Post date: Jul 25, 2018 7:10:32 PM
We have been invited by the Town of Sturbridge to partner with them on a "First Impressions" program. This is a program that has been used in a variety of locations around the country in which 2 similar communities send a small delegation to the other for a unguided, unannounced visit (rather like a secret shopper retail program). The team has a structured approach to evaluate the other community which yields a report of observations and recommendations. I'm familiar with this program and similar approaches through my time with the New Hampshire Main Street program. My sense is there is a tremendous benefit of having a fresh set of visitor eyes look at us in a systematic way. As near as we can tell, this would be the first time this program has been used in Massachusetts.
Andrew and I have had conversations with our counterparts in Sturbridge to identify logistics and hope to put together the local team and generate reports by late fall.
I've attached an initial introduction letter, a summary of the program and a sample report from a town in Connecticut.