WEDA: Comprehensive

Economic Development

Marketing & Attraction

Agenda

• About Atlas • A few formative ideas about ED marketing• How research can inform your marketing decisions• What the customers (Site Selectors) say• How marketing should differ by organizational size and

type– Ohio BDC– Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities– Webster City, IA

• What should your community be doing in 2011?• Interesting findings on social media, online marketing

and new media• View and share the slides• Q+A

About Atlas

Atlas Advertising helps economic developers reach national and international prospect and site selection audiences. We deliver branding, website development, GIS mapping, research, social media, and creative services professionally and with a staff experienced in economic development. Unlike firms with little or no economic development experience, Atlas Advertising uses a proven mix of economic development marketing tactics that generate interest from site selection audiences.

Atlas Advertising is led by a former economic development practitioner and has worked with 70+ different economic development clients in nearly 40+ US states. Our approach and experience means that our campaigns generate an average of three to ten times the response of other campaigns.

Featured clients:– State of Ohio– Indy Partnership– City of San Francisco– Greater Phoenix Economic Council – Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership– Webster City, Iowa

Download the slides, join the community, continue the dialogue

• Continue the Conversation: – Follow us on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/AtlasAd– Tweet questions using hashtag #AskAtlas

• Join the community of innovative economic development marketers– Join our Next Gen Economic Development

Marketers LinkedIn Group• View and share the slides with your

colleagues (available now): http://bit.ly/fQB6hC

Are you a State, Region, or Individual City/County?

Is Your Marketing Budget Growing, Staying the Same, or Shrinking?

A Few Formative Ideas About ED Marketing

Whether or not you market, your community and its brand already exists. It is up to you to shape, not create, the brand and story of your community. If you don’t, you will leave that up to others who may have different interests.

When considering your marketing efforts, set quantitative goals. If you can’t measure it, you shouldn’t buy it.

States are different from regions and different from individual cities and counties. The area you represent and how you are funded means you should market differently.

Economic developers should respond to those who are already looking before speaking to those who aren’t.

Businesses may do one major relocation in their management’s entire time there. Our job as economic developers is to educate, coach, and be relevant to them. If we don’t, we will be cut out.

How research can inform your marketing decisions

Some examples of standard benchmarks for quantitative goals

Goal City or County

Benchmark

Region Benchm

ark

State Benchm

arkDeals/Jobs in the pipeline Varies Varies Varies

RFI requests per month Varies Varies VariesIncoming email and phone inquiries per month

15 50 200

Property searches on my website per month 500 2,500 5,000

Website visits per month 1,500 5,000 20,000

Social media followers/ connections 200 500 1,000

How to focus your marketing at the correct “moment” for the prospect

[Atlas Site Selector Survey Results] Please rate the following in terms of their importance as a source of information:Information Source

% Important,

2011

% Important,

2006 Site visits (familiarization tours) 100% 100%Existing relationships with ED officials 95%  88%

Community websites 90% 63%Third party national data sources 90% n/a Past experience with other deals 81% 71%Word of mouth from peers 57% 43%Calls from local officials 48% 29%Existing relationships with local real estate community

38% 29%

National conferences 29% 0%Trade magazines 29% 14%Social Media/Social Networks 24% n/a

2011 Results: Access to Customers, Incentives, Proximity to Univ., Access to Workforce Lead the “Fastest Growing” Factors List

2011 2006%

differenceAccess to customers (large markets) 95% 69% 26%

Financial incentives from communities 95% 69% 26%

Proximity to a research university 67% 43% 24%

Access to technical/scientific workers 90% 70% 20%

Quality or fit of specific real estate 90% 75% 15%

Access to transportation infrastructure 90% 76% 14%

Pro-business tax-regulatory climate 95% 83% 12%

Access to senior management talent 76% 64% 12%

Quality of life for employees 62% 60% 2%

Ability to recruit workforce 95% 96% -1%

A rapidly growing region 57% 60% -3%

Access to cultural amenities 43% 49% -6%

Access to outdoor recreation 10% 38% -28%

Climate (weather) 29% 58% -29%

What the Customers (Site Selectors) Say

Tracey Hyatt Bosman

1. Based in Chicago, IL

2. Former economic developer

3. Specializes in renewable energy and data

centers

Director of Grubb & Ellis

Strategic Consulting Group

Tracey.Bosman@Grubb-Ellis.com

What Tracey needs and doesn’t need

What We Need• Contact information• Incentive programs• Tax rates• Recent

announcements• Industry-targeted

info• Map of your territory• Largest employers• Area colleges and

universities

What We Don’t

• General labor statistics

• Secondary source wage information

• Real estate listings

• Rankings

• Distance to other major cities

How marketing should differ by

organizational size and funding

type

Types of ED Organizations• Geographic coverage

– States – Regions– Individual Cities/Counties

• Funding– Predominantly publicly funded– Public/Private funding

Case Study 1: State

of Ohio

Size: State

Funding: Public

Ohio’s Goals• Mission

– Develop a brand and messages to aggressively sell Ohio as a profitable location for business investment

