10 Ways to Build Small Town Momentum This Fall

With school back in session, vacations winding down and the weather getting a little cooler, many of us are turning our focus to our small towns and how we can keep momentum going for revival in these coming fall months. Here are 10 ways you can build momentum this fall - and we’ve got some special discounts to help you make these a reality!

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HOST A FARM TO TABLE DINNER

Farm-to-table dinners are a great way to bring communities together and support local farmers and businesses. These dinners also provide an incredible experience for the people of your small town and boost community pride.

Get our Farm Dinner Event Kit with everything you need to make your farm dinner a success! (Now on sale for a limited time!)

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HOST A WHAT COULD BE TOUR

Want to get people talking about ‘what could be’ in your small town? Take them on a What Could Be Tour through your town’s vacant buildings and show them what’s possible! This can be a great marketing tool to cast vision, get businesses into your vacant main street buildings, and generate excitement about the future of your small town.

Our What Could Be Tour Kit has everything you need to put on a tour in your town — including guides, templates, and tips to set you up for success and make your What Could Be Tour the best it can be! (Now on sale for a limited time!)

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START AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT FOR YOUR TOWN

Instagram is an incredible platform to help showcase your town. It’s highly visual and one look at your Instagram feed can inspire people to visit your town — or even come live there. Create a feed that’s creative and visually appealing...and be sure to include people in your photos!

Need some examples? Here are a few accounts who are doing this well:

Lititz, Pennsylvania
Virginia City, Nevada
Galena, Illinois
The Kilbourne Project
Columbia, Tennessee

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BRING IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Live music and concerts infuse new life into local venues and public spaces and create vibrant community destinations. Our Live Rural Survey results told us that arts and entertainment is the #1 thing people want to see in our small towns. This can actually be a pretty affordable way to build excitement and create momentum.

Not sure where to start? Try booking local bands. They will be excited to play a local gig and they also have local fans!

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PLAN A TOWN CELEBRATION

This is a great way to create community pride and kick start momentum for your small town. From parades to harvest parties to tree lightings to gift giving opportunities, there are so many options to make this fun for everyone. Start thinking ahead to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and what kind of celebration you might be able to plan, and put together fun and unique activities that will make your event stand out from those happening in other towns around you.

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SCHEDULE A CRUISE NIGHT

Whether by car, tractor, or side by side, plan a route where people can travel together in and around your community. You can also make one (or more) of your local restaurants a stop on the ride. Partner with other local towns, or keep it specific to your small town — whatever works!

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CREATE A SHOP SMALL SATURDAY EVENT

Put together a list and map of local shops people can frequent, and then encourage people to get with their girlfriends and make a day (or even a weekend) of it! Work together with local towns to pull in people to all of your communities, and don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Things like food trucks, live music, and pop up shops can be an added draw.

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PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

Strike up a little friendly competition between businesses in town and help encourage a great customer experience for locals and visitors alike. Have people vote on things like Best Customer Service, Best Window Display, Business of the Year, etc. Create these awards around things you want to encourage and see more of in your town!

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CREATE A REVIVAL PLAN FOR YOUR SMALL TOWN

This is a great way to cast vision with your local leaders and get everyone excited around a shared/common vision. Want help? Join our Cultivate group for a template and an example of the presentation I shared with my hometown - now open for a limited time! Or, send me an email and we’ll create a plan together!

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JOIN CULTIVATE

Speaking of Cultivate...this is our community of small town entrepreneurs and leaders who are putting rural revival into action! In this online group, you’ll have inside access to successful rural entrepreneurs and leaders who are making a difference, and who will help broaden your skill sets and connections. Plus, you’ll have an uplifting community of like-minded peers to talk with, learn from, and cheer you on!

There is so much value in this group for the cost of a membership — you can’t go wrong! We only open this group to new members a few times each year — come join us now!

I hope this gets you excited! And when you start implementing these things, be sure to post on social media and tag us — we’ll repost what you’re doing and help add to the momentum!

>> Danna Larson, Rural Revival Founder