Rupert Cox, Acting CEO Into Somerset

Chris Langdon, Business Development Consultant to Into Somerset

Into Somerset: 4th December 2009

Into Somerset

Promoting Somerset &

encouraging inward investment

from key target markets

In this presentation

• Business requirements for location

• Why Somerset?

• Perception of Somerset

• Target markets

• Creating a Somerset brand

• What next for 2010?

Business Requirements

• Access to markets

• Easy local travel

• Availability of workforce

• Lifestyle

• Internet & Telecom

Top 5 factors important for business location

Business Requirements

What is meant by “lifestyle”?

• Easy local travel

• Good air quality

• Coast & Country

• Good schools

• Good housing

Why Somerset?

• Excellent business networks

• £9bn economy

• Low cost of living / rent

• Skilled workforce, fast broadband

• Superb lifestyle (coast & country)

• Road and rail links (1:40 to London)

• Good schools

Perceptions of Somerset

Requirement

Lifestyle

Internet

Access to Markets

Easy local travel

Workforce

Satisfaction

98%

89%

83%

85%

82%

Perception

66%

39%

36%

51%

33%

Business Location

Perceptions of Somerset

Requirement

Easy local travel

Good air quality

Coast & country

Good schools

Good housing

Satisfaction

91%

96%

98%

93%

78%

Perception

40%

63%

69%

38%

40%

Lifestyle

Perceptions of Somerset

Top 5 descriptions to define Somerset

• Nice - attractive, beautiful, clean, unspoilt, picturesque• Rural - countryside / farms• Lifestyle - nice place to live, pleasant, leisurely • Cider - apples• Don’t know – not sure where it is?

Perceptions of SomersetTop 5 Industries associated with Somerset

Ex Somerset Response

Agriculture

Food & Drink

Tourism

Don’t Know

??

In Somerset Response

Agriculture

Tourism

Food & Drink

Aviation

Other manufacture

Real Somerset Industry

Somerset: 2007 Employment(Full Time Equivalent)

Food & Drink (Inc Ag) 18,557

Leisure & Tourism 8,169

Advanced Engineering 7,051

Public admin, Educ, Health 25,074

Manufacturing 31,558

Business Services 32,518

Minehead

Bridgwater

Taunton

Yeovil

Frome

4 functional zones of Somerset

A 303 Corridor

M5

Cor

ridor

NE TriangleLifestyle & Tourism

Target Markets

People and Businesses that:-

• add value to the economy,

• are more “mobile” businesses,

• are in strong and growing sectors,

• need what Somerset offers,

• wealth moving west.

What kind of business should we target?

Target Markets

Emerging Sectors: Energy & Environment

Growing Sectors: Business Services

Creative Industries

Strong Sectors: Advanced Engineering

Food & Drink

Which sectors should we target?

Target Markets

Into Somerset is targeting:

• Five industry sectors

• Higher value, skills, knowledge

• South & East of UK

• 25-44 yr old Demographic

• Energy / Nuclear supply chain

Creating the Somerset Brand

Old BrandNice, Rural, Cider,

Lifestyle,

Don’t know where it is.

Agriculture, Tourism,

Food & Drink,

Don’t know

Target Markets25-44 yr olds

High value Entrepreneurs

Growing and emerging sectors

South & East

The Challenge

Creating the Somerset Brand

Progressive: Mixing old and new, cutting edge, global customers

Traditional: Communities, landscape, food, skills

Independent: History, free thinkers, rebellious spirit.

Lifestyle: Country, coast, clean air, communities, schools.

Entrepreneurial: High start up rates, innovation, collaboration, good survival.

Connected: Accessible, London, International, Top Internet.

Creative & Cultural: Festivals, crafts, drama, design

Creating the Somerset Brand

• Promoting Somerset– Online (Web, Social Media, Case studies)

– Offline (PR, Advertising, Somerset Booklet)

– Business to Business (Ambassadors, Chambers of Commerce & other business networks, supply chain work, sector engagement, agent/developer relationships)

INTERNAL MARKETS

EXTERNAL MARKETS

Outdoor Campaign

Outdoor Campaign

Outdoor Campaign

Creating the Somerset Brand

• Business to Business– Somerset Business Ambassadors

– Target company dialogue– Advanced Engineering

– Energy & Environmental Tech’

– Partner commercial property agents– EG Property Link

– Referral arrangements

– Supply Chain Collaboration– EDF Energy – construction and nuclear specialists

Into Somerset

• Following the promotional work– Enquiry handling

• Tailored service to suit investors

– Facilitation

• Connecting business to the right people (Premises referrals, Econ Dev, Planning, Business Link, Colleges, local business networks)

• Stimulating supply chain

– Following up!

• Good customer care

The Into Somerset Team

• Rupert Cox – Acting Chief Executive (& CEO of the Somerset Chamber)

• Owen Tebbutt – Marketing Co-ordinator (Secondment from IBM)

• Gerard Tucker – Enquiry Handling Manager (Secondment from South Somerset District Council)

• Chris Langdon –Business Development Consultant• Kim McDonald – Ambassador Co-ordinator (Somerset

Chamber)• Adrian Bishop (ADPR Ltd) – PR Consultant• Graham Godwin-Pearson (Mendip Media) Social Media co-

ordinator & video case studies• Halo Media - Website & design• Officers from the 6 partner local authorities

What’s happening in 2010• Dedicated “Enquiry Handling” resource to achieve the

target of 60 businesses supported by end March 2010

• Continue to grow the Somerset commercial property profile on the web.

• Into Somerset Conference in the spring of 2010 to showcase investors, highlight potential and profile sectors

• Develop the EDF Energy supply chain work including procurement briefings, and contractor events

• Maintain our high levels of success with on-line and off-line marketing – Glastonbury Festival, Investor Case Studies etc.