ChatGPT for Economic Development

Golden Shovel Agency is recruiting for a GateKeeper Client Manager for an remote contracted position. The GateKeeper Client Manager will be responsible for providing excellent customer service to their assigned clients and will be their first line of contact. The GateKeeper Client Manager will be able to understand our client's strategic goals and objectives and become a trusted part of our client's team. They will work with our clients and other members of the GSA team to make design changes, create custom content, and other projects as requested by the client. 

A GateKeeper Client Manager serves as a client’s personal account and project manager to ensure that communication and marketing needs are met on a monthly basis. The ideal candidate for this role will be able to demonstrate flexibility, excellent customer service, eagerness to learn, and be detail-oriented.

Responsibilities:

• Meet monthly with assigned clients.
• Respond to all client requests within 48 hours.
• Examine website and social media analytics and review with clients.
• Complete website update requests and/or escalate requests to the development team, as needed.
• Coordinate and/or assist with client projects, as needed.
• Attend weekly team meetings and other meetings, as needed.
• Introduce Golden Shovel features and services as requested by the client to solve their issues.
• Training on new Economic Gateway Content Management System functionality, as needed.

Qualifications or Experience:

• Project Management Experience in a Relevant Field (two years)
• Customer Service Experience (two years)
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or economic development is preferred.
• Experience working in website content management systems (WordPress, Drupdal, Wix, etc.)
• Experience in Social Media Management 
• Experience in Google Suite 
• Experience in Zoom or Other Virtual Meeting Tools
• Experience in Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva.
• Ability to work remotely with little or no supervision.
• Communication Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Organization Skills

Golden Shovel Agency is seeking a web designer for project-based contract work on non-commerce website designs. The ideal candidate is someone who is specifically a web designer and is well-versed on the requirements and abilities of design within the web environment. This is a remote position so they need to be able to work independently and meet their deadlines. We are looking for someone who is able to produce a polished, professional tone in their designs, and who will bring a fresh and different design aesthetic to our team.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and create intuitive, engaging, and brand-consistent web experiences
• Produce a polished, professional tone in their designs
• Be able to design to accommodate a lot of content
• Be able to create a homepage and subpage design

Requirements

• Designs must be created in Adobe Photoshop as layered PSDs, or possibly Adobe XD. Please inquire for details if Adobe XD is your preferred software. (we don't accept Figma for the designs).
• Layout must comply with the Bootstrap 5 responsive framework.
• Location map files must be created in Adobe Illustrator as layered vector artwork.
• All working files are due upon completion of the project and become the exclusive property of Golden Shovel Agency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in web design
• Bring a new and creative look to the job
• Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
• Ability to work with Bootstrap 4/Bootstrap 5 responsive framework
• Preference is given to designers with 2+ years experience

The timeline for a standard website design project is 2 weeks from initiation (designer's receipt of project brief and materials and/or kick off call) for internal creation and revision of the designs, plus additional time as needed for client revisions until sign-off is achieved.

Please submit your resume, portfolio, and pricing information if you are interested in being considered for design contract offers.

Golden Shovel Agency seeks a patient and self-motivated individual to populate, generate, and format website content (primarily text copy and graphics) through a proprietary CMS. The successful candidate is someone with a passion for the web industry and who constantly seeks to expand their skill set, knowledge, and experience.

Requirements

• Working knowledge of HTML5/CSS3
• Familiarity with website Content Management Systems (CMS)
• Ability and willingness to learn a new CMS
• Familiarity with (and own copy of) Adobe PhotoShop

Preference will be given to candidates with website population experience, design background, and practical knowledge of SEO.

Primary Responsibilities

• Website Data Entry/Population
• Content Formatting/Layout
• Resizing images using Adobe Photoshop
• Strict adherence to Section 508 Compliance
• Content Research and Collection, as needed
• SEO-related Population
• Admin support requests

The Content Specialist will work entirely over the internet and must provide their own work space, equipment, software, and internet connection. Work schedule is somewhat flexible but will require partial availability during standard business hours in the continental U.S. for meeting/collaborating with other team members. Consistently meeting deadlines is a must.

