Dear BID Businesses,
It’s all about BRINDIES!
To celebrate “Independents Day” on Sunday 4th July, the BID launched a brand-new stand-alone website and associated social media platforms under the banner ‘BRINDIES’, (short for Bognor Regis Independents). If you haven’t already, you can link to the platforms here:
@bognorregisindies
What is BRINDIES for?
The BID is providing this service at no extra charge to all levy and non-levy paying Indie businesses within the BID Area under its “Well Known Town” objective.
It’s a “free” platform, completely independent of the BID website and branding, whose purpose is to tell the unique stories behind the independent businesses and offer the public an insight into the “what” and “who” that contributes to their town centre experience. Our goal is to inspire town centre users to explore Bognor Regis's unique shops and services and help spread the word about the town’s ‘indie heroes’.
BRINDIES will home editorial write-ups of indie businesses, showcasing the location and people through high quality professional photography, and has its own social media channels to promote services and products. Our vision is for BRINDIES to be known and used as the ‘one-stop-shop’ for those wanting to support Bognor Regis indie businesses, as well as helping to strengthen the support and pride that is already evident within the indie community itself.
There will be one / two new features every month, and any independent BID business can take part - no matter what sector! The plan is to showcase a good balance of services, retail, hospitality - new and old, traditional, and modern.
The launch has been successful so far, with a reach of over 2.5k people through social media channels, and over 250 views on the website in less than a week. The first five BRINDIES featured are: Davis’s Greengrocers, Reynolds, The Sweet Jar, Snook’s Gift Boutique and Grandads Front Room CIC. We’d really like to thank all these business for taking the time to be a part of this new campaign – especially when you had no idea what it would “look like”! It’s been a real pleasure getting to know you all better, and we hope this will be an exciting, fresh, and new adventure for all Bognor Regis Indies!
How can you get involved and support BRINDIES?
Sign up for your business to feature!
We’d love you to take part in BRINDIES, so if you’d like your business to feature, all you have to do is drop an email to brindies@brbid.org saying, yes!
We’ll then schedule in a 30 mins (or so) convenient time for me to come and chat to you, and arrange for professional photographer, Peter Flude to take some fantastic photos that capture the “heart” of your business.
We’re already fully booked for features up until September, but everyone who expresses an interest will feature in subsequent editions.
“Follow” and Like” BRINDIES on social media channels!
It’s really important to link your business to the BRINDIES newsletter and social media channels, as well as the BID’s channels. That’s because we’re migrating all of our “promotional” social media messaging to the BRINDIES channels going forwards – things like shop local campaigns, sharing business posts and business promotions - so make sure you’re following and signed up to stay connected via the links below:
We really encourage you to share any posts you see and like – whether it be posts about BRINDIES itself or any other indie businesses featured there. This will help increase exposure for the businesses featured, and really demonstrate the supportive, encouraging and positive network that exists among our indie businesses.
Use the hashtags!
We also really encourage you to use the hashtags below to get Bognor Regis Indie businesses all over that digital map! This is a unique brand for Bognor Regis Independents – a brand that can grow and flourish with your help:
We hope you like and see the benefit of this unique platform specifically showcasing and promoting Bognor Regis Indies and will be an active part of its success!
If you’d like any further information, please feel free to contact me at brindies@brbid.org
With warm wishes,
Clair
Clair Harwood
BR BID Team Member