“The analytics are fantastic. I can see quantifiable numbers and know how many people are being driven to our information on the app.”
– Michelle Meatheringham, Executive Director, Rocky Chamber
The Customer:
A Canadian Chamber of Commerce Working to Support Economic Development
In Alberta, Canada, situated between the towns of Calgary and Edmonton, is the riverfront town of Rocky Mountain House. Here, the local chamber of commerce, Rocky Chamber, is made up of businesspeople and merchants working together to promote business and continued growth in the community.
Boasting more than 250 members, Rocky Chamber acts as a representative for changes to legislation that affects local business and focuses on initiatives that encourage economic development.
From working to support small-town grocery stores and toy shops to family-owned restaurants and clothing boutiques, the dedicated members of Rocky Chamber strive to help this charming region thrive.
The Challenge:
Local Businesses Struggled to Maintain Awareness During the Pandemic
Like many tourism destinations, the businesses supported by Rocky Chamber were significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In 2020, when restrictions were imposed, we witnessed highway businesses, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, gas stations, and liquor and cannabis stores prosper while our local downtown shops struggled to keep their doors open,” Michelle Meatheringham, executive director of Rocky Chamber said. “We worked to share business info, and pick-up and delivery options with potential customers, but it wasn’t enough.”
With so much uncertainty surrounding safety precautions, and tourism throughout the world stalling, people traveling through the area weren’t venturing off the highway and into town. Furthermore, locals were unsure about which businesses were operating during this time. The printed guides that Rocky Chamber normally gave out to residents quickly became out of date, and with the tourism office closed there was no way to easily share this information with travelers.
The impact on the region was profound, and as the pandemic wore on, businesses struggled to stay afloat.
“The Chamber prints an annual directory with residential and business listings,” Michelle said. “It was recognized that a digital option would be needed in the near future. App My Community presented this opportunity.”
The Solution:
A Digital Resource That Served Town Merchants and Visitors Alike
In February 2021, with the area still reeling from a downturn in business, Rocky Chamber was introduced to Joe and Rose Duemig, creators of App My Community. Seeing the potential that could come from App My Community’s digital solutions, a community organization brought a proposal before Rocky Chamber with a request to review and move ahead with the app creation project.
“As a nonprofit governed by a board of directors, it can be tough to make exciting changes quickly,” said Michelle. “Deciding to sign on with App My Community was the exception. Within a week the Rocky Chamber board of directors decided to move forward with App My Community.”
The primary focus of the app is to be a resource for community members and tourists. “The app is an incredible asset for our area because it encompasses all of the different attractions and commerce to people who live in our community, or are visiting, to easily find everything our region has to offer,” said Michelle.
The Rocky Chamber app allows local businesses to have an easy-to-access tool for self-promotion. As Michelle said, “The goal is for businesses and citizens to use this tool to become ambassadors for our beautiful backyard. We work to provide our neighbors and visitors the best experience they can have in our beautiful region.”
The Results:
Strong App Downloads Combined with Advertising Opportunities Helped Business Bounced Back
The Rocky Mountain app was an instant hit. “The downloads were incredible,” said Michelle.
App My Community’s analytics helped Rocky Chamber to see the venture’s success in real time. With stats showing that locals and visitors were quickly turning to the app for information, the Chamber met with businesses in the area and encouraged them to purchase an advertising package that allowed for increased visibility in the app.
“Our advertising packages are at an extremely reasonable rate,” said Michelle. “We take it to a business and say, ‘Do you want an advertising package on this? Because the analytics behind it are fantastic.’ I can tell them in quantifiable numbers, here’s how many people are being driven to your information if you promote on the app. And those are strong numbers to give them.”
One merchant in particular, a thrift store called Little House of Hopes, said they’ve received an influx of patrons who learned about the business via the app. Other app elements, such as the “Events” and “Play” sections, have also performed well, helping to increase engagement and awareness of community events.
“We are so grateful to Joe and Rose,” said Michelle. “When we first started, we could see the potential opportunity building, and it was just very, very exciting. We could not have been more impressed with their product and customer service. Rose, Joe, and their team have been incredible to work with, very responsive to questions, and always help to make an initiative work.”
The Future:
Pre-Planned Weekend Itineraries Help Extend Visitation to the Area
Now that the region’s commerce has stabilized and tourism has rebounded, Rocky Mountain is hoping to use the app to extend visitors’ stays.
“Our tourism committee has created itineraries for travelers to our area,” Michelle said. “One of the things that I want to do this year is get these up on the app. So, for example, if you’re coming for the Fat Tire Festival, why don’t you start with the pancake breakfast and then head out to this? My idea is to make an agenda for the day. I believe in collaboration and encouraging visitors to spread their dollars throughout the area.”
Rocky Chamber’s shift from focusing merely on keeping businesses aloft during a trying time to brainstorming ways to help further guest spending in the region is a true testament to how far the Rocky Mountain House area has come since 2020. For local merchants, this turnaround has been critical, and Michelle is thankful for the role that Joe and Rose of App My Community have played in the Chamber’s success.
“Nobody ever says anything but glowing things about Joe and Rose,” Michelle said. “So, I know they’re helping a lot of people keep their business afloat. For us, I know we would’ve made it through. I really do believe that. But this helped us. We wouldn’t have made it through as well as we did without the app.”
