYING A HUGE AMOUNT IN CREDIT CARDS, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN MOST PEOPLE.
THAT'S A, THE PCI COMPLIANCE FEE.
[01:10:01]
DEPENDS ON THAT'S TOTALLY ON THE SALES AND YEAH.THE MAJORITY OF THEM, ESPECIALLY WITH COVID AND EVERYBODY WORRYING ABOUT CHANGING.
WELL, NO, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT YOU'RE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO YOUR CREDIT CARD, SALES CARS, OR PURVEYOR OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE BUY A LOT.
SO ONE OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS IS THAT HAMPTON COUNTY, YOU ASKED FOR $4,000 FROM THEIR, A TAX, THEN THEY ONLY APPROVED 900.
DID THEY GIVE YOU A REASON WHY? OH, ACTUALLY HAMPTON COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY DON'T REACH THAT, THAT LEVEL WITH A TAX THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE THE MONEY OUT.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE US ANYTHING.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE OUT THEIR A TAX BECAUSE IT'S LESS THAN THE CAP THAT THE STATES PUTS.
SO IN HAMPTON COUNTY REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TOURISM ASSETS, BUT THEY DO.
UM, THEY DO SO TO SPEAK, PLAY IN THE SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'VE GOT LOTS OF, UM, NEWSWORTHY RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE THE TOURISM ASSETS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE HOTELS THAT ARE IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE REALLY PULLING IN THE APAC.
I'M JUST ASKING, CAUSE YOU ASKED FOR 4,000 AND THEY SAID YOU WAS ONLY HAVE 900.
THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A REASON.
WELL, I WILL SAY THAT THE, WHAT WE BASE OUR ASK ON IS THERE'S A DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE REPORT THAT COMES OUT AND IT'S LIVES ON THE PRT WEBSITE.
AND I'M SURE IT LIVES ON DOR TOO, BUT WHATEVER THAT ENDING THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THIS IS WHAT THE COLLECTIONS ARE.
THIS IS WHERE LIKE, IN THE, IN THE CASE OF HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON, THERE'S A ROBIN HOOD CLAUSE THAT SOME OF YOUR PORTION COMES OUT AND GOES TO THE SMALLER PLACES.
AND THAT LAST COLUMN IS, IS WHATEVER YOU HAVE, WHAT ADDED OR SUBTRACTED WE ASKED FOR 6% OF THAT NUMBER FOR ACROSS THE BOARD SO THAT WE'RE NOT ASKING WAY MORE OF ONE THAN THE OTHER.
SO WE TRY TO MAKE IT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
SO YOU SAID IN YOUR THING THAT YOU DO 90% DIGITAL AND ABOUT 10% PRINT.
SO IN YOUR BUDGET, YOU HAVE, UM, POSTAGE INQUIRY, POSTAGE FOR $12,200.
WHAT DO YOU MAIL OUT? OUR GUIDEBOOK AND THERE AGAIN, THAT'S WHY YOU MAIL THAT OUT.
YOU DON'T JUST HAVE IT THERE, YOU MAIL IT TO PEOPLE.
ALL OUR LI EVERYBODY THAT ASKS REQUEST A GUY, BUT FROM US, GETS A GUIDEBOOK.
NOW, WHEN WE GET THE THOUSANDS THAT WE GET AT A TIME, WE DO THOSE BULK, BUT WE DO THEM BULK MAIL IN HOUSE.
IF WE GET THE ONESIES TWOSIES THAT SAY, THEY'RE COMING IN ANOTHER WEEK, THAT GOES OUT AT 2 51, THE BULK ONES GO OUT AT LIKE A DOLLAR AND ONE, AND THAT HAD THAT NUMBER HAS GONE UP.
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE OUR BIGGEST LEAD GENERATION IS THAT REQUESTS A GUIDEBOOK, THIS ON OUR WEBSITE, IT USED TO NOT BE THAT IT USED TO BE EITHER PRT OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ADS THAT WE WERE DOING IN PRINT.
BUT NOW THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH THE DIGITAL MARKETING THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH THE GOOGLE AD WORDS AND THROUGH IN THE FACEBOOK CAMPAIGNS.
AND THE INSTANT CAMPAIGNS THEY'RE ASKING FOR ARE THEY'RE GOING TO OUR GUIDE, BUT I MEAN OUR WEBSITE AND REQUESTING THE GUIDEBOOK FROM THERE.
SO WHEN WE DUMPED THOSE AND WE SEND, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE DID A WOOBOX CAMPAIGN WITH FACEBOOK.
THAT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVING A BASKET OF GOODIES OUT FROM THE FRAMPTON PLANTATION.
WE GOT OVER 20,000 REQUESTS FOR OUR GUIDEBOOK.
AND THOSE WENT OUT ON OUR DIME AS INQUIRY POSTAGE IN BULK MAIL THAT SPREADING THE WORD THAT'S YET REALLY, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN REALLY PLEASED WITH THE FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WHEN COVID HIT.
WE CLOSED WHEN THE GOVERNOR SAID WE HAD TO CLOSE, WE KEPT GOING TO THE OFFICE.
CAUSE THERE'S ONLY THREE OF US THERE.
ONE WAS DOWNSTAIRS, TWO WERE UPSTAIRS.
WE REDID ALL SORTS OF STUFF IN THE BATHROOM BECAUSE IT WAS DOWNTIME.
AND IT GAVE US THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, WE NEVER STOPPED OUR MESSAGING EITHER.
WE SAID, HEY, THIS IS TOUGH FOR EVERYBODY.
