This presentation highlights different social media and internet tactics for investor attraction and promotion

1. THE ROLE OF WEBSITES AND SOCIAL
MEDIA IN INVESTMENT PROMOTION
INVESTMENT CONSULTING ASSOCIATES – ICA & ATLAS ADVERTISING
FDI MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS SEMINAR
RED HOT LOCATIONS.
LONDON, NOV 30 AND DEC. 1, 2011
A New Generation in Strategy Consulting

2. THEMES
Changing role of Internet in global site selection projects?
How do Web 2.0 tactics facilitate and enhance your
investment promotion activities?
What role can social media play in getting your message across?
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3. AGENDA
Past versus the future of Location Selection & Investment
Promotion
Key Web 2.0 tactics for Investment Promotion 2.0
– Start with your IPA website
– Evaluating your website
– Geographic Information Systems - GIS
– Social media and investment promotion
– Prospecting and lead generation using LinkedIn
Recommendations for your organization
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4. INTRODUCTION ICA & ATLAS ADVERTISING
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5. ABOUT ICA AND OUR SERVICE LINES
FDI Corporate Services
Overall > 10 years of corporate location and site
Corporate Location and Supply Chain
selection services; Management
– Strategic Assessment
Global offices in emerging markets; – Location Benchmarking
– Site Visits
– Business Implementation and Aftercare
Advising multinational corporations and small
and medium sized enterprises; FDI Attraction Services
FDI Promotion Strategies
– Organizational Review & Development
Independent provider of consulting and training – Strategy Building
services supported with software solutions; – Promotion & Lead Generation
– Investor Servicing & Aftercare
Sophisticated and powerful FDI software FDI Technologies
technologies. FDI Competitiveness Platform
– www.locationselector.com
– www.icaincentives.com
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6. ABOUT ATLAS ADVERTISING
Image Building for Locations
Atlas Advertising helps recruit national and international
– Promotional Plans
prospect and site selection audiences.
– Branding and Messaging
We deliver branding, website development, GIS mapping,
World Class Investment Promotion Websites
research, social media, and creative services professionally
– Website Design and Development
and with a staff experienced in business recruitment. – Content Management Software
– Benchmarked Website Analytics
Atlas is not a broker. We create customized marketing
solutions for clients who want to be very targeted in their Leading GIS Technologies (Atlas InSite)
approach and who demand results. – Property Databases
– Business Databases
Based in the United States, Atlas has worked in 40 US States – Location Asset Maps
and six countries on investment promotion projects. – Incentives Project Maps
Our approach and experience means that our campaigns Prospecting Programs
generate an average of three to ten times the response of – Search Engine Marketing
other campaigns. – Events Support
– Email Marketing
– Social Media Marketing
– Prospect Management Software
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7. FDI CORPORATE SERVICES
Business Implementation
Strategic Assessment Location Benchmarking Site Visits
Services & Aftercare
Review Business case Competitiveness analysis City/Site due diligence Incentive maximization
Define Project criteria Operating cost comparison Investor meetings Real estate negotiations
Location benchmarking factors Final Shortlist of locations Introductions (legal – tax - HR) 12 month review
Time & Cost Saving Time & Cost Saving
Potential 50% Potential 50%
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8. FDI ATTRACTION SERVICES
Organizational Review & Promotion & Lead Investor Servicing &
Strategy Building
Development Generation Aftercare
Lead Generation Services
2.0
Presentation Decks
Organizational Structure SWOT Analysis World Class Websites Information Provision
Operational Procedures Industry/Activity Focus Marketing and PR Site Visits
Good Governance Principles Investment Plan Lead Reports Mediator Role
FDI Academy
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9. FDI TECHNOLOGIES
Lead Generation Services 2.0
4 Benchmarking Techniques 1 million+ sources 2000 incentives deals in North America
Powerful Analyses 50 million posts per month Deals per State / Industry / Type of incentive
Time Series, Scatter Plots & Fusion Charts 100+ countries, 50+ languages Mapping & Full Export Functions
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10. PAST VERSUS THE FUTURE OF LOCATION
SELECTION & INVESTMENT PROMOTION
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11. 1990 LOCATION SELECTION PROCESS
Site visits
Journals SIX MONTHS
Newspapers
Brochures
Trade Shows City
City
City
City
City
City
City
City
City
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12. 2011 LOCATION SELECTION PROCESS – ARE YOU
BEING FOUND?
