Your Guide for Marketing Tacoma (20. July 2007, 06:44 by Erik) ~ A Few Simple Rules
The City of Tacoma is seeking a professional consultant to help tell its story.
The City may end their search now! Exit133 has rigorously studied all known techniques for marketing Tacoma effectively and easily. We have assembled them here for the convenience of city officials but also for residents who would like to help promote the City of Destiny. Wait, Wired City USA? Where Art and Nature Meet? Or are we Where Rails Meet Sails again? Thrice All American?
Ah well. Whichever slogan we’re going with, you can be assured that by following the simple rules below, you can confidently tell your out-of-town friend*, “You’ll Like Tacoma.”
*Note, may not work for King County friends.
We give you …
The Ten Commandments for Marketing Tacoma
1. Thou shalt start every story about Tacoma by describing what a bad place it used to be.
2. Thou shalt describe how much fiber optic cable we have in the ground.
3. Thou shalt not mention how often we dug up the roads to get it there.
4. Thou shalt tell business owners how quick the permit process is. Thou shalt use a comic strip to do so.
5. Thou shalt brag about our museums, even though you probably don’t go unless you’re trying to impress your in-laws.
6. Thou shalt brag about our light rail, even though you probably don’t ride it because your Escalade is much more comfortable.
7. Thou shalt tell visitors not to worry; the Tacoma Aroma is not nearly as bad as it used to be.
8. Thou shalt tell convention planners that Tacoma is just as good as Seattle because we are the same distance from the airport. (sub-commandment: thou shalt tell visitors to stay in Tacoma because it’s closer to Mt. Rainier than Seattle is).
9. Thou shalt assure your listener that whatever awful thing happened last night that put Tacoma on the national news is a rarity. Thou shalt repeat your assurance at least twice annually.
10. Thou shalt tell people you are from Seattle when you are traveling. We all know it’s too hard to explain where Tacoma is.
Disclaimer: We may occasionally stretch the truth or make things up on Fridays… but only when there’s a disclaimer. Everything else is absolutely true. Trust us.
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11. Thou shall tell people that Tacoma is a place worth caring about even though most buildings built after 1950 in Tacoma don’t look it. (Link is to speech on the subject by James Knustler at TED : Ideas worth spreading).
Thou shalt tell all visitors that restoration of the (choose your building: Elks Lodge, Crystal Ballroom, Luzon, etc.) is imminent.
2 | Posted by cck | Jul 20, 03:16 PM
Thou shall tell visitors that even though Tacoma still has many cycnics, it is a beautiful, progressively growing community which is becoming the destination many as a place to live and raise their families.
4 | Posted by jeff | Jul 21, 09:48 AM
After living in Tacoma for 13 years (by choice and while raising a family here), I reserve the right to be cynical.
5 | Posted by cck | Jul 22, 06:41 PM
Hi Guys, I just read the new Mark Frauenfelder “Rule the Web” book checked out from the tacoma public library… Mark says to use more pictures or illustrations in your blog posts.
1-10 would have been funnier with photographic examples.
6 | Posted by RR Anderson | Jul 22, 10:34 PM
Wow. I guess you did it. See RR Anderson’s graphical illustrations in the forum for The Ten Commandments for Marketing Tacoma. Interesting.
thou shall leave tacoma within 10 years of arriving due to lack of follow through by the city officials to clean up this town and actually allow developers to develope, and to relax the loop holes for developers to build…...lets not forget thinking beyond condos and about commercial and retail….....
10 | Posted by rich | Jul 24, 06:42 AM
thou shalt (hopefully) find a new place to live and invest where city officials care, one can have the same rights as all the social services and transients have to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to include operating a business unfettered by losers and criminals, and one doesn’t have to call 911 every day in an attempt to be safe….
11 | Posted by Laura H. | Jul 24, 08:29 AM
Spending more money to market Tacoma. If they really want to solve the city’s problems, they’d just resign.
12 | Posted by Jeff B. | Jul 25, 03:50 PM
Oh, wait. I’ve got the slogan. “We’re not Seattle, but we’re close.” Except, it won’t work if you’re downtown, because then it would go something like, “We’re not Seattle… no really… why are you laughing?”
13 | Posted by Jeff B. | Jul 25, 03:56 PM
Thou shall form a cover band of Elvis Costello & The Atrractions and do a remake of (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding; and dedicate it to Laura H..
14 | Posted by Mofo from the Hood | Jul 27, 07:41 AM
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