In an era marked by rapidly evolving technology and shifting consumer preferences, promoting local businesses and fostering pride in our communities is more important than ever. The Esri-powered America’s Commerce Corps (ACC) program has embarked on a mission to revitalize local commerce by connecting consumers with local businesses, including mobile businesses such as food trucks. According to Tim Palmer, ACC program ambassador, ACC’s flagship application, Community Connection, or ComCon (ComCon.mobi), is changing the way communities engage with businesses in their vicinity.
“Imagine you’re flying in to a city for the first time and want to immerse yourself in the local scene and can immediately access truly local businesses and events,” Palmer said. “ComCon can help make that happen.”
Empowering Local Economies
The ACC program, founded on the belief that the heart of any community is its local businesses, helps boost local economies by promoting and supporting local businesses. To support this mission, Esri’s ArcGIS Experience Builder was used to create a dynamic platform that connects consumers with a variety of local businesses, from brick-and-mortar establishments to mobile businesses.
ComCon users can search for members (classified as Eats, Libations, Lodging, Salons, Services, and Shops) and partners (classified as Biz Champions, Bizs on the GO!, Happenings, and Community Banks) using the dynamic map or more traditional information profiles. The only requirement for a local business to be on ComCon is that it must be a member of a local chamber of commerce, Main Street America Program, or another local business association.
Founded in 2014 and reimagined during the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the ACC program started with web-based mapping applications that showed active members of these organizations and details such as if they were open, had restricted hours, or offered curbside pickup only. As local business organizations soon saw the power of mapping applications, they saw the value of consumers easily accessing local information about businesses and events via a QR Code.
One such local business association was the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, an accredited Main Street America organization in Bel Air, Maryland, led by executive director Jenny Erhard.
“I wanted a way to promote our downtown businesses by informing and attracting consumers through a digital, mobile marketing tool,” Erhard said. “Traditionally, we’ve used brochures and stationary map kiosks to show visitors the businesses in downtown Bel Air.” With ComCon, she said, “visitors scan the provided QR Code with their phone and are taken directly to our downtown map.”
ComCon is an immersive, interactive application that seamlessly connects consumers with local businesses and provides a one-stop shop for residents and visitors to discover, interact with, and support them. Esri technologies helped in the following ways:
- Dynamic mapping: The robust mapping capabilities in Experience Builder provide a visual interface for ComCon users to explore businesses in their area. Consumers can search for businesses, view locations on an interactive map, and get social media information.
- Business profiles: Each business featured on ComCon has a dedicated “card” with essential information such as contact details and products or services offered.
- Event happenings: ComCon also showcases local events and activities, making it a comprehensive resource for community engagement. Users can find information about local fairs, markets, and food truck festivals happening nearby.
- Mobile businesses spotlight: One of the standout features of ComCon is a focus on mobile businesses. These businesses often face unique challenges such as varying locations and schedules. ComCon helps mobile business owners share their location with users and provides updates on current offerings.
- Marketing and promotions: ComCon provides local business associations with a way to promote members and events.
- Community engagement: ComCon strengthens community bonds by facilitating interaction between local businesses and residents.
According to Palmer, “These key elements were all made possible because of Experience Builder. Building a compelling web application without writing code was not only made possible, but it allowed for a robust web experience that helped fuel ACC’s mission without having to hire developers.”
