Being a hub for innovation, Fargo is continually seen as a mover and shaker in the region. With that, comes a need for new community members to support growth. It’s not just making people stay that’s important, but also bringing new people in.
Read below to discover how we helped a group of local organizations create a plan to focus on and boost recruitment of the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Challenge
Flint Group was asked to provide a recommendation for a digital clearinghouse solution to drive potential employees and residents to learn more about the opportunities, support, and advantages in the Fargo area. The project was being led by a steering committee that included leaders from the local EDC, chamber of commerce, visitor bureau and United Way.
Solution
Our team first needed to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the previous community recruitment strategy. We analyzed what the messaging of key stakeholders was saying about the Fargo-Moorhead area and determined that each were saying very similar things. When asked “Why Fargo-Moorhead?” all had a similar brand tone and message: The Fargo-Moorhead area is a vibrant, engaged, community-driven place and is truly an out-of-the-ordinary place to live, work and learn. This was a key learning and supported our goal of consistent branding for our region.
While the messaging was consistent, the problem was simply the number of platforms available to traffic, each with their own goals. The redundant amount of recruitment content made it hard for one web platform to stick out. This is where the positive aspects of providing a digital clearinghouse solution came in to play. Jen Strickler, SVP of Brand Experience highlighted the benefit of a single, cohesive place for people to get a quick understanding of what they can expect of the Fargo-Moorhead area. “This website will act as a hub to give to people of our region and be a connection tool, guiding people along their journey to learning about the benefits of the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Following a review session and a clear understanding of the campaign plan, our team set a baseline of target audiences for the campaign. The primary audience was potential workforce/employees moving to the F-M area. Our secondary audience narrowed in on college graduates, entrepreneurs, current employees, and trailing spouses.
Results
Flint Group created a dedicated website, liveinfargo.com, with its own marketable, search-friendly URL. The website is a resource for the question: “Why live and work in Fargo?” This website contains a combination of original content, embedded third-party content and contextual links to third-party sources of information. It has become a useful tool for individuals considering a move to Fargo and students considering opportunities available in the community, as well as employers recruiting employees outside of the region. Read a previous article on how we used psychology and emotion to design this website.
Interested in seeing what our team can do for your business? Contact us today!
