Why Economic Development Organizations Need Tailored Marketing Strategies for Their Region

Two communities can look the same “on paper.” Demographics and statistics for different locations often align, but they only tell part of a region’s story. An economic development organization ready to attract new industries, businesses, and talent needs a tailored marketing approach to craft and share the full story of the people, places, and possibilities behind the data points.

What is a tailored marketing strategy? 

Every region has unique advantages to share with prospects. A tailored marketing strategy helps bring those advantages to the forefront for an EDO. With custom marketing, prospective businesses can easily look beyond the numbers and learn about highly skilled local workers, how the geography of a region positions them for success, or why the regional culture is a perfect match for the enterprise. Similarly, professionals ready to relocate can see recreational, retail, and social opportunities in your location. 

Maximizing returns with a custom plan

Focusing on your competitive strengths in marketing efforts makes it easier to stand out in a crowded search, and it can also provide prospects with more valuable information. In Hubspot’s State of Marketing 2024 report, websites, paid social, email marketing, and content marketing were among the top five marketing channels for return on investment in the prior year. For websites and content-driven marketing efforts, a key point emphasized is providing the information users need to make decisions.

A tailored plan identifies the EDO’s target audience based on defined strategic goals and develops a unique value proposition (UVP) that speaks to the audience. The UVP may include the region’s quality of life, business-friendly environment, access to talent, and infrastructure. Through this process, you identify the information prospects need while allowing the region to differentiate itself from the competition.

Tailored plans fit all EDOs

Economic development organizations meet a wide range of needs in cities and regions of all sizes. Custom marketing plans make it possible for any EDO to reach its target audience and meet its strategic goals.

For example, an EDO laser-focused on downtown development would have different needs than a regional organization recruiting manufacturing firms. With a tailored approach, downtown may focus on a vibrant art scene and small business development in marketing materials and choose public relations and digital ads as primary marketing channels. The regional organization’s marketing zeroes in on site selection opportunities and attracting distribution centers via inbound marketing.

A bespoke approach provides greater efficacy for each by using its target audience and UVP to inform the marketing approach and channel selection.

Staying focused on strategic goals

In economic development, the best-laid plans can deviate quickly as commitments to local governments and prospective businesses climb. With an ad hoc marketing plan, losing sight of initial objectives in a busy season is easy. A custom plan helps fight scope creep by consistently using the UVP to inform marketing decisions and ensure advertising campaigns, social media posts, and email marketing serve the EDO’s strategic goals. 

For EDOs in need of tailored marketing services, Golden Shovel Agency is ready to help your community with inbound marketing solutions and public relations strategies tailored to your community’s unique strengths.