BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - When the Bismarck-Mandan Development Association started its business attraction efforts, it used to send binders of information to site selectors, hoping to lure them to the community.
Now, with so many using the Internet, the community might be eliminated from a site selector’s list and local officials might never even know it was being considered.
The organization made efforts to reinvent several years ago, modernizing its methods as economic developers to better fit the community’s present needs. Today the organization is revamping again, this time focusing on its business retention and attraction program, The Bismarck Tribune reported (https://bit.ly/2dM3Fi4 ).
“It’s changed dramatically,” said Nathan Schneider, director of business development. “The ’let’s go get them all’ shotgun approach doesn’t work with our limited resources. Chasing any and every business is not possible anymore.”
BMDA paid for a study to provide a focus for its marketing efforts. Board President Jeff Ubl said it was money well spent.
“We as an organization didn’t go into this expecting to find some silver bullet,” he said. “We wanted to bring in a new set of eyes to see if BMDA was missing anything about the industries we’re marketing to.”
The organization wants to spend its limited marketing dollars responsibly by focusing on industries appropriate to the local market, according to Ubl.
While the target industries identified in the study - manufacturing, value-added agriculture and energy - were of no surprise, Ubl said the study helped.
“(It) inspired us to look at those markets in a different way. Within those markets, there may be an emerging industry we haven’t explored yet,” he said.
Schneider said the study highlighted assets that many in the organization and the community sometimes take for granted, including employers such as NISC, Bobcat and Cloverdale Foods.
Those companies are suppliers, but they’re also customers. And the study suggested BMDA target marketing to smaller companies that could provide services or build parts needed by those major employers.
The focus on smaller businesses, rather than trying to lure another large-scale manufacturer, also addresses the issue of labor availability in the area.
“It’s no secret that’s something our state has trouble with right now,” Schneider said.
The study also pointed to the Bismarck Public Schools Career Academy as an asset for training and retaining a workforce. Ubl said BMDA will continue its talent attraction campaign as well as working with universities to build talent locally.
Schneider said BMDA doesn’t “do workforce development just for workforce development.” It plays into the organization’s broader business retention, expansion and attraction efforts.
BMDA is also left with a lot of data to work from, as well as strategies it can insert into its strategic plan for the next year and next three years, according to Ubl.
Schneider said staff members are working with the study consultants to put together a plan for what they think BMDA can do in the next six to 12 months. The consultants are aware of more national trends and can direct BMDA to the best trade shows and magazines for its needs.
“The board seemed happy with the results and excited to get started,” Schneider said.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com
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