The Greater Sudbury
Marketing Alliance is a new
strategic marketing initiative which is being coordinated by a
Sudbury-based company called Infocom Canada Business Consultants Inc..
For the past year and a half, Infocom Canada has been quietly developing a
strategic plan of action which will incorporate the goals, objectives and concerns
which have been identified by a number of groups and individuals in the
Greater Sudbury Area.
In developing this plan, the owners of Infocom Canada
have thoroughly analyzed the results of activities undertaken by the Greater
Sudbury Economic Development Corporation; the City of Greater Sudbury
Council; the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce; the Downtown Sudbury
Association and a number of other organizations and groups which have
shown interest in the future of the Greater Sudbury Area.
As well, we have attended events such as the Bridges To Better Business Seminar;
the New Economy Sudbury
Symposium; the Student Business Mentorship Program
Workshop; and the
Health Choices Sudbury workshop, to name a few.
We have listened to presentations about the future of
Sudbury given by such leading personalities as Peter Dal
Bianco; Jack
Braithwaite, former chair
of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Judith
Woodsworth,
President of Laurentian University; Sylvia Barnard, President of
Cambrian College; Michael
Furdyk, the 20-year old millionaire who spoke
at the "Communities of Change" workshop in Sudbury; and many
other people from the region who have a sound understanding of what it
will take to lead the Greater Sudbury Area into an era of economic
prosperity in the near future.
While attending the events and
listening to speaker after speaker, it was noticed that three common threads have
emerged.
First of all, most of the workshops, conferences, and
speakers have identified that the Greater Sudbury Area has a serious
image problem. This is not something new. We have known this for a long
time. The difference is that during the past couple of years, and
especially in the past twelve months, this single issue is being
identified as one
of the most significant reasons why many sectors of our economy have
stalled.
Secondly, and most encouragingly, everyone agrees that
we have a lot of great things going on in our community and that there
is a lot to be proud of. Virtually everyone who has spoken feels that
the future looks extremely good for the Greater Sudbury Area.
It is very nice to hear that so many key people feel
that the future looks good for the Greater Sudbury Area. Nevertheless, those same people are
qualifying their enthusiasm by acknowledging that the key to unlocking this
bright future is an improved image.
We do have a lot of great things going on in our
community, but people living outside of this region, and to a large
extent many of those living within the Greater Sudbury Area, are not fully aware of what
we have to offer.
Therefore, it is imperative that we take the necessary
steps to begin increasing awareness of the positive elements of the Greater
Sudbury Area, thus improving our image, both locally and externally.
Only then will our great future have a chance to materialize. But the
clock is ticking on the window of opportunity and we must initiate some
form of action plan immediately.
The third point that has been stated over and over again
is that it will be up to the private sector to take a leadership role in
developing a strategic marketing plan which will take us into this
bright future. The public sector will continue to be an active
participant in any initiative, but when all is said and done, effective
economic development strategies which are successful and stand the test
of time are, for the most part, driven and funded by the private sector.
At this point in time, while there have been several
attempts to bring major players to the table, most of these efforts have
been initiated by the public sector as a method of encouraging the
private sector partners to take on more of a leadership role.
As a
result, a lot of talking has gone on.
Committees have been established.
Studies have been prepared.
Reports have been presented.
And they all come
up with the same conclusions.
The future of Sudbury looks great, but we
have to improve our image, both locally and externally in order to make
it happen. An improved image will have a direct impact on our
population, our education sector, our health sector, tourism, business
development and job creation as well as many other things.
Up until now, we have come up with a lot of plans, but
no one has stepped forward to put the plans into action.
The time has come for the creation of a strategic
marketing initiative which will at least get the ball rolling in the
right direction. Others can come on board in the future once they have
completed their own specific plans and strategies, but those of us
who are in a position to make instant
decisions and who are ready to take positive action in beginning the
long journey into the future can become part of the Greater Sudbury Marketing
Alliance and lead the way.
The journey into the future begins with a single
step. The
Greater Sudbury Marketing Alliance is not about talking and planning. It
is about action and building awareness through effective marketing to
bring about immediate results. Those immediate results will be used to
develop and sustain long-term goals.
A fire is started with a single spark. That spark has
the potential to turn into a raging inferno, but until the spark is
generated, nothing will happen. The Greater Sudbury Marketing Alliance
is the spark that we have been waiting for. We have targeted the place
in which to ignite that spark and need the support of the Greater
Sudbury Area to create the inferno we are certain will be
generated by that spark.
