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16) Information Assembly and Readiness. <br /> Having accurate and up to date information is critical for program • <br /> success. There are two places where a community can obtain a <br /> competitive advantage in economic development; with the accuracy of <br /> their data and the speed of their responses. We would recommend <br /> that focusing on this capacity be a higher emphasis at this time as <br /> opposed to actively marketing the community. This information <br /> should be compiled and attractively packaged in a marketing folder <br /> that can be easily distributed. <br /> 17) Network Development. <br /> The development of a strong, strategic network is essential for the <br /> near term marketing success of Arden Hills. A substantial amount of <br /> lead generation occurs from the State Department of Commerce. <br /> Lesser amounts of leads are generated from the utility company and <br /> others come from the development community. These three sources <br /> should be the primary source of lead generation for the Arden Hills in <br /> the near future (1-3 years). Leveraging these sources can occur in <br /> two ways. The simplest is introductory meetings conducted by the <br /> city's economic development staff with the leaders in those three <br /> sources listed previously. City staff should have an entertainment <br /> budget that allows them to take these people out for lunch or after <br /> business meetings as they develop relationships with these individuals. • <br /> The EDC also recommends involving surrounding communities to lead <br /> an area-wide effort. <br /> 18) Joint Marketing. <br /> As the program matures, the City would be well served to partner with <br /> other surrounding cities in a joint marketing effort. This is a common <br /> strategy in economic development as companies who are focusing on <br /> an area are able to be approached earlier in the decision making <br /> process through group marketing than they can be with individual <br /> marketing. The sooner that the community can make an impression <br /> on a company, the higher their chances are of securing the new <br /> investment. <br /> The EDC also recommends reviewing and expanding joint marketing <br /> opportunities such as with the Twin Cities Chamber and Visit <br /> Minneapolis North, for example. <br /> • <br /> Strategic Plan for Economic Development Page 13 of 20 <br /> \\Metro-inet.us\ardenhilis\Admin\Committees\Economic Development Commission\AH Strategic Plan-Final 5-16-07.doc <br />