EIGHT WEEKS
85% of initial search = Internet
Detailed info
Services
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13. CORPORATE INVESTMENT ROUTEMAP
Strategic Assessment Location Screening,
Cost comparison Community Evaluations Implementation
modeling & benchmarking
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5
• Define project and goals • Project assumptions • Input cost model • Resources for • Define real estate
Client
• Business requirements site visits objectives and
accommodation needs
Project definition & Analysis and Comparison of costs Site visits Real estate support
understanding of comparison
strategy of locations
• Data gathering
• Build model for location
Consultant
• Determine geographic analysis • Prepare site visits
scope • Present rankings of • Prepare discussions
• Selection of location locations with relevant
factors • Sensitivity analysis • Set up cost model governments and
• Weighting location • Exploration of • Cost differentials service providers • Real estate transaction and
criteria incentives between locations • Incentive negotiations acquisition support
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14. FULL INVESTMENT PROMOTION STRATEGY
Lead Generation Aftercare and
• Information & Sales Packs and Targeting • Information provision
Policy Advocacy
• Investment plans • Assistance with contacts
• Policies and incentives • Advertizing and PR • One-stop-shop services • Continued “account
• Procedures and • Information & Marketing • Assessment of manpower,, executive attention”
requirements • Missions & Events Infrastructure service needs • “Ombudsman” role and
• Progress and achievements • Company targeting • Follow-up trouble-shooting function
• Create awareness • Company visits • Follow-up on manpower,
infrastructure, service needs
• Follow-up
Investor
Image Building Servicing
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15. GUIDING PRINCIPLES ABOUT INVESTMENT
PROMOTION TODAY
When considering your marketing efforts, set quantitative
goals. If you can’t measure it, you shouldn’t buy it;
IPA should respond to those who are already looking before
speaking to those who aren’t;
Corporations may do one major expansion or relocation in
their management’s entire tenure. Your job as IPAs is to
educate, coach, and be relevant to them. If we don’t, we will
be cut out.
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16. INTEGRATED STORY: WHERE CORPORATES MEET
IPA’S
Strategic Assessment Location Screening,
Cost comparison Community Evaluations Implementation
modeling & benchmarking
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5
Aftercare and
Lead Generation
Policy Advocacy
• Information & Sales Packs and Targeting • Information provision
• Investment plans • Assistance with contacts
• Policies and incentives • Advertizing and PR • One-stop-shop services • Continued “account
• Information & Marketing executive attention”
• Procedures and • Assessment of manpower,,
requirements • Missions & Events Infrastructure service needs • “Ombudsman” role and
• Company targeting trouble-shooting function
• Progress and achievements • Follow-up
• Company visits • Follow-up on manpower,
• Create awareness
infrastructure, service needs
• Follow-up
Image Building Investor Servicing
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17. START WITH YOUR IPA WEBSITE
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18. WEBSITE USE AND PURPOSE
The main purpose of a website is to:
– Educate and inform - providing learning resources
– Market – promote your location and the services you offer to
potential investors
– Support function - deal with investor requests via email, phone and
feedback
– Support business - providing support information for an Investor
application or business process
– Community - building a forum or community that Investors use to
share ideas, experiences, issues, etc
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19. IPA WEBSITES – WHAT CORPORATE INVESTORS
AND SITE SELECTORS NEED
What we need What we don’t need
Contact information General labor statistics
Incentive programs Secondary source wage
Tax rates and cost info information
Recent announcements General rankings
Testimonials Distance to other major
Industry-targeted info cities
Map of your territory General climate and
Largest employers weather conditions
Area colleges and universities
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20. INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE WEBSITE
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21. WHY THIS IS A GOOD WEBSITE IN GENERAL
Why Hong Kong (Business Climate Rankings, Investment Climate, Strategic
Advantages as Gateway to China)
Sector Opportunities (Given the sector priority, the website offers sector
