Merchant Association & Neighborhood Ambassador Program & Community Involvement Existing businesses have a major role to play in strengthening the brand of east Sunrise, and they need to get better organized to have real impact. Working with the Chamber of Commerce – or even independently – a core group of merchants should be recruited to provide guidance, support, ideas, and regular feedback. The exact structure will depend on those involved. A key program for these business people to champion is the Neighborhood Ambassadors Program. The objective of this program is to educate and engage residents and business owners through social networking events presented by the City of Sunrise and hosted by area shops and restaurants. This helps with great storytelling and referrals. A more complete description of the program is located in the Plan appendix. Strong communities have engaged resident and business members. A Neighborhood Ambassador Program creates a forum to ensure the residential and business communities are made aware of and participate in the redevelopment process. This format can be used for a main street or business area as well in the form of a Merchant Ambassador Program. For the purposes of this plan, the Neighborhood Ambassador Program will provide the template that can be used as a guide for multiple purposes. These “Ambassadors” are key to providing an army of people who are actively promoting the shared vision and future of the City. They become “brand champions”. NEXT STEPS 5 5 Engage the resident and business community and create a platform for outreach and exposure for the initiatives outlined in the Master Plan. 5 5 Use the Neighborhood Ambassadors program as a vehicle for an expanded, more effective merchant association (for business cross- promotions and word-of-mouth recommendation).
111 | EAST SUNRISE IMPROVEMENTS MASTER PLAN
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