– Develop the sales tools and collateral information– Market the state in coordination with other state

agencies and local/regional development organizations– Conduct business recruitment and attraction activities– Generate and coordinate lead generation and intake

process for the State of Ohio; coordinate the response to these leads with appropriate state, regional and local organizations and officials

• Objectives– Retain and expand companies already doing business

in Ohio– Attract new companies to Ohio

• Funding– Predominantly publicly funded

Ohio’s Target Audience• Targeted industries

– Advanced Energy & Environmental Technologies– Aerospace and Aviation– Agriculture and Food Processing– Bioscience and Bioproducts– Corporate and Professional Services– Distribution and Logistics– Instruments, Controls and Electronics– Manufacturing– Motor Vehicle and Parts Manufacturing– Polymers and Advanced Materials

• Targeted geographies– US– Western Europe

Ohio’s Challenges

• Marketing multiple, diverse large regions plus rural areas

• Combating a rust belt, pro-union image• Coordinating hundreds of state stakeholders

in the lead generation, management, and submission process

Ohio’s Tactics • Partnership with the State initiative Jobs

Ohio• Large scale media in the US to change hearts

and minds• Direct lead generation using multiple lead

gen vendors, in various geographies• A leading website that gets 30,000 visits per

month• A world class GIS system, integrated into

their website, that manages all properties, all leads, all prospect companies and prospect submissions

• Distributed business development professionals throughout the state

• Trade shows• Website: www.ohiomeansbusiness.com

Ohio’s Results

• Awarded 4 straight Governor’s Cups from 2006-2009 for most deals

• In 2009 alone, Ohio announced 381 expansion or relocation projects

• Ranked in the top 10 Pro-business states

Case Study 2: Tucson

Regional Economic

Opportunities

Size: Region

Funding: Public (35%)/Private (65%)

Tucson’s Goals

• TREO's Values– Nurture Competitive Economic Growth– Build Strategic Partnerships– Promote Regionalism– Be an Economic "One Stop"– Maintain a Customer Focus

• TREO JobOne– Acceleration of regional and national marketing– Local company assistance– Enhanced tools to spur job creation– Creating a strong and unified voice– Leveraging the federal stimulus

Tucson’s Challenges

• In the shadow of Phoenix• Seen as more of a tourism destination• In an economically troubled state, and public

funding cut dramatically as a result• In the storm of political infighting around

immigration, incentives, etc.

Tucson’s Target Audience•

Targeted industries–

Aerospace and Defense

–Bioscience

–Solar

–Transportation & Logistics

•Targeted geographies–

Southwestern US

–California

–Western Europe

Tucson’s Tactics • Partnership with Phoenix and Nogales,

Mexico to form a “super-region”• Industry targeted media trips with local

CEOs• A leading website that gets 5,000 + visits per

month• Industry content, online and in proposals• Strong legislative presence in favor of

incentives• Large scale local event (800 + attendees)• Website: www.treoaz.org

Tucson’s Results

• From 2005 to 2010:– 37 relocations– 9,200 jobs– $1.4 billion in new investment

Case Study 3: City of

Webster City, IA

Size: Individual City/County

Funding: Public

Webster City’s Goals

• Increase awareness of the City as a destination for business

• To recruit/add 500 jobs from 2010-2012 • Maximize the reuse of the Electrolux

facilities • A clearly articulated image for the City and

its economic future– Build a brand – Establish an internal marketing program toward

residents– Launch communications to site selectors, allies,

and targeted industries – Launch targeted industry marketing

• Inspire a generation of local entrepreneurs to forge ahead

Webster City’s Target Audience• External Audiences:

– Midwest based site selection consultants– Companies in targeted industries– Commercial real estate brokers in large Iowa cities– Buyers and/or suppliers to companies in and

around the Webster City area. •  Internal Audiences:

