Social media was in the spotlight at Wednesday’s (Feb. 18) meeting of Wilton’s Economic Development Commission.
Commissioners took stock of how two tools — a Wilton business directory and jobs board — have been performing since launching on Instagram last fall, but also examined the EDC’s own branding and marketing strategy as they continue to pursue several new initiatives, including a restaurant week.
Wilton Business Directory and Jobs Board
Since the two initiatives were launched last fall, commissioners Lana Giancarli and Phil Fitzgerald have reported a lackluster response from business owners and residents — after an initial splash, no significant activity has been seen. Commissioners have anecdotally attributed the problem to lack of awareness and cited the need for more frequent reminder posts that the resources exist.
Fitzgerald recounted that he had recently seen a job posting by a local business on another platform, and reached out to the employer offering to add the post to the EDC’s jobs board. Fitzgerald said the employer’s response was “tepid” and “there was no follow through” by the employer.
Now, some commissioners are second-guessing whether Instagram is the best medium, with questions about how easily users can discover and utilize the tools. Commissioner Donna Peterson said she was exploring whether the Town website, which is slated for an overhaul, could also host the two resources.
For now, commissioners agreed to step up efforts to create awareness of the two tools. Fitzgerald proposed a weekly effort to “directly and intentionally” promote the resources on social media.
Marketing and Social Media Strategy Review
Beyond just the business directory and jobs board initiatives, the commission has taken a broader look at its marketing and social media efforts.
The review follows the recent transition of the EDC’s social media responsibility to Commissioner Donna Peterson, following the departure of Alison Smith, who managed the EDC’s growing presence on Instagram and other social media since 2021.
In a detailed presentation (which was not posted with the meeting materials but can be seen in its entirety in the recorded Zoom video), Peterson offered the following perspective on the EDC’s strategy:
“Information from the EDC Business Survey (2024) and ongoing EDC discussions highlight clear opportunities to continue utilizing our existing social media platform with a focus on the support of businesses in Wilton, while exploring new ways to support them directly, in the community via collaboration and the development of new programs. The focus of this presentation is on strengthening the EDC marketing program as we communicate our support of local businesses. In doing so, we will also increase engagement and EDC visibility across the community.”
Peterson emphasized maintaining the EDC’s current social media efforts, but added several recommendations to enhance and supplement those efforts.
She framed the EDC’s strategy as more than “just social media,” highlighting the need for greater visibility — for example, in‑person appearances by commissioners at community events and business openings — as well as deeper collaboration with other local organizations like the Wilton Chamber of Commerce and potentially even outreach to surrounding towns about EDC activity.
Citing a need for consistent EDC branding across promotional materials and media so that the EDC’s efforts are more easily recognized, Peterson recommended developing a “logo” for the EDC — an idea supported by EDC Chair Joe Favarolo. Commissioners agreed to further discuss specific logo concepts at a future meeting.
Favarolo summarized the discussion, saying, “These are great next steps — we’re going to continue the digital social media, take it to new levels, right? We’re going to be much more visible in person as well [and] we’re going to be branding ourselves with a new logo.”
More Updates
Restaurant Week: Led by Fitzgerald, commissioners picked up discussions from previous meetings about a “restaurant week” type of event to promote Wilton restaurants. Though somewhat bogged down by questions about the Wilton Chamber of Commerce’s upcoming “Taste of Wilton” event, commissioners continued to explore how a resturant week might take shape in a way that would complement or potentially expand the Chamber’s event, not compete with it. Next steps will include additional input from the Chamber about what co-hosting opportunities might be as well as outreach to Wilton restaurants — which may or not be Chamber members — to gauge interest in such an event.
Commercial signage regulations: Commissioner Marty Avallone relayed that the Planning and Zoning Commission’s plan to update Wilton’s commercial signage regulations — part of a broader regulations update — remains “in limbo” due to uncertainty about the availability of previously-budgeted P&Z funds for a consultant. Favarolo urged Avallone to remind Town officials of the EDC’s desire to see the signage regulations updated — budgeting for FY’27 if current year funding is not available.
Wilton Center signage: Commissioner Andrew Warren briefed the commission on the effort to improve the “gateway” and way-finding signs into Wilton Center, particularly on state roads like Danbury Rd. which would not fall under P&Z’s purview. With lessons learned from previous failed attempts, Warren suggested next steps should include obtaining some ballpark costs and gauging whether the project could realistically be undertaken in the current budget environment, before committing any time to pursuing design details or approvals.
Career seminars for high schoolers: Avallone also updated commissioners on a workforce‑oriented initiative aimed at high school students to highlight the trade professions and other rewarding careers that do not depend on a four-year college degree. He reported Wilton Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Smith is working with state resources to plan a two‑event series this fall. The EDC will support and promote the event.
Candidate forums: Based on feedback from First Selectman Toni Boucher and the town’s legal counsel, Favarolo reported the EDC is dropping the idea of hosting municipal election candidate forums on economic topics, due to potential conflicts as an advisory board to the elected Board of Selectmen.
America 250 Celebration: Favarolo and Peterson updated the group on planning for Wilton’s participation in the nationwide celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary. With most of the planning being led by the Parks and Recreation Department, the EDC plans to support and promote any events hosted by the Town, local businesses or community groups.
“40 Things We Love About Wilton”: Commissioner Tom Shimko reported on the EDC’s planned collaboration with Wilton High School students to create updated content for the “40 Things We Love About Wilton” promotional video. The next step is a kick-off meeting to brief students on the project goals and assignment details.
The EDC’s next meeting will be Wednesday, Mar. 18.