Detroit Is Growing. Plan Like It.
A record NFL Draft and the first population gain since 1957. What a growing city means for local marketing.
It's been quite a spring. Last month more than 775,000 people came downtown for the NFL Draft, smashing Nashville's record of 600,000. Then last week the Census Bureau's new estimates showed Detroit gained residents in 2023, the city's first population increase since 1957.
One year doesn't make a trend, but it's worth paying attention to. A growing city means new neighbors who don't know your business yet, new apartments and storefronts, and more competition for attention.
Three ideas:
Market to newcomers. People who just moved here are choosing their dentist, their pizza place and their mechanic right now. Direct mail to new movers and targeted digital ads can reach them first.
Refresh your basics. Make sure your website and listings tell a newcomer who you are, where you are and why you're worth a try.
Tell your story. Long-time Detroit businesses have something no chain can copy. Use it.
We've been marketing businesses in metro Detroit since 2002, and we've never been more optimistic.
