Whitefield International provides a range of services to assist economic development organisations, government authorities and investment promotion agencies to develop and implement targeted inward investment programmes.
Such targeted programmes succeed in identifying expanding companies with investment projects and attracting them to our clients’ area, thereby creating new jobs, wealth and investment.
In particular, we undertake and manage inward investment lead generation programmes for our clients. These programmes are underpinned by high quality, extensive research, which enables us to develop up-to-date, comprehensive and tailored databases of potential target companies in a range of sectors and sub-sectors.
Once we have identified a company as a target for our client we will:
- Contact the company, identify the project decision-makers and open a dialogue with them;
- Qualify the existence of an investment project and express interest on behalf of our client;
- Maintain ongoing contact with the decision-makers, providing them with timely, regular and relevant information on the advantages of our client’s location;
- Undertake face-to-face meetings with the decision-makers;
- Encourage potential investors to visit our client’s area and organise such visits;
- Manage, as required, the development of each potential investment project from first discussion through to successful completion;
- Maintain close liaison with our client throughout the whole decision-making process.
Where we can add most value in implementing such lead generation programmes is to:
- Identify companies which are in the early stages of considering an investment relevant to our clients;
- “Open the door” to a face-to-face meeting with “real” prospects on behalf of our clients;
- Persuade those companies with a qualified investment project to visit our client’s area, which is the single most important step in positioning our client’s location on the potential investor’s short list.
Furthermore, it is important that such lead generation activities are carried out in as timely a manner as possible, since in our experience in the foreign direct investment business it is often the first to “open the door” who makes the greatest and lasting impression.
We also undertake investor development/aftercare programmes for our clients looking to reach out to recent or existing investors in their area.
Our other FDI services include:
- International representation
- Benchmarking and evaluation of economic development programmes
- Design of organisational and partnership structures
- Strategic marketing development
- Operational marketing support
- PR, including media relations
- Sector development and cluster building/analysis