If you’re like most business association committees that allocate marketing budgets to seasonal events, then you’re always looking for a better way to launch your Christmas campaign on 1 December. But it seems like you always experience the same delays when it comes to getting permission or business permits from your Local Council to install decorations.

Good news: now you too can make more progress on getting Council permits and permissions by following a 3-step proven method below. These steps include:

• Step 1: Define. What Christmas looks like to your business community?
• Step 2: Engagement. What kind of marketing and promotions do your businesses want over the festive season?
• Step 3: Permissions and Permits. What permissions or permits do you need to obtain from your Local Council or State Government organisation?

Let’s take a look at each of these steps in a little more detail…

🎄Step 1: Define what Christmas looks like in your shopping precinct🎄

This first step is pretty simple. What you need to do is define what Christmas looks like to your business community?

For example, your business association represents a huge range of businesses that operate in your local shopping precinct, which is situated in a leafy, green suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. There are a lot of native animals and plants that are celebrated and loved not only by business owners, but residents too. Celebrating the festive season is important in your community, but so is curating a suite of decorations that reflect the natural environment. So, you can define Christmas as a celebration of our native flora and fauna and reflective of the natural environment.

Now a lot of people tend to end up either loving or not liking the Christmas decorations that are installed in shopping precincts or entire municipalities. Usually you (a business association) can avoid that by conducting an analysis of your local shopping precinct.

For example, you can assess the public infrastructure in your shopping precinct to determine, if you can actually install any decorations. It’s important for community members to know that installing decorations is a Council responsibility, not a business association. To avoid this unwanted result, do your research on past campaigns, and don’t be afraid to make changes.

Once you’ve completed this first step, then move onto the next step…

🎄 Step 2: Engage your committee and the businesses that you represent 🎄

For this step you’ll need to engage with your business association committee and most importantly, the businesses that you represent. You will need to engage your members and seek their feedback on proposed concepts. What you’ll do is send advance notice to your committee and traders with all the relevant information and important dates. Provide them with plenty of time to complete a survey and share feedback. The committee will need to analyse and take action to ensure that Christmas marketing and promotional activities reflect the needs of traders.

Let me share with you three tips for making this step go more smoothly…

Tip 1: Create a survey.

Delegate this task to a committee member that understands how to develop surveys.  Your Marketing Manager or Coordinator should conduct the engagement and manage the collection and analysis of data.

Tip 2: Send survey to your traders with a due date.

Provide advance notice of your events calendar during the year and let the businesses that you represent get involved in the decision making.

Tip 3: Refine and analyse data and take action that is reflective of the feedback businesses have provided.

Your Marketing Manager or Coordinator should be able to analyse the data, report back to the committee so they can make a decision, and take action.

Once you’ve completed this step, then move onto the next one…

🎄 Step 3: Permissions and permits from your Local Council or State Government authority🎄

For this step, you need to have a concept in place and begin seeking permissions or applying for business permits from your Local Council or relevant State Government authority.

One word of warning: you’ve heard of red tape when it comes to getting permits?

To avoid experiencing huge delays that can impact your Christmas launch and program being a huge success, start seeking permissions and applying for permits between July-October.

Here are some other dos and don’ts for completing this step:

1. Do provide a lot of detail
2. Don’t be vague
3. Do fill out the permit application form properly
4. Don’t rush filling out the permit application form
5. Do ask your Council for help getting permissions
6. Don’t ask your Councillors to approve permit applications (they are not allowed too)
7. Do ask your Council if there is a cost
8. Don’t forget to ask if there are other groups or Council installing decorations

Now, let’s wrap things up…

So, there you have it – a quick and easy 3-step process for launching your Christmas events, decorations, and program on time in your local shopping precinct. Let’s recap the steps:

• Step 1: Define. What Christmas looks like to your business community?
• Step 2: Engagement. What kind of marketing and promotions do your businesses want over the festive season?
• Step 3: Permissions and Permits. What permissions or permits do you need to obtain from your Local Council or State Government organization?