specific investment opportunities and the possibility to contact a sector
expert)
Setting-up a Business (Legal and regulatory area. You can use World Bank’s
Doing Business In data)
InvestHK Services (List of services that Potential Investors can expect from
InvestHK)
Contact Us (Vital section to have on your website)
10 different languages – When developing a website you can start with only
two languages Arabic and English and gradually add other languages
Use of streaming video materials, and social media tools
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22. PROVIDE INFORMATION BUT ONLY RELEVANT
Information that is relevant for business
Sector specific information
Information that can be used for benchmarking
Factsheets
Include investment opportunities
Categorize information
Use multiple metrics and currencies for international investors
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23. EVALUATING YOUR WEBSITE
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24. RATING METHOD OF FIRST CLASS IPA WEBSITES
The first economic development website we worked on was in
1995.
Since then, the usage of the web has grown astronomically, new
tools such as blogs and social media have come on the scene, and
Google has risen to dominance.
Initially we created seven components of a successful website in
2004, and since then, it has undergone two major revisions (now 8).
To develop the components and scoring, we conduct annual
research with site selectors and prospects, and study actual usage
data collected from IPA websites in 37 states by Development
Results.
This thinking goes into every website Atlas and ICA work on in
collaboration with our clients.
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25. EIGHT COMPONENTS OF A WORLD-CLASS IPA
WORLD-
WEBSITE
Eight components of a good website:
Authenticity of place branding and messaging
Clarity of navigation
Depth and quality of content
Use of search marketing approaches
Use of email marketing and news sections
Frequent performance tracking
Use of Maps and GIS technology
Use of new media
We have developed a scoring mechanism based on these eight components
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26. AUTHENTICITY IN PLACE
BRANDING IS…
Communicating a true
positioning of the
region
Utilizing recognizable
elements
Capturing users’
attention to inspire
them to use the site
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27. CLARITY OF NAVIGATION IN
WEBSITES IS. . .
A prospect-specific
section placed
prominently
Straightforward
Navigation
Providing the top ten
most requested pages
Keeping all valuable
content three clicks or
less from the homepage
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28. TOP 10 PAGES REQUESTED NATIONALLY ON ED
WEBSITES
1. About Us (about the organization)
2. Programs (that the organization offers)
3. Data Center
4. News
5. Relocate and Expand
6. Find Property
7. Site Selection Services
8. Workforce data and Information
9. Database of Companies or Largest Employers
10. Maps of the Area
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29. GREAT CONTENT IS…
Using a content
management system
that enables publishing
of pages,
downloadable
documents, and data
Weekly updates
Devoting half of your
budget to content
Offering prominent
contact info
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30. EFFECTIVE USE OF SEARCH MARKETING IS…
Ranking #1
organically for “your
geography foreign
direct investment”
Ranking in the #1
organically for “your
organization name”
Utilizing paid search
(PPC) to drive
additional traffic
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31. TOP 10 SEARCH TERMS THAT DRIVE TRAFFIC TO
IPA WEBSITES
1. Your organization name
2. Your city/region name “investment” or “economic development”
3. Incentive type offered in your region (depends on community)
4. Resident company name (i.e. Boeing)
5. Region name (if different from city)
6. Organizational url (without .com /.net .org)
7. Campaign name (initiative or fundraising)
8. City/region name “maps”
9. City/region name “counties”
10. City/region name “industries”
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32. EFFECTIVE USE OF EMAIL
AND NEWS IS…
IS…
Monthly email
newsletter to
investors, prospects
Tracking
performance of
those newsletters
Posting newsletters
and news items to
your website
weekly or monthly Invest Cayman Islands
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33. EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE
TRACKING IS…
Receiving a report
once per month
Not using “hits”
Tracking unique
visits, referrers
and downloads
Integrated
tracking of
advertising, web
and PR
effectiveness
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34. EFFECTIVE USE OF MAPS AND
GIS TECHNOLOGY IS…
Using maps with
various layers
(transportation,
education, etc.)
