Five inexpensive ideas to get your local economy going: Business Retention, Exporting, Viral Marketing, Startups and Smart Cities

1. Five Inexpensive Ways
to Jumpstart Your
Local Economy
Community Vitalization Council
CiViC 180
CiViC 180 creates, finances and manages
programs to strengthen local business

2. New Approaches
– Federal Funding is down and will likely decline further
– In California, redevelopment and enterprise zones eliminated
– Communities need new low-cost approaches
– Highest ROI Supporting Local Business Retention and Growth
– Partnerships are a must

3. Retain Local Businesses
Keeping existing businesses is much cheaper than getting new ones
The most effective approach is to meet with local businesses
Shows commitment by local community
Identify issues before they become a problem

4. 1 - Visit Your Local Businesses
How to Set up a Program:
– Identify partners (Local government, Chambers –local or ethnic, EDC’s,
utilities, community leaders, etc.)
– Set a schedule (who to target – cluster leaders, large employers, sales tax
generators)
– Visit (Small groups, listen)
– Record (data base)
– Follow-up
– Publicize
Costs: Just a time commitment

5. Promote Exports
Exports produce higher-paying jobs
Major barrier is fear of the unknown
Properly done, exporting has less risk than cross-town sales
Small business cannot afford the costs (time and money) so bring the
buyers to the local producers

6. 2-Inbound Trade Delegation
Identify your strength (cluster, location, ethnic groups)
Identify Partners (businesses, ethnic chambers, US Commercial service,
CITD, World Trade Center) == other cities
Create events
Set Up matchmaking session
Publicize
Costs: Venue and air-fare

7. Buy Local Programs
Traditional program
Lots of emotional support (AMEX Small Business Saturday)
Much easier with on-line tools

8. 3 - Viral Marketing
 Viral Marketing Tips – Each Month
 Pick a theme to anchor your efforts
 Produce at least one major piece of content
 Create two or three minor pieces of content
 Three or four thought leadership blog post
 Post regular social media updates
 Analyze and optimize results
 Local Marketing Guide
 Mobile Apps
 Social Recommendations:
 Yelp
 Foursquare
 Etc.
 Social Media Advertising
 Local Content Marketing
 Local E-Mail Marketing
 Online PR
 Local Listings
San Clemente Boot CampThe Internet is complex for
any person or business
Costs: Websites
or apps

9. Entrepreneurial Support
Start-ups are essential to continued economic growth
High rate of failure (80%) without support. With it, odds improve dramatically
There probably are already partners – angel investors, universities, community
colleges, accelerators

10. 4 - Startup Business Pitch
Competition
 Business Plan Competition
 Startups and Emerging Growth Companies
 Venture Investor Critiques
 Preparation Workshops
 Leveraging Relationships
 Local Businesses
 Local/State/National Organizations
 SBA , SBDC and others
 Colleges and Universities
Costs: Venue and prize
money. Can charge
admission fees and seek
out corporate sponsorships
to defer costs

11. 1. Negative impact on low-end
municipal services
2. Positive impact from products
and services that bring citizens
into municipal network
3. Error-correction and emergency
responsiveness will become
critical
4. System security a must
5. New employment needs for city
infrastructure planners,
developers, manufacturers and
service technicians
Trends with the Emergence of Smart Cities

12. 5 – Organize Smart Cities
Taskforce
Identify Partners
Hardware Manufacturers, Software Vendors, System Integrators
Local and regional planning groups
Utilities, including internet providers
WIB, Community Colleges
Create response plan
Find out what others are doing
Identify gaps –business attraction opportunity?
Collaborate with workforce training partners
Publicize
Media and Social Media
Workshops to educate elected officials and public
Costs: Workshops

13. Contact Us
Chris Lynch
Co-Founder – Community Vitalization Council
clynch@civic180.org
(949) 236-9637
Bob Maples
Co-Founder – Community Vitalization Council
bmaples@civic180.org
(949) 500-1599
Robert Coleman
President – Pacific Venture Club
Robert.coleman@pacificventureclub.com
(707) 762-2170