Even if your parks are really, really awesome
By: Colleen Walton
 |
| Colleen Walton |
Account Executive
Brand Acceleration, Inc.
In January, I
attended the Indiana Economic Development Course at Ball State University. The week-long intensive program presented
thought-provoking information and fueled vibrant discussions. It was during a late-morning presentation that
I said something so simple and yet, it turns out, quite controversial. At first, people either argued with me or
completely wrote me off; however, many of them came around. As the week progressed, a number of people
pulled me aside and, in hushed tones, told me I might've been right. One woman even described it as an "aha
moment." So, what was it I said?
Quality of life
cannot be your competitive advantage.
Sometimes the truth
is hard to hear, but it's time to rip off the bandage. While I do believe quality of life is
important, it isn't the thing that'll pique site selectors' interests. To help explain my point, I'll share the
example I gave my classmates.
Let's say I'm going
to buy a car. I'll start by making a
list of all the things I'm looking for in a car. I have a limited income, so I can't afford
anything too outlandish. I can't afford
a lofty car payment, high insurance rates, or to fill by my tank twice a week
because I get 11 miles to the gallon.
I'd like something American, black or silver, with a stereo I can plug
my iPod into. As I look at my list, I
would then divide it into "wants" and "needs." I want
an iPod jack, but I need to be able
to afford to own and operate my car.
Need will create my short list, so I'll pick four or five cars in my
price range. Then, I'm free to choose
from that list based on want.
For the more literal
among you, I'll explain how this relates to quality of life and economic
development marketing. Businesses need to be able to afford to do business
in an area. They need skilled workers. They need to get raw materials in and
finished products out. They want great parks and trails, so your
parks can't be your main selling point.
Jim's written about your elevator pitch, and the concept comes into play here, as well. If a site selector asks you to tell him or
her one thing that makes your community great for business and you talk about
your vibrant downtown, you may have just blown it.
Businesses see a
great quality of life as a want instead of a need because they aren’t planning
to bring that many people to your
community. According to the 2010 census,
the average American family was 3.14 people; however, a new salsa-making
facility (mmm… salsa…) that employs 150 people won’t bring 471 people to your
town. It’ll more than likely bring
around 16. Why is that? Because the workforce is already there;
therefore, the company will only bring a small group (between three and five) management
folks and their families. If your
marketing focuses on quality of life, you are wasting time and money preaching
to the choir because the employees any new facility intends to hire already
live in your area. You don’t need to
tell them it’s a great place to live because they know! Instead, put your resources into promoting
the things that do affect business:
location, connectivity, workforce training, utility rates, etc.
Like the car
metaphor, a site selector will narrow down the list of prospective communities
based mainly on the availability of sites or buildings that meet the specified
requirements, the workforce and education available, and the cost of doing
business in the area. Quality of life
begins to play a bigger role once your community is short listed. After the site selector decides your
community makes good business sense, quality of life may become a deciding
factor between three communities that are otherwise equal. When something becomes important so late in
the game, it can’t be the focus of your marketing strategy or the thing you
lead with in your elevator pitch. That
would be like a car company making a commercial that says, “Buy this car! It’s a bluer blue than the other guys’ blue
cars!”
I would love to hear
your thoughts on how big of a role quality of life plays in economic
development marketing. Did this article
open your eyes to something you’d never thought of before? Do you think I’m insane? Let me know (politely, please?) in the
comments below. When commenting, please
keep in mind that I know there are exceptions to every rule. I’m sure some of you can tell a story about a
community that got a huge project because the company’s president likes hunting
antelope and that community is the antelope capital of the United States. That’s awesome, but they’re the exception.
