Engage Franklin reports $404,000 revenue, outlines event and partnership goals

Brandon Stills, executive director of Engage Franklin, told the Franklin Tourism Commission that Engage Franklin closed the year with total revenues of about $404,000 and presented a statement of activity and an operating plan for 2025.

The report matters because the commission allocates and oversees lodging-tax–derived tourism funds that support Engage Franklin’s marketing and events; commissioners discussed how those dollars could be used to grow overnight stays and local economic impact.

Stills summarized the year’s finances and program work, saying advertising and marketing spending totaled $10,400 and listing contracts and professional fees at $146,139. He identified a large portion of that professional-fee line as reimbursements to a partner (identified in the report as “Rock”) that helped launch Engage Franklin, plus website creation costs and executive director transition costs between the prior and current director. Office expense was listed at $4,392.22 and travel at $525.33.

Stills outlined program goals for 2025 aimed at increasing events, partnerships and leads. He said he intends to generate at least three qualified event leads per month, attend about 12 community or industry events over the year and secure roughly one signed partnership per month. He also said Engage Franklin aims to sign one new event by the end of 2025 and suggested two would be more realistic for board expectations.

On events, Stills said, “Novanta is officially coming. They're coming to Franklin, Wisconsin,” and described the event in his words as a large ski-gear sale with exhibitor and resort participation designed to drive hotel room nights and retail sales. He said the event organizer plans a marketing summit that would draw marketing executives from ski areas nationally and in the Midwest; Stills said the proposed target markets included Chicago, Madison, Rockford, Oshkosh and Green Bay.

Stills also reviewed a newly launched partnership program for businesses. He described four levels — executive, premier, enhanced and standard — and said the executive partnership is priced at $1,000 for businesses and $100 for nonprofits and includes a full‑page placement in the printed business guide plus boosted advertising credit. He said three partners have already signed: Mulligans, Crystal Ridge and Point Natch.

Commissioners pushed for clarity on the visitor guide's format and ad inventory, and several raised questions about how many full-page partner placements the guide can sustainably accommodate. Commissioners and members recommended professional guidance on layout and editorial balance so the guide remains useful and not dominated by advertising.

The commission and staff discussed methods to keep the website and guide content current; Stills said the website is easier to change and invited businesses to contact Engage Franklin to update listings. Commissioners suggested outreach via the city newsletter and using interns or contractors to help manage ongoing content and advertising sales.

The commission did not take a formal funding vote on the items Stills presented during this meeting. Stills said he would deliver a written statement of activity and further updates to the commission by email for follow-up.

Looking ahead, commissioners encouraged Engage Franklin to use trade events and the proposed snow-sports summit to build long-term relationships and to return with more detailed projections and proposals for any commission-funded initiatives.