January 2003, Volume: 6, Issue: e/1, ISBN 1527-5175

~~~Makin’ a list, checkin’ it twice... We’ve revamped portions of our web site for your greater ease of information gathering. You can pull up previous monthly issues of our newsletter for the past 5 years, as well as conduct a "word search" of those 60 newsletters. We provide a more extensive calendar of ED events, contacts, and e-mail addresses around North America. We added a section about our ongoing and expanding seminars on advanced ED Marketing and advanced Business Retention for this spring. In the area of the Synchronist Business Information Software we updated the map to visually share the impact 150 users are having on the economic development profession. And for those with the software, we continue to provide you via password ID more Operators’ Manual upgrades to coincide with the forthcoming Version 3.0, special sections for the Synchronist Internet version, sample confidentiality agreements, and PR strategies for sharing the data.

~~~Advanced Business Retention... many reader requests have led us to create a NEW BLANE, CANADA Ltd. conference on advanced practice of retention and expansion. This is not R&E 101. The new 2-day course will be offered April 21 (noon) - April 23 (noon) in Chicago. Participation will be capped at 25. For additional information, go to: http://www.blanecanada.com/BCL_Course1.html

~~~Advanced Economic Development Marketing... "The Physics of Marketing," Blane, Canada Ltd.’s advanced marketing seminar, is scheduled for April 28-30 (noon). Participation is limited to 25. To register: http://www.blanecanada.com/BCL_Course.html

~~~"Journey to Jobs: Techniques for Successful Recruitment and Retention" is the newest book from prolific economic development editing master, Maury Forman. Co-authored by 14 top economic development specialists, including Eric Canada, the book is available to ED Marketing Letter readers at the discounted price of $27, if you mention reading about it in this newsletter (regular price is $37). Contact Maury at: mauryf@cted.wa.gov 

~~~Zen enlightenment... Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. As with marketing, results are in the commitment to the details.

~~~Many states and utilities... have lost significant numbers of ED staff and talent. Early retirement, closing of field offices, and regional re-assignments have all been causes in this tight economic period. How has your state been affected?  We’ll share the information with readers next month. Write us at: info@blanecanada.com

~~~Biweekly publication, "The 2002 Index for Grants, Cities and Towns" covers the following categories: Community Development, Corporate Support, Foundation Profiles, Infrastructure Funding Insight, Technology and Transportation. Go to:  http://www.grantshotline.com for additional information.

~~~Improve communications... and understanding. Organize a meeting between your business and/or board members and real estate developers. Have a neutral party moderate the discussion. Include issues as well as perceptions. There should be some good exchange of thoughts and a better understanding of current issues. However, don’t over use the technique. It can result in increasingly poor attendance if it loses its value. We often facilitate to raise the level of understanding.

~~~NPR... National Public Radio quote by Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City: "The difference between business and government is that in business it's a dog-eat-dog world and in government it's just the opposite."  Thanks to Linda Hirvonen, MI for the quote!

~~~Catch that number?... Call your office number or cell number. Leave a message and telephone number. When you replay the message, do you hear each number clearly enough to write it down, or is it said too fast to be easily captured? Check out your delivery.

~~~Incentives... Seek agreement with your board ahead of time on what limit there is to the incentives. Source: Dan Miller, speaker at Blane, Canada Ltd.’s conference

~~~Incentives... sometimes are given more weight by the consultants than the company/client. Many consultants get a piece of what they negotiate. As far as I am concerned consultants should adhere to a code of ethics that includes disclosing if they are paid for negotiating incentives e.g., percentage of package. In this way communities can gauge the driving force behind the incentives. Due diligence is a two-way street. Incentives will not close a geographic gap, generate a market for product/services of that company, or force servitude on the local workforce.  Companies should be looking at    the sites that make the best sense, not dollars (incentives). Source: Steve Lantsberger, CA

~~~Universities... are playing a stronger role in broadening the economic development profession’s educational options. The U. of Minnesota, Georgia Tech, and the U. of Oklahoma are good examples of ongoing learning. Check out their programs, as well as the distance learning options. http://www.edo.umn.edu     http://www.gtconted.org/econdev   http://www.ouedi.org

~~~Hiring... Conduct at least one interview via telephone - even if the applicant works just across the street. The telephone is a critical piece of doing business. Evaluate how applicants handle the phone.

~~~Eye opener... during your next board planning session take a few minutes to compile the organization's list of unspecified responsibilities supporting all of the organization's accomplishments. A few examples from a recent client planning session include: provide committee management and support, provide support for fundraising, respond to member requests and interaction with members, respond to needs and requests of members of the manufacturing/service community (industrial relations), respond to business issues within the community (community relations), build and maintain the network of contacts needed to complete a business location decision. The point: to accomplish the organization's strategic initiatives, numerous mundane tasks must be handled. These undocumented responsibilities absorb time and money and are the most significant cause of expectation gaps in ED planning.

~~~Hearing more... about companies moving to China’s shore like the Pearl River Delta or even further inland for lesser wage rates? What will be the impact on the major North American industries? Will local U.S. skill levels be appropriate for the evolution toward more of a service economy? Keep these themes in mind as you and your ED team plan for the future. Many ED organizations are busy planning for the past.

~~~"It is better... to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong than to be always right by having no ideas at all." Source: Edward DeBono, "New Think"

~~~Problem. What problem?... When you are pitching a solution to the board, first make sure they know there is a problem. If you are trying to take retention and expansion to the next level in your community, first you have to communicate the problems with the current approach and what can be gained from investing time and money in a new approach. Need help? Call us at 630-462-9222 or ecanada@blanecanada.com

~~~Flights of fantasy... We've worked on a number of airport projects (KS, MO, ID, IL, MN, OH) with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc.’s aviation engineering staff, from an ED perspective. We've found interesting patterns. 1) The existence of a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) does not guarantee added economic activity. 2) The existence or availability of federal funds does not correlate to new economic activity.

~~~Sometimes... the more you know, the harder it is to stay out of your own way. Source: unknown.

~~~Internet blocks... As more people are drawn to Internet communications, the heavy flow of e-mails is creating inefficiencies in the work place. If your communication is considered meddlesome by your readers, your e-mails will be eliminated or blocked. To avoid being dropped, make sure your targeted marketing is relevant or useful.

~~~Sound advice... While speaking to participants at the recent "Physics of Marketing" workshop, Jack Brophy, a corporate real estate executive suggested, "Even when you don't have what the company or consultant needs, offer to introduce them to others in the area who might be able to help them. They will remember you!"

~~~Who visits your web site?... NetIQ Corporation has a product, WebTrends, to understand visitor behavior. The software generates reports to show information about your visitors. How visitors find you, what catches their interest, and analysis of reports over time are some of the highlights. Contact: http://www.webtrends.com

Sept. 22-25 - IEDC Ann. Conf. - Oakland, CA - http://www.iedconline.org/

Oct. 27- Nov. 1 - EDI - Indianapolis - http://www.iedconline.org/

Blane, Canada Ltd.
1506 Cadet, Suite 100
Wheaton, IL 60187-7380
ph 630.462.9222
fax 630.462.9210

info@blanecanada.com