This document discusses the challenges of economic development marketing and why site selectors are often dissatisfied with existing strategies. It emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions, targeted messaging, and community engagement in attracting businesses. Recommendations include defining target audiences, enhancing digital presence, and improving communication with decision-makers to effectively market communities.

1. Why Site Selectors
Hate Your Marketing

2. Guillermo Mazier
Vice President, Strategic Accounts, Atlas
Advertising
Economists, strategists, and digital marketing evangelists
working together to create vital community brands that
generate results. We believe that our work has a direct and
indirect ROI for all of the communities with whom we work.
Will Cox
Senior Manager, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co
Supporting companies with location and incentives strategies,
and helping jurisdictions design and implement economic
development incentives programs
Introductions

3. Continue the Conversation
• Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AtlasAd
• Tweet questions using hashtag #ASKATLAS
• Join High Performance Economic Development LinkedIn Group
• Download Website Redesign Checklist: http://offers.atlas-advertising.com/10-step-checklist
• View and share the slides with your colleagues (available now):
www.slideshare.com/wright0405
View the slides, continue the dialogue

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paper.aspx
Take the survey to
participate:
http://atlas-advertising.com/Community-Benchmarking-
Study.aspx !
1 month to fill out survey

5. Back to Basics – The Site Selector
Approach
} Site Selectors bring analy0cal tools to
compare site opportuni0es.
} Decision models incorporate client-
specific criteria and weigh0ng to
produce data-driven loca0on
rankings.
} Reports captured in C-suite ready
reports that help document a
decision process and build
consensus.
} There is no “ best site” for a project
there are only sites that fit the
criteria…
Cost
Factors
Wages
U0lity Pricing
Tax Regimes
Incen0ve Programs
Labor
Market
Indicators
Talent
Availability
Compe00on
Business
Environ-
ment
Factors
Regulatory Policies
Infrastructure
Disaster Risk
Accessibility
Quality of
Life
Measures
Cost of Living
Neighborhood Quality
Public School Achievement
Crime Rates
Examples of Loca8onal Variables
5

6. } A project’s drivers, and thus its choice of des0na0on,
will vary by business needs.
• Reduce costs
• Achieve operational efficiencies
• Access raw materials
Manufacturing
• Access pre-commercial research
• Attract top-level science talent
• Tap funding sources
R&D
• Acquire marketing & financial talent
• Network with industry leaders
• Link with global community
Office
• Lower cost labor
• Minimal disaster risk
• Excellent telecomm/power
Mission Critical
There Is No “Best” Loca8on
6

7. } Now more than ever – a process of elimina0on
§ Define Objec0ves & Design Approach
§ Eliminate “Poorest Performers”
§ Don’t meet the site criteria
§ Did not provide the necessary data
§ Select the Best from the Rest
§ Dive Into Market
§ Nego0ate
§ Choose
7

8. } Quality Data = Confident Decisions
} Data Access and Partnerships
◦ StateBook
– Online Marketplace for site selec0on and EDO data sharing
◦ Pew Charitable Trusts Economic Development Ini8a8ve
– Suppor0ng incen0ve transparency and accountability to
communi0es and taxpayers
◦ SelectUSA
◦ Easy accessibility and promo8on of available data
– Use the resources you have to present the posi0ve and show
change percep0on in the nega0ve
– Bureau of Labor and Sta0s0cs, ERI, etc.
8

9. } Focus on what is “special” about the community
◦ Value proposi0ons that address the needs of decision makers
} Define your audience
◦ Learn and get to know the stakeholders who are doing
projects or engaged in your area, region or industry focus
} Direct contact with individual companies and decision
makers
} An eye and ear toward FDI
9

10. } Direct adver8sing campaigns
◦ Industry publica0on adver0sing
◦ Television (Empire State Development and StartUP NY)
◦ Non targeted E blasts L
◦ Radio (Fairfax County)
◦ …What is working Social Media ( LinkedIn / Twier)
} Not clearly defining the target audience
◦ High-level and generic message
◦ Engagement with end users and site selectors not focused on
the region or the targeted industry area
} Familiariza8on (FAM) tours
10

11. } Micro targe8ng to industry and regional site selectors and
stakeholders
} Educa8on and partnership with local stakeholders including
real-estate professionals and business community
} Promo8on of new or changing incen8ve programs
} Debunking geographic percep8ons
◦ What are the nega0ve and or false percep0ons of my
community and how do I change them?
} Promote tools for exis8ng business expansion in market
} ThoughSul and 8mely responses to informa8on requests
◦ Informs site selectors on other project opportuni0es
11

12. With the majority of execu8ves and site selectors visi8ng an EDO’s website as the first point
of entry, effec8ve messaging is more important than ever.
} Best prac8ces include:
1. Provide Comprehensive Contact Info
– Include all relevant stakeholders phone, email and picture (for the personal touch) along with geographic or industry specializa0ons or
designa0ons
– Contact forms and general emails are a nonstarter
– Knowledgeable recep0on on main phone lines
2. Keep Demographic Data Up-to-Date
– This should include 3rd party data and any independent market analysis to showcase your community
3. Accessibility to Incen0ve Informa0on
– Comprehensive overview of state and local incen0ves including: program summary, eligibility, and poten0al value where possible
4. Highlight Key Industries
– What does the region do best and what is the direc0on for the future
– How do you set yourself apart from other communi0es
5. Showcase Leading Employers
– Show what is already thriving in the area. Exis0ng industry are your best cheerleaders… and project closers
6. GIS for Available Sites
– Informa0on on available sites with a GIS component so site selectors can visualize exactly where available property falls in an area
7. News to be Proud About
– Frame what is going on in the region with at least a post a month with external news outweighing internal news
8. Responsiveness on Mobile Devises
– A must for mobile website func0onality
12
…not the Point of no Return

