This interactive course presents the core components of a BRE program and why the concerns of local businesses need to be actively addressed. By building an understanding of business visitation techniques and survey methods, practitioners will be able to clearly gauge their community's business climate. Learn the "red flags" that may indicate a company is looking to move elsewhere, and learn how to structure an effective technical assistance program to respond to business concerns. This course helps participants understand how a BRE program relates to attraction, workforce development, small business finance, technology transfer and many other economic development activities.
• Establishing, maintaining and upgrading a BRE program
• Creating effective models for business visitations and surveys
• Customer-Relationship Management (CRM) techniques
• Marketing a BRE program
• Establishing an early warning system
• Cluster and industry-focused BRE programs
• Tracking and analyzing customer feedback and response
• Quantitative and qualitative economic development metrics
Agenda
September 27 |
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8:30 - 9:00 am |
Registration |
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9:00 - 10:30 am |
Introduction
This session introduces the attendees to the layout of the two-day course and gives the background on the types of programs that the trainers are involved in. The attendees will start with a short case study that sets the tone for the course. |
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10:30 am - Noon |
How to Approach BRE
A community's approach to business retention and expansion will differ based on the resources and needs of the community. However, economic developers must come up with a general workable approach to BRE that can be applied to any program. Who is the customer and what does that mean in setting up your program? Best practices from BRE programs across the United States will be highlighted. |
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12:00 - 1:30 pm |
Lunch on your own |
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1:30 - 3:00 pm |
Understanding the Signs and Getting There
A variety of factors must go into the pre-planning of a BRE program. The types of red flags and early warning signals should be determined, as well as how to measure whether or not the program results in the retention of your customers. One way to ensure this is to have a strong corporate outreach program with key decision-makers in your economy. |
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3:15 - 4:15 pm |
The Team
The personnel to lead and carry out the efforts of a BRE program will need to be trained to work with the local businesses. But how do you find this personnel, especially if you have a tight budget? This session will discuss the pros and cons of having paid professionals or volunteers in the field to carry out the business surveys. The strength of the team that you put together, both in carrying out the surveys, as well as the follow-up, will determine the ultimate success of the BRE program. |
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4:15 - 5:00 pm |
Nuts and Bolts
This session will cover the type of database technology that is available to gather the information for your BRE program. It will also cover the facts on BRE program costs, duration, objectives and how you accurately measure results. |
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September 28 |
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9:00 - 10:15 am |
The Questionnaire
After briefly reviewing the key concepts from day one, as well as a brief group exercise, the meat of the BRE program, the questionnaire, will be discussed. What type of questions should be asked and to what detail? How can you ensure that business owners will take the time to fill out the information, which is required for your outreach programs? Although any series of questions can be asked on a questionnaire, which questions are the ones that truly gather the information you require to make a difference? |
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10:30 am - Noon |
Improving the Product
Team building, questionnaire development and follow form the basics of a BRE program. To create a sophisticated program, you will need to use business intelligence to satisfy the customers. There are specific steps that you can take to go beyond the basics of a BRE program, which will include business sense, as well as the involvement of the community. |
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12:00 - 1:30 pm |
Lunch on your own |
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1:30 - 4:00 pm |
Putting It All Together
Customer satisfaction may not always mean that you will retain every business in your community. However, really knowing your market, your economy and having a solid support program in place will mean that your program will be effective in retention efforts. What are your colleagues doing to make sure that they have the best program for their community in place? This closing session will end with a dynamic exercise reviewing the past two days' worth of information. |
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4:00 - 4:30 pm |
Wrap-up/Evaluation/Certificates |
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* Agenda subject to change |
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**PLEASE NOTE: In order to receive full IEDC certification credit for this course and a certificate indicating course completion, participants must attend the entire course and stay through the final session on the last day. Please make travel plans accordingly.** |
Erik Collins
Economic Development Manager
Montgomery County, Ohio
