See how the Siouxland Initiative is able to be successful in economic development.

3. I. Focus Siouxland 2003, The Tri‐State Area of Iowa,
Nebraska, & South Dakota
Nebraska & South Dakota
A Local Economy Struggles as Gateway
Computer Cuts Thousands of Jobs
Now What Do We Do?
Q: Should We Cooperate or Compete? A: Both!
It’s a Competitive Arena & Imitation is the Sincerest Form of
t s a Co pet t e e a & tat o s t e S ce est o o
Flattery

4. II. The Big Three: The Proper Focus of Economic
Development Professionals
Retention – A R l 75% t 80% f G
R t ti As a Rule, 75% to 80% of Growth Comes from
th C f
Within
Recruitment – D i
R it t Drives Headlines, but Must Be Balanced
H dli b tM tB B l d
Promoting Local Entrepreneurship – Access to Angel /
Venture Capital
V t C it l

5. III. Economic Development is Sales
III Economic Development is Sales
Q
Q: Who Sells this Community Best?
y
A: We Do! Who’s on Our Team?

6. IV. Let’s Play to Our Strengths
y g
Q: What Do We Do Best?
A: If We Don’t Know, We Better Find Out Fast.
Quality of Life Innovation
Recreation Organics
Education Technology Transfer

7. V. Web Presence is Critical;
V W bP i C iti l
What Does our Website Communicate?
Are All of the
Answers Readily
Available & Easy to
Available & Easy to
Find?
Demographics,
Labor Rates,
Unemployment Rates,
Union Information,
Do we have a social
Educational Statistics,
Educational Statistics, media strategy?
Job Training, etc. (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc)

8. VI. Marketing – Distinguish Your Product! Labor, Cost,
VI M k ti Di ti i hY P d t! L b C t
Locale, etc. External - Promotional
Marketing to the World
g
Internal - Attitudinal Marketing
to Our Existing Base

9. VII. Responding to Site Selectors, Prospects, & Clients
Answer the Mail!!!
The Unconditional Importance
of Confidentiality
Credibility Matters – Sooner
or Later Everyone Knows

10. VIII. Site Selection Consultants; Are they Really the Key
to Growth?
The Game is No Longer “Site Selection,”
Th G i N L “Si S l i ”
but “Site Elimination”
Incentives: They Can Only Make
a Good Deal Better

11. IX. Familiarization Tours?
IX F ili i ti T ?
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How? (How much?)

12. X. Hosting a Prospect; How Many is too Many?
Politicians, Universities & Colleges, Workforce
Development, etc.
Infrastructure: Water, Sewer, Electricity, Natural
Gas, Rail, Roads
G R il R d
The Three Bears – Are We Ready for Uninvited
Guests?

13. XI. Development Ready Sites
XI. Development Ready Sites
Q: Are “Shovel‐Ready” Sites Really Necessary?
A: Only if We Want to Succeed.

14. XII. Local Media Relations, A Critical Alliance for
XII. Local Media Relations, A Critical Alliance for
Economic Development
Local Newspapers
Television
Radio

15. XIII. Promoting & Celebrating Success
From August 2003 to
March 2009
• “We’re # 1.”
• Site Selection 2007 & 2008
• Business Facilities 2009
Business Facilities 2009
Now That We’ve
Established Momentum,
Established Momentum
How Do We Keep It?