Now there’s just one thing left for you to do – take action!

So go ahead and start defining what Christmas or any event looks like in your shopping precinct. And do it today, because the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll get to launch and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year!

If you have any questions or need help planning Christmas in your shopping precinct, contact Rania from http://www.yellowroundtable.com.

The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, and shopping precincts have a special role to play in making it memorable.

However, one common challenge faced by business associations during this time is the process of obtaining the necessary permits and permissions from local councils. The good news is that we have a 3 step method to streamline this process and ensure your Christmas campaign launch is a breeze. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Define your unique Christmas vision

Every community has a distinct identity, and your shopping precinct is no exception. When it comes to launching a successful Christmas campaign, the first step is to define what Christmas means to your community. Your precincts character is significantly shaped by its surroundings, so why not use that as the foundation for your Christmas vision? For instance, imagine a business association nestled in a leafy Melbourne suburb. Here, you have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas by embracing the natural beauty of the area.

Tips to support Step 1:

• Business and community consultation: involve your local businesses and community in the vision defining process. Hold meetings with traders and gather feedback by visiting businesses, using online surveys and social media.
• Theme development: consider a unifying theme for your Christmas campaign. This could be based on local culture, identity, heritage or natural surroundings.
• Local artists and creatives: engage local artists, creatives, designers, businesses and performers to contribute to your Christmas vision. It is also encouraged that if you are procuring goods and services for your campaign, you purchase these from local home, commercial and mobile based businesses in your community.
• Sustainability: consider eco-friendly decorations and initiatives in your vision. Support sustainability efforts by getting local schools, businesses and community groups involved in repurposing past decorations in accordance with the defined Christmas vision.

Step 2: Engage your committee and businesses

The second step involves engaging your business association committee and the businesses you represent. To ensure your holiday campaign aligns with your communities needs, it’s essential to create a survey for valuable insights. Delegate this task to a committee member (or for Special Rate funded business associations, your Marketing Coordinator) with survey development experience/expertise. Send the survey to your traders and encourage their participation. Once you’ve gathered the data, refine and analyse it to make informed decisions.

Step 3: Seek permissions and permits

The final step is all about securing the necessary permissions and permits from your local council or state government authority. It’s advisable to start this process between July and October (or earlier) to avoid delays. When applying for permits, provide detailed information and ensure the application form is filled out correctly. While seeking permissions, always ask your council for assistance, but remember that councillors cannot approve permit applications. Don’t forget to inquire about any associated costs, insurances and check if other community groups or the council itself plans to install decorations.

Conclusion

By following this 3-step method, you can transform your shopping precincts Christmas campaign into a seamless, community focused and friendly celebration. Your Christmas vision, powered by community feedback, will come to life as you collaborate with local businesses and the council. So, take the plunge and begin defining your vision as early as possible, engage your community and local businesses and ensure that you obtain the required permits and permissions from your local council. By following these 3 steps, your Christmas campaign is sure to shine brightly and launch on time for the community and visitors to enjoy.

To learn more about Rania and Yellow Round Table, consider the following resources:

• Rania delivered a keynote presentation at the metropolitan and regional 2022 Mainstreet Australia Conference on how to establish a main street marketing and business development fund, also known as Special Rates (a statutory process). This is an option that unfunded incorporated business associations in main streets, shopping precincts and town centres can explore.
• Yellow Round Table is listed as a consultant on the Mainstreet Australia Supplier Directory. Mainstreet Australia the peak industry body advocating for local shopping precincts.
• Explore the Yellow Round Table website to learn about services, experiences, and how our team can support your business association.
• Follow Yellow Round Table on Instagram.
• Connect with Rania Fayad on LinkedIn.
• Schedule a free 15 minute Clarity Call to discuss your specific needs and goals.