Digital Media and the Branding of Downtowns: Strategies for New Business Development Using Paid, Owned and Earned Media November, 2013 | Page 18
Consider Reaching Out to Other Cities and Towns
Some of the people interviewed pointed out what can be a systematic weakness among advocates for
specific towns or districts: the inability to work together to carry the message. Because communities
often compete with each other for jobs and new residents they can forget about the benefits regional
marketing partnerships can offer.
For example, James Goodmon, Jr. of Capitol Broadcasting Company says that narrow thinking can be a
problem for some in the Raleigh and Durham metro region, two places that have experienced
tremendous growth and diversity in recent years.
“We still have that mindset from a lot of different entities,” said Goodmon. “It’s one of the biggest
mistakes. The region needs one centralized message that we deliver to everyone.”
Your community or region could benefit from communicating collective strengths rather than treating
each place like a bubble, isolated from outside sources. Some communities might even want to pool
resources to land the right talent, says Adam Klein of the American Underground.
“Consider having several communities band together and hiring one digital media director who can
write and keep content fresh for three or four small towns,” Klein said.
Takeaways
Use digital media to highlight a positive atmosphere in your community. Pay careful
attention to public schools, infrastructure, the arts and quality-of-life successes. These are
important to people who might move to your community.
Ask influential stakeholders to help spread your message to their followers.
Know your audience. Traditional storefront businesses may not see the value of digital
media. Don’t give up on face-to-face meetings.
Many of the most sought after professionals are willing to move to a great community
before seeking employment.
Consider a regional approach that pools the resources of several communities and presents
a unified message.
USING DIGITAL MEDIA TO RETAIN BUSINESS
You can also use digital media to help retain business, be it large or small. The paid, owned and earned
model can help sustain a positive atmosphere for your district, providing a draw that helps attract and
keep top talent.
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