Where's Waldo? Too

We are gearing up for our second annual Where's Waldo? challenge.  Twenty-five (25) businesses throughout Dixon, mostly in Downtown like Salamandra's Mexican Restaurant and Waterfront Gifts, but also including Distinctive Gardens on Lowell Park Road, will participate by hiding a miniature Waldo on their premises for children to find.  We thank you in advance for allowing people to tramp in and out of your establishment and hope these same people will take the time to look around and see what a great place you (and we!) have.  The "challenge" will be throughout the month of July and culminate in a party right here at Books on First on 31 July, with door prizes and real prizes for winners of a drawing of those participants who have found twenty or more Waldo standees.

We also are stocked up with all sorts of Where's Waldo books.  And, the first 100 kids who find and come in with proof (stamped passport) at least 10 of the 25 Waldos will receive a Waldo sticker and $1 coupon good for a Where's Waldo book at Books on First.  How can any kid aged 12 and under miss out on the fun?

Distinctive Gardens IS the Small Biz Ready for a Big Break

YOU DID IT DiGgers!

Distinctive Gardens WINS a Big Break!

Facebook American Express OPEN Big Break

Smallest community in Facebook American Express OPEN Big Break national competition pulls out all stops to win Distinctive Gardens Grand Prize

BIG BREAK BASH, SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2011 AT 6 PM

It's Gardenstock style!  Bring a cooler, chair or blanket.

Come celebrate with us!

  

DIXON, IL – It was a long shot, but the wee town of Dixon, IL and the Sauk Valley region now have bragging rights.  This town (pop. 16,000) pulled out all the stops, voting Distinctive Gardens into the top 5 Grand Prize winners for the Facebook American Express Big Break for Small Business competition.  Distinctive Gardens, co-owners, Bud LeFevre and Lisa Higby LeFevre will fly out August 3^rd to Palo Alto, CA for a two day, one on one business makeover and receive a check for $20,000 to help grow Distinctive Gardens with social media.  

Like never before, social media can help small businesses like, Distinctive Gardens reach more customers. That’s why in April 2011, American Express OPEN teamed up with Facebook to give five small businesses a Big Break—a trip to Facebook headquarters for a two-day, one-on-one business makeover and $20K to help grow their business with social media.  After an arduous two-week voting period the results are in, from over 11,000 businesses entered, and competing against those in large cities such as Boulder, L.A., and Chicago, Distinctive Gardens wins a Big Break. 

A COMMUNITY PULLS THROUGH

It “took a village” to propel Distinctive Gardens into one of the top 5 winning slots.  On July 6, two days into the competition, Distinctive Gardens held a Big Surprise Bash at the business to announce to the community and rally the troops.  The people went back home, and for two weeks voted, shared, and spread the word on the Big Break to all of their friends and relatives around the globe.

States Lisa Higby LeFevre, co-owner of Distinctive Gardens,

“Distinctive Gardens would not be here without this community.  They relentlessly shared and got the word out, every, single, day for two entire weeks.”

The word spread in several ways.  A Distinctive Gardens Big Break event on Facebook inviting people to vote and invite their friends to vote spawned upwards of 15,000 invitations.  This reach came only through the sustained efforts by the community and their friends across the country.

The community outpouring of support overwhelmed Lisa.  In the first few days after the announcement, Distinctive Gardens Facebook page exploded with activity.  In between normal job duties, she stayed at her computer for two weeks trying to personally thank each and every person she could directly see on her page who was voting, sharing, spreading the word, and providing personal testimony on Distinctive Gardens.  There were hundreds she couldn’t even see who were sharing.  The communities work paid off.

The Distinctive Gardens website saw a whopping 2106% spike in traffic over the first fours days of competition.  By the time it was over, the website showed an overall increase of 808% in traffic compared to the same period before Big Break.  Distinctive Gardens Facebook page saw action too.  In the first four days, post viewers rose by 1740%.  After voting, active monthly users had risen by 1077%.  Before the end of the voting, Distinctive Gardens received hits to its Facebook voting tab from every single continent on the globe.

While Lisa was living in front of the computer, co-owner, Bud LeFevre was out hitting the streets in between doing full time landscape jobs during record heat.  He walked the downtowns of Sterling and Dixon handing out vote cards and talking to people.  At night, he hit the local bars asking people to vote.  He managed to crack off thirteen TV and Radio appearances before and after landscaping.  Even his landscape crew, son, Quin LeFevre and Sawyer Hagen passed out vote cards at night and spread the word on Facebook to all their friends.  Co-owner, Jim Brown handed out some vote cards.  At the shop and on personal time, Peggy Renne and Shannon Godby rallied their Facebook friends while managing normal duties at Distinctive Gardens.