Interested candidates must provide their resume and portfolio/examples of population work they have completed.

Golden Shovel is seeking a creative Graphic Designer to join our dynamic digital communications company. As a member of our team, you’ll be responsible for translating conceptual ideas into engaging visual content.

Key Responsibilities:

• Create visually compelling graphics for digital platforms, including social media, websites, ads, reports, and email campaigns.
• Collaborate with the marketing and/or design team to understand project goals and requirements, ensuring designs meet strategic objectives.
• Produce high-quality designs within specified timelines.
• Stay updated on design trends, industry best practices, and emerging technologies to bring innovative ideas to the table.
• Depending on the candidate, the designer may also contribute to the design of logos and website projects 
• Ability to attend client meetings and present design concepts

Requirements:

• Proven experience as a Graphic Designer with a strong portfolio showcasing diverse design projects.
• Proficiency in graphic design software, including Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Strong understanding of digital design principles and user experience.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with team members.
• Attention to detail and a keen eye for aesthetics.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of HTML and CSS is a plus.

If you’re passionate about creating visually impactful designs and thrive in a collaborative environment, we invite you to apply and contribute your artistic expertise to our team.

Golden Shovel is seeking a highly motivated and organized Creative Project Coordinator to join our team. The Creative Project Coordinator will work across multiple departments, including Video, Marketing, and Creative Services, to manage client projects and ensure their successful execution. This role is integral in bridging the gap between client objectives and the creative content produced.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Coordination: Coordinate client projects spanning video production, digital advertising, SEO, email marketing, social media, podcasts, and strategy development.
• Client Engagement: Meet with clients at various stages of project planning and execution, ensuring their feedback is incorporated effectively.
• Project Support: Contribute to the overall project success by assisting in the project tasks, as needed. Depending on the candidate, duties may include:
  • Planning and managing digital ad campaigns
  • Creation of social media content
  • Interviewing clients and client contacts 
  • Report generation 

Qualifications

• Client Understanding: Demonstrated ability to ascertain and comprehend client objectives, with a focus on addressing any discrepancies between client goals and content creation.
• Campaign Strategy: Proven experience in developing comprehensive campaign strategies based on client objectives and keyword research.
• Client Communication: Adept at presenting project plans and materials to clients, facilitating effective communication and feedback.
• Digital Advertising: Hands-on experience in running advertising campaigns on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok platforms.
  Analytics Proficiency: Capable of preparing reports and comprehending analytics data, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Additional Requirements

• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Proactive problem-solving and a keen eye for detail.
• The ability to work collaboratively within a fast-paced team environment.

If you are a creative, detail-oriented individual with a knack for bridging client objectives and creative execution, we would love to have you join our team. Apply now and be part of an innovative organization at the forefront of economic development communications.

This is a contract position and starts on a per project basis.

The Content Division of Golden Shovel Agency is recruiting for a Content Writer on a contract basis. The Writer will be responsible for working directly with the Director of Content and Publishing team to complete content for Golden Shovel clients.

One of the most important aspects of this job is the ability to be creative! As a content writer, you are given information on the client, along with their key priorities. It is then up to you to create the content plan for the year and write twelve articles based on the agreed upon topics. The words you write will help to shape people’s perceptions of communities, organizations and initiatives. That’s powerful and so we need a writer who trusts their own voice, their ability to paint a picture, to tell a story and communicate in a persuasive manner.

The successful candidate will possess experience in content writing; the ability to develop compelling headlines and copy; the ability to organize complex information into logical and readable web content; excellent grasp of grammar and style; strong vocabulary; the ability to proofread and edit with great accuracy; strong project and organizational skills; and strong collaborative skills. Individual must have excellent computer skills and ability to work in Google Drive.

Responsibilities

Plan, research, write and edit content
Develop/write content that demonstrates a strong understanding of the client's brand, target audiences, and their message and communication standards 
Research communities, programs and  initiatives. You must enjoy learning to work here!
Attend client and internal meetings via Zoom
Communicate effectively with clients and the internal team 
Meet agreed upon deadlines 

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field required. 
1-3 years of experience developing content for online publication (websites, blogs, or articles)
Strong editing and proofreading skills required 

Golden Shovel Agency is the national leader in digital communications for economic development organizations. Our cutting-edge technology and marketing strategies help economic development teams promote their community and gain the ongoing attention of businesses, site selectors and emerging workforces. Our team is passionate about the success of our client , and we have an all-time client retention rate of 95% (over 14 years).