13. } Comparisons to established compe88ve markets and loca8ons (e.g. cost
comparisons)
} Searchable database of available buildings and sites
} Demographic informa8on (e.g. popula8on, income, age distribu8on,
educa8onal a_ainment)
} Major employer list
} Educa8onal ins8tu8on informa8on (K-12 and post-secondary)
} Maps of the community
} Quality of life informa8on (e.g. cost of living, cultural/recrea8onal
opportuni8es)
} Tes8monials from local companies
13

14. } Website based data is cri8cal
◦ Trend: EDO engagement moving 0ll aker the screening phase
and development of a shortlist of communi0es
} Loca8on informa8on and data aggrega8on through
3rd party providers
} More detailed and complex compara8ve modeling
between loca8ons and regions
} Con8nued trend toward oversight, post performance
based incen8ves and away from discre8onary grants
14

15. } Targe8ng and partnerships between EDO and site
selec8on stakeholders among industry
} Be_er overall coordina8on and collabora8on with
the real estate community
} Importance of speed to market driving site readiness
of available proper8es
15

16. Na8onal Governors Associa8on Trends in State Economic Development
} Focus on the rela8onship between states and regions
} Emphasizing job crea8on from within
} Strengthening support for advanced manufacturing
} Crea8ng partnerships to meet industries demands for talent
} Raising expecta8ons for universi8es to bridge the gap between research
and commercializa8on
} Increasing business export ini8a8ves
16

17. Economic development marke0ng is constantly shiking, and
EDOs are gelng savvier. They’re embracing the evolving
landscape, and adop0ng digital strategies that move the needle
for their organiza0ons.
Economic development marke0ng can be loosely categorized
into five ac0ons:
1. Defining target audiences
2. Deploying marke0ng campaigns and ini0a0ves
3. Gelng found online
4. Conver0ng digital traffic into qualified prospects
5. Analyzing campaign performance
State of Economic Development Marketing

19. The Agency Perspective: What’s Working
Strategy #1
Disseminating important community information and engaging with target
audiences/community advocates/location decision makers via social media.
Example: Brenham ED LinkedIn group

20. Examples: Amarillo Twitter feed, Henry County Facebook page

21. Example: Atlas blog article that provides value (offers five free
tools for a specific audience)

22. Strategy #2
Digital ads that differentiate, inspire, elicit action

25. Strategy #3
Print ads that:
• Do something
different/capture
attention (some
industry print
publications can be
a waste of money if
generic or over
promotional)
• Tell a story without
cumbersome
content
• Drive digital
engagement (online
conversions key in
measuring
campaign success)

30. Strategy #4
Websites that:
• Are data driven
• Have dedicated
resources for site
selectors (incentives)
• Provide a clear value
proposition that
addresses the needs
of decision makers
• Offer a searchable
database of available
sites and buildings,
and provide data
visualization tools that
tell your “by the
numbers” story
Content that addresses
a need, sells the community

31. EDO websites are the point
of entry, so make them your
best digital asset

32. Searchable database of available sites and buildings and data
visualization tools

34. Promotional Handouts: Location decision makers are
bombarded with giveaways at tradeshows. Your logo
and brand on a mug are the same as your
competitor’s on a lanyard.
The Agency Perspective: What’s Not Working

35. Print ads “Anywhere USA”: These concepts have either
been done a hundred times, or there are no distinct
community attributes present.
If the design and messaging could be for any
community, in any part of the country, the ad is likely
ineffective.

38. 1. Decide on your audience
2. Understand their drivers and needs
3. Understand who your comparison communities are
4. Do the research on yourself and the other communities
5. Find out the one or two unique elements of your
community
DIY: Founda,on for Posi,oning
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.

39. A business strategy is about deciding where
to play and how to win.
-A.G Lafley, Former CEO Proctor and Gamble
The Future from an Agency Perspective

40. What makes ED
marketing great is
what is NOT on the
ad, website, or
creative piece
What is not Working

41. What are the
ques0ons we can
ask?
What offer can we
use to establish
credibility?
What is your
posi0oning?
What services do
you provide?
What are your
challenges?
How do you pass
leads on?
What are your
common
ques0ons?

42. Thoughts from a Site Selector
• You are a service organization first
• Know where you are in the site selection process
• Answer the questions asked
• Facilitate information flow
• Provide support as necessary
• You are a sales organization last
• Selling does no good if you are eliminated due to lack
of information

43. Why Do Site Selectors Hate Your
Marketing?
1. It’s not relevant
2. It’s not different
3. There is no substantive data
4. They’ve seen it before
5. It interrupts rather than invites

45. Thank You!
Guillermo Mazier
Vice President, Strategic Accounts, Atlas Advertising
guillermom@atlas-advertising.com
303-292-3300 x232
Will Cox
Senior Manager, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co
wcox@blsstrategies.com
609-613-4266