7.3 SR 04-15-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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14Historical Minnesota Society Chris Barta Franklin Outdoor Advertising 20092 Edison Circle E Clearwater, MN 55320 Dear Chris, Oliver H. Kelley Farm March 29, 2013 As site manager of the Minnesota Historical Society's Oliver Kelley Farm, in Elk River, I have overseen marketing and promotion efforts for 11 years. In that time, I have seen a shifting and reorienting of our audiences and the way I must attempt to reach them. it is getting harder (and more expensive) to reach potential customers through the many fractured marketing methods. One thing that hasn't changed is that people are still driving and sitting in their cars a lot. The Kelley Farm, while located on US Highway #10 and Highway #169, on the east side of Elk River, has trouble gaining traction for the drive -by part of our audience. The site is not visible from the highway, losing out to curb /visual visitation decision making. Our brown DOT highway signs do note our presence and help direct people to the site, but they do not tell anything about the site. Billboards give us a presence, directions and the very important visual of something alive and happening. The visuals presented on billboards help both drivers and passengers make decisions to visit the Kelley Farm. Boards help reinforce other marketing images and messages presented through other media sources as well as reminding past visitors that it's time to visit again. Our marketing tracking shows that people are coming to Elk River to visit the Kelley Farm in part because they saw our messages on billboards. I can safely say that part of our audience - - -and part of our revenue , would not exist without this media form. Chris, thanks for your efforts and discounts in getting us placements and time for getting our message out. Sincerely, Bob M. Quist Site Manager Minnesota Historical Society Oliver Kelley Farm