Tomball EDC Balances Authenticity & Strategy to Attract Businesses

Summary

Seeking to attract businesses that aligned with the city’seconomic vision and values, the Tomball EDC embraced digital marketing strategies to expand its reach andposition Tomball as a dynamic destination for businesses to call home.

Company Background

Home to 12,000 residents and 1,500 businesses, Tomball, Texas, offers a unique combination of economicopportunity and small-town charm. The Tomball Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) is dedicated to promoting economic development by attracting newbusinesses and industries, retaining existing businesses,and providing resources that enhance the general wellbeing of the community

The Challenge

As the greater Houston area rapidly urbanized, the Tomball Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) faced the challenge of attracting the right investors amidst increasing competition, while preserving the city's unique identity and historic legacy.

Assistant Director, Tiffani Wooten recognized that to stand out, it was important to showcase what made Tomball unique. “We don’t need to be Houston,” Wooten emphasized. “Our goal is to find businesses that will thrive here and resonate with our community’s heartbeat." This vision required a strategic approach. Despite its small size, Tomball held a distinct advantage thanks to its prime location—nestled just 28 miles north of Houston, offering businesses both the benefits of proximity to a major metropolitan area and the intimacy of a tight-knit community.

The Solution

The TEDC’s economic development strategy centers on a “three-legged stool” approach: attracting businesses that align with community values, retaining and supporting existing businesses, and addressing workforce development for long-term growth.

To amplify this strategy, the Tomball EDC partnered with Multiview to implement a targeted marketing campaign aimed at mid-sized businesses within specialized manufacturing and the food industry. Combining programmatic display and video ads, the campaign ensured consistent messaging for businesses already interested in the area, while reinforcing Tomball’s unique identity across all platforms.

The use of advanced analytics provided real-time insights into ad performance, website traffic, and audience engagement, enabling data-driven decision-making.

As a public employee, having that information in your back pocket makes it a lot easier to explain where we're spending marketing dollars and why.

— Tiffani Wooten, Assistant Director of the TEDC

The Results

By embracing a data-driven marketing strategy, the TEDC has gained greater visibility and predictability in new business development. Through insights gleaned from digital campaigns and website activity, the TEDC can anticipate when companies are likely to reach out. “I can almost bank on [companies who] have spent time on different pages to contact us within the next 30 days...sometimes as [quick] as 48-hours,” said Assistant Director Tiffani Wooten.

As a result, Tomball has recruited hundreds of projects leading to nearly $500 million in capital investment and more than 5,000 jobs created since 2011.