Design enhances the attractiveness of the business district. Historic building rehabilitations, street and alley clean-ups, colorful banners, landscaping and lighting all improve the physical image of the downtown as a quality place to shop, work, walk, invest in, and live. Design improvements result in a reinvestment of private and public dollars into the downtown. Economic Restructuring involves analyzing current market forces to develop long-term solutions. Recruiting new businesses, creatively converting unused space for new uses, and sharpening the competitiveness of Main Street's traditional merchants are examples of economic restructuring activities.
Promotion creates excitement downtown.
Street festivals, parades, retail events, and image development campaigns are some of the ways Main Street encourages consumer traffic in the downtown. Promotion involves marketing an enticing image to shoppers, investors, and visitors. The Wisconsin Main Street Program, the National Main Street Center, and private consultants spend more than 80 days in each new community during the start-up phase. Other benefits are an annual awards ceremony, cooperative marketing opportunities, and an extensive library of slides, videos, and printed materials. In addition, scholarships are available for local Main Street program directors to attend the National Town Meeting on Main Street.