Please vote yes Tuesday, May 10, for Article 12 to promote Peterborough. This money will restart the social media campaign that ran from 2019 until 2021. This campaign increased social-media engagement nearly eight-fold.
The campaign works in two ways. First, it promotes life and work in our town to young adults in Boston and New York City metro areas. We need those workers and families.
Secondly, it promotes town attractions regionally. For instance, the campaign often highlighted upcoming First Friday events. This newspaper reported that April’s First Friday was poorly attended. It lacked that promotion. Passing Article 12 will revive such promotion. It’ll also promote business opportunities, so we don’t lose local businesses as owners retire.
New residents have told Economic Development Authority members that they learned of the existence of Peterborough through our social media. Of course, a single ad does not convince someone to move here. The goal of the campaign is awareness of Peterborough and its attractions. People who’ve never heard of Peterborough cannot consider it as an option. Since we began our campaign, kindergarten numbers in the town have increased significantly. Realtors support this article.
If the town wants more proof that they are getting their 1.5 cents per $1,000 worth, they could pay to capture that information with swipe coupons, etc. They could pay to contact new residents from property transfer records and ask how they learned about the town. Such market research would probably cost far more than the social media campaign itself.
I hope Town Meeting attendees will be as demanding about the fire/rescue/safety bond. It should be used to develop options for taxpayers to choose from, not a single plan based on a wish list.
Meanwhile, please vote yes on Article 12 Tuesday May 10.
Jeanne Dietsch
Peterborough