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MARDA LOOP BIA MARKETING SUPPORT & INFORMATION

The Marda Loop BIA represents and supports over 190 businesses that are the heart of Marda Loop: Where life connects.

These resources are for Marda Loop BIA business

For information and resources on Marda Loop marketing and promotions, see below and contact marketing contractor Dakota Kidby of SocialCentric Inc., dkidby@socialcentricinc.com or the Marda Loop BIA office info@visitmardaloop.com

If you are a business in the BIA, make sure you are registered with us! Register here: https://www.visitmardaloop.com/business-registration/

Marda Marketing Basics

Marda Loop BIA businesses can participate in our promotions, events and other opportunities. We promote businesses regularly on our social channels, monthly public e-newsletter, events, promotional programs and more. Click the tab below and learn how to get involved in our advertising, marketing and event programming.

Promotions, events and other opportunities

Marda Loop BIA businesses can participate in our promotions, events and other opportunities:

  • We promote businesses regularly on our social channels:
    • We are @visitmardaloop on Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
    • Make sure you tag us in your posts using @visitmardaloop and use our hashtags #intheloop #myymarda #meetmeinmarda #mardaloopyyc #mardaloop.
  • Our monthly public e-newsletter goes to 1000 subscribers and growing. Sign up for our public email newsletter here
  • To be profiled in the Marda Loop e-newsletter or social media posts, fill out the MARKETING FEATURE FORM on this page or contact our Marketing Coordinator Dakota Kidby at dkidby@socialcentricinc.com
  • Join our Marda Loop Gift Card program. Over 25 businesses are already signed up.
  • Our neighbours at the Marda Loop Communities Association have a member discount program that businesses can join. Find out more at this link.
  • The Marda Gras Street Festival is our signature event, attracting  about 40,000 people on the second Sunday in August.  Participation is very inexpensive for our member businesses, and we also have sponsorship opportunities. Marda Gras is August 11, 2024. Vendor registration is now open:  mardagras.ca.
  • We also do promotions and events like Eggfest at Easter, Spook the Loop at Halloween, Spirit of the Loop to kick off Christmas, a holiday Gift Guide and more.  To find out more and to be part of these, sign up via the participation forms on this page.
  • If you are signed up on our list, you will receive information on how to participate!
  • We try to provide opportunities for all businesses to participate in our promotional efforts.
  • Contact us to get involved in our advertising, marketing and event programming.
  • See if we have an upcoming meet-and-greet for business members

“Sip and Support Local” Event Series

This exciting event will run for five Saturdays from November 23rd to December 21st, each with a unique theme to showcase the best of Marda Loop. Please complete the following form to confirm your participation and help us create a tailored agenda for each weekend.

Sip and Support Local Form

SPOOK THE LOOP

Check back in 2025

Spook the Loop happens on the Saturday before Halloween. We’re now looking for businesses to get involved in being our “candy stops” so kids can trick or’ treat around the Loop. This is one of our most popular events with families visiting businesses all over Marda Loop. If you want to get involved, sign up below and our event coordinator will ensure you get candy and promotional items.

Egg Fest Participation

Check back in 2025

Our premier Easter event, Egg Fest, is happens on the Saturday before Easter every year. CHECK BACK FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION EARLY IN 2025.

Egg Fest is an annual event in Marda Loop where our businesses hand out chocolate eggs to hundreds of families who come down to the area just for this occasion! It’s a great way to meet new customers and increase brand awareness.

TOP OF THE LOOP

Have your promotion, feature item, special or in-store event spotlighted on our Top of the Loop page and be seen by our community!
Our website visitors are always looking for things to do and ways to support our businesses and this is your opportunity to take part.
Submissions are timed per date range and will also be shared on social media where appropriate and timely.

Start submitting your promotions today!

LOVE THE LOOP

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new initiative, Love the Loop and Love the Loop Rewards! As a valued member of our business community, we invite you to join us in spreading the word and participating in this exciting campaign.

How It Works

Love the Loop is an expansive marketing campaign employing an ‘omni approach’ methodology, strategically positioning Marda Loop to have a ubiquitous presence. The cornerstone of this program is our new rewards program, and we’re relying on you to inform your customers and community to maximize participation.

Love the Loop Rewards is designed to invigorate visitors to Marda Loop through a rewards program aimed at encouraging engagement and support for local businesses. In light of ongoing construction challenges, the Marda Loop BIA has partnered with Bell Media to amplify our efforts and reach a wider audience.

