This is a slide show which outlines the results of the economic development project working with the Downtown Somerville Alliance (DSA) in Somerville, NJ. The analysis and presentation were completed in 2012 by Uncommon Marketing group of Somerville, NJ. www.uncommonmarketingnj.com The survey revealed several opportunities for new businesses to move into a marketplace that is awaiting their arrival. It also evaluated and made suggestions related to the marketing events that take place within the downtown.

1. DSA Business
Recruitment Survey
Results
Summary of participants, sector
evaluations and unrestrained
suggestions

2. Purpose of Study
 Primary endpoints
– To solicit feedback of persons who live, work or shop
in Somerville of their opinions of the current mix of
Retail, Restaurant and Services within the Borough of
Somerville.
- To gain a sense of their preferences of types of
businesses in each category to solicit to open in
Somerville.
- Develop a list of potentially desirable tenants to work
with existing property owners to establish mutual goals
and communication; ultimately creating an improved and
diverse retail culture on Main St.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 2

3. Purpose or Study (continued)
 Secondary Endpoint
- To gain insight into the demographics
and willingness of people to participate in
electronic feedback for future programs.
Tertiary Endpoint
Connecting with any potential responders
interested in opening a business.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 3

4. Survey Organization
 Survey was conducted from June 1 –
September 15.
 Survey was conducted both on-line and
with response cards provided at selected
locations.
 404 Total Responses including 55
response cards.
 Response cards and web based survey
were developed by Y Ito Marketing.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 4

5. Tabulation
 Survey results were combined between reply
cards and on-line XML file producing a filterable
spreadsheet.
 Tabulation of results by demographics was
performed as well as for the whole.
 Free form responses were categorized into
broad similar groups. Then the ones with the
most similar responses were analyzed.
 Survey content and analysis was produced by
the DSA Business Recruitment subcommittee
and Uncommon Marketing.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 5

6. Data Collected
 Segmentation questions – gender, age, home
zip code, work in Somerville (& which sector)
 Experience Level – how often they come, why
they come (dine, shop, events, services etc.),
Which events they attend
 Rating choices – Excellent „Consistently delivers
all the choices I need‟, Good „Generally serves
my needs‟, Fair „Sometimes has what I need‟,
Inadequate „ Does not serve my needs‟
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 6

7. Data Collected Continued
 Each of 4 categories was rated by the 4 level criteria –
Restaurant, Retail & Specialty Shops, Consumer Services
(hair, dry cleaning etc.), Professional Services (financial,
legal, Health etc.)
 What is missing from each category – free form
unrestricted answer space – some people used this area
to give feedback on existing as well as suggesting new
 Additional questions – Stores you‟ve seen elsewhere that
should come to Somerville, Are you interested in opening
a store, what size, what additional events should we use
to attract business and shoppers, e-mail for future
surveys
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 7

8. Basic Responder Segments
Total Responders as of Segment of Somerville
Sept. 15 – 405 Employment
 Male/Female –  Retail – 10.3%
33%/67%  Restaurant – 14.4%
 Lives in Ville/Not –  Professional – 45.4%
49%/51%  Government – 25.8%
 Works in Ville/Not –
 Services – 5.2%
24%/76%
Note: Survey scheduled to be open for 3 months was extended by 1 week
due to technical difficulties in the first week.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 8

9. Basic Responder Segments
(Continued)
Age Group Frequencies of visit to
 Under 25 – 5.2% downtown
 25-40 – 32.7%  Yearly – 1.7%
 41-60 – 48.0%  Quarterly – 6.2%
 61+ - 12.9%  Bi-monthly – 6.2%
 Monthly – 15.8%
 Semi-Monthly – 17.6%
 Weekly – 26.2%
 Twice Weekly – 9.2%
 Daily – 17.1%
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 9

10. Why Do They Come to
Downtown Somerville
100.0%
89.9%
90.0%
80.0% 75.7%
70.0% 63.4%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0% 24.0%
16.8%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Dining Shopping professional Consumer Services Events
services
Reasons for Coming
Professional Service – Legal, Medical, Financial
Consumer Services – Massage, Beauty, Dry Cleaning
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 10