The Business Development Representative will be responsible for making calls to prospective clients and setting up appointments/meetings for our sales leadership team. This person will be responsible for logging weekly activity (calls, meetings, proposals, leads, etc.) into a robust CRM (Customer Relationship Management). The ideal candidate will be someone who has a positive attitude, embraces introductory conversations, is a self-starter, and is detail oriented.

Come work for a great all-remote team!

Responsibilities:

• Make outgoing calls from a combination of warm and cold leads
• Set meetings and appointments for our sales leadership team
• Attend all initial meetings and select follow-up meetings with your prospects
• Understand the customer's needs and offer Golden Shovel solutions.
• Tailor content of sales approach by studying client needs and providing a custom solution.
• Keep management informed and can accurately assess where sales prospects are in the sales pipeline.
• Monitor competition by gathering marketplace information and comparing industry solutions.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending webinars and learning Golden Shovel's solutions.
• Contribute to team efforts by accomplishing sales goals and communicating with the team.

Qualifications/Skills:

• Ability to reach the best contacts, identify initial needs, discuss various value propositions, and set solid meetings for mutual calendars..
• Prospecting skills
• Negotiation skills
• Cold Calling
• Strong phone communication skills (nimble with topics of conversation)
• Customer Service

This is a contracted work position. This position has a monthly contracted amount and commission for sales.

Description

Golden Shovel Agency needs a Website Designer to bring a fresh and different design aesthetic to our team. The ideal web designer is well-versed in the requirements and abilities of design within the web environment. They need to be able to work independently and meet their deadlines. We are looking for someone who is able to produce a polished, professional tone in their designs and be able to design to accommodate a lot of content.

Qualifications/Skills

• Be able to submit a portfolio of previous website design work.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in web design.
• Bring a new and creative look to the job.
• Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
• Ability to work with Bootstrap 4 responsive framework.
• Preference is given to designers with 2+ years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and create intuitive, engaging, and brand-consistent web experiences
• Produce a polished, professional tone in their designs
• Be able to design to accommodate a lot of content
• Be able to create a homepage and subpage design

A showcase piece on your homepage captures your audience’s attention and drives more website traffic. Use this module to add emphasis to your region’s unique selling points, location, and link to key features of your website.

Important businesses and organizations can be organized with the Business Directory, an online resource readily accessible to any audience. Users will continue to return to your website to quickly find businesses and organization information.

The Community Profile module will provide quick access to important information for site selectors, businesses, and community stakeholders. Current demographic information and workforce data can easily be organized and printed for reports.

Encouraging site visitors to connect with you for more information is an essential service for your website. The Contact Forms module allows you to set up recipients (by name or topic) to be emailed with your visitors’ inquiries.

Whether its a topical survey, a program application, an RSVP, or any other purpose, sometimes you need to request specific information from your site visitors. The Custom Form Creator allows you to create forms with your unique set of questions and 11 different user input options. You can receive submitted information by email, view it through your site admin, or download it to view in a spreadsheet.

The Event Calendar module makes your organization a resource for keeping businesses engaged with the community. Create awareness of the conferences and events your organization attends and supports.

Your audience expects your site to be current, and your content will be dynamic. The Golden shovel Fast Facts module ensures your information keeps pace with your user’s need for fresh content, so they keep coming back to stay informed.

The right incentive package is critical to business attraction and retention. Our Incentives Directory contains information on economic development incentives and programs available to businesses who are considering or are based in your region.

Help your local companies find the labor force they need by promoting job postings and opportunities on the Jobs module. This Google Maps-based searchable directory allows your organization to become the “go-to” jobs resource.

When you have lists of information that don’t fit into an exact category or mold, the List Maker module allows for it to be organized into simpe, engaging layouts.