Distinctive Gardens employees and the community were not the only ones stepping up.  Area businesses, such as Hicks Insurance and Flower’s Etc. helped spread the word.  Greg Hicks of Hicks Insurance donated advertising time.  Carla Knack Brooks, of Flower’s Etc put up the Big Break vote link on her business sign.  Dixon radio station, WIXN’s Kathy Cecchetti , and Sterling radio stations’ WSDR’s Jay Pauley, and WZZT’s Ryan Zschiesche helped promote by having Bud LeFevre on air.  Businesses from outside the immediate community jumped in.  Rockford’s WREX-TV had Bud on twice and promoted the Big Break throughout the week.  Quad Cities’, KWQC-TV Paula Sands had Bud on the Paula Sands Live Show to talk about Big Break.  Business social media company, SocialPie, ran a blog series on Distinctive Gardens experience and is conducting a case study on the Big Break impact.   The entire community rallied. 

THE CALL

Big Break voting ended July 19^th.  In the afternoon, on July 20^th, Bud took a call from Tom Monahan of American Express.  Online was Cynthia Spaulding of Electric Artists, facilitator and contact for Big Break.  Tom played it up as if bad news was coming.  Bud braced himself for disappointment.  After a breathless moment, Tom announced Distinctive Gardens just won the Big Break.  After three months worth of work on the Big Break and two weeks of crazy voting and no sleep, Bud and Lisa both broke down.  Here are some notes from the big phone call, as recalled by Bud:

“We at American Express and Facebook were very impressed with all you did to get the votes”….  ”We know how hard you have worked”…..   “We’re so very happy you won.   We really, really like what you are doing”…..   “Bud you’re a star”…. (Bud’s response through the tears), “That’s what the kids say, but I’m just Bud.”

NOW WHAT

The community rally paid off.  Now, Bud and Lisa LeFevre head out to Palo Alto, CA to Facebook headquarters for a two day Facebook make over on August 3rd.  During this time, they will meet the other four winners to work in groups to learn what did and did not work for each.  Next, the one on one consultation will focus on specific uses of social media.  A Facebook team will tailor instruction to help Distinctive Gardens implement two of their specific goals: socially integrated online sales and increasing exposure of community projects, such as Gardenstock Art & Music Festival benefit for Sinnissippi Centers and Second Saturdays Art Happenings.  As part of their commitment to the community, Bud and Lisa plan to come back and share the knowledge gained.  There will be scheduled public gatherings where the two share what they’ve learned while out in Palo Alto.

States Bud,

“The community gave all they had for us.  Now it’s time for us to pay back the community.”

Information on those classes will be posted on the Distinctive Gardens Facebook page.

As a thank you to the community, Distinctive Gardens invites all who participated to a celebration out at Distinctive Gardens, Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 6 p.m.  It will be “Gardenstock style”, which means, bring a cooler, chair, or blanket. 

Much to Be Thankful For

Friends,

We hope your Thanksgiving Day was stupendous and you're are now not caught in any major snowstorms.  Here in Dixon, it is brrr cold and cloudy, but no precipitation.

As you go about your “Black Friday” and your “Cyber Monday,” remember that not only is “Small Business Saturday” sandwiched in between, but that Downtown Dixon remains a great place to be this and every weekend.

Tomorrow night, don’t miss Tracy Fleck & Second Breakfast with Jack Kelly, playing Americana music and bluegrass, beginning 7pm until closing (9pm).  Join us for Sauk Valley’s best pass-the-hat live entertainment in a coffeehouse setting.

Don’t forget that NEXT WEEKEND is Downtown Dixon’s Christmas Walk, with great goings-on on both Friday night and all-day Saturday (including  concert at Dixon Theatre).  For more information, go to Dixon Main Street's website (http://www.dixonil.com/mainstreet/) .

AND there’s December’s Second Saturday on 11 December.  There are sure to be lots of venues hosting great art.

We are still waiting on the tree from Distinctive Gardens, but Brenda has names & ages of deserving but less privileged boys & girls. Come in and help us through our Books for Babes program to give a gift that keeps giving.  We will take a portion of proceeds from all items bought through Books for Babes to buy mittens/gloves, hats and scarves for the children.

