Traveling the trail—exploring eastern CT and discovering downtowns and businesses—was the concept that launched the Chamber’s annual shop local promotion three years ago. In 2020, customers felt more inclined to shop from home, and the Holiday Shopping Trail responded by moving online. Getting local businesses in front of stay-at-home shoppers helped sales in a tough season.

The Holiday Shopping Trail promotion was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Comcast, The Day, Community Health Center, Inc., and Hall Communications.

Here’s a quick recap of the campaign:

Going digital increased measurable participation 300%

The website that replaced printed passports provided advantages that make the platform a great choice going forward.

800+ Entries

The entry structure incentivized purchases, social media connections, in-person shopping, and following links to online stores and videos.

20,000+ Impressions on Social Media

A far-reaching campaign, we achieved over 20,000 impressions on social media. Collected data includes an email list, perfect for future shop local promotions and a benefit for participating stores.

Winners

Our 1st place winner received the $500 grand prize, 2nd and 3rd place received $250 and $100 in gift cards respectively. Ten other winners enjoy gift cards and gifts from participating businesses, connecting shoppers with businesses they may not have experienced before.