Business & Tech

Enfield Plans Midtown Makeover To Attract Businesses

The town wants a new identity, website, advertising and recruitment campaign centered on Thompsonville and the central business district.

ENFIELD, CT — Enfield is looking for a marketing firm to give its Midtown district a new identity and help sell the area to businesses, developers and investors.

The town issued a request for proposals Monday for an economic development campaign focused on Thompsonville and the central business district. The work would also shape how Enfield markets the rest of the town.

The project goes well beyond designing a new logo. Enfield wants professional photographs, drone footage, social media content, advertisements and a separate economic development website highlighting available properties and local businesses.

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The selected firm would also create recruitment materials outlining Enfield's workforce, demographics, incentives and other assets. Email marketing and lead-tracking tools would be set up so town staff can follow inquiries from businesses and developers.

The town said the campaign should help attract and retain businesses, encourage investment, increase visits and tax revenue and create a consistent message across its advertising platforms.

Find out what's happening in Enfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The branding work would include interviews with business owners, developers, town employees and elected officials. A logo, color scheme, typography and possibly a tagline would follow.

Enfield did not set a total price for the project in the bid documents. Firms must submit separate costs for each part of the campaign, allowing the town to move ahead with some portions and leave others out.

Proposals are due by 11 a.m. Oct. 6. The town expects to select a firm by Oct. 23, although that date is not guaranteed.

The project is centered on the Midtown Enfield Tax Increment Financing District. That district allows the town to direct a portion of future growth in property-tax revenue toward improvements intended to encourage redevelopment.

Enfield wants the finished marketing materials and online tools to be simple enough for town employees to update after the firm's work is complete.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.

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