Invest activity - what, how, who
What
Research for Marketing Birmingham by IBM-PLI recommends prioritising key industry sectors and targeting investors more pro-actively with compelling customised propositions, based on respective sector strengths. Key strengths across sectors include the central location within the UK and a workforce of over 2 million people. The sectors IBM identified with the most potential as sources of inward investment were:
- Transport technologies – automotive, aerospace, rail
- Financial and professional services – back and middle office
- Shared Service Centres
- Emerging opportunities - Low carbon, Digital Media and Clinical trials
- Advanced Manufacturing
How
Key activities include:
1. Airport route development – working with Birmingham Airport (within state aid limits) to support new routes to Birmingham, linking to the invest priorities
2. Events – Invest representatives attending national and international events.
Sales promotion through direct contact, and stimulating interest with potential companies and adviser intermediaries, via sector specific media both printed and online and lead generation sales missions.
- Profile activity : to generate awareness and enhance the project area’s business profile (a) online - banner adverts for the project area on sites to reach target decision-makers (b) offline radio/press/outdoor/inserts. Awareness will be maintained in key industry publications to support attendance at events and exhibitions and reinforce the project area competitive strengths.
- Servicing enquiries invest - generic and sector specific
- PR – to generate positive national and international media coverage utilising a thought leadership approach and maximising opportunities and partnership working.
- Website – redeveloping the Business Birmingham website and developing new areas for partners, language micro sites and sector intelligence
- Creating network forums for business sectors
Who
Marketing Birmingham has recruited an Investment Director and 3 Investment Development Managers with sector specialist skills, and 2 Investment Executives.
The Marketing Birmingham Operations and Policy Manager provides co-ordination and project leadership across all worksteams and will manage the joint working with the Black Country and Solihull Coordinators, who are managed by their respective Local Authorities, but work directly Marketing Birmingham. As in each workstream, a multi-skilled team will support the design and production of the marketing and communications.