Strategy / Goals 

Blount County Economic Development Board
Marketing Plan 2011

Executive Summary

The Blount County Economic Development Board is the economic development agency which represents the Cities of Alcoa, Maryville, and Blount County for developing its industrial, corporate headquarter, technology oriented business, and commercial (limited) development.  The agency is funded by a combined effort from the three participating government entities. The focus of the BCEDB efforts are in three areas: (1) promoting the local and regional assets of the Innovation Valley to business decision-makers (2) creating awareness of Regional, National and International issues that could potentially impact the local economy (3) continue to expand the presence of Blount County and its regional partners through the establishment of foreign representation within countries that show promise of foreign investment and/or technology development and (4) provide support to our existing business to help ensure their viability in Blount County.

The BCEDB work plan is designed to:

1. Refine and prioritize the local and regional target industry clusters.
2. Effectively utilize a multi-channel marketing approach.
3. Enhance a robust follow-up and fulfillment strategy.
4. Strengthen the collaboration with the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency, State Department of Economic and Community Development Agency, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The BCEDB will communicate the local and regional business advantages to both targeted industries and individual companies through:

1. Website-data base that serves a world wide audience conveying the local and regional advantages.
2. Electronic advertising, mailers, web based communications, and trade publications to promote local and regional assets.
3. Direct contact with existing businesses, site selectors, and corporate decision makers.

The BCEDB will utilize the following methods to communicate the advantages of Blount County; Internet, Media, Direct mail, and direct contact.

1. Internet

1. Decision makers are now evaluating communities' assets by the information on their website.
2. 70% of all site selectors utilize the internet during the site selection process.
3. The internet allows us the ability to reach a large audience at a reduced cost.
4. Developing a data base that allows the researcher to publish information into a professional format that will encourage the researcher to continue using the site.
5. The BCEDB will develop a website that will serve the needs of all site selectors, existing industry, corporate officials, and researchers.

Action Items:

1. Develop a new website that has the ability to accumulate cluster information in the region and allow the user through an integrated publishing system to generate reports on data they wish to take away from the site.
2. Allow more data points for researchers to access.
3. Allow the user to search for specific cluster assets and focus on the feasibility of the region for these clusters.
4. Provide a mapping system which allows user access to demographic information pertaining to their business.
5. Provide translation into 5 different languages
6. Provide a media room that allows user to download local news, reports and maps in a quality PDF format.
7. Provide links to local and regional partners to promote a seamless transition of information.
8. Contract with internet search engines for key word associations.

2. Direct Mail/E-mail

1. Drive prospects to the website by e-mail and  direct mail campaigns.
2. Engage ETEDA as the regional representative and jointly promote the region through our media contacts.
3. Reach larger audiences by advertising in higher end corporate level
4. publications.

Action Items:

1. Utilize existing Site Selector contact information and send e-mails driving them to the website.
2. Develop small mailer that drives the decision maker to our website
3. Advertise on Technology focused websites.

3. Media

1. Reinforce a positive image of Blount County and the business climate in the minds of the decision makers.
2. 45% of decision makers cite news articles as key information source.

Action Items:

1. Establish and/or enhance relationship with trade writers, editors, and producers.
2. Utilize contract writers through the Communications Office within the Blount Partnership.
3. Utilize ETEDA news department to convey stories that have national appeal.
4. Utilize our foreign office staff to write case stories about the areas in which they operate and the impact on the region.
5. Partner with our regional contacts to host writer's visits to our area.
6. Identify and engage writers that work for publications that target our clusters and begin feeding success stories.

4. Direct Contact

1. Direct contact with decision makers yields the best results for successful site location and/or collaboration.
2. Over 50% of Site consultants and researchers stated that the community's local economic developer is their leading source for information.

Action Items:

1. Initiate a sustainable direct contact campaign that fosters collaboration with site consultants, researchers, architectural, engineering firms and contractors.
2. Engage regional partners on recruiting trips on a national and international scale.  Sale the region first then begin to discuss the assets of Blount County.
3. Utilize our contract marketing consultants to open doors with site selectors that are hard to open.
4. Develop prospect lists of vendors our existing industry would like to see move into region.
5. Conduct at least 1 International recruiting trip per year, 1 National Blount County trip per year and 1 ETEDA marketing trip per year.
6. For over 20 years our visits to UK, Europe, Japan and China have built bridges and forged strong bonds. We need to continue that commitment to expand our message globally. 

Program Objectives

The 2007 work plan is designed to convey Blount County's and the Innovation Valley's assets to effectively improve the local economy.  This is achieved by creating interest, awareness, and action from decision makers within targeted industry clusters.  The Board will:

1. Pursue target industry clusters.
2. Collaborate with regional partners to devise a regional market strategy that complements the local community's assets.
3. Collaborate with International partners through the BCEDB's foreign offices to promote the assets of the local community and the region.
4. Enhance the existing industry program with the help of the Blount County Chamber of Commerce to ensure the needs of the company are met by the community.

I. Pursue Target Industry Clusters

      Blount County's Industry Clusters have been developed through a local and regional evaluation process that looks at location quotient, environmental impact, labor cost, industry trends, community accessibility, and regulatory issues.   During the evaluation process the regional partners identified the Area as the Knoxville/Oak Ridge Innovation Valley and have begun to brand the region using this name.  The results of the cluster analysis for Blount County and the region were:

Target Areas of Communication

II. Collaborate with regional partners to devise a regional market strategy that complements the local community's assets.