And for you and yours, we have so many great titles for giving and for getting you into the holiday mood, from Cookie Swap to Christmas in Illinois.

Hanukkah is but 5 days away and Christmas and Kwanzaa are right behind!

See you soon!

-Santa’s Helpers at

Books on First

Sauk Valley's Premier Bookstore/Coffeehouse

In the Heart of Downtown Dixon

202 W First Street

Dixon, IL  61021

815.285.BOOK (-2665)

815.285.2666 fax

chin@booksonfirst.com

Second Saturdays Going Strong in Downtown Dixon

Today, 12 June, is another Second Saturday of the month.  Here in Downtown Dixon tonight, we have a Frequent Flyer contest going on.  With a map of downtown venues, visitors are encouraged to flit from one site to another, collecting stamps.  At 8:30pm, at The Crystal Cork, there will be drawings for the beautiful planters sitting right this moment in front of each venue.  These planters were created and donated to Second Saturdays in Downtown Dixon by Distinctive Gardens on Lowell Park Road in Dixon.  This is a great opportunity to join in the fun, check out all the happenings and maybe win a lovely planter filled (really filled) with petunias, coleus, daisies and ageratum.

Speaking of planters by Distinctive Gardens, next when you are standing in front of Trein's Jewelry and about to cross the street to visit Books on First, look up and see our really gorgeous window boxes, filled with sweet potato, petunias, geraniums, and more.

If you're wondering, what's with the petunias?, you should know, of course, that Dixon is the City of Petunias.  During the week before Independence Day, we have our Petunia Festival (29 June - 4 July).  To kick it off, Books on First will host "Tea with the Queen," on Friday, 26 June, with the Petunia Festival Queen, that is.  She will be here with her court to hold two Drawing Rooms, one at 10:30am and one at 11am.  There will be refreshments served, stories read by the Queen and 20% off all children's books and toys! Sign up in-store or send us an e-message (put "Tea with the Queen" in the Subject line and indicate whether you'll be here at 10:30am or 11am).  Space is limited and you don't want to have Brenda biting her nails in despair on not knowing if anyone will show, so please do pay attention and plan to come enjoy a great time with the Petunia Fest Queen.

An Incredibly Busy Saturday Arriving Fast

I meant to remind everyone that Larry has been agonizing over which books to order and bring to offer for sale at Nachusa Grasslands' Autumn on the Prairie, come Saturday, 19 Sep (always on 3rd Saturday of September). It's probably too late at this juncture, but you can put in your 2 cents (don't tweet him -- just call on the telephone or send an e-msg) and if we have something on the shelf, I am sure he'll be happy to oblige.

I and Bri Boyer, our newest employee, will be holding down the fort at Books on First, because there are major bicycle races happening right on the streets of Downtown Dixon, and Larry thinks all these riders and spectators are going to want to quench their thirsts -- for liquid refreshment as well as printed material -- immediately. The course comes north on Hennepin (downhill towards the river) and makes a left turn right in front of our place onto First Street. I am told that professional riders can reach speeds of 30+ miles/hr coming down that hill and at that point, a hairpin, turn. Luckily (but fingers crossed, unnecessarily), Dixon Fire Department and Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital are both nearby. I am still trying to figure out how all these thirsty people are going to be able to cross the street to reach the store, although I am assured that there is ample time between races, so that people can walk and will not need to worry about stray or lagging participants attempting to catch up or at least finish.

Distinctive Gardens is having its chili cook-off.

And, if that weren't enough happening in one day, I will be missing the return of NIA! to Dixon, as Nichole Miller, after a summer break and lots of Sunrise Yoga on the riverfront, starts up Saturday 5:30pm class at the Traditional Wellness Center upstairs from Touch of Thai. But, you don't have to, so be sure to give Nichole and NIA a try and I'll see you there next weekend.

And after a good workout for mind & body, come to Books on First to welcome classical guitarist Michael Lich who comes to us after many years of a Saturday a.m. larger double shot sugar-free vanilla latte customer, his father, Terry saying, "You gotta hear my son play." I am so excited that we finally will hear him live. And, I hope live music lovers everywhere will come to hear him, too. (Tony Fiorini's Wrong Element, who has been at Books on First, will be at Distinctive Gardens, but while the music is different, the events are not mutually exclusive -- where do you think we're going after we close at 9pm?)