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As municipalities work on a shoestring budget, Economic Developers are continually examining frugal ways to reach decision makers. The use of social media to interact with a targeted audience and generate leads/meetings prior to a conference is a fairly new concept to many in the Economic Development profession. The Standing Out from the Crowd at BIO International campaign produced results that had far surpassed Gilbert s expectations and has now become a model for how the community approaches large conference attendance. The Gilbert Office of Economic Development Twitter Campaign, Standing Out from the Crowd at BIO International, generated life science industry expansion opportunities for the community prior to attending the conference. 5
Goal: Generate leads of companies relocating or expanding 10 meetings (leads) generated prior to the conference (50 percent increase to the number of meetings generated in past) Goal: Be seen before entering the BIO Floor Measurement: 18,200 impressions on Twitter over the prescheduled 90 day time frame of April 2014 through June 2014 (Increased average number of impressions on Twitter during a 90 day period by 250 percent) Goal: Build an awareness of Gilbert s Health Sciences Assets Measurement: Visitors (from Twitter during the 90 day time frame) spent an average of 6:01 minutes on the BIO International Landing Page on www.gilbertedi.com (average time spent on all other pages during that time frame was 1:19 minutes) 6
The Office Economic Development (OED) created a series of videos entitled Talk of the Trade. These videos highlight Gilbert-based business innovations while presenting a testimonial of doing business within the community. The Gilbert OED brainstormed unique ways to increase awareness of the community s business assets without an overt sales pitch. Goal: Increase Gilbert Awareness The videos are sent to a targeted audience via email and released via social media at regular intervals allowing the community to remain top of mind as a prime location for Business. 7
The videos are created by interviewing a Gilbert-based business leader and by cutting together the interview and b-roll. Prior to each interview, the Office of Economic Development meets with Gilbert s Digital team to discuss the desired outcome of each video. For example, Gilbert wanted to highlight Information Communications Technology (ICT) growth and therefore interviewed Socious, an online software company. A series of questions was created regarding Socious business, their decision to locate their business in Gilbert and the future of ICT within the Gilbert community. Each of the Talk of the Trade videos and their associated email campaigns utilize Gilbert s branding guidelines which are centered around a science and technology visual appearance. Judges comments: Amazing what can be done on a shoestring budget! Very well done. They loved the you are able to use these for many more things. Fantastic re-adjusting as needed for new audiences. 8
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Mesa is home to major technology firms such as Boeing, Bridgestone, FUJIFILM, Mitel, International Rectifier, Ulthera, Guided Therapy Systems, PCT International, Telonics, LaunchPoint: Mesa's Technology Accelerator, and the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI). This 12 page brochure, focused on the technology audience, highlights the City s educational assets, engineering and other technology degree programs, the City s business districts, infrastructure and incentives. It also highlights features high tech companies who ve made their home in Mesa. The brochure is provided in print and can also be downloaded from the City's web site. 10
In its inaugural year of publication, the Gilbert Office of Economic Development Annual Report is a 33 page document that details the measurable outcomes of Gilbert s five year strategic plan, highlights transformative projects and showcases achievement within the community. Since this was the first year they published an annual report, Gilbert wanted to provide a numbers-focused design with clearly identified segments that easily draw in and engage readers. The annual report which is laid out like a magazine allows photos to run across an entire or three-quarters of a page in order to break up text. The document is enhanced by quotes from Gilbert-based business leaders regarding their experience within the community. 11
As the eyes of the world were on Arizona for the 2015 Super Bowl, the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department geared up for maximum exposure with key messaging, critical information and welcoming images. Working with other City Departments, local stakeholders and businesses, Phoenix is HOT was developed and released just in time for the spotlight. Phoenix is emerging in the new economy with strength in high technology, manufacturing, bioscience research and advanced business services. As a top market for skilled and available workforce, companies are growing in Phoenix because it is not only a thriving business environment, but a great place to live your life Phoenix is Hot! This bold statement and profile captured the attention of many and continues to be successful in broadcasting the Phoenix story. 12
The Flagstaff Business Accelerator and Alternate Emergency Operations Center is an incredible tool for up-and-coming companies to expand and find their. The magazine was created by selling advertising and editorial space to partners and vendors who supported and worked on the facility. This non-traditional marketing idea was done at no cost to the city and offered a publication to use for attracting businesses as well as educating their community. 13
The Town of Queen Creek s Economic Development department began the task of updating its Economic Profile in 2014, and the finished brochure was mailed out to its valued stakeholders in January 2015. The Economic Profile was created with the goal of providing potential investors with a comprehensive understanding of Queen Creek and to promote general development opportunities. The final product is a reflection of that goal, as it showcases the Town s high quality of life, agritourismdestinations, economic development programs, employment centers, Town Center, educational opportunities and more. 14
If you talk to anyone who lives or works in Queen Creek, you would likely hear the same sentiment The Town has changed so much! This remarkable change, most-notably from a farming town into a blossoming suburb with amenities, has occurred over the last several years. Within the last 18 months, the Town has seen the opening of its first higher educational institution, the Communiversityat Queen Creek, a partnership between the Town and the Maricopa County Community College District. More recently, the opening of a 14-screen Harkins Theater is providing much-desired family entertainment. These significant investments in the community are just a couple of examples that have prompted the need to update the Brochure and highlight what is available in the community. Judges comments I want to make this my town! You completely changed my perspective. Beautiful Brochure! Highlights the history, assets and programs so clearly. 15
