RMS’ Director of Business Development Sandy Baker, second from left, joined fellow colleagues David Holder (left), of Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ben Walsh (center), of Syracuse Economic Development Corporation, Joanne Rauch (second from right), of C.R. Fletcher & Associates, and Jamie Marciniak Waller on a panel discussing the selling points of Syracuse and Central New York.
Sandy Baker, the Director of Business Development at Research & Marketing Strategies, joined a panel of speakers through CNY Sales & Marketing for the program Selling Syracuse on Sept. 20 at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.The event focused on the Syracuse and Central New York region boasting many appealing attributes that make it an extremely attractive area for businesses, employees, and marketers alike.
“Syracuse and the surrounding suburbs, Central New York, have enjoyed a long history as one of the nation’s top test markets. The metropolitan area’s use by marketers as a proving ground of eventual product success or failure is well documented. Products and PR campaigns, ranging from ice cream to baby carrots, have been tested and honed in CNY before going national,” Sandy said.
“There are many reasons for choosing CNY as a test market including low advertising costs, its relative geographic isolation (from other major cities and television markets), and most importantly, its demographic representation of the United States as a whole. Syracuse is a mirror image of the US in many demographic areas, including race, age, income and employment,” she continued. “In terms of rolling out a new product/campaign, doing it among the right population is the key to determining a product’s future. Syracuse is a hot spot for mystery shopping, focus groups and surveys. With Syracuse’s similarities to the nation, the city’s market provides an honest platform to assess a new product. This is one of the main reasons that Syracuse remains a top choice among marketers.”
Sandy’s panel members included David Holder, of Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ben Walsh, of Syracuse Economic Development Corporation, Joanne Rauch, of C.R. Fletcher & Associates, and Jamie Marciniak Waller.
The discussion also focused on what makes Syracuse an ideal place for new and expanding business, an attractive spot for travel and tourism as well as an area for highly skilled professionals to relocate. Other points of interest included: National Geographic’s Green Guide named Syracuse One of America’s Top 20 Green Cities; Forbes named the region One of America’s Best Places for Business; and Business Facilities listed the area as among its seven best locations across the nation for companies seeking to move or expand in a new location.
Are you looking for test market cities in the U.S.? Review the following blog posts which discuss why Syracuse may be a good fit for your business:
If you are interested in learning more about how Syracuse can fit into your market research plans, contact our Business Development Director Sandy Baker at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 315-635-9802.
