Navigating the Talent Attraction Marketing Landscape
May 13, 2025
In today’s competitive economy, attracting and retaining talent has become a critical factor in a region’s long-term success. In the next part of our talent attraction and economic development marketing blog series we’re breaking down industry trends, challenges, and success stories, and focusing on talent attraction: why it matters, what’s driving relocation decisions today and how communities can stay ahead.
Talent Attraction: A Cornerstone of Economic Development
Talent attraction is the process of identifying and recruiting individuals with the skills needed to fill open jobs, and it is now at the heart of economic development strategy. In a world where there are more job openings than qualified workers to fill them, regions are no longer just competing for corporate investment; they are battling to bring people to their communities.
Skilled labor availability is one of the top factors that companies evaluate when selecting new locations, and a shortage of workforce can quickly eliminate a region from a company’s shortlist. That’s why economic developers are increasingly showcasing their region’s quality of life, demonstrating to companies that they can successfully recruit and retain talent there.
How Economic Developers Are Attracting Talent
To compete, economic developers are taking a page from tourism marketing and using strategic storytelling, branding and outreach to position their regions as desirable places to live and work. Common talent attraction strategies include:
- Showcasing Quality of Life: Highlighting amenities like affordable housing, outdoor recreation, safety, schools and cultural offerings.
- Marketing Campaigns: Launching digital and traditional campaigns to promote local career opportunities and lifestyle benefits.
- Partnerships: Collaborating with businesses, universities and government agencies to create an ecosystem that supports workforce growth and retention.
Talent Wars: The Research Behind Today’s Strategies
Each year, DCI surveys 1,000 working-age individuals (ages 21–65) who moved at least 100 miles within the past three years to produce our Talent Wars report. This research reveals critical trends shaping the future of talent attraction and informs the most effective marketing strategies for communities.
While core findings remain consistent year over year, the latest Talent Wars report highlights emerging shifts:
- Practical Factors Trump “Nice to Haves”: Lower cost of living, safety and housing availability weigh more heavily than perks like entertainment or nightlife.
- Job Opportunities Drive Relocation Post-Pandemic: Accepting a new job has reemerged as a major relocation trigger.
- The Year of the Great Reimagination: More workers are pursuing new skillsets and career changes than ever before.
- Internet Research Leads Relocation Decisions: Online searches now play a bigger role than personal experiences or word-of-mouth.
- Tech Workers Are On the Move: Following industry layoffs, tech talent is more open to relocation compared to workers in other fields.
The 2025 edition of Talent Wars will continue to track these trends and forecast what lies ahead for communities looking to grow their workforce.
Talent Wars Podcast: Stories from the Front Lines
For deeper insights, DCI’s Talent Wars podcast offers conversations with experts and practitioners working to solve talent challenges every day. Season one highlights include:
- Playing Offense: How Buffalo Flipped the Narrative on Its Weather: How Buffalo positioned itself as a climate refuge city.
- Leading with Authenticity to Attract Talent: Insights from San Diego: Bree Burris shares the inside story of San Diego’s standout talent campaign.
- Inside Greensboro’s Effort to Make More Workplaces Family-Friendly: Cecelia Thompson discusses how workplace policies helped boost Greensboro’s appeal.
Attracting and retaining talent is no longer just an HR concern — it’s an essential part of building vibrant, resilient economies. By understanding the latest research, trends and real-world case studies, economic developers can better position their regions to win in the global competition for talent.
If you’re ready to explore how DCI help your region’s talent attraction efforts, reach out to DCI’s Senior Vice President of Talent Attraction Patience Fairbrother at patience.fairbrother@aboutdci.com.
Check out our full talent attraction and economic development marketing blog series:
Economic Development and Talent Attraction Marketing 101
The Vital Role of Site Selection Consultants in Economic Development
The Evolving Power of Foreign Direct Investment
