Engaged Communities Win: How to Build Public Support for Economic Development

Community support can make or break an economic development project, and that support is getting harder to come by. Consider, for example, that 73% of Americans say their community is either overdeveloped or fine as is and nearly as many say they do not trust the development process.

In fact, a recent Golden Shovel Agency survey found community support was second only to increased funding as the most in-demand resource among economic development professionals. So, how do you build awareness, trust, and support in an environment where many residents don't understand the thought process and day-to-day work behind economic development?

This whitepaper uses marketing insights and real-world examples to explain how to create a marketing and communication strategy that reaches residents, clarifies the effect of economic development on their lives, and helps turn a disengaged population into advocates for your work. We'll provide practical, actionable ideas for:

• Evaluating and expanding resident support,
• Creating communications plans that engage residents and stakeholders,
• Measuring success, and 
• Establishing lasting goodwill