PCDC Wins Major Marketing Award

During the past year, PCDC staff members have transformed the website into a content-rich and industry-friendly website that keeps local residents informed of programs and incentives and works to attract new business to the community.

These efforts, along with the creative GO! marketing programs that unite all of PCDC’s work, have been recognized as PCDC’s earned first place honors at the Mid-America Economic Development Council’s annual awards ceremony in early December.

“We are honored and humbled to have received this award,” PCDC Executive Director Ron Tillery said. “Our entire staff has worked hard to create a consistent brand and to keep our website updated with fresh content and make it friendly for new businesses who may be looking to locate in the county.”

The website contains a plethora of information relevant to industries, such as population and demographics, labor availability, sites and buildings for sale and detailed information on the Iron Horse Business & Industry Park.

The site also contains information helpful to county residents, such as a guide to starting a business, information about becoming a franchise owner and grant application forms to spruce up a business or purchase a home (for new residents). The site also features information about local jobs and community resources.

In addition, the site contains articles and newsletters with the latest information on PCDC projects and incentives.

The Mid-America Economic Development Council presented PCDC with the first-place award for a marketing program in the small division for communities less than 50,000 people. The award recognizes an overall effort to market a community, county, state or region.

PCDC’s website is created and managed by Golden Shovel Agency based in Little Falls, Minn., with regular content updates and input from the PCDC staff.

Darren Varley, client services manager at Golden Shovel, said that local input, a strong brand and a dedication to marketing the community is what makes PCDC’s site stand above the rest.

“One thing that separates this client from a lot of our clients is they have a big passion for the community and are very actively involved in marketing the entire community,” Varley said of PCDC staff and volunteers. “PCDC’s ambition and how they’ve rebranded themselves and the programs that promote #GROW37 has made Holdrege, Nebraska, very appealing.”

Golden Shovel works with more than 150 clients across the United States and Canada, and PCDC has risen to the top with the level of enthusiasm and energy that it puts forth.

Varley has not visited Holdrege, but he said based on the publicity he has seen from PCDC that “Holdrege kind of seems like the community I would want to live in.”

Visit PCDC’s website at www.PhelpsCountyNE.com.