Today marks the commencement of the second annual Economic Development Week (EDW), created by the International Economic Development Council to give locations far and wide a focal point to showcase their best practices and achievements. The goal of EDW is to increase awareness for local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities and increase the quality of life.
IEDC has created special awards, the Innovation in Economic Development Week Awards, to honor the best promotional campaign completed during and in conjunction with the 2017 Economic Development Week (May 8-13). Types of promotion include, but are not limited to, an event, seminar, marketing tour, web or print projects, video and social and digital media campaigns.
An online toolkit (which includes logos for international and national EDW presentations) offering a template for creating these campaigns can be found online here.
For example, the toolkit outlines how a location can host a “rally for economic development.” Steps include:
- Organize: Invite local lawmakers, fellow economic developers and industry supporters, such as your partners and sponsors.
- Show and Tell: Heighten awareness and emphasize the importance and impacts of economic development in your community. Be creative. See some ideas your peers included in their activities.
- Amplify: Invite local press to attend your gatherings to help increase exposure through stories and interviews of your elected officials and your EDO’s CEO.
The toolkit offers resources that can be created and deployed to make your EDW campaign a success. These include:
- Sample Resolution: A document which can be passed by cities, counties, states and the federal government to help recognize EDW.
- Sample Press Release: A document that each business, community, etc. can distribute to local and regional press outlets.
- Sample Advertisements: Official artwork for EDW, offered in several dimensions.
Innovation in Economic Development Week awards will be judged by the following criteria: goal/mission; innovation/creativity; effectiveness of EDW promotion; community or other EDO involvement (local, regional or state level); and use and quality of promotion utilizing social media. Winners will be recognized at IEDC’s 2017 Annual Conference, which takes place this year on Sept. 17-20 in Toronto, Canada.
Business Facilities encourages everyone in the economic development community to join in the EDW festivities by launching their own EDW promotional campaigns.
Happy Economic Development Week!
