The document summarizes a presentation given by the Greater Reading Economic Partnership (GREP) to the Commercial Industrial Council. GREP works to support economic development in Berks County, Pennsylvania by providing connections to financing, training, innovation experts, best practices, new markets, and more for local companies. In 2013, GREP helped facilitate the expansion or relocation of 17 companies in Berks County. GREP also maintains a website called GreaterReadingSites.com to market available commercial and industrial properties to attract new businesses and help real estate professionals generate qualified leads.

1. Economic Development
Marketing
in Greater Reading
Presentation to Commercial Industrial Council

2. What Does GREP Do?
2

3. GREP: Committed to Berks County
Companies
3

4. GREP: Committed to Berks County
Companies – providing connections to:
•
Financing
•
Entrepreneur Training
Innovation experts
•
•
Best manufacturing processes &
practices
•
•
New market expansions
•
•
Business to business introductions
& referrals
•
•
•
Exporting
•
Succession Planning
Workforce training
Municipal, township, borough &
state officials
Governor’s Action Team
Local utility providers
4

5. GREP: 2013 Highlights
17 new and expanding companies!
•
City of Reading
– Bills Khakis
– Einstein Analytics
– Isolator Fitness
– Metals Your Way
– Prizer Painter (BlueStar)
Exeter Township
– Birdsboro Kosher Farms
– Visionary Insurance Partners
•
Wyomissing
– SG America
– Longhorn Steakhouse
•
•
•
Maxatawny Township
– Saucony Creek Brewing
Cumru Township
– Reitnouer, Inc.
•
Maidencreek Township
– Excelsior Blower
•
Muhlenberg Township
– EthoSource
– Fidelity Technologies
– Great Grow
– National Brokers of America
5

6. Birdsboro Kosher
Farms
6

7. GreaterReadingSites.com
7

8. Fish where the fish are.
Site selectors and businesses will go straight to
GreaterReadingSites.com.
Brokers can profit from:
• Free marketing
• Increased traffic
• Direct, qualified leads
• Expanded lead generation

9. Nearly all businesses and site selectors use
the Internet to make location decisions
• 98% of corporate real estate professionals & site
selectors use the Internet for researching site location
decisions
• Site selection research by non-consultants is performed
after business hours & weekends
©GIS Planning Inc. 2012
Sources in Order: Economic Development Marketing: Present & Future; Dennis Donovan, Wadley-Donovan, UEDA Annual Conf. SF.

10. Most important features for economic
development websites
Land/sites and buildings inventory
91%
91%
90%
86%
85%
83%
83%
81%
80%
77%
74%
73%
70%
67%
67%
60%
60%
55%
53%
51%
48%
Demographic reports
Maps
Staff directory and contact information (phone, fax,…
Major employers
Business assistance services/how to start a business
Employment training programs
Hyperlinks to other organizations
Social media integration
Business list
Transactions (business licenses, permit applications, etc.)
33%
User-generated content (blogs, forums)
24%
Source: National Survey of Economic Developers and Site Selection Professionals by Ubalde & Simundza. 2011.

11. What GreaterReadingSites.com
means for real estate professionals
•
•
•
•
Free Marketing
Direct Leads
Qualified Leads
Money in Pocket
©GIS Planning Inc. 2012

12. What GreaterReadingSites.com
means for real estate professionals
Qualified Leads: If they contact you they
have already done their homework
and know that you have
something they want.
©GIS Planning Inc. 2012

13. What GreaterReadingSites.com
means for real estate professionals
Business
Intelligence:
Access to
high-quality
demographic, market
& business analysis
(for free).
©GIS Planning Inc. 2012

14. Access to Data
14

15. GreaterReadingSites.com speeds up,
simplifies and expands the process of
generating leads and gathering information
©GIS Planning Inc. 2012

16. ©GIS Planning Inc. 2012

17. All pros, no cons
•
•
•
•
•
•
Simple and fast to add listings
Substantially increase traffic
Free marketing
Access to informed, motivated prospects
Qualified leads
Strengthen rapport with your community

18. How We Can Work Together
• Assistance with prospect and company visits
– GREP rolls out the red carpet to Berks County
• Customized demographics and workforce reports
• Connectivity to ED resources and community leaders
18

19. Contact us, we are here to help!
Pamela Shupp, AICP, CEcD
Vice President
Pamela@GreaterReading.com
(610) 376.4237
19

20. Connect with Us!
GreaterReading.com
Facebook.com/GreaterReadingEconomicPartnership
Company Page: Greater Reading Economic Partnership
www.linkedin.com/in/pamelashupp
@GreaterReading
#GREP2014
#GreaterReading
20

21. Thank you.
Let’s continue working together to
be something greater.
Pamela Shupp, AICP, CEcD, Vice President
201 Penn St. Suite 502, Reading, PA 19601
Pamela@GreaterReading.com
(610) 376.4237