Marketing for Business Improvement Districts and the Downtowns They Serve.
A business improvement district has to market a whole district, keep dozens of member businesses happy, and show a board exactly what the assessment money bought. TMC Marketing runs that program for Go Downtown Kenosha, the Lakeshore Business Improvement District: 750,000+ organic impressions in the first fifteen weeks, zero ad spend, a Business Spotlights video series the community shares, and a report the board can read in five minutes.
Marketing for business improvement districts, in one place
- TMC Marketing runs social media, video and district branding for Go Downtown Kenosha, the Lakeshore Business Improvement District in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and took over its content on May 1, 2026.
- From May 1 to August 16, 2026 the program earned 750,000+ impressions, 515,000+ reach, 12,000+ engagements and 800+ new followers across the district's channels, all organic with no paid ad spend.
- The district's TikTok, launched in summer 2026, reached 42,300 views in its first 60 days, with 91% of views from the For You feed.
- The Business Spotlights series features downtown businesses telling their own stories on video; the Le Esther's spotlight reached 27,600 views on Facebook alone.
- TMC Marketing produced the long-form State of Downtown film for the district's annual State of Downtown event.
- Every month the BID board receives a one-page performance report with plain-language takeaways, including an honest read on channels that underperform.
Go Downtown Kenosha: Fifteen Weeks In
State of Downtown and the Business Spotlights
We started with the district’s biggest moment of the year: the long-form State of Downtown film, produced for the annual State of Downtown event and still the centerpiece of the district’s video library. From May 1 we took over the district’s content: a refreshed visual identity, two to three organic posts a day across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube, and the Business Spotlights series, where downtown owners tell their own stories on camera. Local stories and community moments now drive the district’s biggest results.
State of Downtown, produced for Go Downtown Kenosha's annual event
The Business Spotlights Series
A BID's members are its content. Spotlight videos give each business something to share, give residents a reason to come downtown, and give the board visible proof that the district is promoting its members.
Le Esther's
The district’s best-performing Business Spotlight so far, on Facebook alone, before counting Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.
Video Carried the Feed
In the first reporting month, three-second video views rose 427% and total watch time reached nearly seven days.
Fifteen Weeks, All Organic
Cumulative results across every channel the district runs, from the day TMC Marketing took over content to the August board report.
What Districts and Agencies Are Up Against
BIDs, downtown associations, chambers and municipal departments share the same constraints: public money, a board to answer to, many stakeholders, and nobody on staff whose only job is marketing.
Every Member Wants to Be Seen
Dozens of businesses pay into the district, and each one wants proof the district is promoting them, not just the events.
Spotlight videos and features that rotate through members, so every business gets content it can share.
The Board Needs Proof, in Plain English
Assessment dollars and public budgets get scrutinized. A dashboard screenshot and a follower count do not answer ‘what did we get for it?’
A one-page monthly report built for a board meeting: what grew, what it means, and an honest note on what did not.
No Budget for Paid Ads
Most districts and departments cannot justify ad spend, so growth has to be earned organically, month after month.
Content people actually share: local stories, events, and the faces behind downtown. Go Downtown Kenosha's results were all organic.
Procurement and Continuity
Public bodies need vendors who can pass purchasing, and a program that does not stop when a volunteer or staffer moves on.
A government-vetted vendor with a published capabilities statement, written operating standards and one accountable team.
Every Channel a District Needs
Social and video carry most district programs. The rest is there when the board wants it.
Video & Photography
Business Spotlights, event coverage and signature films like State of Downtown, shot on location by an in-house crew.
Learn More about Video & Photography →Social Media Marketing
Two to three posts a day across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube, planned around the district calendar.
Learn More about Social Media Marketing →SEO & AI Search Visibility
Rank for ‘things to do downtown’ searches and be the district AI assistants name when visitors ask where to go.
Learn More about SEO & AI Search Visibility →Website Design
A district site with events, a member directory and visitor information that staff can update, owned by the district.
Learn More about Website Design →PPC Ads
Targeted event and campaign promotion when the budget allows, reported by cost per result.
Learn More about PPC Ads →Email Marketing
Member and visitor newsletters that run from one list, without a staffer building every send.
Learn More about Email Marketing →Districts, Downtowns and Public Agencies
Business Improvement Districts & Downtown Organizations
BIDs, downtown associations, Main Street programs and chambers that need to promote a whole district and its members, and report to a board every month.
Talk to us about your districtFire Departments, Municipalities & Public Agencies
Recruitment films, community content and ongoing programs for fire departments and public agencies, including the Kenosha Fire Department’s five-year partnership.
See public safety workDistrict & Government Questions
Do you work with business improvement districts outside Kenosha?
Yes. Go Downtown Kenosha is our flagship district program, and the same approach works for any BID, downtown association, Main Street program or chamber in Wisconsin and Illinois. Filming happens on location; planning and reporting run remotely.
Can you grow a district's audience without paid ads?
Go Downtown Kenosha’s results were entirely organic: 750,000+ impressions and 800+ new followers in the first fifteen weeks with no ad spend. Paid promotion can be added for events when the budget allows, but it is not required to grow.
What does the board report look like?
One page, delivered before each monthly board meeting: impressions, reach, engagement and new followers by platform, the top posts, and a plain-language summary of what it means, including an honest note on any channel that dipped.
How do Business Spotlights work?
We film a downtown business on location, the owner tells their story, and the video is cut for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The business gets content to share, residents get a reason to visit, and the district shows members it is promoting them.
Can you pass a public-sector procurement process?
Yes. TMC Marketing is a vetted vendor for municipal and county agencies, publishes a capabilities statement and written operating standards, and can provide references from public-sector clients.
Ready to Put Your District in Front of Everyone?
Book a discovery call and bring your last board report, or your lack of one. We will show you what a district program looks like and what it costs.
Schedule a Discovery Call