Business Support

One of the most common ways legacy business programs support their businesses is by helping them with marketing needs. As mentioned earlier, all the current legacy business programs include some method of promoting businesses through social media, online programs, registries, or print media. However, several programs, including Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, take the next step by empowering legacy businesses to improve and expand their own marketing. 

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Many legacy businesses have relied on community connections and word of mouth to succeed. As markets and communities evolve, these methods may no longer be successful. To compensate for this, several legacy business programs help their business owners improve their digital presence through websites or social media. This often includes external assistance or training for the owners so that they can perform the tasks themselves. Other marketing assistance can come in the form of traditional marketing (e.g., print or coupons), technical assistance, or rebranding efforts.

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Regardless of the level of assistance, both the businesses’ and your program’s marketing and promotional efforts should leverage the business's story and its cultural value to the community. In my work with the Langston Boulevard Alliance, the considerable support and continued success of the People & Places legacy business project were due to the rich stories shared by the business owners, which we presented to the community through our website and online videos. These human stories help create value and a brand for the businesses and your program