How Small Businesses in Kitsap Can Tap Into the “Kickstart Kitsap” Momentum

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If I were chatting with a small-business owner in Kitsap County over coffee, I’d say: here’s your moment. The event 2025 Fall Forum – Kickstart Kitsap: Winning Strategies for Small Businesses (hosted by Kitsap Economic Development Alliance) has just laid out a roadmap, and it’s one you can step on now, not later. Meanwhile, TheKitsap.com is offering a platform that local businesses can lean into, so you’ve got both strategy and exposure working for you.

Here’s how to make this work for your business.

Why this is a big deal

  • Next summer, when the global spotlight hits the Puget Sound region, over 750,000 visitors are expected to pass through. That’s not just visitors, that’s opportunity.
  • The Fall Forum spelled it out: pop-ups, temporary merchant licences, activating storefronts, aligning marketing, establishing your brand in a way that resonates with visitors and locals alike.
  • For you as a small business in Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard or one of the smaller towns like Kingston or Suquamish, this means you have a window to set yourself apart, to prepare ahead of the rush, and to position yourself as an integral part of the Kitsap experience.
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What your game plan should include

Here are practical steps you can take right now:

1. Understand the visitor wave & map your role

Look at who’s coming, and when. What services or products will they need?

  • Are you a café, a local crafts shop, a service provider? Think: “If someone arrives in Kitsap for an event, what would catch their eye?”
  • Use the insights from the Forum: marketing aligned, net-works, pop-up opportunities.
  • Audit your current positioning: signage, online listing, social presence, visitor-ready messaging.

2. Consider “pop-up” or temporary offers

The Forum emphasised pop-ups & temporary merchant licences as a flexible way to capture visitor attention.

  • Maybe you offer a limited-time item or service geared toward visitors (think “Kitsap souvenir,” “event-week special,” “extended hours”).
  • Or try collaborating with another local business to co-host a pop-up, drive traffic by cross-promoting.
  • Use this strategy to not only serve the event-crowd, but to raise your business profile generally.

3. Sharpen your marketing and branding

If you haven’t updated your marketing in a while, now is the time.

  • Use the “Rules on Branding” shared at the Forum (legal/compliance matters when you’re aligning with large-scale events) so you’re set.
  • Make sure your online presence is up to date: Google listing, social pages, local SEO (“Small business Kitsap County,” “Silverdale café,” etc.)
  • Create messaging that speaks both to locals and visitors: “A Kitsap experience you won’t forget” or “Located minutes from Bremerton waterfront, perfect for event goers.”
  • Prepare visual assets (photos, signage, website banner) that highlight your place in Kitsap, lean into the local vibe.

4. Build partnerships & get visible

Local businesses that succeed in these moments often partner up or tap into local networks.

  • Connect with your local chamber of commerce or with destination-marketing organisations mentioned at the Forum.
  • Consider placing a pop-up in, or near, visitor-flow areas (downtown Bremerton, waterfront route, ferry access points).
  • Co-market with complementary businesses (for example: a café + local artisan shop, or service provider + event rental business).

5. Use this moment to build long-term value

It’s tempting to treat this only as “event-driven sales,” but the savvy move is to create lasting customer relationships.

  • Get visitor contact info (with permission), invite them back.
  • Offer loyalty deals for locals (so you’re not only a “one-time stop”).
  • Collect feedback, review what works during the event surge and refine your process.
  • After the big visitor wave, you’ll have elevated brand recognition, repeat customers, stronger marketing assets, so you’re better positioned for the future.
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How TheKitsap.com fits into this

Here’s where TheKitsap.com comes in and adds serious value for small businesses.

  • TheKitsap.com is a digital platform focused on Kitsap County, helping small businesses & entrepreneurs build an online identity and reach a wider range of clients.
  • They advertise an opportunity for businesses to promote themselves “for free” (or at low cost) through their site. For example: “Use TheKitsap.com to promote your new venture for free.”
  • They offer guides and resources specific to local marketing, which is ideal if you’re prepping for an influx of visitors and want to ensure you’re set up digitally. The Kitsap

What you can do with this:

  • Claim or update your listing on TheKitsap.com (or reach out to get featured).
  • Submit a story or press release about how your business is gearing up for the event wave, TheKitsap may pick it up.
  • Use the platform’s audience (locals + people interested in Kitsap) to raise your visibility now.
  • Tie your digital presence (TheKitsap.com listing + your website + social) into your event-driven strategy so when visitors search “Kitsap small business near event” you show up.

Final thoughts

You’re not just preparing for one event, you’re positioning yourself for the next chapter of your business. The visitor surge isn’t just a spike, if you play it right it can be a launchpad. Use the insights from the Kickstart Kitsap Forum, align your marketing, set up for short-term and long-term, and use local platforms like TheKitsap.com to amplify your reach.

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Sources and References

1. Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) — 2025 Fall Forum: Kickstart Kitsap

2. Visitor and Economic Impact Context

3. TheKitsap.com Small Business Opportunities

4. Local Context (Supporting Material)

Get More Than $7000 Small Business Credit If You Are A Resident Or A Small Business In Kitsap County!

Check Qualification
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