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 August 2002, Volume: 5, Issue: e/8, ISBN 1527-5175

~~~A+ Resource... "Technology and Grit at the Grassroots" (68-page guidebook) identifies and explores effective technology-led economic development strategies for distressed, rural communities. Guidance on how to put computers, the Internet, and advanced telecommunications to good use is distilled from practical research of 14 distressed rural communities and supplemented by recent articles and reports. The National Center for Small Communities is distributing the guidebooks to interested regional and statewide economic organizations.  Contact: Robert Neidlinger rneidlinger@sso.org

~~~Synchronist software users... will gather Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Chicago for their third annual forum. Participants from some of the 32 states and provinces, where it's in use, will discuss new product development, including the latest Internet version. Synchronist software is less about investing dollars in technology than it is about building a culture to prize the use of information to achieve a mission. Check it out: http://www.synchronist.com

~~~Calendar of Events... Our summer intern has been calling around to gather specific info on major economic development meetings. Refer to our web site under "Newsletter", click on "2002 Calendar". http://www.blanecanada.com/Newsletters/frameset_newsletter.html

~~~"You cannot stop change, but you can shape it to your advantage." Source: Daniel Burrus, author of "Techno Trends"

~~~Tricks... of the trade only work for those who know the trade. Investments - books, courses, & networking - in learning marketing can pay huge dividends.

~~~Michigan Works!... Considerable investment has been made in requiring employees to develop personal marketing plans within their ED organization. The personal marketing plans will become part of the whole marketing plan. This helps staff focus on the marketing objectives of their jobs. Source: Jim Anderson, Michigan Works!

~~~We take the pulse... of economic development marketing. As part of our on-going research, we are conducting a Marketing and Sales Survey of economic development organizations. What's working and what's a waste of time? What marketing problems are keeping you up at night? If you would like to participate - all participants will receive detailed results – let us know. We will send the survey via e-mail (Word doc) for you to complete. Results will be shared in early fall.  nblane@blanecanada.com

~~~To get ahead in marketing... curb those creative urges. Write a plan. Stick with the plan. Manage the budget. Market when you have time. Market when you don't have time. Be willing to delegate. In short, be creative within the plan, not with the plan. We find that all too often, development professionals are looking to push the marketing envelope - without building a solid base. It just doesn't work that way.

~~~Info flood... Another wave of information available to site selectors can be found at http://www.ersys.com.  Demographics, economic indicators, media, local contact, etc. are listed for 1,300 cities. You might want to offer your organization as a point of contact in a future issue.

~~~"If... you leave your customer's success to chance, you are giving up control over your own success."   Geoffrey A. Moore, author "Crossing the Chasm"

~~~Quarterly, monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly... What is the frequency of your newsletter or your e-mail newsletter? When we are asked what is the best frequency, we ask what the frequency of the "best" letter you receive and try to emulate. Can you gather enough useful information to support a weekly? If the distribution is that frequent, are readers responding or are they eliminating it before reading it? Best to balance the quantity of information and the frequency.

~~~Words matter... It is fairly easy to be right on target delivering essential services to your clients - and be bumped out of the loop with a word. Yes, a Word. "Sustainable Growth" is nothing new, but a few years ago it was all the rage. Regional planning organizations have always worried about sustainable growth. By failing to adapt quickly to the change in terminology, they risked being cast as the "old guard" lacking energy and vision. Do you know where the edge is? Are you adapting? Darwinism matters to organizational survival, too.

~~~HELP... "I'm looking for innovative incentives targeted at smaller, knowledge-based businesses, i.e., based on high average salaries, not number of employees." Write us with your answer: nblane@blanecanada.com Source: Shelley Cadamy, OK

~~~Gloss over?... When you frequently respond "No problem," what happens to your credibility? Source: Dan Miller, Business Editor, Chicago Sun Times, speaker at Blane, Canada Ltd.'s recent advanced marketing program.

~~~Book lovers... The "largest collection of business book summaries" can be accessed at: http://www.getabstract.com/  General categories such as "Ideas and Trends" offer you abstracts on 173 books and "Industries and Regions" has 25 abstracts.

~~~Question the question... before jumping into presentation mode. It is essential to understand before you can be understood. Being too "quick on the draw" with an answer can be detrimental to your success. Ask challenging questions first. Then, and only then, respond.

~~~"I learned many years ago as a young Navy officer, that if I was going to succeed there were times when I simply had to use my best judgment, act, and then pray that I had done the correct thing, and seek forgiveness later for not having gotten permission first. The key here is that if you are successful, then forgiveness is relatively easy. If  you're not, then forgiveness is usually impossible. ED Boards tend to be conservative, cumbersome and slow moving. If the ED Exec always waits for permission to act, MANY opportunities will simply pass by... I've always favored action with a chance of success as opposed to inaction with a guarantee of failure." Bill Harrison, GA

~~~The numbers... will get you from suspect to prospect. Salesmanship takes you to investment.

~~~Nice way to handle a staff transition... When your organization has a staff change, how are e-mail addresses handled? If someone writes to the old address, will they get the typical undeliverable error message or an option to reach someone else? Here is an example of how to handle a staff transition offered by Tana Trichel. Subject: Communication to WEDC's Mr. John Doe Thank you for writing to WEDC. Mr. John Doe, who has led the team for so many wonderful years, was offered the CEO/President position with XEDC in Another Town. If you wish to contact him please visit their website, http://www.1234.org. However, if you are contacting the new CEO, Jane Jones, her direct email is jjonesl@yyyy.com. Your e-mail message has been forwarded to her. Please update your contact information at this time. Thank You.

~~~Moving forward... End-game/sales tracking: Peg board with Cold, Warm, Hot, Close columns. List each company/lead on the board. Place their peg in the appropriate column. Message to all: Leads don't count. What are you doing to move the pegs forward? How do you clear out the dead wood to focus on the quality? Source: Joe Russo, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation.

~~~"Just wanted to let you know what happened when we applied your boot camp concepts. Wow – when the Marketer(s) takes control from the designer(s)! Thanks for the excellent program (boot camp) in Chicago. I've signed up our Marketing Manager to attend the next one. Source: Boot Camp Survivor.

~~~NEXT CLASS... Blane, Canada Ltd.'s advanced marketing in economic development, "The Physics of Marketing," will be held Dec. 2-4 at the Sofitel Hotel/O'Hare. Participation will be limited to 25. For additional information and registration, go to: http://www.blanecanada.com/BCL_Course.html.