The News module is a key tool for keeping visitors apprised of the latest events, press releases, and relevant news. Headlines and short descriptions from your latest posts mirror on the homepage to keep your website content looking fresh and current.

Using the People module will promote your valued partnerships and demonstrate the depth of your network. Help your users find the resources and skill sets they need to do business.

This flexible module can be used to promote your organization’s accomplishments by highlighting successful economic development projects. Success stories can be showcased on a map for your audience to visualize your organization’s regional impact.

Easily search and find properties with the Real Estate module, a Google Map-based site selection tool integrated with GIS-based site selection tools. With a public submission tool and approval queue, commercial realtors can submit properties to the database.

Demonstrating available housing to those considering relocation is essential for drawing a quality workforce to a community. The Residential Real Estate module organizes available properties into an appealing visual database with valuable search tools to refine results.

The Resource Library gives your organization a powerful repository for all of your documentation. Your board members will never send you a request for documents again!

The Staff module highlights the greatest asset of your organization: you and your team! Connections are critical to economic development, and this module will direct local business leaders, elected officials, and entrepreneurs right to you and your staff.

Award Name: Economic Excellence Recognition

Award Organization: Texas Economic Development Council

Date Received: February 28, 2023

Award Name: Economic Developer of the Year - Jolene Foss

Award Organization: Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM)

Date Received: January 26, 2023

Award Name: 2022 Economic Development Awards: Marketing Program, Large Division

Award Organization: Mid-America Economic Development Council

Date Received: November 30, 2022

Award Name: 2022 Economic Development Awards: Marketing Program, Small Division

Award Organization: Mid-America Economic Development Council

Date Received: November 30, 2022

Award Name: 2022 Workforce Excellence Award

Award Organization: Texas Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 21, 2022

Award Name: 2022 Community Economic Development Award

Award Organization: Texas Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 21, 2022

Award Name: Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) Award

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 22, 2022

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Innovation Programs and Initiatives, Population more than 500,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Names:

Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Bronze Award for General Purpose Website, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Gold Award for Digital Media, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Digital Media, Population 200,000 - 500,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Magazine and Newsletter, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Multi-Year Economic Development Program, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for EDO of the Year, Population more than 500,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Bronze Award for General Purpose Website, Population less than 25,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: September 21, 2022

Award Name: Spotlight on Excellence Awards, Best Special Publication, Classification 2 Gold Award

Award Organization: Coopertive.com

Date Received: May 5, 2022

Award Name: Annual Economic Development Award for Marketing Program EDW2021 Campaign

Award Organization: MidAmerica Economic Development Council

Date Received: December 3, 2021

Award Name: Workforce Excellence Award, Population 15,001 - 40,000

Award Organization: Texas Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 14, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Paid Advertising Campaign, Population >500,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Innovation in Economic Development, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Names:

Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Gold Award for General Purpose Website, Population <25,000

Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Multi-Year Economic Development, Population <25,000

Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Gold Award for Real Estate Redevelopment, Population <25,000

Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Gold Award for Public-Private Partnerships, Population <25,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Bronze Award for EDO of the Year, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Gold Award for Business Retention and Expansion Initiatives, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for General Purpose Website, Population <25,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Magazine & Newsletter, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Paid Advertising Campaign, Population 24,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Economic Equity and Inclusion, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Council, Bronze Award for Private-Public Partnerships, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Bronze Award for Annual Report, Population 25,000 - 200,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Bronze Award for EDO of the Year, Population >500,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Silver Award for Multimedia/Video Promotion, Population <25,000

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 6, 2021

Award Name: Professional of the Year (Lisa Hurley)

Award Organization: Nebraska Economic Developers Association

Date Received: August 31, 2021

Award Name: Economic Excellence Program

Award Organization: Texas Economic Development Council

Date Received: February 26, 2021

Award Name: 2021 Innovation Award

Award Organization: Economic Development Association of Minnesota

Date Received: February 15, 2021

Award Name: 2020 Organization Award

Award Organization: National Rural Economic Developers Association

Date Received: November 6, 2020

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Gold Award for Magazine and Newsletter

Award Organization: International Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 19, 2020

