Let's grab the commuters and invite them back

Last week I was coming from an event at Calamari. As I walked up Main Highway, I noticed lots of cars stopped in traffic. From McFarlane all the way up Main Highway, the cars were literally stopped due to rush hour traffic, it was about 7 pm.

These people were looking out their car windows at the stores and restaurants in the Grove, but they were on their way home or wherever, so they didn't stop. But I was thinking of how this is a great opportunity to sell the Grove to these people but no one does.

Why doesn't someone hand out a map or coupons or movie tickets to every car stopped in traffic? Why not grab these people while they are literally sitting on our main street looking around? While they may not be able to stop for dinner or a movie at that moment, a coupon or incentive handed to them while they sit in traffic may get them back.

The Gallery Walk is coming up, why not hand them a map of the galleries and tell them to come back that night? Why not hand them small menus with a coupon attached from various restaurants? And the almighty movie tickets, why not give them or at least give a discount coupon for the movies? While there always seems to be a large banner hanging over the street, that doesn't seem to be enough. A hand-out might be best.

This is a captive audience. We are losing this great marketing opportunity to tell them about the Grove.