Month: August 2009

PCB Stimulus – 100 FREE Letterpress Business Cards

082409_letterpress_fresh_impression

Has the recession got you down?  It seems these days, everyone’s blaming everything on the recession.  Ad sales are down, blame it on the recession; business is slow, blame it on the recession; tourism numbers are down (actually they were up, more on that later), blame it on the recession; my iPhone is working and 3G is great but sometimes it just doesn’t seem to pick up in brick buildings, under bridges or in between condo towers, blame it on the recession!!

We’ve teamed up with local businesses, friends, and ourselves and decided to offer a little relief in the form of giving all kinds of stuff away.  In fact, as long as people keep giving us stuff to give away, we’ll keep giving it away to you!

So, here’s what we’re giving away this week:

100 Two Color, One Sided 3.5 x 2 inch Business Cards, printed on high-quality hand-made paper.  The winner gets their choice from 3 custom designs and let me tell you these cards are sweet.  Everything from Fresh Impression is done by hand on a Letterpress, and if you’re not familiar with what a Letterpress is: it is a rather large mechanical piece of machinery that imprints a custom design on really thick paper.  While it “presses” the patter/design, it inlays ink that is applied by hand to a “plate” leaving an inked “impression” that leaves a HUGE impact on your customers.

If you have any questions about letterpress or if you want to see samples of their work, you can contact the guys at Fresh Impression.

To win, just post a comment below telling us how you are going to use the cards, and yes, feel free to plug your business.  At the end of the week (or next Monday, rather) we’ll draw one lucky person from all the comments and put you in touch with the Fresh Impression guys.  Be sure to use your correct name and email address so we can get in touch with you.

If you are a local business and want FREE ADVERTISING on the most read web site exclusively about Panama City Beach, email me and tell me what you have to give away and we’ll get you in line for the PCB Stimulus Giveaway!

AGENDA: TDC to Review Media/Public Relations Agencies

At this week’s TDC Meeting, Susan Estler Vice President of Markets, perhaps still reeling from last week’s community forum on Spring Break, will present to the board her recommendations on creative, media buying and public relations agencies for review.

AGENDA

MARKETING COMMITTEE MEETING
Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
Panama City Beach
Thursday, August 27, 2009
9:00 a.m.
Board Room, Visitor Information Center

I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER

II. ROLL CALL

III. REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON AGENDA ITEMS (3 Minutes)

IV. REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON CREATIVE, MEDIA BUYING, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCIES OF RECORD TO THE PANAMA CITY BEACH CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, Ms. Susan Estler, VP of Marketing

V. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

VI. ADJOURNMENT

To download the agenda please click here.

The PcbDaily Show

Coming soon will be an all new video show from your’s truly, pcbdaily.com.  With commentary on the most updated news and information on Panama City Beach provided by myself, Cebo and guests, you’re sure to be “compelled” and entertained.

That’s all for now, more info coming soon!

14 Facts About Panama City Pops Orchestra

THE PANAMA CITY POPS ORCHESTRA
FACT SHEET

  • 2009-2010 season, the 14th season, is comprised of four concerts
  • all concerts will be presented at Arnold High School Auditorium, Alf Coleman Drive, Panama City Beach
  • “Anything Goes,” Saturday, October 17, 2009, 7:30 pm, Arnold High School
  • “Battle of the Batons,” Saturday, January 16, 2010, 7:30 pm, Arnold High School
  • “To Our Heroes,” Saturday, March 13, 2010, 7:30 pm, Arnold High School
  • “Enchanting Escapades,” Saturday, May 8, 2010, 7:30 pm, Arnold High School
  • The POPS belongs to Panama City; the majority of our musicians live, work and
    ‘play’ in Bay County
  • Maestro and Artistic Director, Eddie Rackley
  • season tickets available at http://www.panamacitypops.org
  • single tickets for performances are available at Cher’s Hallmark, Lynn Haven and Panama City Beach, and Paul Brent Gallery, downtown Panama City
  • single ticket prices: $25 for Adults; $20 for Seniors 65+ and Active Military; $10 for Children
  • membership in The Panama City POPS Orchestra is by audition and open to all residents of Bay County
  • The Panama City POPS is a mentoring orchestra; all qualified, advanced student musicians of all ages are welcome to audition; if selected they are mentored by current musicians who help teach and guide them while they have the opportunity to play with the orchestra
  • formerly the Orchestra of St. Andrew Bay, The POPS was founded in 1996
  • for more information, visit www.panamacitypops.org or call
    (850) 785- POPS (7677)