Using integrated
real estate
searches/GIS
mapping software
Generating
dynamic
demographic and
business reports
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35. EFFECTIVE USE OF SOCIAL
MEDIA IS…
Linking between
your website and
your LinkedIn
profile
Keeping an active
Twitter account
Having a blog and
updating it four
times per month
Incorporating Share
It features on your
site
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36. REVIEW LEVEL: GOLD, SILVER AND BRONZE
Eight Components Gold Silver Bronze
Jamaica Trade Invest Saint Invest
and Invest Lucia Caymand
Islands
Authenticity of place branding and messaging 10 out of 10 10 out of 10 5 out of 10
Clarity of navigation 7,5 out of 10 7,5 out of 10 7,5 out of 10
Depth and quality of content 10 out of 15 10 out of 15 7,5 out of 15
Use of search marketing approaches 10 out of 15 10 out of 15 7,5 out of 15
Use of email marketing and news sections 7,5 out of 10 7,5 out of 10 10 out of 10
Frequent performance tracking 5 out of 10 5 out of 10 5 out of 10
Use of Maps and GIS technology 10 out of 15 7,5 out of 15 0 out of 10
Use of new/social media 7,5 out of 15 5 out of 15 7,5 out of 10
Total 67.5 62.5 50
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37. SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING AND TRACKING
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38. SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING
Search engines connect
those who are already
looking to you
Clicks can be free (large
list in main column), but
ranking is harder to get
Clicks can also be paid
(ads at right), and be at
the top of the list on the
same day.
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39. TRACK AND TRACE – GOOGLE ANALYTICS
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40. TRACK AND TRACE – TWITTER COUNTER
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41. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
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42. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
OVERVIEW
Integrated with your IPA website
Provide more transactional and analytical information than normal web
pages
Include the following:
– Available properties
– Featured FDI Companies
– Community Assets such as international schools, business parks, ports, and airports
Utilize maps such as Google or Bing
Are updateable without programming
Are available in versions for mobile devices
Should be translated into multiple languages
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43. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS - GIS
Comprehensive data your
investors demand, delivered
online
FDI Property database that
highlights trophy properties in
your region
Database of successful companies
doing business in your region
Your region’s assets on an
accessible, updateable map
Regional data comparing your
community’s competitiveness to
other regions nearby
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44. GIS – WEBSITES: NEXT GENERATION
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45. GIS – WEBSITES: AVAILABLE PROPERTIES
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46. GIS – WEBSITES: COMPANIES DOING
BUSINESS IN DUBAI
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47. VIRTUAL FAMILIARIZATION TOURS
Contain a rich
experience of your
geography
Can be static
images, dynamic
flash maps, or
database driven
Can use
commercially
available
photography from
sources like Google
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48. KEY WEB 2.0 TACTICS FOR INVESTMENT
PROMOTION 2.0
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49. WHAT NEW MEDIA ADVANCEMENTS HAVE YOU SEEN
THAT YOU THINK ARE VALUABLE TO THE SITE
SELECTION PROFESSION?
