What is the best way to find site selection resources using the Web?

According to a 2005 survey report by one of the marketing advisors to places seeking site selection prospects, Development Counsellors International, 65% of senior-level corporate executives would likely use location data from websites. DCI also reported that ally networks of industry peers are ... the leading source of information influencing the executives ... (source).

The plethora of location data supplier websites available to the .network target audience today seems to bear out DCI's findings. The communications traffic between The Network and its users requesting delivery on its promise is additional proof that the surveys were reliable projectors, thus leading to the conclusion that the best way to find site selection resources is to search for networks providing accessible contact directories on the Web.

The Global Registry of Contacts is an example of a free-access directory. Users of The Network have an easy, search promise, path to contact data for resource and service providers.

The Regional Site Selection Directory is another example of a free-access directory.

The Network provides links to outside contact directories (for example).

Economic Development.net/Area Development specifically has links to location data suppliers.

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How can The Network help when search results are unsatisfactory?

We (who we are) offer to give personal attention to your report of a problem or complaint. Send us an email and it will be accepted as a request for .network search promise delivery.

Reports of unsatisfactory search results in the form of complaints are welcomed ... we depend on them to improve. Take a look at Search for a Resource, page 5 of the introduction to The Network, especially, the section where we ask users to share resources. Notice that we want critiques as well as suggestions and comments. All three approaches to help users share resources with one another are equally important. Complaints help us improve satisfaction.

Your inquiry can be separated from unimportant and unwanted email if you send it with a subject line beginning with the word from followed by a colon: Services to address a complaint or problem you bring to our attention will be provided for without cost or obligation.

Reports of unsatisfactory search results in the form of complaints are welcomed ... we depend on them to improve The Network. Take a look at Search for a Resource, page 5 of the introduction to The Network, especially, the section where we ask users to share resources. Notice that we want critiques as well as suggestions and comments. All three approaches to helping users share resources with one another are equally important. Complaints help us improve satisfaction.

URL address string for the webpage where you found the problem along with the sentence containing the link. Paste both of these items in the memo section of your email. For solutions to other problems using The Network, CLICK HERE.

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What does it cost to advertise in the .network site selection guide?

We should point out that The Network focuses on networking rather than advertising and that, as a site selection guide, it is dedicated to serving both the economic development and enterprise development processes. Take a look at the description of our target user group. Advertising comes under the .network participation offerings. CLICK HERE for details and costs. A participant who leases a webpage has an advertising medium for personal use. Webpage sponsors are advertisers.

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How should employees be informed about their employer's relocation planning?

The first consideration should be the protection of confidential plans and activities. It makes a difference when there are legal concerns, such as contractual agreements with employees. The last thing management or a relocation team wants is for rumors to get started and employees or, for example, labor organizations begin taking action on their own to protect job security. Another consideration is for the relocation project leader to know who among employees as well as outside resource and service providers can be trusted. Generally outsiders called upon during a relocation project are the same as those used for site location assistance (see the answer to the question below about working discreetly with outsiders). Employees who have served the enterprise well but for whatever reason will not make the move deserve to be treated with respect and dealt with fairly. There is also the consideration for employees that an enterprise on the move wants to take along. A relocation checklist is available, CLICK HERE.

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Should enterprise developers work discreetly with resource and service providers?

Anyone with experience in planning and carrying out enterprise development projects successfully will tell you that confidentiality is important. Nothing says it better than loose lips sink ships! More often than not the site location process is one of potentially exposing confidential plans and activities surrounding the relocation or expansion of the operations of an enterprisesomething that owners don't want competitors to know about. Likewise, when there are site selection projects underway for starting up new ventures, enterprise developers and smart entrepreneurs do not want information to fall into the hands of those in position to torpedo plans. Remember: It's the responsibility of a site selector to protect the integrity of an enterprise development plan. Experienced site selection advisors know the process for building networks of reliable and trustworthy resource suppliers and service providers. Bottom line: Work discreetly while searching for site selection resources!

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Are users of The Network able to discreetly gather information about locations?

Users are able to discreetly go about their business within The Network because it functions as as an open access search resource. Its websites are not monitored.

It also functions to put users together with mission contacts. How users can operate discreetly and what confidentiality protection is afforded to them varies once they move outside The Network.

Users can discreetly contact The Network to ask about location data suppliers.

Users have the Site Selection Directory which offers suggestions for working discreetly.

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Is an area developer and economic developer?

Economic developers as resource contacts and specialized marketers for more than an single locale are referred to as area developers to signify that they work a region.

The term area developer make a distinction, often implying that a contact is a regional economic developer. Area Development is a term that's been around for many years. Its use ranges from being the name of a business publication to the name of a section of the Economic Development Network website. It the latter case, Area Development opens to a global list of countries, each of which may be defined as either areas or locations.

The question is how do you find area and local development contacts in The Network, including economic developers. First, you can search the Global Registry of Contacts in Find Me Here.com. You can also search the regional contact directory in Site Location Assistance.com. The directory is called Regional Site Selection Directory. Your third search choice is Area Development mentioned in the paragraph above. There you search for locations at all level and contact in position to supply information about them ... some, but not all, are economic developers. See the file on various types of location data suppliers in Economic Development.net.

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Where can I find an economic development directory?

An economic development directory needs to be a type of to be of use to participants in the mission of The Network. Take a look at the definition of contact directory for a link to one type of economic development directory. The directory is more comprehensive than just covering economic development so that it can be a reference for all participants in the mission of The Network. You can access many other contact directories through The Network, some are designated as economic development directories ... more information

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Who are members of the target audience of The Network?

Business decision makers, especially those engaged as enterprise developers and site selectors as well as those who are their resource and service providers. For example, site selection requires location data suppliers as resource providers. Examples of enterprise developers are entrepreneurs, small business owners, leaders of fast-growing companies and so called corporate real estate executives. The target audience includes our user group and mission contacts.

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What's the difference between a user of The Network and a participant?

There is no difference for all practical purposes. The word participant is used in conjunction with the mission. Visitors to our websites who become users because they are involved in enterprise and economic development are participants interested in the main thrust of The Network.

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How can I access a page of your global directory of contacts?

It is intended that you should find a page by searching for a specific contact or location. We also provide an index of GRC files published in Find Me Here.com in the Area Development section of the Economic Development Network website. We are in the process of building an index for each country listed as a link in Area Developmentsee the US index for example.

Why are some items of directory information linked and some not? answer