Konya Exports

www.konyaexports.com

Konya Exports October 2014

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chance that our city of Konya may be the first in this field.

“We produces about 200 pages report for the project

that is to be summarized below.

Synergy is an important concept in city marketing efforts.

For increasing synergy potential in the project professi-

onalism, communication, stakeholders and vision are

major concepts that they should be handled carefully.

Professionalism requires acting professionally by hiring

professionals and professional services. They produce

plans, manage and develop brand by getting profes-

sional services. Communication is important just at the

beginning, not only at the presentation stage of the pro-

ject. Efficient activities focused on the brand can only be

possible by having a powerful and shareable information

networks. Stakeholders are those people, establishments

and companies who both contribute in the objectives

and have a share in the end results. Efficient communica-

tion is a must for the betterment of stakeholders’ partici-

pation in the project. Each city marketing efforts starts by

having a vision for the future. What are the expectations

for the city as a whole and what should/could it be in the

future have to be known. It is determined either upward

or downward manner. Then it should be promoted

among the stakeholders, first.

Execution of city marketing efforts should be done and

supervised by a single body. We called this department

of city brand. Without such a body success of the project

is a mirage. In our project we defined the role and

responsibilities and even the manpower needs of this

department.

Eurocities sources defines five topics for successful city

brand operations, namely, the vision (top-down), deter-

mination of basic characteristics of the city (bottom-up),

a professional solution bought for brand management

and development, understanding of present views of

brand (opinion polls) and the engagement of stakehol-

ders and citizens through an idea pool developed by the

agency. It is so similar to the marketing of any product or

services in commercial markets. But, city branding needs

much more efforts and participants than that during infor-

mation exchange and focusing on the issues.

Naturally having a logo and motto for the city is only a

part of all integrated efforts. We also proposed a process

of developing a logo for the city. However, logo and

motto have to be strongly supported by the facts and

data. Konya Platform has developed an idea in their

report and tries to promote it.

Every body in the city is aware of the importance of

attracting of qualified man/idea powers to Konya. More

and more people in the art, entertainment, education,

industry fields, any one who have innovative ideas and

can produce technology should be attracted to the

city. There is no simple formula for success. Each case is

special. As Konya Platform, we keep our responsibility by

the realization of the projects. By now we have organized

presentations to ten different groups including the board

members of occupational chambers in the city. I have to

thank especially the chairman of Konya Platform M. Ali

Celik and other members of the board for their valuable

supports. I want to conclude with a summarizing word.

Our position as the city that is on the verge of her bran-

ding efforts is seemed similar to a transatlantic that passes

by in the dark of the night without whistling. I think that we

have everything to start now. Let the giant transatlantic

that is Konya put its lights and sirens on. First the passen-

gers and the people on land will be happy and be ready

for the next voyage.