– Residents of Webster City– Existing employers– Economic development allies at the local, regional,

and state levels

Webster City’s Challenges• Small market in a rural part of a rural state• Not a well known, household name• No established, centralized economic

development entity

Webster City’s Tactics

• Build a clear product brand that differentiates Webster City as a business location

• Feature rich website, with a virtual familiarization tour

• Prospect communications – standard PPT presentation

• Limited advertising campaign, focused on Midwest site selectors

• Direct communications with site selectors and targeted industry list

• Limited Trade show participation, focused on targeted industry shows

• LinkedIn for prospecting • Website: www.buildwebstercity.com

Webster City’s Results, 2011 •

Since launch of new website 3 new prospects have visited Webster City. Two have yet to make decisions

(Campaign launched January 2011)

•The City receives increased calls direct from prospects. Site selectors or realtors mention they have

already looked at Webster City’s website for preliminary information.

•Other contacts have come from recent press, the ED blog, social media, print advertisements and the

city's direct mail program – all which direct traffic to the website.

•Website traffic has grown fourfold and is receiving more traffic from ED specific keywords, as well as

certain key phrases that relate to economic development interests.

•The City is now receiving emails from other entities ranging from prospects to ED groups asking “How

they are doing this?”

“Our marketing efforts have resulted in leads from our own community and inquiries from existing business looking to expand in the

future.”

What should your community be doing in

2011?

The Corporate Location Process

Atlas Top Tactics for States1. States can and should play at the top of the funnel,

gaining visibility using the following tactics:– Familiarization tours/virtual familiarization tours – Prospect trips/trade shows– Outbound direct communications– International outreach

2. States should also work hard to develop a brand that is business friendly: See Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina.

3. States should have comprehensive websites, including detailed incentives information as well as information on key industries. States should also be delivering a robust GIS system to enable the evaluation of properties and the identification of clusters.

4. States should actively drive traffic to their websites, using search engine marketing, email, and more.

5. States and their Business Development teams should develop a dedicated approach to using LinkedIn for prospecting.

Atlas Top Tactics for Regions 1. Depending on budget, regions can also play at the top

of the funnel, though less so than States. – Virtual familiarization tours – Outbound direct lead generation, working with States– International outreach, working with states

2. Regional brand should differentiate within the state3. Regions should have comprehensive websites,

including detailed incentives information as well as information on key industries. Sites should also be delivering a robust GIS system to enable the evaluation of properties and the identification of clusters.

4. Regions should actively drive traffic to their websites, using search engine marketing, email, and more.

5. Though regions may have smaller BD teams, they should engage in Linkedin prospecting.

Atlas Top Tactics for Cities and Counties

1. Small Cities and counties must rely on regions and States to generate awareness for them.

2. Where budget allows, a City/County brand can differentiate within the region

3. Cities and Counties can also should have comprehensive websites, including local incentives

information. Sites should also be delivering a robust GIS system, often provided by the State

or region, to enable the evaluation of properties

4. Cities can use search engine optimization to drive traffic

5. Cities should maintain a Linkedin presence so that their contact information is available.

Interesting Findings on Online, Social Media, and New Media

Top 10 pages used nationally on ED websites1. About Us (about the organization)

2. Programs (that the organization offers)

3. Data Center

4. News

5. Relocate and Expand

6. Find Property

7. Site Selection Services

8. Workforce data and Information

9. Database of Companies or Largest Employers

10.Maps of the Area

What new media advancements have you seen that you think are valuable to the site selection profession?

What percentage of site selectors use social media at least weekly?

The Frequency Site Selectors are using Social Media is rising – 86% use weekly or more, compared to 71% in late 2009

Daily Two or three times a week

Weekly0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

25%

31% 31%

Late 2009

Early 2011

What Social Media/Networks Site Selectors are Using

LinkedIn 61%Facebook 21%RSS Feeds 21%Twitter  18%Blogs 14%Foursquare or other location based social media

0%

For more information on specific marketing topics

http://

atlas-advertising.com/community-marketing-presentations.as

px

Download the slides, join the community, continue the dialogue

• Continue the Conversation: – Follow us on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/AtlasAd– Tweet questions using hashtag #AskAtlas

• Join the community of innovative economic development marketers– Join our Next Gen Economic Development

Marketers LinkedIn Group• View and share the slides with your

colleagues (available now): http://bit.ly/fQB6hC

Contact Atlas

Contact information:

2601 Blake Street, Suite 301

Denver, CO 80205

Contact: Guillermo Mazier

t: 303.292.3300 x 232

guillermom@Atlas-Advertising.com

www.Atlas-Advertising.com

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