Atlas CEO Ben Wright Presents "Using Marketing in Your Battle to Be the Best EDO"

1. GEDA
Annual Conference 2012:
Using Marketing in the Battle
to be the Best EDO
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2. About Atlas Advertising
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.
Featured clients:
– Indy Partnership
– City of San Francisco
– State of Ohio
– Charleston County, South Carolina
– Savannah EDA 2
– Webster City, Iowa

3. Fun with themes
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4. Join the community, continue the
dialogue, get the slides
• Join the Conversation:
– Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AtlasAd
– Tweet questions using hashtag #AskAtlas
• Join the community of innovative economic
development marketers
– Join our Next Gen Economic Development Marketers
LinkedIn Group
• Get the slides:
www.atlas-advertising.com/community-
marketing-presentations.aspx
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5. Why did I write this speech?
1. Though economic development is not a winner take all battle to
the death, it is a competitive endeavor, and we all admire the
best.
2. I think at it’s core as a profession we want to make a difference
in our communities – and whoever makes the biggest impact
should be considered the best.
3. There are standout organizations and standout practitioners all
over the nation, and there are organizations in search of
direction all over the nation.
4. By sharing best practices, we can continue to elevate this
valuable profession to be better known, and to consistently
drive vitality in our communities.
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6. Getting your input, and sharing
it anonymously via text
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8. Questions we will answer
1. How do we as a profession (in this room) feel about the impact
we are making on our communities today?
2. What are the basic principles that we believe your competitive
strategy and your marketing should be based on?
3. What are the basic benchmarks that you can be comparing your
community against? What is good performance, and what isn’t?
4. How should marketing and attraction approach differ
depending on your organization’s size, goals, and funding?
5. What should you be doing in 2012?
6. Who are the top performing communities in the nation in 2012?
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9. A few principles that drive (or
should drive) economic
development marketing
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10. In economic development, we tend
to think in terms of winners and
losers.
Until a higher percentage of business
leaders understand what we do, there
is plenty of room for positive results
for all of us, if we focus.
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11. At some point, if we don’t shape the
debate over what results are
important, other parties will do that
for us.
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12. As economic developers, we are the
sales, service, and product development
portion that drives the ultimate vitality
of our product – our communities.
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13. If there is one metric that should drive
all others, it is inquiry. Inquiry drives
attraction, retention, entrepreneurial
development, and ultimately jobs and
capital investment.
If we are not being contacted, we are
not making a difference.
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14. States are different from regions and
different from individual cities and counties.
The area you represent, your organizational
goals, and how you are funded each should
drive the tactics you use to drive inquiry.
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15. Due to tremendously different (and
sometimes changing) priorities and
capabilities, organizations with similar
economies and similar budgets can deliver
wildly different results.
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16. How research can inform
your marketing decisions
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17. Current perceptions-communities
in the SE United States
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18. The Elements That High Performing
Communities Excel in (Product)
• “Solid infrastructure and directionally moving toward environmentally
friendly locations.”
• “Air access, talent markets.”
• "Geographic advantage for outbound distribution to eastern US- Trainable
workforce for basic job requirements“
• “Either depth of a specific skill set or a low cost/non-competitive labor
environment.”
• “Existing industrialized base, positive business climate, low energy costs.”
• “Location, transport and labor costs.”
• “Aggressive lease rates - good city amenities.”
• “Ports with good business climates and great sites.”
• “Competitive operating costs such as labor costs and utility costs; access to
customer markets which helps with transportation costs and service
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characteristics”

19. The Elements That High Performing
Communities Excel in (Service)
• “Great ED teams and quick response to queries.”
• “These regional groups accurately respond to RFP's, have a good inventory of
buildings and sites, and can well document utility and labor costs.”
• “Pro business; good incentives; good labor pool at good cost. RTW”
• “Pro-active business climate.”
• “Deal making and closing.”
• “Good ED staff.”
• “Incentives available at the state and local levels.”
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20. Please rate the following in terms of
their importance as a source of
information:
Factor % Important
Third party national data sources 88.9%
Past experience with other deals 85.2%
Site visits (familiarization tours) 81.5%
Existing relationships with economic development officials 77.8%
Community Websites 61.5%
News stories about communities 59.3%
Word of mouth from your peers 48.1%
Existing relationships with local real estate community 42.3%
National conferences 33.3%
Social Media/Social Networks 32.0%
Calls from local officials 29.6%
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Trade magazines 7.4%

21. A simple framework for
driving results
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22. The framework
Generating Generating Generating
Jobs and
Awareness Inquiry
Investment
Knowledge of the Visits to website Number of jobs
Organization Phone/email inquiries Capital investment
Prospect meetings
Prospect pipeline
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23. The data we have collected
so far
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24. Data collection
1. Five separate emails were sent to the Atlas list, as well as by
state economic development organizations, including GEDA
2. Hundreds of organizations clicked on the survey, 103 thus far
have completed it
3. Organizations from 30+ states have now participated
4. Our goal: 350+ communities from all 50 states.
5. To take the survey, click this link:
http://Atlas2012BenchmarkingSurvey.questionpro.com
If you take the survey we will give you a confidential
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report comparing your community to your peers!

