Atlas CEO Ben Wright, Account Manager Keeley Sullivan, and client David Toyer of Webster City, Iowa present comprehensive economic development marketing May 5, 2011 in Des Moines Iowa at the PDI/Smart Conference.

1. SmartConference: Comprehensive Economic Development Marketing & Attraction

2. Agenda Bragging Rights (and some good toffee) Introductions 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 Webster City, IA What should your community be doing in 2011? Special Announcement Next Atlas Advertising webinar Q+A

3. Bragging Rights (and some really good toffee) Answer this question right: What percentage of U.S. Site Selectors use Social Media/Social Networks each week?

4. The Answer: What percentage of U.S. Site Selectors use Social Media/Social Networks each week? 86%

5. 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 60+ different economic development clients in 35+ 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

7. Vantec, Inc.

8. Murray McMurray Hatchery

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

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

12. A Few Formative Ideas About ED Marketing

13. 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.

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

15. 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.

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

17. 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.

18. How research can inform your marketing decisions

20. Examples of standard benchmarks for quantitative goals

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

22. Please rate the following in terms of their importance as a source of information:

23. 2011: Access to Customers, Incentives, Proximity to Univ., and Access to Workforce Lead the “Fastest Growing” Factors List

24. Top 10 pages used nationally on ED websites About Us (about the organization) Programs (that the organization offers) Data Center News Relocate and Expand Find Property Site Selection Services Workforce data and Information Database of Companies or Largest Employers Maps of the Area

25. What the Customers (Site Selectors) SayFor more, visit our website and views “How Site Selectors are Using your ED Website and how they Aren’t” http://bit.ly/fQB6hC

26. Tracey Hyatt Bosman Based in Chicago, IL Former economic developer Specializes in renewable energy and data centers Director of Grubb & Ellis Strategic Consulting Group Tracey.Bosman@Grubb-Ellis.com

28. Secondary source wage information

29. Real estate listings

30. Rankings

32. Types of ED Organizations Geographic coverage States Large Regions (1,000,000 people plus) Small Regions (between 100,000 and 1,000,000 in population) Individual Cities/Counties under 100,000 Funding Predominantly publicly funded Public/Private funding

33. Case Study 1: State of Ohio Size: State Funding: Public

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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

37. Ohio’s Tactics Partnership with the State Department of Development 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

38. 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

39. Case Study 2: City of Webster City, IA Size: Individual City/County (7,500 population, 200,000 in labor shed) Funding: Public

40. 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

41. Webster City’s Target Audience External Audiences: Midwest based site selection consultants Foreign counsels in Minneapolis and Chicago Companies in targeted industries, including 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

42. 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

43. 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 business documents including PPT, letterhead, templates for proposals etc. 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

44. Webster City’s Results Campaign launched January 2011 Quantitative results Two new prospects that have already visited and are in proposal/decision stage The City has been getting calls direct from prospects, including in response to recent press, the city's direct mail and online marketing Website traffic has grown, and time on site has increased Website is receiving more traffic from ED specific keywords Qualitative results The City’s profile and visibility for ED efforts have grown, as has their network of connections across the region/nation. The City is now receiving emails from all sorts of entities ranging from prospects to other ED groups asking “How they are doing this?”

45. What should your community be doing in 2011?

46. Atlas Top Tactics for States 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 States should also work hard to develop a brand that is business friendly: See Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina. 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. States should actively drive traffic to their websites, using search engine marketing, email, and more. States and their Business Development teams should develop a dedicated approach to using Linkedin for prospecting.

47. Atlas Top Tactics for Regions 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 Regional brand should differentiate within the state 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. Regions should actively drive traffic to their websites, using search engine marketing, email, and more. Though regions may have smaller BD teams, they should engage in Linkedin prospecting.

48. Atlas Top Tactics for Cities and Counties under 100,000 in population Small Cities and counties must rely on regions and States to generate awareness for them. Where budget allows, a City/County brand can differentiate within the region 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 Cities can use search engine optimization to drive traffic Cities should maintain a Linkedin presence so that their contact information is available.

49. Announcing Atlas InSite, the Fastest Growing GIS System for ED in the United States, now for any budget Features: Property Database Business Database Data Maps Communities Maps Demographic reports Pricing Configurations: States and Large Regions with existing websites Smart Region/Smart City Websites Small Cities and Counties Latest Feature: Incentives Deals Mapped

50. Offer to PDI and MAEDC Attendees: Get a free comprehensive marketing assessment from Atlas. This assessment will include: Review your current tactics based on this presentation Recommended metrics and benchmarks Suggestions for improvements Suggestions for adding or removing programs

51. Get the Slides, Continue the Conversation! To get this presentation or sign up for a comprehensive marketing assessment, drop your card with myself or Keeley Sullivan. To Continue the Conversation: Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AtlasAd Tweet questions using hashtag #AskAtlas Join a community of innovative economic development marketers across many continents: Next Gen Economic Development Marketers LinkedIn Group

52. Next Atlas Webinar “How site selectors are using GIS to shorten the location evaluation process to hours from months.” Date/Time: Thursday May 12, 11:00 EST Registrants from this conference will be admitted as an Atlas Guest. Sign up now

53. Contact Atlas Contact information: 2601 Blake Street, Suite 301 Denver, CO 80205 Contact: Ben Wright t: 303.292.3300 x 210 benw@Atlas-Advertising.com www.Atlas-Advertising.com LinkedIn Profile| LinkedIn Group | Twitter| Blog| Slidespace