Marketing
A wide range of marketing initiatives are used to promote Winchester as a destination as well as to promote the BID’s services such as Winchester Business Centre and our events. This includes a blend of radio, press, digital, outdoor and social advertising. The BID works closely with Visit Winchester and Visit Hampshire to market the city and promote culture, tourism and festivals. The BID is also a member of the Discover Winchester consortium of businesses and public agencies working together to develop and promote tourism in Winchester. The BID invests in campaigns which celebrate Winchester as a thriving location for commercial investment and one of the best places to live, work, study and visit in the UK. We are active on social media and you can follow us and engage with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
Communications
We like to connect with local businesses face-to-face, but we also use a range of media to keep BID members and associated parties as well as the press up to date with our activities. We send a fortnightly e-news to our BID members and regular consumer e-news to local residents and visitors to Winchester. To subscribe and keep updated on the latest BID projects, services and events, please enter your details in the sign up form on our homepage or contact: enquiries@winchesterbid.co.uk.
Podcasts
The Winchester BID podcast series engage local business people in discussion on interesting topics. The first series showcases service sector businesses in the city centre and includes episodes on architecture and commercial property, the creative digital sector, legal services, marketing and PR, and recruitment. The second series provides a collection of business briefing episodes featuring Professor John Kind, author of the Winchester Business Barometer, interviewing local business people across a range of different sectors and offer ideas, suggestions, techniques and tips to help businesses to continually improve their performance and seize new opportunities.
Supporting Independents
In 2018 an Independents Advisory Group was established made up of independent business owners to help the BID launch a new programme of campaigns and projects to support independent businesses in the city. The BID now hosts regular meetings which any independent business can attend to help shape the ongoing programme and discuss how best to optimise an annual fund to support the city’s independent business community. Themes include events, marketing and PR, training and digital projects, among others. You can find out more by searching for our hashtag #IndieWinch on social media platforms or by contacting the team. Click here to take a look at the latest version of the Winchester Independents Map and other marketing resources are available here.
Events
Winchester BID organises a range of events, all of which contribute to the local economy and add to the diverse mix of cultural activities available in the city. Two of our most popular annual events include Winchester Fashion Week and the Winchester Christmas Lights Switch On.
Festivals in Winchester
As well as delivering our own events, the BID also chairs the Festivals in Winchester group and supports other events in the city with an annual sponsorship fund which is used to support local festivals, events and activities. We assess the economic impact of each event including footfall, city spend and how they engage with and benefit BID member businesses. Winchester BID endeavours to support as many city-based events as possible to ensure an exciting and diverse offer. If you are an event organiser and would like to apply for sponsorship, please download the sponsorship application form.
Seasonal Promotions
We have taken a leading role in delivering a high-profile campaign for Christmas with partner organisations in the city. In addition to Winchester BID’s events and marketing promotions, we also run other seasonal activities, which are designed to encourage footfall and spend and also provide fun activities for the local community and visitors to the city. Some of these include the Bunny Hop Easter Trail, Independent Business Month in July and the Halloween Spooky Winch Word Hunt in October.
Winchester Guided Tours
We provide financial support to the Winchester Tourist Guides by contributing towards their marketing costs and we also help to organise guided walking tours for staff teams from new businesses moving into the city. Guided walking tours are great fun for tourists and visitors, but also an opportunity for people who live and work in Winchester to find out more about our fascinating past from guides who are knowledgeable and passionate about the city and its heritage.