Award Name: Community Development Award

Award Organization: Texas Economic Development Council

Date Received: October 2, 2020

Award Name: 2020 Leaders in Local Government Awards, Marketing & Communications Award

Award Organization: Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce

Date Received: September 17, 2020

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Innovation Award

Award Organization: Economic Development Association of Minnesota

Date Received: January 22, 2020

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Project of the Year

Award Organization: Economic Development Association of Minnesota

Date Received: January 22, 2020

Award Name: Excellence in Economic Development Awards, Emerging Professional of the Year (Katie Heppner)

Award Organization: Economic Development Association of Minnesota

Date Received: January 22, 2020

Golden Shovel was founded in 2009 when Ron Kresha, Aaron Brossoit, and Jeffrey Epple met in Little Falls, MN. After selling his previous company, Ron was looking for a fresh business opportunity. Jeff and Aaron were partners in an earlier venture focused on website development and marketing. Brian Westerberg, a board member with Ron's previous company, joined Golden Shovel's new board. All four agreed they wanted to build a company that would benefit communities and citizens. Through experience working with economic development organizations (EDOs), they recognized that rural organizations were understaffed and underserved and that online tools could allow them to compete for attention that larger metros were enjoying. They set up shop in Little Falls, MN, and began doing business as Golden Shovel Agency.

The team spent the first year researching, attending conferences, and meeting with EDOs. It was clear that the traditional approach to website contracts was not in the service of rural groups. They were expensive, there was little support after the launch, and the sites would immediately begin to go out of date without regular updates and maintenance. Another issue was that rural EDOs couldn't afford all the tools they needed for their websites to be effective and had to pick and choose between essential functions. Hence, the Economic Gateway was born.

By using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, Golden Shovel could provide multiple benefits:

1. A monthly subscription model lowered the upfront investment to an EDO and spread out the risk;
2. The SaaS model allowed clients to receive all the website tools (called modules) that they needed without picking and choosing. Plus, it offered the added benefit of being able to share content between sites to help keep them current;
3. Golden Shovel could create a recurring revenue stream to support ongoing development and improvements of the system to benefit all clients.

The Economic Gateway was built over the next eight months and launched in the spring of 2011. Six years later, in 2017, the Economic Gateway was rebuilt from the ground up, refining everything the company had learned through the first hundred clients and keeping its commitment to stay current. A 3.0 version of the Economic Gateway will be deployed in 2022, supporting over 175 sites.

At the end of 2010, while the Economic Gateway was in development, Golden Shovel recruited John Marshall from a career as a financial planner to join the partnership and lead the sales for the company. John and Aaron became regular fixtures at economic development conferences. They engaged the committees and boards of the Mid-America Economic Development Council and the National Rural Economic Developers Association, along with multiple state associations. The conference networking quickly became the main focus, and Golden Shovel hosted hospitality suites, participated in awards programs, and began speaking regularly.

From our founding, we determined that we would operate as a virtual agency; over the years, that has had a significant impact on how we work and on our business culture. Critical values in a successful remote team are freedom, communication, and accountability. Team members can choose where and how they want to work; this builds capacity for self-respect and mutual accountability.

Ours is a handshake culture built on trust, where individual choices are always respected. This approach results in less' group think' and more innovation and engagement. Not everyone thrives in a virtual environment, but those who do, love it and would not trade it for anything.

By 2016, Golden Shovel had over one hundred websites running on the Economic Gateway. The company has built a strong reputation with the rural and mid-sized EDOs across the United States. Still, it recognized it needed to raise the sophistication of its brand to better communicate with urban regions. Golden Shovel felt a strong calling into branding and marketing services to support their clients better and empower their websites. Golden Shovel reinvented its brand as a full-service economic development communications firm, with technology as its competitive edge. Strategic business partnerships rounded out the full-service offering with complementary products and services. Golden Shovel launched a new website and brand in 2017 and began growing its team to meet the requirements of the expanded vision. It began development on the Economic Gateway 2.0, rewriting the software on a more efficient framework and eventually moving all of the clients to the much-improved system.