EVP Pro Volley Ball Tour on Panama City Beach

Spike It! EVP Pro Volleyball Tour

On September 5th and 6th, the Boardwalk Beach Resort on Panama City Beach will host. The 2009 EVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour is coming to Panama City Beach. The top players from across the nation will bump, set, and spike their way through this years Labor Day Weekend tournament, and compete for $6,000 in prize money. There is also a juniors division tournament with Under 21 College, Under 18, Under 16, and Under 14 divisions.

Sponsored Event: Boardwalk Beach Resort at Royal American Beach Getaways has teamed up with the EVP Tour to host a televised beach volleyball event September 5th – 6th, 2009.

For more information on the event, please go to www.evptour.com

Wear Your Best Hat: March of Dimes, A Night Through The Looking Glass

Wear your best hat, because this is an event that you and your guests will be talking about for a long time.

This August 29 enjoy an evening of fine dining and entertainment while benefiting the March of Dimes’ mission of preventing health defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The evening, presented by 5th Gear Creative Group and Magnum Property Management begins with a three-course meal and wine hosted by a participating restaurant.

“Enjoy a night filled with a three-course dinner from one of the area’s premier restaurants followed by an amazing party at Edgewater Beach Resort. The party will have dancing, food, drinks, entertainment and wonderful prizes. One lucky person will walk away as the winner of a 1-carat diamond donated by Coins and Bouillon Reserves. Join us for hedgehog golf, martini bar, music by Jim Lawson, and lots of other fun activities. Your table purchase allows you to choose the restaurant (first come-first choice) where your party of 10 will have a wonderful three-course meal and three bottles of wine. Then you move on to Edgewater where the fun really begins! You will walk through the looking glass and enter a fantasy world based on the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland. Desserts, fun drinks, martini glasses filled with diamonds, Wii Golf, a hat contest, and other activities. But, the best part is you are helping to save babies by supporting the Bay County March of Dimes. Gather your friends, associates, or employees, put on your fanciest hat and enjoy the evening!”

Participating Restaurants include:

Schooner’s

Boatyard

Breaker’s

Angelina’s

Spinnaker Cantina

Triple J’s

Calypso’s

Carrabba’s

Ferrucci Ristorante

For more information please go to http://www.lookingglasspc.com. To purchase a table email Kim Tatum ktatum@marchofdimes.com or call 850-785-6460

10 Solutions for Panama City Beach’s Spring Break Problem

Before reading any further:

First, these are not my solutions, but solutions brought forth by attendees at the Spring Break community forum held by the Tourist Development Council this past Wednesday. Second, no single one of these is a final solution rather together, or in any combination, can help handle the raucous season order to benefit businesses and residents alike.

Management

The idea is quite simple; Spring Break’s biggest problem isn’t the college breakers but the city’s and local businesses’ inability to manage them. If Panama City Beach is willing to accept its identity as a Spring Break destination, businesses can provide a clean, safe and respectful atmosphere for Spring Break guests. Without a doubt the college kids will act up, but if they are in a situation where they understand clearly the consequences of what they do and those consequences are enforced in a respectful way, that 10% or so of the rowdy ones will be weeded out. But, in order for this to work, Businesses have to take the initiative to be responsible for how things are managed and expect more from the city on their part.

Handle Public Relations

When you think of Spring Break on Panama City Beach, what do you see? Kids, rowdy and drunk, cruising the strip? Now, imagine what is being reported in other cities. In fact, go on youtube.com and type in Panama City Beach Spring Break and see what comes up. More drunken half-naked students going bonkers. For a city trying to change it’s image it is a PR nightmare. Now, while some of the outgoing public relations cannot be contained, some can. The idea is to corral what you can and then flood the markets with positive video and information about Spring Break on Panama City beach. It’s not difficult. One suggestion was that Panama City beach sponsor a scholarship program and go out and encourage eco-spring break. Panama City Beach shows the side of Spring Break it wants to show rather than allow youtube.com, MTV and the Travel Channel do it for us.