LET ME SHOW YOU PICTURES, LET ME GET ASPIRATIONAL THINGS OR THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO ONCE THIS IS ALL OVER WITH.
AND SO, BECAUSE WE DID THAT, WE DIDN'T LOSE THE MARKET, SHARE THAT A LOT OF OTHERS DID.
AND BECAUSE WE HAD THAT EXTRA MONEY, WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOME MORE CONTENT GENERATION, WHICH WAS THIS EXTRA A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS GIVEN ALL EACH OF THE 11 SCATTER REGIONS.
WE ARE USING THAT TO PUT THE MORE MONEY IN BACK BEHIND THE GOOGLE AD WORDS BEHIND THE D THE RETARGETING.
AND THAT'S WHY OUR NUMBERS ARE ALMOST WHERE THEY WERE ALL OF 20, 21.
AND IT'S NOT EVEN THE END OF THE, UH, THE SIX MONTHS PERIOD.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU, UM, RE DO OR, UM, REVISE YOUR GUIDEBOOK? WHAT ABOUT EVERY YEAR AND A HALF? WE USED TO DO IT WHEN NOT WHEN I FIRST CAME IN, WE WERE DOING IT EVERY YEAR.
AND WHAT HAPPENED IS WE WERE FILLING HALF OF A DAGGUM DUMPSTER UP WITH MAGAZINES THAT DIDN'T GO OUT, UH, RECYCLING.
[01:15:01]
AND, YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT TOO, BUT WE WEREN'T USING THEM.THEY WEREN'T GOING INTO MARKET.
WE DIDN'T PUT ANY DATES ON ANYTHING WE PUT THE MONTHS THAT THINGS ARE GOING ON.
UM, BUT BECAUSE WE DO THAT, WE DON'T HAVE TO THROW ANYTHING AWAY.
LIKE I SAID, THAT WE BOX THINGS.
WE KNEW THAT THESE, WE HAD PLANNED, IT'S USUALLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
WE HAD PLANNED SUCH THAT WE WOULD GET REAL CLOSE TO, TO USE IN EVERY SINGLE ONE.
AND WE HAD LIKE, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT THAT 20 GRAND LEFTOVER.
SO WE DID THIS CAMPAIGN AND WE WERE ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO WASTE ANYTHING.
EVERYONE, EVERYTHING WENT INTO THE MARKET.
WHEN WOULD YOU BE, UM, REVISING? IT'LL PROBABLY BE ABOUT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.
SO AT THAT TIME YOU WOULD BE REVISING, UM, ADDING ADDITIONAL BLUFFTON.
IF YOU KNOW, WE ARE CHARGED BY THE STATE TO DO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING EVERYTHING IN THE FOUR COUNTIES.
UM, WE ON OUR WEBSITE, YOU'LL SEE ALL THE DAY TRIPS, THE DIFFERENT BLUFFED AND BLOGS.
WE, WE ADVERTISE BLUFFED IN THAT WAY.
WE ALSO ADVERTISE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO PUT ANY RAT CARDS IN OUR PLACE.
UM, BUT WHEN THE EXTRA MONEY WE DO THE EXTRA THINGS FOR THE, THOSE AREAS THAT SUPPORT US WITH THE X-RAY TAX.
UM, AND LORD, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE WHAT MY BUDGET IS? MY BUDGET IS $600,000, USUALLY IT'S RIGHT AROUND 500,000, RIGHT.
USUALLY RIGHT AROUND ABOUT A HALF A MILLION.
UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHERS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET FOR OTHERS.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT THAT BIG, BUT I THINK WE'RE VERY EFFECTIVE FOR WHAT WE DO.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THE OTHER ONE I HAVE IS THAT ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHERE IT SHOWS YOUR TOTAL FOR DIRECT MARKETING, YOU'VE GOT A TOTAL OF 269,000 AND CHANGE, GET YOUR REQUEST FOR ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION IS ON IT'S IN YOUR BUDGET HERE.
YOU ONLY, YOU'RE ONLY SHOWING LIKE THE 180 2, THAT WAS SORRY, THAT'S ON MY STAFF REPORT.
SO WE TOOK ALL OF THE DIRECT MARKETING INPUT, NOT THE INDIRECT MARKETING AND IT DIRECT MARKETING.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS EIGHT DAYS GOES THAT CAN, CAN PAY FOR MORE OPERATIONS RESERVES AND OUR OPERATIONS, BUT WE CERTAINLY DON'T ASK FOR THAT IN ANY OF THE MINUTE MUNICIPALITIES, OR DO WE ASK FOR STAFF, YOU KNOW, STAFFING OF THE VISITOR CENTER, EITHER OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE UP HERE? DO I HEAR A MOTION? IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? I AM MOTION NOT TO MAKE THE MOTION.
YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE AND THEN, BUT NO ONE OF YOU WANT TO KIND OF KEEP IT POSITIVE RATHER THAN A NEGATIVE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, THE AMOUNT IN FULL OF 25,000 7 55 IN SUPPORT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA, LOW COUNTRY TOURISM COMMISSION FOR PROMOTION OF BLUFFTON IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
IF THEY, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO HAVE YOU ASK AND LOVE TO HAVE YOU TALK AND COME SEE US, YOU KNOW, AND SHOW YOU WHAT WE DO.
WE HAVEN'T TURNED THESE IN UP TO DROP MINE OFF.
BECAUSE WE AREN'T REALLY FINE, BUT I DO GET THE FEEDBACK.
[01:20:09]
WE'RE JUST READY TO ADJOURN.THEN I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN.