Downtown Market Analysis Toolbox

Help for small towns

How do you help your downtown businesses succeed? Local business leaders, economic development professionals, community leaders — anyone who wants to help downtown businesses thrive — will find helpful information in the Downtown Market Analysis (DMA) Toolbox.

Extension in three states worked together to create the toolbox. We had cities with populations of less than 100,000 in mind. The toolbox provides — at no cost — resources and market research available to big retailers.

Toolbox content

• Introduction
• Understanding the Market
  • Trade Area Analysis
  • Demographics and Lifestyle Analysis
  • Local and Regional Economic Analysis
  • Business Owners Survey
  • Consumer Survey
  • Focus Groups
  • Peer City Comparison
• Analysis of Opportunities by Sector
  • Evaluating Retail and Service Business Opportunities
  • Evaluating Restaurant and Culinary Opportunities
  • Evaluating Housing Opportunities
  • Evaluating Lodging Opportunities
• Putting Your Research to Work
  • Building Usage
  • Marketing, Image and Branding
  • Business Retention/Expansion
  • Supporting Entrepreneurship
  • Business Recruitment

Background

Extension at the University of Wisconsin created the Downtown Market Analysis Toolbox about 20 years ago to help small cities revitalize their downtown areas. Recently, Extension at Ohio State and the University of Minnesota joined the team. They added new content and updated the toolbox with information delivered in new ways — including narrated presentations, podcasts, and videos