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27. We all know that small cities and
large communities should get
different results. But how different?
INQUIR
CAPITAL
YEARLY WEB IES JOBS WON LAST 12
INVESTMENT WON
VISITS PAST 12 MONTHS
LAST 12 MONTHS
MONTH
POPULATION S
Less than 25,000 8,418 20 98 $28,333,333
25,001 to 100,000 8,324 46 576 $63,750,000
100,001 to 250,000 22,412 65 1,198 $149,376,418
250,001 to 1,000,000 28,374 208 2,422 $365,923,077
1,000,000 to 2,500,000 45,543 228 2,646 $447,794,260
Over 2,500,000 23,445 170 5,359 $399,630,000
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Average for all Sizes 29,181 148 1,768 244,629,502

28. Which one of these is not like
the other one?
CAPITAL ANNUAL
YEARLY WEB JOBS PER
ORGANIZATION JOBS WON INVESTMENT WON OPERATING
VISITS INQUIRIES INQUIRY
LAST 12 MONTHS BUDGET
Over
4,171 $875,700,000
Ohio Community 43,618 169 25 $2,500,000
$500,000 to
2,329 $424,082,780
Indiana Community 25,572 107 22 $999,000
Over
338,388 400 14,415 $2,232,616,082
Tennessee Community 36 $2,500,000
Over
50,236 101 3134 $418,200,000
Virginia Community 31 $2,500,000
Over
4033 $43,600,000
Florida Community 67,440 621 6 $2,500,000
Average for Above
105,051 280 5,616 $798,839,772 24
Communities 28

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30. How certain metrics drive
ultimate results
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31. The average
economic
development
website receives
29,181 unique visits
per year, or 2,432
per month.
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32. The average
economic
development
website receives 194
unique visits per
qualified inquiry.
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33. The average
economic
development
organization
receives 148
qualified inquiries
per year, or 12.3 per
33 month.

34. The average qualified
attraction or retention
inquiry you receive is
worth 25 jobs and
$7.9 million to your
community in terms
of wages and capital
investment.
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35. Benchmark your
community today
Join the study by clicking this url:
http://Atlas2012BenchmarkingSurvey.questionpro.com
Or, contact Atlas and we will be in touch with the
link!
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36. How marketing should differ
by organizational objective,
size and funding type
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37. Economic development
organizational objectives
Deal focused Promotion Retention/ Infrastructure/
focused Entrepreneur Policy focused
ship focused
Mission Jobs and wealth from Awareness, Inquiry Jobs and wealth from Improve the business
outside inside environment
Key audience Site selectors, prospective Site selectors, Local companies and Local elected
companies prospective entrepreneurs officials, government
companies
Metrics Deals closed, deals in Awareness, Meetings, issues Projects built,
pipeline inquiries/mo. solved, policy legislation passed
Staffing ½ business developers, ½ 2/3 marketers and ½ business ½ lobbyists, ½
marketers information developers, ½ , policy/infrastructure
producers service providers
Core Skills Service, person to person Content creation, Service, consulting Lobbying, public
communication, sales. digital affairs
communications
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38. Size and funding 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
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39. 2012’s Top tactics for each
organizational size and type
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40. How to focus your Marketing at the
correct “moment” for the company
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41. Atlas Top Tactics for States
1. 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
2. States should also work hard to develop a brand that is business
friendly: See Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina.
3. 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.
4. States should actively drive traffic to their websites, using search engine
marketing, email, and more.
5. States and their Business Development teams should develop a
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dedicated approach to using LinkedIn for prospecting.

42. Atlas Top Tactics for Regions
1. 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
2. Regional brand should differentiate within the state
3. 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.
4. Regions should actively drive traffic to their websites, using search
engine marketing, email, and more.
5. Though regions may have smaller BD teams, they should engage in
Linkedin prospecting. 42

43. Atlas Top Tactics for Cities and
Counties under 100,000 in population
1. Small Cities and counties must rely on regions and States to generate
awareness for them.
2. Where budget allows, a City/County brand can differentiate within the
region
3. 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
4. Cities can use search engine optimization to drive traffic
5. Cities should maintain a Linkedin presence so that their contact
information is available.
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44. Highest Performers by
Market Size
Extra Large Large Market Large Mid- Market
Market EDO: EDO EDO:
(Over 2,500,000 (1,000,000 to (250,000 to
pop): 2,500,000 pop): 1,000,000 pop):
Mid Market EDO: Small Region Small/Rural City or
(100,000 to 250,000 (25,000 to County
pop): 100,000 pop): (Under 25,000):
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46. Thank You!
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
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