Marketing your community's revitalization and economic development initiatives to prospecting businesses using the Internet is important, but so is how you use it to grow what is already there. While searching to bring in outside anchor tenants it's a good idea to also focus on technology inclusion to offset job loss locally. The businesses that are rooted in the community by family and history will ultimately be willing to make the greatest contribution.

What will you offer to businesses to help them succeed in your community that every other town isn't already offering?

The relationship you build after the initial introduction can be a huge factor in converting a maybe into a definitive yes. This is vital to consider as more communities work to attract industry that will create significant numbers of quality jobs. This requires more than showing what real estate is available or how many retail centers you have.

Businesses will notice a community that understands how important integrating technology to reduce operating costs and increase productivity is to successful economic development. Economic development strategies based on old community development models or replicas of what has worked somewhere else misses the mark. It fails to demonstrate, in many cases, how a specific set of people in a specific location will proactively help define what globalization will be in their community. The number of corporations interested in creating thousands of jobs with full benefits and high wages is shrinking. This means communities must begin to create new models for community sustainability that leverage technology and talent. This is especially critical for non-metropolitan areas that face tremendous competition.

For instance, downsized residents with areas of expertise can be assisted to transition into contract work or entrepreneurship. Using the power of the Internet can open the door to distance jobs and more money without having to relocate. But landing distance contracts requires an internet presence to market those services and discover those opportunities. Suppose someone is a professional training facilitator for the human resource industry. That person could serve more people and make more money by doing trainings online, recording them and allowing paid access via their website. Even small businesses with the right software can increase productivity and efficiency by using technology to streamline their operation. The Chamber of Commerce is ideally situated to aggressively lead in these objectives.

In these changing times populations, especially those outside of urban areas, need to consider an initiative to enhance membership benefits. Then recruit more small businesses to truly help them grow using the expertise and resources provided by their membership. While increasing earnings for Chamber of Commerce organizations requires finding a product that will:

" produce an additional revenue stream
" increase the visibility of businesses in your community
" reflect positively on being a Chamber member
" distinguish your community from the pack
" increase efficiency & productivity
" and integrate all of these components

Globalization offers a new opportunity for communities just like yours, but it does necessitate that new ways are found to preserve them that will help everyone thrive.