Marketing Your Community

A grant from Indiana Rural Development Council

Grant Recipient Organization: (SWIDC)Southwest Indiana Development Council

SWIDCSouthwest Indiana Development Council

SWIDCPO Box 953

Evansville, IN 47706

Phone: 812-547-8377

Fax: 812-547-8378WEB: www.swidc.orgEMAIL: Info@swidc.org

SWIDC: Southwest Indiana Development Council

SWIDC is an economic development organization comprised of representatives of fourteen counties in Southwest Indiana

www.swidc.org

SWIDC: Southwest Indiana Development Council

Greene Daviess Martin Orange Knox Pike Gibson

Dubois Orange Crawford Posey Vanderburgh Warrick Spencer Perry

SWIDC: Southwest Indiana Development CouncilSWIDC members include

representatives of local economic development organizations and Chambers of Commerce in each county as well as other interested groups such as; universities, utilities, public officials and private industry

Marketing Your Community

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Add customized information here about the host organization

How do we begin to market our community?

Insert name of community here

Your community... Take a few minutes to develop a brief

statement that describes your county/community

1. What are the success stories of your community?

2. List the top 5 things your community is known for

Our Community: How we describe Ourselves

(Type in statement based on responses from previous break-out session)

Marketing Your CommunityAttraction

Marketing is the process of positioning your community

Marketing includes business attraction, retention, expansion, and entrepreneurship

Marketing is NOT just advertising

Marketing Your CommunityAttracting new business to your community

Marketing efforts entail developing a image and message that attracts new customers & businesses to your community

Marketing can improve your image both within and outside your community

What is your community marketing message? (Overview by local economic developer)

Checklist for the best marketing message1. Is it direct and concise?2. Does it have visual aids or enhancements?

(graphics, photos, Internet, video)3. Is the content of the marketing package

easy to read and understand?4. Is it believable? Does it match with what is

really happening in the community?5. Has the message been prepared with a

target market in mind? Who is the target market?

6. Is the message unique?

More specifically....

What are the specific characteristics of our target audience? Does the message appeal to your target?

What is the purpose of the message? (to increase awareness, inform, persuade, educate)

What response to you wish to elicit with your message? (contact information, additional information)

Techniques to Market your Community

1. AdvertisingPrint media, newspaper, trade

magazines, billboards, radio, Internet, TV

2. Promotional MaterialsBrochures, newsletters, Internet web site,

CD ROMs and videos

Techniques to Market your Community

3. Direct MailSending unsolicited letter/promo to a

prospective client 4. Personal Selling

Direct selling: Trade shows, Prospecting with Companies, Hosting special events, Incentives

What can we do to enhance marketing in our community? Brainstorming session

Opportunities to get more involved in marketing your community (List resources)

Thank you for your participation!

Please take a few minutes to complete the evaluation!