11. Quality of Responses
 238 or 59% or respondents provided an e-
mail address to be contacted to be
involved in future market research
 83% of respondents provided some form
of unique suggestion or feedback
 150 Responders provided specific
examples of stores in other towns that
they want in Somerville
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 11

12. Restaurant Ratings
Excellent 3.8
3.4 3.3
3.2 3.2 3.20 3.27
3.2
Good
2.7
Fair
Inadequate
TOTAL In-tow n Out of Tow n Under 25 25-40 41-60 61+ Male Female
Series1
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 12

13. Food Choices Most Desired
268 comments
 High quality Mexican/Latin  „Real‟ Ice Cream / dessert shop
American (Momma Mexico, (open in evening Crumbs, Cold
QDoba, Chipoltle) Stone)
 Coffee/Tea House (Rock N‟  Vegetarian or more Indian
Joe, T.M. Ward, Starbucks) choices
 Sports Bar/Bar & Grill (higher  BBQ/Soul Food
end, Egans, Willie McBrides,  High Quality Jewish/Italian Deli
Pluckemin, Chimney Rock, (Nana‟s Livingston,
Famished Frog) Saladworks)
 Casual Family (chain)  Late Night
Carrabas, Outback, Joe‟s Crab Dining/Entertainment
Shack, Perkins, Chili‟s,  Steak House(Ruth‟s Chris,
CrackerBarrel, Chic Fil‟ A, 5 Roots)
guys)
 Healthy/Organic  Brew Pub (Triumph, Trap
Rock)
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 13

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15. Retail/Shopping Rating
Excellent
2.96
Good
2.55
2.43
2.24 2.28 2.24 2.25
2.13 2.17
Fair
Inadequate
TOTAL Residents Non- 25 & Under 26 - 40 41 - 60 61 + Male Female
Residents
Retail & Specialty Shops
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 15

16. Retail Top Choices
 Total of 378 suggestions  Top Other Retail
by 252 people.  Gift shops 8.7%(Vera
Bradley, Back Door, Glassware
 Obviously Clothing and etc.)
Shoes topped the list (86  Specialty Foods 8.3% (Trader
& 46 Total votes – 34.1% Joe‟s, chocolate, nuts, butcher,
and 18.3%)
 Some specific areas of
cheese, seafood, cigars, Carter
& Cavero, Spice Store(Westfield) )
Clothing and shoes were
 Book store 7.5%
common and tallied – (Used, Specialty, Independent)
most were generic  Health Food Store 7.1%
requests. (GNC, Vitamin Shop, Organic
Grocer, Jersey Fresh Store)
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 16

17. Retail Top Choices Cont‟
 Craft Stores 5.6% - (Fabric,  Home furnishings / Linens /
knitting, scrapbook, etc.) other home goods 3.6%
 Cookware/Houseware 5.2%  Toys 3.6% (Learning Express)
(W. Sonomo, boutique  Name brand drug store 2.4%
retailers, Container store) (CVS)
 Art Gallery, Store, Retailer  Coffeehouse 2.4% (addition to
5.2% (N.B. Art Coop Designer Restaurant including selling
Craftsmaen, Frog Hollow VT) books / entertainment /
 Sports/Recreation 4.8% meeting space)
(hiking/camping equipment,  Bakery 2.0% (especially one
Spiritware-jerseys etc.) open in evenings)
 General Goods/ Hardware  Electronics 2.0% (Computers,
4.0% Computer Repair, Gadgets)
 Music / Video / Video Games  Art Supplies/Framing 2.0%
4.0%  Cooking Classes 2.0% (Thyme
Westfield)
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 17

18. Clothing Breakdown
 Clothing Total 34.1%  Men‟s Clothing 3.2%
 Generic Clothing  Kid‟s Clothing 2.8%
7.9%(Anthropologie)  Consignment / Swaps
 Normal Mid-priced 6.3% 2.4%
(Gap, Banana Republic,  Specialty Clothes 2.4%
small mall chains, (Leather-ware, sports,
Pendelton, Orvis, LL wedding/bridesmaid,
Bean) western, LuLu Lemon-
 Women‟s 4.8% (PC Lavin exercise ware)
Anne Taylor, Lane Bryant,  Ethnic Clothing 0.4%
Lauren B‟s-morristown)
 Boutique / High End (Jos
A Bank, Talbots, unique
lines)
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 18

