09-28-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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00 • Marketing Phase ?/\16. The marketing phase has two parts: the creation of several marketing products and the development of a marketing presentation. Communities must develop a fact booklet that contains detailed information about the community that could be useful to an existing or a prospective business. Many communities also develop a brochure that is a companion piece to the much larger fact booklet. A community must also develop a video or slide show to be used as an image piece about the community and its economic development effort. Creation of these marketing materials is usually the most expensive component of the Star City process. Communities have been very resourceful in raising the funds and tapping local skills to produce excellent products. When this part of the marketing phase is completed along with the other phases, all supporting materials for the community's request to become a Star City are submitted to the Department. When the Department has determined that the materials are complete, it will schedule the final step of the process: the marketing exam. Following on-site training provided by the Department, the community will be asked to market itself to an industrial prospect. The "prospect" in this case is a person chosen by the Department to play the role of a company representative interested in locating a business Ln the community. The Department also participates in the marketing exam. When the community successfully completes the marketing exam, it will be designated a Minnesota Star City. Star County The Star County adaption incorporates the same phases as the Star City program. Special emphasis, and therefore additional time, will probably be spent in organizing and information gathering. It may be more difficult to organize on a county-wide basis. It is also more difficult to gather information when numerous school districts, townships, and cities are involved. i 2-4