Sonoma County Economic Development Board Wins IEDC Silver Award for #GoSoCo Campaign

The Sonoma County Economic Development Board received an Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award for its “#GoSoCo – All You Need Is Local” Post Wildfires Shop Local Campaign from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 2, during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held September 29 – October 3, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

“We are honored to receive this award for our efforts to promote a shop local campaign in the aftermath of the Oct. 2017 wildfires that supported our small business and retail sector during the important holiday season,” said EDB’s Director of Business Development & Innovation Al Lerma.

#GoSoCo – All You Need Is Local” Post Wildfires Shop Local campaign was born out of the shared experience that businesses were facing tremendous struggles in the aftermath of the October 2017 wildfires. “We were inspired by the spirit of community and wanted to contribute as much as we possibly could to recovery,” said Lerma.   

Directing shopping dollars towards local businesses during the holiday season —perhaps the most critical time for business owners to boost revenue and bolster their bottom line— was vital to support our recovery efforts in the months after the wildfires. That’s why in November of 2017, with the support of our County Board of Supervisors and local chambers of commerce we launched the "#GoSoCo - All You Need Is Local" promotional ad campaign to motivate residents and visitors to support local retailers.

Results by the Numbers:

•  9 Cities Supported Campaign
• 15 Chambers of Commerce Participated
• 55,000 shoppers reached
• 255,000 impressions on Facebook
• Daily Digital & Print Reach of 175,000 persons in area’s largest newspaper
• 6 local newspapers ran print and digital ads

"This year our judges reviewed some extraordinary projects that advanced both communities and businesses. We congratulate all the award winners, and thank everyone who nominated their projects for sharing their success with fellow IEDC members. What we learn from each other helps us to grow and advance as a profession. We look forward to even greater participation from economic developers across the globe in the 2019 awards program.” -- Craig Richard, CEcD, FM, President and CEO, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation located in Tampa, Florida, and 2018 IEDC Board Chair.

About the International Economic Development Council

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the world's largest membership organization for economic development professionals. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life in their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, our members represent the entire range of economic development. Learn more at iedconline.org.