19. Shoe Breakdown
 Shoe Total 18.3%
 Generic shoes – 10.3% (BiltRite, Foot
Solutions)
 Women‟s – 2.4% (Avenue, Catherines)
 Budget – 2.4% (Payless, shoe outlets)
 High End – 1.2%
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 19

20. Retail – Other Notes
 10 Other suggestions less than 2%
 Comments around too much antiques, second
hand, urban clothiers
 Many comments about how all is high end & low
end – no middle
 Several comments missing „Back Door‟ for gifts
 About a dozen comments regarding closing too
early „dinner = no shopping‟
 1 suggestion around having directories similar to
mall at parking lots and along main street.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 20

21. Consumer Services Rank
Excellent
3.00
Good
2.55 2.57 2.52 2.58 2.52 2.57
2.13 2.05
Fair
Inadequate
TOTAL Residents Non- 25 & Under 26 - 40 41 - 60 61 + Male Female
Residents
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 21

22. Professional Services Rank
Excellent
2.90 2.94
Good
2.73 2.69 2.68 2.70
2.65
2.55
2.13
Fair
Inadequate
TOTAL Residents Non- 25 & Under 26 - 40 41 - 60 61 + Male Female
Residents
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 22

23. Consumer & Professional Services
Requests
 170 people gave feedback but  18 Others under 2% including
only 68 was considered : computer repair, photo
substantive printing / framing, pharmacy,
 Exercise/Gym etc 6.5% (yoga, Educational Classes, ethnic
Pilates, gym) hair salon, Affordable Taylor,
 Boutique Movie Theater/ Pet Sitting, higher class hair
Performing Arts Center – 5.9% salon, Eye Doctor, English
language School, Green Dry
 High End Spa Services 5.3% Cleaner, 24 hr Laundromat,
 Shipping, Copy, Printing Store shoe repair, Art Studio,
3.5% Resoration Consultant
 Alternative Medicine
 Retail Brokerage Firm
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 23

24. Comparing Groups
3.76
2.96
2.73 2.73
2.13 2.13 2.05 2.13
Somerville Out of Town
3.20 3.27
2.68 2.70
2.52 2.57
2.24 2.25
Restaurant Retail Consumer Professional
Under 25 25-40 41-60 61+
Male Female
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 24

25. What Events are Most Popular to
Bring People Downtown
350 299
300 280
250 227 220
201 208
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133 121
150 113 96 88
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Note: Friday Cruise Nights, Concerts & Street Fairs are multi-day events.
Most popular single day events are St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Memorial
Day/Races. Total of 405 responders.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 25

26. Event(& Other) Ideas Submitted
 Rock Music on Thursday nights  Facebook specials for Tues,
(or improve Friday Night Wed, Thurs
Selections for younger  Frequent purchase rewards
audiences – several similar (entered purchases on-line
suggestions) from participating retailers,
 Ethnic Food Day build points)
 Better hours for farmers  Movie nights on Courthouse
market (repeated many times) lawn
 Sidewalk sales during other  Pet friendly stickers
events (ex. Trick or Treating)  Blues in addition to Jazz
 Octoberfest (wine tasting)  Pedestrian Stroll Days (close
 Chef tastings / presentations street but for kids/families on
 Keep business‟s open in bikes/walking)
evening especially Friday  Fashion Show
 Exercise in the park-court lawn  Think 4th of July
 Ghost tours  Chili cook-off
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 26

27. Conclusions
 Although the restaurant sector is viewed favorably there
were significant suggestions for improvement/expansion.
 By far the weakest response was for the retail sector –
there were some very good viable suggestions for
businesses to initiate or recruit.
 Consumer and Professional services overall were viewed
favorably however there were some excellent
suggestions to improve this sector as well.
 The age demographic from 25-45 viewed the services
and products with a keen eye to provide a desirable
experience and give “us a reason to come back.”
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 27

28. Recommendations
 Events Work !!! Update and continue with new
events.
 Director should spend time each month on the
road recruiting businesses to open additional
new locations in Somerville.
 Keep up with contacts, who submitted this study
for further input.
 Develop and share recruiting plans with property
owners and work towards common success.
10/31/2011 Uncommon Marketing 28