Free Trade Zone management company wanted develop a marketing plan to attract foreign investors

Free Trade Zone management company wanted develop a marketing plan to attract foreign investors to its free zones and industrial park and promote economic growth.  Client wanted to position portfolio companies as the gateway to the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and North America conveying a positive image of distinctive quality and a vibrant environment with unique spaces for its tenants and customers.

Secondary research and desk analysis to identify target respondents, gage competitiveness, analyze trade and investment statistics.  Over 30 face to face interviews with FTZ stakeholders and tenants to gain perspective on markets, products and performance; 6 in depth interviews with competitors; and 81 quantitative surveys with FTZ tenants.

A comprehensive report that included identification of customer concerns, key customers and key competitors; description and analysis of potential markets; and trade partners and investment flows.  Also included were key value drivers for country and free trade zones; free trade zone unmet needs; analysis of overall country infrastructure; analysis of competitive factors by country in terms of FTZ, unmet needs, economic growth, GDP, international trades, advantages and disadvantages of doing business; and an assessment of regional trade agreements. 

Findings revealed that although there are a few competitive advantages, bureaucracy, the cost of business and the time it takes to start a business hinder the country’s economic growth.  The cost of doing business marginalizes opportunities for call centers and BPOs.  Although the country’s cost factors did not support manufacturing recruitment, some value-added niche manufacturing could be pursued by writing success story case studies of their manufacturing and distribution tenants. 

As part of the recommendations, client was advised to build an infrastructure to support the marketing and promotion of certain consumer goods identified as opportunities.  They needed to promote country under a boutique strategy, making the free zone showroom a real trade mart with the ability to host events, business meetings, and to facilitate matchmaking.