April 8, 2023 1
“Creating the Cloquet Image”
As presented for the Cloquet
Chamber:
Brian Fritsinger
Shelly Peterson
Kelly Zink
April 8, 2023 2
Presenters:
Aaron Heiber Jennifer O’Brien
April 8, 2023 3
Meeting Recap
Meeting I (Tuesday October 6)
Developing Friendships
Open Retail Area
Grow Business Park
Increase Tourism
Attract Businesses
Attract Families
Concluded:
What are our assets?
How do we market?
What’s our name?
What’s our message?
Do we have a logo/design?
April 8, 2023 4
Meeting Recap
Meeting II (Thursday October 29)
The Infamous Word Association Game
Cloquet’s Weaknesses
Outside Perspective
Recommendation for SWOT Analysis
Business and Community Members Perspective
Concluded:
Request for Cloquet’s SWOT Analysis as developed by Chamber and members
Perspective Changes
Meeting with community members
April 8, 2023 5
Meeting Recap
Meeting III (Tuesday November 10)
Recognized Cloquet’s two different groups
Old Downtown/Highway Committee
“Us and Them”
Small Town Feel…
Outdated
“80% Rundown, 20% Classic
“Needs Fixing not Changing”
Cloquet’s SWOT
Concluded:
Need for transferrable brand
Cloquet is ready and will grow
Needs a “push”
SWOT…Again…
Retail area? Waterfront?
April 8, 2023 6
Developing Cloquet’s SWOT
April 8, 2023 7
Developing Cloquet’s SWOT
According to Carrie Shearer:
“A proper SWOT Analysis is a framework for creating an unbiased view of your organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses versus the external opportunities and threats which could hamper success.”
“It is not a list of what should be done. It is a tool to help you develop a strategy to distinguish your organization from others providing similar products or services…” ***
April 8, 2023 8
Cloquet’s Strengths
Cloquet
Schools, colleges, faculty, choices
Safe community (fire, police)
Industrial Base
Good Restaurants (different/known restaurants—Gordy’s High Hat)
Facilities (Pool, Hockey, Trails, Sports)
Chamber/Government Agencies cooperation
No local tax
Infrastructure
Sense of Community
Strong History Base
Potential for Economic Growth
Arts, Theater
CED
Location
Good Restaurants
No local tax
Infrastructure
Strong History base
April 8, 2023 9
Cloquet’s Weaknesses
CloquetSpread out
Fearful of change
Perceived as old
Close Minded
Traditional
Segregated location
Judgments RE Native Americans
Lack of Trust of Big Business
Expansion of Small Business/fear to do here
Resistant to change image/new generation
Lack of involvement in the community
“Clickie”
“”It’s all about me”
CED
Perceived as old
Expansion of Small Business/fear to do here
Resistant to change image/new generation
Lack of involvement in the community
April 8, 2023 10
Cloquet’s Opportunities
Cloquet
Melting Pot-harness outside areas of county
Carlton County-gather as the “metro,” with a parade, lunch, kids carnival
Economic Infrastructure is ready
Engage other businesses
River Waterfront
33 Corridor Traffic
CED
Economic Infrastructure is ready
Engage other businesses
River Waterfront
33 Corridor Traffic
April 8, 2023 11
Cloquet’s Threats
Cloquet
Job layoffs
Older/traditional mindsets
“Industrial” town
Too close to larger city
Average income/cost of living
Focal Center/information base—communication of accurate information to the public
Without hockey, there is nothing to “DO” for younger generations
Lack of diversity (perceived)
Geographic limitations (N- St. Louis Cty, W-Reservation, S- Carlton, E- Esko) for housing developments, city limits. Wetland/Environment
CED
Job layoffs
Current Economic State
Average income/cost of living
Geographic limitations (N- St. Louis County, W- Reservation, S- Carlton, E- Esko) for housing developments, city limits. Wetland/Environment
April 8, 2023 12
Remember…
The goal is to summarize your organization’s strategic
situation so you can determine your next steps….
April 8, 2023 13
Creating the Cloquet Message
Courtesy of Cloquet Forestry Center
April 8, 2023 14
Marketing the Target Audience
Business Owners
Small
Mid-Level
Retail?
Families
Tourists
Summer
Winter
Grand Marais
Twin Cities
Twin Ports
Hinckley
Range Cities
Outdoor Enthusiasts
Hobby and Thrill Seekers
April 8, 2023 15
Messaging…
Explains Cloquet
Markets Cloquet’s Assets
Speaks to Minnesotan’s
about places in Cloquet
Identifiable Imagery
Transferrable among
streams
Doesn’t Isolate
Perceptions
Multiple Images
April 8, 2023 16
Messaging…People
Families
Landmarks
Parks/Nature/
Outdoors
Downtown
I-35 and I-33
Corridor
April 8, 2023 17
Messaging…
Schools
Trails
“Towns” not “City”
Cloquet needs:
•Fixing, not changing
•Old Style/New Look
Ready for Growth*
Watch us Grow
COMFORTABLE
Assets
“It’s all okay in Cloquet…”
April 8, 2023 18
Five Major Groups
City Limits
County
City
Chamber
School District
Other
Fond-Du-Lac
April 8, 2023 19
Creating the Message
April 8, 2023 20
It’s Time to Re-Think Cloquet
April 8, 2023 21
It’s Time to Re-Think…
Cloquet
April 8, 2023 22
It’s Time to Re-think Cloquet
April 8, 2023 23
It’s Time to Re-Think…
April 8, 2023 24
Cloquet
April 8, 2023 25
Look Closer…
April 8, 2023 26
Look Closer…
Look Cloquet…
April 8, 2023 27
Look Closer… Look Cloquet…
April 8, 2023 28
Look Closer…
April 8, 2023 29
Look Cloquet…
April 8, 2023 30
Recommendations
April 8, 2023 31
Website
Likes
Seasonal Display
Scarcity Principle
Weather Forecast
Domain Name
Inviting (Information is accessible)
Professionally Done
Suggestions
Webcams!
Make it Fun
Make it Natural
More Pictures
More Human/Nature Interaction
“Getaway”
Trail Conditions (Webcam)
April 8, 2023 32
Recap
SWOT Revisions
Creating the Message
Creating the Image
Marketing the Message
Marketing to the Target Audience
April 8, 2023 33
Remember…
You and only you can
decided what is
ultimately right…
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