Our local Main Street organization has been working with a state Main Street representative to grow and promote downtown.

Vicksburg Main Street hosted a Power Promotions Workshop for local merchants at The Wine House Wednesday with Jan Miller, the director of field services for Mississippi Main Street.

She described the role of the organization in the development of downtown.

“We’re [Main Street] not just a promotion driven organization. We do economic development and we do design,” Miller said.

She spoke to the downtown business crowd about what sets downtown apart, how to relate to the customer, different types of advertising and working together to promote business.

Laura Beth Strickland, communications manager for the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, learned a lot from listening to Miller speak. She particularly liked Miller’s positive remarks on the city and her inspirational words on working with what is here.

“She said a well balanced Main Street has retail development, upper floor housing, which Vicksburg has, historic preservation and tax credit incentives,” Strickland said.

Strickland found it beneficial to hear an outside prospective on how to boost downtown. She said she could use what Miller taught the gathered group of merchants in her job because the VCVB and Main Street work closely together to promote Vicksburg.

“Listening to Jan talk to the merchants and the retailers about how they can better promote their business helps me know how to promote Vicksburg as a whole,” Strickland said.

Miller had been in town for a few days working closely with Vicksburg Main Street executive director Kim Hopkins. Miller routinely visits each Main Street organization in the state to offer her guidance. There are 51 programs and seven networks in Mississippi.

“I always look forward to Jan’s visits to Vicksburg. This time was especially exciting because she has not been here in awhile so it was exciting to show her all of the changes and improvements that have been made in our downtown,” Hopkins said.

Miller was positive about the changes being made in Vicksburg with the dramatic increase in the occupancy rate to being nationally ranked in the top 10 of the Great American Main Street Awards. She sees a lot of potential in Vicksburg, and she praised Hopkins for her hard work and dedication.

“She is one of our shining stars in the state,” Miller said.

Hopkins was thrilled to show Miller just what she had been up to since Miller’s last visit with a tour of downtown and meetings with the mayor and the chamber of commerce.

“We had a very productive time yesterday and today and it was a great opportunity to show her some insight on what we are working on in our community,” Hopkins said.

Miller is the past executive director of Main Street Columbus. She attended Mississippi University for Women where she earned a degree in fashion and textile merchandising.