Novi enhances Economic Development efforts with refreshed website

Online, May 20, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The City of Novi has launched several new Economic Development initiatives using a variety of electronic facets in the past several months to help showcase its strengths and why businesses searching for a community partner would want to establish roots in Novi.
Headlining this marketing strategy is the refreshed economic development website InvestNovi.org. The recently enhanced site is geared toward national and international businesses and site selectors. InvestNovi.org was developed using elements from popular
global economic development sites, incorporating feedback from other strategic partners and site selectors. The homepage displays an animated map showing the exact location of Novi, Michigan, USA and includes:
• An Available Commercial Properties Database powered by Catalyst, the same provider which hosts the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Oakland County database.
• Easier navigation and searching of information.
• New pages, such as Incentives, Business Sectors, Small Business
Visitors to InvestNovi.org can also sign up to receive a monthly e-Biz newsletter delivered right to their electronic mailbox.
The refreshed site also offers the opportunity to become a "fan" of Novi Economic Development on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/investnovi)and to follow Novi
Economic Development on Twitter (http://ww.twitter.com/investnovi). With the popularity
of these social media sites, it makes great marketing sense for Novi to engage interested community and businesses members in this free communication venue. Information shared highlights business notes of interest, including new openings, educational opportunities, local headlines, and partnership accolades.
"The City of Novi takes great pride in its hands on approach to interacting and communicating with the business community," said Ara Topouzian, Novi's Economic Development Director. "The refreshed InvestNovi.org will serve as a great business
attraction site and the Facebook and Twitter venues provide an opportunity for those to receive instant updates on what it is happening in the Novi business community."
Novi created the Neighborhood and Business Relations Group in 2007. In addition to these marketing efforts, since inception, the Neighborhood and Business Relations Group has made several hundred retention calls and has created the Novi Business Assistance Team (Novi BAT). BAT is a collaborative effort between Oakland County, the City of Novi, the Novi Chamber of Commerce and experienced business members that provides confidential assistance to Novi Businesses with 25 employees or less. They provide advice
about things such as financing, business plans, marketing and other items of interest.
For more information about doing business in Novi, visit InvestNovi.org.