Innovation & Job News

Get the 411 on things to do in Chelsea

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

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Chelsea

When Leslie Surel moved to Chelsea, she started looking for something to do. That basic need turned into a nice little Internet start-up � Things To Do In Chelsea.

In 2005, Surel started by putting together a simple website featuring the links of places she liked to get information on city events. She told about a dozen friends and now has 17,000-plus visitors a month, turning it into the top hit in Google searches for Chelsea, Michigan.

"It's growing every month in regards to visitors and content," Surel says.

The downtown Chelsea-based business has relied mostly on viral marketing and word-of-mouth to build its loyal base of followers. Things To Do In Chelsea is now utilizing social media outlets, like Facebook and Twitter, to further drive traffic.

Surel wants to turn the website into (or maintain its presence, depending on whom you ask) the definitive news source for events and things to do in Chelsea. She could even see expanding it to other nearby cities like Dexter or Saline in the not-too-distant future.

"The more I added to it the more I realized there was more to add," Surel says. "It was inspirational to see everything there is to do in this town."

Source: Leslie Surel, owner of Things To Do In Chelsea
Writer: Jon Zemke