5 Tips to Maximize Your Economic Development Efforts at ICSC RECon

5 Tips to Maximize Your Economic Development Efforts at ICSC RECon

The main purpose of ICSC RECon is to network and begin to form relationships with retailers, developers and brokers who are in a position to make a site selection decision about your community’s trade area.

Your job as a community is not to persuade them, but instead, to educate them on what your community has to offer and why a location might be a financially sound and mutually beneficial decision for both parties.

To maximize your economic development efforts at RECon, follow these five tips.  

Have specific targets in mind - prior to the show. Look through the membership directory and attendee list of retailers, developers and brokers attending the conference to determine appointments and identify retail concepts that fit your community. Be realistic.  Do some research on the retailers you are focused on and make sure that they fit the demographics, psychographics and current development structure of your projects. Don’t take large binders of information. Take a one sheet or condensed information source such as CD or flash drive to leave with the retailer. Your one sheet could be an aerial map with current development areas listed. The page should showcase information such as project sites, acreage, name of developer, and market potential of the area. Sell your trade area, not just political boundaries. Let the retailer or developer know exactly where you are located (major freeway intersections, landmarks, etc.) and what is included in your drive-time trade area. Focus on the buying power of consumers in your trade area rather than simply the residents within your political boundaries. Set appointments for at least 75 percent of your time.  RECon is unlike most other trade shows. Retailers and developers begin making appointments for meetings as early as a year before the show. To be successful, go to RECon with confirmed appointments and leave only a small portion of your time for unplanned opportunities.