VIDALIA — The Miss-Lou Regionalism Steering Committee unveiled a $30,000 plan to market the region to the world through branding, publishing and public awareness Tuesday.

The plan was presented to the public at the Miss-Lou Regionalism Luncheon, and Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce President Debbie Hudson said when the group started two years ago, the members were unsure of what would happen. One thing is for sure, though — the committee wants the public to be involved.

“We hope you will embrace (the plan) as we have worked on it and that you will be a part of this plan,” Hudson said.

Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said the plan is not set in stone, but that the steering committee has decided that it wanted to have an increased dialogue in marketing for economic development.

“(We) came up with a couple of options where we could partner in regional marketing of our economic development assets,” Russ said. “It all comes back to money at some point.”

The proposed funds — if the bodies from which they are requested approve them — will come from the Adams County Board of Supervisors, Natchez Now and the Concordia Parish Police Jury. The steering committee will ask the board of supervisors for $10,000, Natchez Now for $5,000 and the police jury for $15,000.

For the marketing efforts, the group made a budget that would be sustainable for a two- or three-year period. The first step is to identify exactly what the region has, so it can be properly marketed, Russ said.

The second step is branding.

“It is not going to do the region any good if we spend another $15,000 promoting Natchez Inc., or Adams County or Concordia Parish,” Russ said. “We have got to have a combined image for some of these marketing dollars.”

“Do you stick with the Miss-Lou (moniker), how does that appeal to business, do they know who you are and what you are about?”

The group is still trying to figure out what they want the region to look like and how to communicate that, Russ said. Related to branding is logo design.

“It is the visual image on our print materials and our website,” Russ said. “It should stir an emotion about where you are located.”

The plan also includes a plan for a joint website to market the area.

“You would see (industrial information) on this regional page with the background of the Miss-Lou and the data that supports that, and you would see the same thing on Vidalia or Ferriday’s industrial properties throughout Concordia Parish.” Russ said. “You would have an electronic area that houses all this regional information, and it gives it a sign of strength and unity to site selection (groups) and business and industry.”

As part of the online marketing effort, the group would launch an image library and map resources that provide data about the area, including census data.

Other digital media the group would like to utilize include electronic banners, interactive systems and data tailored to tablet computers, Russ said.

Likewise, traditional print media that can be sent to prospects and distributed at trade shows and in one-on-one meetings would be used.

But once the initial effort is made, Russ said it is important to advertise to the local population as well.

“It is important that the general public know what you are trying to do,” he said. “I would rather have 30,000 to 40,000 people being our sales representatives than seven or eight.”

Natchez Inc. Chairwoman Sue Stedman said the Miss-Lou has to join together as a region to be able to compete in the economic marketplace.

“We have got to think outside of our little 20-mile radius,” Stedman said. “The first thing you need to understand is that when these companies come to town, they are looking at regions.”

“You can’t just simply look at the industry — you have got to look at the workforce, power supplies, (and) you have got to have an environment that will make companies successful. You have also got to have a quality of life.”

Because economic development efforts have been done without cooperation in the past, governments are finding they have dissipated their funding and are ineffective, Stedman said.

“Regionalism provides competitive advantage because it stretches your dollars,” she said.

“By working together, we can develop a uniform message about the region, and people tend to move in the direction of their conversation — it is important that we have a narrative that is positive.”

Regional goals need to be specific, measurable, achievable and realistic, and they need to be gathered from private and public sources, Stedman said.

“You cannot grow weary from the fight, you must continue no matter how long it takes,” she said “You cannot give up when the people who have nothing to lose from the failure of a project criticize it.”