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After a multi-state site selection process, in April 2015, HomeGoods, Inc. chose to locate its new western distribution center in Tucson, Arizona. With an estimated $873 m economic impact, the 800,000 square foot facility will initially employ 400, growing to a projected 900. Attracting the employer required collaborative brokerage, City, County, and Arizona Commerce Authority incentives, Foreign Trade Zone status, Sun Corridor Inc. coordination, and a 110-acre assemblage of five separately-owned industrial parcels. In an incentive-rich economic development environment, Southern Arizona s local toolbox is often less robust that that in other markets. However, the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) program offers tariff relief to manufacturers. Unique to Arizona is property tax reclassification for projects located in an FTZ. Granting this status to Homegoods ultimately required Pima County Administrator approval. The City of Tucson also worked collaboratively by allowing the construction sales tax to be reinvested in the project, and by crediting other costs and fees. While the City does not waive impact fees, thanks to the diligence of Ernie Duarte and City of Tucson Development Services Department staff, an expedited development plan agreement allowed HomeGoods to benefit from the impact fee moratorium window. Further, the unanimous positive vote by the City Council presented a strong message, not just to HomeGoods but to the Tucson community. Arizona Commerce Authority contributed job training grants and job tax incentives. 17
Rob Glaser of TREND Report, said, Sun Corridor Inc. was outstanding in their coordination and effectiveness...frankly, I was very proud of the greater Tucson community in the quality of response and collaboration in bringing this HomeGoods project to Tucson. 17
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In direct response to local business input, the Scottsdale economic development team launched a strategy in January 2015 designed to promote the community as a top location of choice for skilled talent, with the first key activity centered on exhibiting at a jobs expo at South by Southwest in Austin. The 'Work Scottsdale' South by Southwest talent recruitment project is a unique partnership between the Scottsdale Economic Development Department and its corporate and community partners to actively recruit workforce talent outside of the state of Arizona. The project was put together in a very compressed 8 week time frame and was centered on the South by Southwest Festival Job Market, March 13-14, 2015 in Austin, Texas. More than 15 other companies were actively involved in the exercise, including contributions to the social media campaign. Over 65 candidates registered their information on the 'icapture' app and the information was distributed to Scottsdale companies. 19
The Scottsdale Cure Corridor strategy and annual event is a multi-pronged marketing approach using print, social, web and video culminating in a premier luncheon event program to maximize return on investment and increase the Cure Corridor brand awareness among the bio-life science community on a global scale. The City of Scottsdale in partnership with AZBioAssociation hosted the sold out 2 nd Annual Cure Corridor event Dec. 4, 2014, featuring Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, a revolutionary bio-life science company who had recently located in Scottsdale. This event was a luncheon event hosted at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess seating 240 and also featured rapid fire speakers which included professionals from the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale Healthcare, Primus Pharmaceuticals, Orion Health, Matrix Medical Network, ASU and Mayo Clinic. A pivotal result of the event included the launch of discussions at the program regarding sponsorship of that would later become HB 2645 that went into effect in July of 2015, allowing patients to get blood tests without a doctor s orders. 20
It is no surprise that availability of a skilled workforce is continually at the top of the site selection factors list and it s at the top of list for Gilbert leaders, businesses and the Gilbert Office of Economic Development (OED). Gilbert s Mayor, John W. Lewis, brings the community more than 20 years experience working within the education sector. His focus on elevating the manner in which Gilbert s education partners with business and industry has played a critical role in advancing Gilbert s workforce. Through this vision, the ASU Bio Meets Gilbert Bio event was born. The event provided an opportunity for students to discover diverse opportunities and various career paths within the biotechnology industry sector. Provided a venue for university leaders to reach and recruit from the K-12 talent pool in the Gilbert Community. It also enabled mentorship and internship opportunities for K-12 students in Gilbert. 21
The Cottonwood Culture Challenge was a multi-tiered, multi-media cultural tourism project designed, awarded and funded through a one-time $10,000 Community Catalyst grant allocation through the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Its intent was to create interest and awareness to the cultural uniqueness of Cottonwood by collaborating with local and Phoenix based arts and cultural support groups. The COTTONWOOD CULTURE CHALLENGE was a scavenger hunt/reality TV project that implemented a three tiered approach to attract participants and enhance future tourism to the Cottonwood area: a pre-challenge marketing campaign in Phoenix, the Cottonwood Challenge itself, and the edited film footage for Cottonwood cultural marketing. Five teams were selected to be equipped with GoProson the day of the event; those teams competed in challenges and were eligible for awards. 1) Participants in the one day event spent additional money on items related to the event, experienced all that Cottonwood has to offer as a destination resort, and have been spreading the word to their friends, 2) The city of Cottonwood and local businesses have a new tool to promote arts, culture and tourism that has been extremely well received with thousands of hits on every website and social media outlet that it has been posted, 3) The Old Town Center for the Arts also 22
has a new tool for marketing and promotion and has generated over 400 press releases to an extensive local and statewide media list. 4) The partners involved had the necessary skills and talents to successfully plan, manage and market the project to the appropriate audiences. 22
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