Erik Collins is the Economic Development Manager for Montgomery County, Ohio – the state's fourth largest county. Erik manages the Economic Development Division and is responsible for business attraction, retention and the county's incentive programs. His accomplishments include development of Montgomery County's Linked Deposit Program in partnership with the Montgomery County Treasurer; the Linked Deposit program a $20 million program designed to buy-down interest rates for businesses that create and retain jobs in Montgomery County. Erik was instrumental in developing, and is now responsible for managing, the County's business retention and expansion initiative known as Business First! For A Greater Dayton Region, which has expanded outside of Montgomery County that includes 28 jurisdictions within a five county region. BusinessFirst! has received several awards:
These awards include: 2003 Business First! received the National Association of Counties Achievement Award as an innovative program contributing to and enhancing county government in the United States and in 2006, Business Retention and Expansion International's (BREI) Award of Excellence for “An Outstanding Multi-Community Business Retention and Expansion Program.” In October 2006, Business First! received the Ohio Department of Development's Director's Economic Development Achievement Award as the “Most Effective Retention and Expansion Program in the State of Ohio.” In 2007, it received the Ohio City Managers Association (OCMA) Award for Intergovernmental Cooperation. BusinessFirst! has been featured in Economic Development America – Business Retention Helping Companies Compete in a Global Economy
In addition to managing Montgomery County's business retention and expansion initiatives, Erik oversees a two million dollar tax-based sharing program called Economic Development/Government Equity (ED/GE) that is designed to promote development in Montgomery County. Erik is past President of the I-70/75 Development Association, a 300 member regional economic development association, and in 1999 was one of four young professionals selected to participate in Rotary International's Group Study Exchange Program to Sweden.
Laith Wardi, CEcD
President
ExecutivePulse, Inc.
Laith Wardi, CEcD, is president of ExecutivePulse, Inc. He has worked in the economic development profession for over 20 years.
Laith has comprehensive experience in business retention & expansion that includes outreach to hundreds of value-added client companies, work as a resource provider, and 15 years of regional program management. In 1994-95, Laith pioneered the first web based system for business retention. Today, the ExecutivePulse™ Business Intelligence System is the most widely used database for business retention & expansion in North America.
As a founder and President of ExecutivePulse Inc., Laith provides skills training, survey development, technology development and management consultation to clients seeking to implement a systematic and sustainable customer outreach program.
He is a regular instructor on business retention for the professional certification program sponsored by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Laith also speaks to community, economic and workforce development audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe on customer retention, one-to-one database marketing and technology assimilation.
Laith is a graduate of Mercyhurst College and received his economic development certification through IEDC in 2002. In addition to his work in the field of economic development, Laith has experience in real estate management, media sales, and as a strategic planning consultant for both public and private-sector clients.
Certification
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This course meets the professional development requirements for the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) exam. CEcDs earn recertification credits for participation. |
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Those with AICP credentials can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity. When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end of an activity description. More information about AICP's CM program can be found at www.planning.org/cm. |
Hilton Americas - Houston
1600 Lamar Street
Houston, TX 77010
Phone: (713) 739-8000
Website: www.hilton.com
IEDC Room Rate: $216 single and $236 double
Cut-Off Date: September 4, 2012
Registration
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By Aug 16 |
Aug 16 - Sept 13 |
*After Sept 13 |
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IEDC Member |
$425 |
$525 |
$565 |
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Non-member |
$525 |
$625 |
$665 |
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*Walk-in registrations will be accepted. Full payment must be made on-site in order to attend the course.
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Individual paying by credit card: Click this button if you are registering as an individual IEDC member or nonmember and paying by credit card. |
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Partner or group paying by credit card: Click this button to download a form (PDF) if you are paying by credit card and registering a group or as a partner with a promo code. |
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Individual, group, or partner paying by check or purchase order: Click this button to download a form (PDF) if you are paying by check or purchase order, whether you are an IEDC member, nonmember, partner, or group. Form must be faxed or mailed in and accompanied by payment. |
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Should you have difficulty registering online, please download the course registration form (PDF).
Refunds less a $60 cancellation fee will be issued for all cancellations received in writing to fax: (202) 223-4745 or email: gnarvaez@iedconline.org at least 10 business days prior to the course - please allow 3-4 weeks. All registrations regardless of payment status are subject to the $60 cancellation fee. No refunds or credit transfers to a future course will be issued for cancellations received within 10 business days of the course. Telephone cancellations are not accepted. Attendee substitutions for a course may be made at any time prior to the course.