      Our region has been blessed with several amenities that make the Innovation Valley one of the most premier locations within the US.  These amenities know no county borders and are assets for all to protect and utilize.  The region's 16 county area has recognized these resources and has created the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency (ETEDA) whose mission is to market our region to prospective companies, decision makers, and government leaders within the United States.  ETEDA has also teamed with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the State of Tennessee to co-locate their facilities and produce a unified program of work that markets the region.  ETEDA has representation from the economic developers within the 16 county region to help develop a program of work that collectively meets each county's needs.  THE BCEDB will:

1. Participate within the ETEDA program of work planning process.
2. Work with the Tennessee Valley Authority to ensure their incentive programs and market specialists are utilized within Blount County.
3. Collaborate with the Oak Ridge Labs Technology Transfer office to promote Blount County as a location for mature technology companies to locate.
4. Collaborate with the State of Tennessee Economic Development Office to ensure the awareness of resources that Blount County possesses in site location, infrastructure, incentives, and workforce are realized. 
5. Utilize the Blount County foreign offices to promote regional concepts and strategies that would lead to site locations and technology collaboration.
6. Exploit the University of Tennessee research mission and resources to decision makers and encourage collaboration.
7. Team with the Knoxville Airport Authority to aid in the expansion of their presence within our region.
8. Collaborate with our foreign trade zone to identify strategies that will support and expand new and existing facilities.

III. Collaborate with International partners through the BCEDB's foreign offices to promote the assets of the local community and the region.

     Blount County has been successful in the development of foreign investment because of the commitment to foreign representation overseas.  Since1982 Blount County has sought direct ties with European decision makers.  This has lead to several businesses locating to Blount County and the surrounding region.  The BCEDB expanded its operations into Asia in 2002 to begin to cultivate a stronger relationship with Asian decision makers and encourage foreign investment and technology collaboration.  The BCED will continue to lead the region in foreign relations by:

Europe:

1. Continue to expand and develop the relationship with Advantage West Midlands / Hereford & Worcester Chamber, Dorset-Poole, North East One, British Department of Trade and Industry, and LeManche.
2. Utilize the West Midlands expertise in the successful operation of the Malvern Science Park.  Create a formal partnership to help promote our Pellissippi Research Centre and International technology import/exportation.
3. Utilize the West Midlands Chamber, the Dorset Poole Chamber, and the department of Trade and Industry to assist Blount County and Innovation Valley Companies investigation toward global expansion and new market penetration.  This will complement our global presence and awareness of our ‘brand'.
4. Team with La Manche Government to encourage French companies to investigate the US market.  Expand that initiative into the Vichy area (central France).  The French economy is heavily based in agricultural and nuclear development.  This is a natural fit for our East Tennessee Region.
5. Investigate ways of effectively penetrating Germany for economic development prospects.  The German economy desires collaboration with highly skilled engineering entities.  Our entry in the German economy should be based on technology collaboration.
6. Continue to Market to the Dorset Poole Area's marine manufacturing sector.  This area in England is a highly developed marine industry.  The Innovation Valley has high proficiency in the marine industry and is a natural fit for economic development and tech transfer.
7. Continue to work with the University of Sunderland to help develop our workforce by utilizing education programs they have developed.

ASIA:

1. Direct the foreign office to meet with decision makers of Asian companies who have operations in Blount County and the surrounding region.  The meetings should discuss workforce development, industry trends, company growth, and technology development.
2. Develop a list of ‘multiplier organizations' in Asia, e.g. accounting firms, banks, development companies, who are often counseled on overseas investments.
3. Bring exposure of our Japanese School to government officials and decision makers that deal with Tennessee companies.
4. Inform decision makers about the resources within Blount County and the Innovation Valley Area.
5. Compile research for Existing Blount County companies that wish to enter into the Japanese economy.  Utilize the on the ground staff to evaluate market penetration and contacts for Blount County and Innovation Valley companies.
6. Develop an Asian newsletter that can promote the resources within the Innovation Valley to decision makers.
7. Host a work shop based in Tokyo for Asian companies who wish to learn how to enter into the Tennessee market and utilize our regional assets.

IV. Enhance the existing industry program with the help of the Blount County Chamber of Commerce to ensure the needs of the company are met by the community.

      Existing Business provides approximately 80 percent of all job opportunities within Blount County.  This measure indicates that Blount County citizens receive higher quality of life through economic investment from existing business.  The Economic Development Board has teamed with the Chamber of Commerce VIP Committee, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the State of Tennessee to provide assistance to meet exiting businesses' needs.  The BCEDB will maintain a close relationship with businesses so that potential problems and opportunities are identified early. The EDBBC will accomplish these goals by:

1. Impact the retention and expansion of existing jobs per year within the County by:
   • Coordinating, executing and managing 30 site visits per year minimum with key area employers in target market sectors.
   • Executing 2-4 focus group discussions per year within target market sectors.
2. Leverage multi-agency team of professionals who call on existing businesses to support and facilitate their growth and respond to issues that could inhibit long term success.
3. Make presentations and market a Business Retention and Expansion program.
4. Work with regional economic development partners where needed in support of their business retention and expansion programs.
5. Utilize the E-Synchronist business retention software to track data and generate insight into target sector needs for economic prosperity.