Have your economic development efforts become so focused on incentive packages, site inventory and attracting the next big corporation to your community that you’ve lost touch with your business community? Take time to foster the important community partnerships. This collaboration is vital to business expansion and job creation efforts, and located right in your own backyard.
Strong and meaningful public-private partnerships are built on consistent communication across a variety of platforms. Weave content marketing strategies into a broader business recruitment and retention program to build your credibility and reputation as a trusted inside source of business and community information.
As the cornerstone of your program, meet regularly with business leaders. Discuss what keeps them up at night. Identify common issues and goals. Demonstrate that business retention is a priority in your community through transparency and open dialogue to transform existing business leaders into your strongest advocates and ambassadors for future business recruitment.
Schedule an opportunity for dialogue with management staff and city leaders at least twice a year. This is an opportunity to make sure community leaders hear city news from you before they hear about it in local news outlets. Follow up by connecting attendees with city staff who can address issues and concerns.
Build credibility between meetings with insightful and unique blog and enewsletter content. Emphasize topics important to industry sectors in your community. Include profiles of business leaders and contributions from local subject matter experts. Feature your local and regional economic development staff to increase their visibility and value. Use Facebook, Twitter and Linked In for breaking news and to drive traffic to your website and blog.
A strategic business retention effort creates collaboration that enhances your economic development efforts and engages your business community. How have you leveraged the time and talent of your business leaders?