In Macon, GA, the Hype Team is promoting the downtown and welcoming visitors. The team is made up of 60 volunteers who sport orange T-shirts and serve as downtown ambassadors. They provide information to visitors, build relationships with merchants, and promote downtown Macon on their personal social media accounts.
An article in the November issue of Downtown Idea Exchange explains the onboarding process for new members.
Members join the Hype Team by completing a brief online application and attending a three hour training workshop. The workshop is hosted by Visit Macon, the city’s destination marketing organization. The workshop was originally designed to educate sales associates, servers, and others about positive customer service practices.
Visit Macon says that the training provides participants with “useful facts, figures, and ’Did You Know’ anecdotes about Macon for use in interactions with customers.”
The Macon Hype Team has inspired teams in many other cities including Lawrenceburg, IN, Waterloo, IA, and Lewiston, ID.
More on Hype Teams, ambassadors, and concierges welcoming visitors downtown appears in Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
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