Tourism is a traded business just as much as manufacturing. Tourism is a vital part of the economic development of your town and your region. It brings in outside dollars to be spent locally. It allows businesses to survive that could not make it by relying on local customers. Please don’t take my word for…
At the International Economic Development Council’s annual conference in Columbus this year, I presented on a panel with two great economic development people who are also resources on social media use. First is Victoria Hershberg. She is with McAllen Economic Development Corporation, and actively uses social media to promote McAllen. Here presentation outlines their current…
[When Mike Rizzo explained the Refresh Kitanning story to me, I knew you would want to learn about it. Here is how people in one small town are taking an active approach to economic and business development. – Becky ] My name is Mike and I created a community website to hopefully inspire growth and…
Do you have a strategic plan or a marketing plan? If you do, that’s the place to start with social media. It doesn’t matter whether you are planning for a small business, a tourism group, or an economic development organization. You start in the same place. 1. Get out your plan and look over all…
Can you turn people’s tendency to share online content into an economic development strategy? Site visitors are encouraged to select an e-card or video and share it with their professional networks and colleagues to attract new and diversified businesses to locate or expand in Lee County. This press release popped up at the Place Marketing…
One of the speakers at the recent Midwest Rural Assembly started off by telling this story about a small town hardware store. (I think he said the story came from Kinky Friedman, when he was Texas Agriculture Secretary.) The hardware store is where when you have a project, they will loan you a tool. They…
When I visited South Sioux City, Nebraska, for the Midwest Rural Assembly, City Administrator Lance Hedquist gave a few of us a quick drive-through tour. Student-designed cabin in the SouthSioux City RV Park He started by telling us all the bad things about South Sioux’s past, how it used to flood so regularly that no…
Looking to grow your own local entrepreneurs? See if you can take some inspiration from these entrepreneur contests. First, Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, with Launch L-A. They are targeting young entrepreneurs with a prior connection to their county, but currently living elsewhere. Does your idea have wings? If you’re a young entrepreneur just itching to launch your…
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