Business Listing Initiative on the Coalition Web site

For nearly 35 years the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition has sought to preserve and improve the quality of life in the 14th Ward of Pittsburgh.  We have long recognized the interdependence of the residential and business communities.  For that reason, we have directed efforts through the years to help promote and support the area’s business communities. 

You already know that the business environment has changed significantly over the past decade – there is new competition from the Waterfront in Homestead, a resurgent East Liberty, “big box” retailers and web marketing.  These have changed the where and how people shop as well as how they look for information.     

The Coalition is proud to announce a new initiative that we believe will significantly enhance your business and help your community at the same time. 

The Coalition has launched a new web site that not only includes information about the Coalition, but also serves as the primary gateway for information about the 14th Ward, especially Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze.  The Coalition web site has traditionally been ranked #1 when searching for “Squirrel Hill” on the web.  Visitors to our site are your potential customers – residents of Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze.  The number of hits will grow as this web site becomes established as the primary source of information about what is happening in the Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze areas through our aggressive marketing of the site to the major search engines – Google, AOL, MSN, Ask, etc.

That translates into a terrific opportunity for your business – and for the Coalition to gain new members.

We want our business listing to be as inclusive as possible.  So, we offer you a free listing of your business in our directory.  In addition, we will list your business by category (accountant, plumber, etc.) for easier searching by visitors to the site. While we have some basic information about your business, we need you to review the listing and make sure it is accurate. We also need to know the categories (think Yellow Page listings) for your business.

In order to encourage membership in the Coalition we offer three ways to use the Coalition web site to enhance your own on-line marketing efforts. Membership gets you the quarterly Coalition newsletter and notices about meetings that are important to the community, not to mention supporting a worthwhile organization that has contributed to the quality of the unique neighborhood in which your business resides, plus:

1. By joining the Coalition at a membership level of $100 for the year your listing will include a link to your own web site.  Join at $100 Level Here.
2. By joining the Coalition at a membership level of $250, we offer you unique placement. First, your business will be listed as a featured business on the main “business” page.  In addition, we will create a stand-alone profile page for your business.  Have a restaurant - include a menu.  Have a clothing shop - include pictures of the kinds of clothing you sell. See our sample page. Join at $250 Level Here.
3. By joining the Coalition at a membership level of $500 you get all of the above, plus we will post a banner advertisement for your business. Each page of the directory will include space for small ads (similar to Google and other search engines). Don’t have an Internet ad? We will create one for you - and update it quarterly as part of the yearly price. Join at $500 Level Here.
4. Even if you do not wish to join the Coalition, we would appreciate if you review your information to ensure its accuracy. Edit Your Data Here.

Attached is an example of a Feature Page and an enrollment form.  Alternatively, please see http://www.shuc.org/business-list-info.htm for more information and links to enroll in this program.
As a local organization devoted to the betterment of our business and residential community, we want to help you attract new customers. We provide direct support to the business community with our Litter Patrol and our Citizens Patrol.  We have worked with the business community in the past to improve safety; and we’ve been a committed partner in supporting improvements to Squirrel Hill’s commercial core.

Help us make the Squirrel Hill Coalition Web Site the premier source of community and business information about Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze!

Questions? Call Rebekkah Belferman or Kjerstin Pugh (412-422-7666) or Stephen Cohen, Webmaster (412-421-3999)