1. SURVEY OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT MARKETING
DIRECTORS
Conducted by Development Counsellors International (DCI)
February 2012
Contact: Julie Curtin, EVP/Partner
Julie.curtin@aboutdci.com @marketingplaces

2. Compared to 2011, what is the best description
of your current (or next fiscal) marketing budget:
11% I am spending less on
marketing in 2012 than I
33%
did in 2011.
My marketing budget is
the same as it was in
2011.
56% I will be spending more on
marketing in 2012.

3. Q: As you consider your marketing efforts, in
general, rank in order (1st, 2nd, 3rd) in which markets
you spend the majority of your money/resources:
1st Reaching the domestic/US market
2nd Reaching a local/regional audience
3rd Reaching an international market

4. Q: Assuming your audience is a domestic corporate executive in one of your
target industries, what are the three marketing tactics/tools you have found
to be most effective? Select up to three from the list, or tell us your own:
80% 74%
70%
63%
59%
60%
50%
40%
33%
30%
19%
20%
11% 11%
10% 7%
4%
0%
0%

5. From your experience, what is the most
effective social media channel for reaching
corporate executives:
4%
4% Email
8%
LinkedIn
8%
46%
Twitter
Social Media is not effective in
reaching corporate executives
31% Other
Facebook

6. What is the greatest challenge you face as an
economic development marketer?
Measuring the impact of your marketing 42%
efforts
Lack of Funding 27%
Lack of Staffing 23%
Getting the board to understand the 4%
importance of marketing
Other 4%

7. How do you measure the impact of your
marketing campaigns (check all that apply)?
80%
70%
70%
63%
60%
50%
40%
33% 33%
30%
30%
20%
10% 7%
0%
Meetings Traffic to Advertising Impressions Social Media Other
secured website equivalency Engagement/
Interaction

8. Bonus Q: Looking forward, how will the
practice of economic development marketing
be different three years from now?
• Half of the respondents mentioned the
increasing importance and evolution of social
media as a method to deliver information.