Speaking

Gartner is available to speak on a number of topics relating to cities and downtowns. For longer training sessions, please contact her for details.

  • Establishing Community and Business Improvement Districts

If you’re currently managing a membership-based organization or if you’re looking to create a new downtown organization, a Community Improvement District (CID) or a Business Improvement District (BID) may be just what you need. Learn how CIDs and BIDs work, how they are established, and the step-by-step process necessary to create one. Even better, learn about the most common land mines to establishing these districts and how you can avoid them. Gartner has established two Community Improvement Districts and advised a number of others on the ins and outs of the process.

  • Tactical Urbanism

Planning has traditionally been a strategic process focused on making permanent changes. Frustrated with the slow pace of local governments however, people are looking at quick, temporary and inexpensive ways to make changes to the urban environment.  Also known as tactical urbanism or city DIY, this is a way to beta test ideas in the public sphere using a “lighter, quicker, cheaper” approach. Successful projects can then be rolled into a permanent development plan. Learn about ways some citizens are taking planning into their own hands and come away with some inspiration for your own city. Gartner has used tactical urbanism techniques to activate a vacant lot with a pop up park, draw attention to a new bike boulevard with wayfinding stencils, rebrand a downtown brand via temporary installations, and transform temporary signage into permanent city signs.

  • Brand Management and Your Downtown

We all use the word “downtown” but what does it really mean to a customer? Do you need to shake off an outdated image or better differentiate yourself from every other downtown? It’s not just about a catchy tagline and a shiny new logo. Find out how important it is to position your downtown with a consistent brand. Learn about best—and worst—practices to find out what’s right for you.

  • Metrics and Benchmarking

We’re often so busy doing the job, we forget how important it is to track outcomes. As a result, we often find ourselves saddled with high-resource/low-result activities. Learn how to develop a set of consistent metrics that reflect your strategic goals, some easy tools for tracking, and how to put it all together in a way that communicates the importance of your efforts to your board, local government, and the public.

  • Strategic Social Media

Once seen as little more than a low-end alternative to traditional forms of advertising and outreach, social media has become a key tool for reaching customers, creating brand loyalty, and engaging the public in the planning process. These platforms are also valuable to downtowns with limited budgets. Learn how to develop a strong social media presence, become your own content manager, and track the results of your efforts.

Watch Gartner’s presentation on organically occurring arts districts and the power of “swerve.” This talk was part of the Adaptive Reuse and Creativity collection at TEDx City2.0 in October of 2012.

The Power of Swerve and the Creation of Public Space: Carrie Gartner at TEDx City2.0

TacticalUrbanismThumbCity DIY and Tactical Urbanism Presentation – Missouri Main Street Connection Conference