"Strengthening the Economic Development Marketing Message".

• Author: Douglas, Jennifer Ritter
• Position: Brief Article

Gann, John L., Jr.

Economic Development Commentary, Summer 1999, pp. 25-32.

As more and more state and local jurisdictions offer incentives for businesses, it has become increasingly difficult for those businesses to distinguish among different localities. Today, almost every town and city offers tax abatements, enterprise zones, tax increment financing, or other incentives. But unlike manufacturers who share their markets with just a few competitors, communities wanting development are competing with an entire nation of cities and towns just like them. The author argues that to distinguish themselves, communities should incorporate business-style marketing techniques. Communities should develop a message that is based on substance rather than form. They should...