Enhance/Increase Law Enforcement

This one is big. Law enforcement must be not only visible during Spring Break but assertively enforcing the law with regularity. I am one to tell you I think our current Law Enforcement does a GREAT job during Spring Break but the fact of the matter is, they are woefully undermanned. It is physically impossible for them to cover the entire beach, while still taking the time to enforce laws even on a small scale. We need more officers during this time.

Year-round Marketing/Targeted Messaging

To handle the PR and flood news outlets is one thing, but truly focusing your marketing efforts is another, infinitely more successful, way of changing Spring Break. An example of this was talked about in the community forum. A gentleman said that we used MTV as a sort of gunshot trying to hit everyone with our message. But if we know that the problems mainly come from kids who, if evicted from hotels for bad behavior, can very easily go the two hours back home, we should be targeting kids in Ohio, Michigan and Chicago. With the new airport coming online this will be easier in the future, but the reality is, Spring Break fills the beaches but there are only so many rooms. If you fill the rooms with the kids that got your message rather than just anyone it will decrease the chance of problems occurring.

Signage Ordinances

This is a two-fold ordinance. On one hand you would have an ordinance requiring the posting of specific laws visibly in specific places, say, in hotel lobbies. Perhaps even having a large blinking sign at the entrances over Hathaway Bridge and 79 showing the frequently broken laws and establishing, before even the partying begins, that certain things will not be tolerated. The other is an ordinance restricting certain messages on signs throughout the beach. This is not something that will come easy, but signs that read “XXX or Xcstacy Sold Here” will only underscore the belief that Panama City Beach is a place that has no inhibitions.

Security Ratio Ordinances

This was an interesting idea brought up by Mr. Julian Bennet. He suggested we have a capacity/unit to security guard ratio. The idea is that for every, say, 100 people based on capacity or for every 25 units the establishment has at least 1 officer. This could do a number of things like provide jobs during the season and help out the limited law enforcement maintaining the beach. But most of all, it should keep the properties of businesses safer. The key is to hire quality security guards.

Lighting

For those 3-6 weeks of Spring Break, the turtle lighting ordinance adopted by Bay County could be rescinded allowing businesses to fully light their properties. Businesses can have their beach and parking lots fully lit during Spring Break, dropping the risk of incidents and liability.

Drinking Ordinances/Kangaroo Court

Currently, Spring Breaker’s are allowed to drink outside of establishments. What does this mean? Higher chances of drinking and driving incidents and mindless behavior. There should be in ordinance in place that does not allow drinking outside of an establishment. If these laws are broken kids should be subject to the old “Kangaroo Court.” Make them pick up trash and bottles down Front Beach Road. Not only would you have cleaner streets but fewer drunken kids walking them.

Hospitality Training

Hospitality Training in its simplest form is really just knowing how to manage and host a group. As of right now, Panama City Beach severely lacks in standardized hospitality training and is in need of the service. Too often Spring Breakers are met with authority that is too laxed or too eager to punish. As Mr. Hilton, extensively experienced in hospitality, said; “we have to learn to hold the reins just enough to let them know they can have fun but there is someone else in control.” Panama City Beach is essentially trying to handle Spring Break based on past experience. It is time that we have training to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Provide More Activities

When Spring Breaker’s come to Panama City Beach, they come with a semester’s worth of bridled energy ready to explode. Frankly, there aren’t many things for them to explode onto except hotels and the few attractions Panama City Beach offers. In PCB’s golden years there was Miracle Strip and various small attractions that provided breakers something to do other than hit the clubs, hit the strip and hit each other.

19 Reasons PCBDaily is Awesome

PCBDaily has been a wild ride for me over the last few years.  We’ve had our ups and downs, great comments and not so great comments and had tons of fun meeting people in the community.  We’ve grown as a company and have diversified the content we offer.  Our traffic has far exceeded any of the initial expectations we ever had when creating the site and how we do things has changed a handful of times.  But, one thing remains clear, we wouldn’t be able to keep doing any of it without our sponsors.  I will say that the actual cost of running PCBDaily is not covered by advertising revenue, but is sure does help.

Following is a list of our sponsors.  Most of them, I’ve had a long-standing relationship with.  All of them I find great value in their products or what they are offering.  I ask that you patronize these local businesses.

Jim and Ivanette Free

Again, the Free’s have been with us since the beginning.  Jim has had the exclusive Realtor spot on the newsletter since we first started offering ads on it early 2007.  Ivanette has been the number one condo selling agent in Panama City Beach for a while and is well know in the condo community for her experience and knowledge in this PCB niche.