A package is supplied to our businesses to support your involvement in spreading the word on the campaign. If you were missed or need more, send a note to info@visitmardaloop.com.

Your package includes: 

  • Swag (for fun!)
  • A poster with QR code and information
  • A package with a one-pager on the rewards program and FAQ sheet

Promote the Love the Loop Rewards Program:

Encourage your customers to participate in the Love the Loop Rewards program with the materials that will be dropped off for you. By offering incentives and rewards, we can incentivize increased foot traffic and patronage within the Marda Loop community.

Spread the Word:

Help us spread awareness about Love the Loop through your social media channels, email newsletters, and in-store promotions. Sharing information about the rewards program and its benefits will help drive participation and engagement.

Participate in Love the Loop Events

Stay tuned for upcoming Love the Loop events and activations. Your participation in these events will further enhance the community spirit and encourage visitors to explore all that Marda Loop has to offer.

By joining forces with us you’ll not only support the Love the Loop initiative but also contribute to the vibrancy and success of our local business community.

Stay informed with the Marda Loop BIA community newsletter and social media channels. Aimed at visitors, neighbours and customers of Marda Loop, the e-newsletter is a monthly e-newsletter with about 1,000 subscribers as of mid-2023. We also have Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram pages totalling more than 10k Calgary-based audiences as of mid-2023. Both outlets profile Marda Loop BIA businesses, promote events, include Marda Loop history bites and include Main Street updates too!

Get involved
Signing up for the newsletter: Sign Up Today!

Follow us on social media:

and tag us using #visitmardaloop so we can repost your content!

To be included in the newsletter or on social media as a business, access feature forms or contact our marketing manager Dakota Kidby at: dkidby@socialcentricinc.com

Market Information

About the people of Marda Loop

Demographic information for 1800m around the BIA area (map below) is available on a dashboard here or as a PDF download available here.

Community profiles for Altadore, South Calgary, Garrison Woods, Richmond and other nearby communities are available here.

Statscan 2021 data show that the Marda Loop area was the one of the fastest growing areas of Calgary, behind only Beltline/Downtown and new suburban communities, growing by 10.6 % in 5 years, 2016-2021. (The relevant census tract includes all of the BIA area, Altadore, most of South Calgary, the south part of Richmond and south Elbow Park, but not Garrison Woods.) Livewire story with map here.

Map of the 1800m Market Area

What do our visitors say?

The Marda Loop BIA contracted a market research study, conducted by Stone Olafson, in 2021, including online and in-person surveys of Marda Loop visitors.

“The Story on One Page” Summary

Full Survey Report

Marda Loop Gift Card

The Marda Card is new area-wide gift card used by consumers visiting the Loop to purchase goods and services at the businesses that sign-up! It is available as an e-card or a plastic card.

Reasons your business should get involved >

Tips for Business during Main Streets Construction

Do you have any other ideas? Let us know at info@visitmardaloop.com

Connect

Communicate

  • Place signage outside your storefront letting people know that you’re open.
  • Post on social media that you’re open and how to get to you (for some messaging on alternate routes to the area, check out our Marda Main Streets page)
  • Do an email blast to your customer list encouraging them to come down during construction (work on building a customer email list if you don’t have one)
  • Point out available parking, including underground parking and less-known spots.
  • Check out the Resources section of this page for printable signage, images and social squares related to finding parking and coming to the area.
  • If you have parking that your workers normally use, consider making it available for visitors instead. It might be a bit more inconvenient for us, but customers come first.

Promote

  • Put on “hardhat” specials deals enticing consumers during construction
    • e.g. coupons with “open during construction” messaging
  • Offer specials for construction crews – they are new customers in the area
  • Talk to your business neighbours and share information.
    • Are there ways to collaborate with other businesses that help all of you?
    • Can you do shared promotions?
  • Marda Loop business owners should patronize each other’s businesses.
    • Do you offer specials for Marda Loop business staff?  Do they know?
  • Pivot to doing more online sales

Plan Ahead

  • Plan to budget and staff accordingly if you know a certain month is going to be particularly disruptive based on the construction schedule.
  • See if you can get a break from your landlord. Building owners will benefit from streetscape improvements for a long time, but due to construction you could use a hand right now.

Positivity

  • When talking publicly about the area stay positive, and encourage folks to come down and support local business. Construction disruption is going to happen, but we want people to come down not be scared away. And it’s going to be great when it’s all done!

RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS

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