Cortland County promoters go high-tech

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Sep 10, 1999 by L, Kim

CORTLAND-In its on-going effort to bring national and international attention to Cortland County as an ideal place for business and industry, the Cortland County Business Development Corporation (CCBDC) has launched a new Web site and marketing campaign at www.cortiandbusiness.com.

The Web site is the first step in its new marketing campaign being undertaken jointly by the CCBDC and the Cortland Business Network (CBN), a CEO leadership group comprised of many of Cortland County's largest employers. Over the next six months, the CCBDC will be developing expansive databases and mailing lists. It also will be introducing a new logotype to serve as a signature look, for the county, to create a "brand identity"; producing a high-quality, fullcolor attractive piece and a multipurpose brochure for direct mail and trade shows; introducing a quarterly. corporate newsletter; and developing a CDROM. In, addition, the CCBDC will work with the CBN to produce a new Cortland County video designed to support the overall marketing campaign.

Cortland-based Graphics Plus Printing will design the collateral print pieces, and Keegan and Associates, also of Cortland, will produce the video, replacing an earlier one produced by local real-estate developer Jim Yamen.

"This truly is a partnership effort involving the state and county, as well as educational institutions and the business community,". says Linda Hartsock, CCBDC executive director. "The goal is to convey a presence at the regional and state level, and to demonstrate quality investment by the community. The message is that Cortland County is re-inventing itself by building on its heritage and moving forward with a sense of purpose."

The Web site is a comprehensive overview of both Cortland County and the Central New York region. Included are a county overview, county map, community profiles, quality-oflife information, regional economic and demographic data, a directory of businessassistance programs, and a contact list of resource organizations. In addition, the Web site features an on-line newsletter called "On the move."

The site was designed by the CCBDC and is intended for a specialized audience that includes the economic-development community and site-relocation executives, Realtors, developers, and high-end industries who are interested in contentdriven, information-packed data on the county and region. The Web site also I inks to other local and regional sites to provide information about community amenities, events, and activities for people who might be relocating to or visiting the area. "This marketing campaign demonstrates how Cortland County is on the move," says CCBDC Chairman Paul Slowey. "it has been strategically designed to reinforce the business plan of the CCBDC and to show that we have a vision of ourselves as a vibrant place to live, work, and invest. Just as important, it shows that there is a team effort between the CCBDC, the Cortland Business Network, and the Chamber of Commerce to move ahead."

The county overview is designed as a onestop-shopping source for information and answers to the most commonly-asked questions the CCBDC receives, including statistical data and detailed background information on such topics as population; location and market access; transportation infrastructure; utilities; telecommunications infrastructure; research-and-development infrastructure; taxation and financial incentives; industry financing; industry clusters and major employers; earnings per capita; cost-of-living indexes; agribusiness; education, training and work-force development; medical facilities; community events; and cultural amenities.

"Cortland is a diverse economy with sectors in manufacturing, farming, and agribusiness, along with other clusters in education, health, services, wholesale and retail trade," adds Hartsock. "At the same time, it has great promise to take its place in the emerging knowledge economy by working with educational partners to grow technology-based development, production, and service companies. We can be particularly attractive to these leading edge companies because of our proximity to world-class educational institutions and academic research centers, well as excellent local colleges and universities that supply abundant, well-trained labor. It is these kinds of high-quality enterprises we look forward to growing here."