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50. THE FREQUENCY SITE SELECTORS ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA IS
RISING – 86% USE WEEKLY OR MORE, COMPARED TO 71% IN
LATE 2009
Early 2011
35%
31% 31%
30% 25% Late 2009
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Daily Two or three times Weekly
a week
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51. WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA/NETWORKS SITE
SELECTORS ARE USING
By far, LinkedIn was the most
used source for information
Facebook, Rss Feeds and Twitter
are increasingly becoming more
popular
Blogs are less frequently used
(hard to verify trustworthiness)
Source: Atlas Advertising 2011
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52. TODAY’S WEB 2.0 TRENDS – INTERACTION
WITH YOUR STAKEHOLDERS
Your website
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53. PROSPECTING USING LINKEDIN
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54. ABOUT LINKED-IN
LINKED-
• Over 100 million users worldwide, more than half
outside the U.S.
• “A professional network of trusted
contacts.”
• http://www.slideshare.net/amover/linked-in-
demographics-and-statistics-2011
•
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55. KEY FEATURES OF LINKEDIN
Your profile
Your Contacts
Your Connections
Status updates
Groups
InMail Feature
Applications
Advertising
Mobile Access
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56. BEST PRACTICE – SCOTISH ENTERPRISE
As a part of their mandate, Scottish Enterprise is
responsible for “ensuring Scotland has a great business
environment for companies to grow and attract new
investment to Scotland.“ With 1 389 followers of the
agency’s LinkedIn page (as of November 15th, 2011), the
level of activity is high in terms of the amount of posts that
are made.
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57. SCOTISH ENTERPRISE – ENGAGING WITH
FOLLOWERS
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58. LINKED-
LINKED-IN: SITE SELECTION EXPERT GROUPS
Professional
connections
Discussion and
support groups
Interest Groups
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59. SLIDESHARE
Re-purpose
presentations
Cross-link to other
social media sites
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60. TWITTER, YOU TUBE AND BLOGS
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61. EXAMPLES OF TWITTER AND YOUTUBE – INVEST
IN INDIA
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62. TWITTER
Twitter seems to have
most traction for EDO’s
Innovative viral contest to
promote regional
entrepreneurship
Denver: People “tweet” on
different topics
Columbus: Segment by
audience and message
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63. TWITTER SEARCH
Be attentive and
responsive. Effective
social media marketing is
opportunistic!
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64. YOUTUBE: CALGARY
Academic presentations
on development issues
Lifestyle
Testimonies
Property tours
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65. BLOG
Three benefits:
– In-depth content
– Authority
– SEO
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66. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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67. SUMMARY: PAST & PRESENT OF INVESTMENT
PROMOTION STRATEGIES
Without web 2.0 tactics With web 2.0 tactics
Branding and Image Blogs, LinkedIn, You Tube
building and websites
Cold calling Linked-In
Phone book Google search engine
Surveys, data requests GIS and websites
Face to face meetings Online webinars
Site visits Virtual familiarization tours
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68. HOW TO FOCUS AND ALIGN YOUR PROMOTION AT THE
CORRECT “MOMENT” FOR THE PROSPECT
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69. RECOMMENDATIONS: INVESTMENT
PROMOTION 2.0
The rules of the game of location selection and investment
promotion have changed
Key Web 2.0 tactics for today’s investment promotion can
facilitate your work
Your website is considered your “shop window”: if it looks
appealing and offers up to date information you significantly
increase the chance of attracting more investment
Various web 2.0 tools can support all your IPA activities
However, the implementation and maintenance of all tools
require discipline, hard work, dedicated research and an
innovative mindset
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70. Thank you and looking forward to
your questions
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71. CONTACT DETAILS
Investment Consulting
Associates (ICA) Atlas Advertising
HFZ Plaza 2601 Blake Street, Suite 301
Symphony Tower, 26th floor Denver, CO USA
Gustav Mahlerplein 109 - 111
Netherlands
1082 MS Amsterdam, The
Netherlands T: 001 303 292 3300 x 210
T: +31 (0)20 708 59 00 F: 001 303 292 3303
F: +31 (0)20 708 59 03 E: benw@atlas-advertising.com
E: douglas@ic-associates.com W: www.atlas-advertising.com
W: www.ic-associates.com
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