The previous website suffered from a common online problem– every audience was given equal weight (retail owners, prospective retailers, and consumers). We provided a clear strategy – the new site was built for consumers and that the site would focus on providing information about downtown events. At the center of the strategy was the creation of the Downtown Wheaton Shoppers' Club. By providing monthly updates to a growing list the association delivers a valuable resource for their membership who are often competing against big box retailers with deep marketing pockets.
Many downtowns try to make themselves look like malls, but we tried to highlight what is unique about the community and about independent retailer. Instead of a slick and sterile look, the design highlights the small town charm of Downtown Wheaton. With the knowledge (2009) that mobile technology was going to take off, we recommended that they skip the online directory. To manage membership expectations we still built a directory, but made it as easy to manage as working on an excel spreadsheet.
Many downtowns try to make themselves look like malls, but we tried to highlight what is unique about the community and about independent retailer. Instead of a slick and sterile look, the design highlights the small town charm of Downtown Wheaton. With the knowledge (2009) that mobile technology was going to take off, we recommended that they skip the online directory. To manage membership expectations we still built a directory, but made it as easy to manage as working on an excel spreadsheet.