Calypso and Sterling Breeze Rentals

Mitch Warren owns several condos on the beach.  When he first decided to start advertising with us, his comment to me was that he would gladly pay the cost of advertising just to support PCBDaily and what it does for the community, the ad was just icing on the cake.  – thanks Mitch!

Gwen Scott and Trista Paton

Gwen Scott has been advertising with us since the very beginning.  She recently added her daughter Trista to her team.  Gwen is one of the most thorough and professional Realtors I’ve ever met and she has not only been a great friend of mine, but a loyal PCBDaily advocate over the years.  She understands the real estate market and has been very successful in helping people buy and sell homes.

Edgewater Beach Resort

Edgewater has been a supporter of PCBDaily since almost the very beginning as well.  They have always maintained at least two ads with us at any given moment.  Well known in the local tourism industry as being at the center of all the family-oriented fun, Edgewater Beach Resort stays packed all season and much of the off season.  If you are looking for an awesome full service resort, this is the place.

Sandy Thompson

Sandy Thompson has not only been an advertiser of ours for almost a year now, she’s also been a friend of mine for quite some time.  She is a well accomplished Realtor and works hard to be sure her customers are happy.  Right now she’s running a special where if you list your home with her, she’ll through in a free home warranty.  That’s a huge deal for buyers.

Buffalo Wild Wings

If you are looking for wings in a sports bar atmosphere, this is the place to go.  Not to mention they are located in Pier Park, my favorite place to go.  With wing specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they are also offering a special right now where if you just tell your waiter or waitress that you saw their ad on pcbdaily, you’ll get $5 off any final order price of over $20.  Sweet, sweet deal.

Karen Smith

Again, a long time friend, Karen is my real estate partner in The Beach Show.  She knows the west end of Panama City Beach like no other and is well known for her voicemail that ends with “leave me a sweet message,” and her email signature that reads: The only ones we have to get even with are those that have helped us. She advertises her Hot Sheet, which has become well known to have rare deals that often don’t last long on the market.

Panama City Beach Seafood Wine and Music Festival

This is a great festival for our area and does well to not only bring people in from out of town and infuse our area with a weekend of cash, but also give us locals something to do.  I have a deal worked out with them that whoever buys advanced tickets online using promo code pcbdaily, gets a special discount.

Betsy Ann Riverboat and Airboat Adventures

Rick Ackerman, besides being a friend has a great business in recreation and entertainment.  The Betsy Ann Riverboat is truly a dining experience with themed cruises or comedy zone nights.  The price is great and the value is better.  Rick’s Airboat Adventures is unlike anything we have here providing eco-tours on a fan propelled flat-bottom air boat in West Bay.  If you haven’t experienced either, you need to now.

Hofbrau Beer Garden

Authentic German food and beer in an authentic German atmosphere.  Located in Pier Park, Hofbrau is the only German food and beer joint in the area.  With a huge local following and tourists that ensure they make it by when they are down, they’ve done well and we’re proud that they’ve continued to advertise with us.  All during the month of August, they are running $8 liters after 8pm.  I don’t drink beer, but that’s a great deal.

Miracle Strip Carousel in Pier Park

Teddy and Jenny Meeks brought it back, rescued it from the now defunct Miracle Strip Amusement Park and brought it back to life in Pier Park.  Droves of people have come out of the wood work to tell them how much they enjoy seeing the old ride alive again.  With rides for $2.5 and day passes for $5, this is sure to bring a grin to your face, and the face of your kids.

Cyber Sytes

Cyber Sytes has been the web developing authority in the area for years.  Providing services from web sites to social media creation and management, if you haven’t worked with them in the past, you’ve probably heard of them.  They are everywhere.

CitiStar Realty

CitiStar Realty is a newer advertiser of ours that focuses specifically on foreclosures in Panama City Beach.  This niche, hot market and advertising direction has yeilded them one of the highest click-through rates of all, clearly indicating how hot this segment truly is.

CitiStar Rentals

CitiStar Rentals is a newer rental company that focuses on a boutique vacation style catering to someone who wants a more personal vacation on Panama City Beach.  Located on the quite end of Panama City Beach, Thomas Drive, CitiStar Rentals has a wide selection of vacation rentals on Panama City Beach.

