ECU team presents destination-marketing plan urging unified brand and social-media strategy for Nashville, N.C.

East Carolina University consultants presented a destination-marketing plan and social-media toolkit to the Town of Nashville council on Dec. 9, urging strategies to promote the town’s outdoor-recreation assets and attract visitors.

Emily Jaeger of East Carolina University said the team conducted two site visits and a farmer’s-market survey that produced 90 responses — about 58% residents and 42% regional visitors — and identified the town’s “small-town feel” as its top characteristic. “Nashville is a beautiful place,” Jaeger said during the presentation.

The team proposed eight strategic priorities in a longer report due to the council in January, including establishing a social-media working group, launching unified hashtags (the presenters suggested “Nashville NC” to distinguish the town from Nashville, Tenn.), using an influencer contact list and providing a Canva toolkit for town and partner use. Tiffany Blanchflower, who worked on the social-media recommendations, recommended focusing on Facebook and Instagram and creating a community playbook to standardize messaging.

Rebecca Burnworth, another ECU presenter, described the vision of Nashville as a destination “by leveraging its powerful recreation assets” such as future trail plans and Stony Creek, and suggested signature campaigns and coordinated events to raise the town’s profile.

Council accepted the presentation by voice vote. The consultants said a fuller, 120-page report and implementation materials will be delivered to the council and community in January.

Next steps noted by presenters and staff include forming a local social-media working group, considering a part- or full-time social-media manager or assigning the role to an existing staff position such as the librarian, and reviewing the longer report for budget and timeline planning.