With a commitment to technology, Golden Shovel was looking ahead to what was coming next. The team had their first 'wow' experience with virtual reality when team leaders gave out some Google cardboard headsets at a company retreat. The tipping point for committing to PlaceVR and virtual reality came in the summer of 2017 when three things combined:

1. The PlaceVR team professionalized the 360-degree video production workflow;
2. Viewers could play the videos through smartphones that most EDO professionals had; and
3. Golden Shovel found a veteran video producer looking for a new opportunity and loved the vision.

Three clients agreed to produce the first 360-degree video tours for the industry. The PlaceVR team built the familiarization and site tours with advisory from leading site consultants. Three months later, Golden Shovel Agency unveiled the videos a the International Economic Development Council's Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada. Over the next few years, Golden Shovel has evangelized the use of virtual reality in the industry and has since completed over 80 projects in the US and internationally.

The main ingredient of marketing is a story. As Golden Shovel expanded its marketing offering, it expanded its team of storytellers. This team worked closely with clients to write success stories about the companies and talent thriving in their communities.

These stories became the focus of the company's digital marketing strategies. They also lead EDOs to find their 'brand voice' and bring a consistent feel to the website content and marketing messaging. The talented writers applied their skills to the other needs of EDOs, including marketing strategies, annual reports, and search engine optimization.

A great story is only as good as the people it inspires. Getting the stories to the right audiences became the focus. With a history in technology development, Golden Shovel approached its marketing services with the same mindset. Initially, the focus was on converting the websites into lead generators. That started by implementing tracking tools to lift the veil on what companies were visiting the websites to validate the marketing efforts. Soon, this expanded into a full-blown inbound marketing methodology for capturing the leads and nurturing them by offering related content and expertise.

With the release of the first wireless virtual reality headsets came the ability to host virtual meetings entirely in VR and have live meetings within PlaceVR's 360-degree video footage. Golden Shovel immediately saw the potential of this and began the development of their app, PlaceVR Meetings. Over the next two years, amidst rapidly changing hardware, the development team built an app where economic developers could meet live with site consultants and business prospects and bring them through their 360-degree familiarization and site tours. While the pandemic restricted travel, the interest in this technology increased four-fold. With the PlaceVR Meetings app released in the Fall of 2021, Golden Shovel has pioneered and led a new way for economic developers and investment promotion agencies to communicate from afar. This technology reduces the time and investment of communicating while reducing the impact on the environment.

The success of Golden Shovel has inspired our global vision, giving communities across the globe the ability to promote their investment opportunities effectively. Initial international activity began in Canada by proximity, but with the support of strategic partners, Golden Shovel has brought the company's services to the Caribbean, Africa, and beyond. As Golden Shovel's global experience grows, so do the benefits provided to all of its clients.

As Golden Shovel looks into the future, there are many opportunities on the horizon. The expanded market focus introduces new clients to the existing products and services and increases Golden Shovel's brand value. Meanwhile, Golden Shovel has established itself as the industry leader in developing and curating new technologies for the economic development industry. In that spirit, 2022 will see Golden Shovel expanding its sales team, updating its brand, unveiling new marketing and video services, and developing the Economic Gateway 3.0.

Golden Shovel is well-positioned to lead the industry into the metaverse as the leaders and pioneers of virtual reality for economic development. As this exciting new communication medium grows, Golden Shovel will bring its experience with virtual reality content and software development to create and define the future of economic development communications.

As sales grew and the team launched new websites, a challenge presented. Golden Shovel's rural clients rarely found time with their limited staff to update the sites despite the easy-to-use CMS. The result was that websites were out of date and ineffective. As a result, the GateKeeper Service was born. It began as a service with four hours of support to assist clients in posting press releases, updating pages, and providing general support. GateKeepers established monthly meetings with each client to review analytics and see how they would like us to serve them. Over time, this service has been dramatically expanded to assist clients with various digital marketing needs beyond website support, including the curation and creation of content, social media support, and monthly visitor analysis with an assigned GateKeeper representative. Additionally, GateKeeper clients receive a redesign every three years to keep their website current. The GateKeeper service is largely responsible for our 93% client retention rate.