Panhandle Helicopters

If you’ve seen the yellow helicopter roaming up and down Panama City Beach, then you’ve see Panhandle.  They take off right over Pier Park giving people rides all up and down are white sandy beaches.  With rides starting out at as little as $30 per person, this could be a true memory for you while your here.

Counts-Oaks Resort Properties

Counts Oaks is a newer advertiser of ours and specializes in condos, beach homes, townhomes and cottages all up and down Panama City Beach.  Although they are a relatively new company, they are one of the largest property management groups in Panama City Beach.  With properties from the east end all the way to the west end, they have several check-in locations to maximize convenience.

TravelPCB

Travel PCB is a full service vacation planning service that will ensure your time spent here maximizes the term tourist.  When you utilize their service they’ll be sure that you’ll do everything you want and everything that you don’t know you want yet.

Beach Bouncers

You’ve seen these guys out at Pier Park and most of the local festivals.  They are the ones that keep your kids happy giving them something great to bounce on and have fun.  But these guys can come out to your party or function too and they are very well priced.  I remember back when I was a kid thinking you must have to be rich to get one of these at your party, not so.  Not with Beach Bouncers. Give them a call for your party.

Brian Combs

Looking for excellent architectural advice?  Need to build anything?  Brian’s your man.  Designing anything from homes in Carillon to new decks for an existing home, he’s done it all and is here to help.  Be sure to ask him about his recession specials.

Episode #19 – Huge Gulf-Views in Quiet Inlet Beach only $399k

This week’s features:

  • Deal 1 – Inlet Beach Gulf View Home, steal it at $399k
  • Deal 2 – Cute Florida cottage steps from the Beach for $295k
  • Deal 3 – Super clean least expensive home in Summer Wood only $245k (not a short-sale of foreclosure – very quick closing)

The Beach Show is your ONLY internet TV show all about Real Estate on Panama City Beach.

081909_podcast_iconDownload the podcast

Remember, it doesn’t cost anything to work with us if you are a buyer.

Click the “more” tag for show notes and pictures.

Call us at 850-527-5651 to see these properties or for anything else you need regarding real estate in Panama City Beach.

Show Notes

Deal 1 – Inlet Beach Gulf View Home, steal it at $399k

  • List Price: $399,000
  • Square Feet: 1,851
  • Price/SqFt: $215.56
  • 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bath
  • Built in 2001
  • Located in the highly coveted, quiet Inlet Beach, west of Panama City Beach, this home has unobstructed views of the gulf overlooking government owned and county maintained land. From the driveway, you can see the public boardwalk with benches that carry you over the protected dunes to the pristine Gulf waters. From the second floor you have phenomenal views of the water. This home is spacious and in a perfect location. Located right next to Rosemary, you couldn’t touch anything over this way for twice as much as this just a few short years ago. Steal this home today at just $399!

Deal 2 – Cute Florida cottage steps from the Beach for $295k

  • List Price: $295,000
  • Square Feet: 1,439
  • Price/SqFt: $205.0
  • 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath
  • Built in 1955
  • Remember the good ‘ol days, when the fam went to the beach for a week, staying in a cute little Florida cottage right across the street from the beach? Karen does, I’m too young, but that doesn’t change how cute this place really is. Perfect for a rental, sleeping up to 10, this home is laid out in a way that makes it seem so much larger than it really is. With a huge living area and a great split floorplan, this is a vacationers dream. Of course, when you add the amazing back yard, this place is just irresistible. With pavers, a few separate sitting areas gorgeous landscaping and a beautiful pool, this is the place for entertaining.

Deal 3 – Super clean least expensive home in Summer Wood only $245k (not a short-sale of foreclosure – very quick closing)

  • List Price: $245,000
  • Square Feet: 1,790
  • Price/SqFt: 136.87
  • 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath
  • Built in 2001
  • Summer Wood is located right down from Pier Park of Back Beach Road in Panama City Beach. This neighborhood features underground utilities, sidewalks and houses that look clean and consistent. This particular piece of real estate is a very well maintained, emaculate, super clean home that features not only a new A/C, but also hurricane shudders, two car garage, professional landscaping, great light fixtures, high vaulted ceilings and custom paint. This is the least expensive home in Summer Wood, and will offer a truly unique quality of life. And, the best thing yet is that it is NOT a foreclosure or a short sale!

Call us at 850-527-5651 to see these properties or for anything else you need regarding real estate in Panama City Beach.