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What we do

How we do it

Who we are

Marketing is an essential element in a city’s strategy and day-to-day activities. We support cities (as well as regions and countries) in setting up and optimising their place marketing and branding.

Overview of our activities

Activity

Description

Price

Consultancy

Tailor-made consultancy, on various topics related to place marketing and branding.

On request

We support our customers in dealing with topics such as:

  • How to connect the marketing strategy with the city mission?
  • How to strengthen the place brand?
  • How to optimise the city marketing: where is the room for improvement?
  • How to profile economic clusters?
  • How to develop valuable ambassador networks?
  • How to realize an integrated city marketing approach? How to apply effective City marketing principles?
  • How to develop a city marketing toolkit?
  • Roles and responsibilities: how to organise the city marketing?
We are more than happy to support you.
If you are interested in our services, please get in touch with us.
One Day Consultancy Session

One-on-one advice, 9h00-18h00. These are tailor-made, one day sessions for one client.

€2500,-

In this session, you receive feedback on your existing place marketing approach, we discuss crucial questions, strategic scenarios and practical solutions. Some features:

Tailor-made

A city marketing approach is always tailor-made. ‘One size fits all’ does not apply. Every city, region, country has specific situations, opportunities to seize and issues to deal with.

It’s up to the client to decide on the focus during the session. If you have specific questions on branding, on partnerships, on governance, or any other issues, we focus on those topics.

Interactive

The day has the character of a workshop, an interactive brainstorm. We serve as a sounding board for burning questions. The day has a specific format, with some ‘fixed’’ elements and much room for improvising.

Effective

Where’s room for improvement? By discussing aspects of a successful city marketing approach, we discover what needs attention. It’s like a check-up: what is going well, what needs to be fixed?

Energetic

New ideas, practical principles, mind maps, co-creation, inspiring examples of other cities, regions, countries: this session gives a new boost.

Integrated

In city marketing, almost everything is interrelated. During the session, these relations are made visible, and a cohesive approach discussed. Both strategic and practical topics. These pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are dealt with individually and in relation to each other. At the end of the day, you also have a clear picture of the complete puzzle.

If you are interested in this one day consultancy session, please contact us.
City Marketing Workshop

Workshop of a day (maximum of 20 participants), during which all city marketing relevant aspects are discussed.

€495,-
per person

Much interaction and inspiring exercises. Participants can improve their marketing approach, by applying practical tips and effective principles. Maximum of 20 participants.

  • Duration: 1 day
  • Next edition: fall 2020

Interested in taking part? Please send an email to info@citymar.com

City Marketing Checklist Session

This ‘checklist session’ is a 3-hour presentation,  for a larger group.

€95,-
per person

Session for a larger group, usually half a day.

Participants receive a structured checklist of valuable insights on a large number of topics  related to city marketing. This gives you input for your place marketing approach on your own.

  • Next edition: fall 2020
  • Location: Rotterdam

Interested in taking part? Please send an email to info@citymar.com

Book: Citymarketing: strategy, action, organisation

Citymarketing: strategy, action, organisation (122 pages) covers all relevant aspects of a solid place marketing approach.
www.citymarketingbook.com

€25,-

Citymarketing: strategy, action, organisation (122 pages, € 25,-) covers all relevant aspects of an effective city marketing approach. The book offers a mix of strategic insights, concrete suggestions on how to deal with dilemmas, pragmatic tips for daily activities and much more.

More info and order form

We serve as a critical and creative sparring-partner. We believe in co-creation and teamwork. Our clients know their own city and region better than we do. We simply assist in making a good analysis and the right choices.

We serve as a sounding board, and together with the client, we come up with possible scenarios and the best solutions. What to expect? Energy. Focus. Original views. Practical solutions. Clear language.

Our approach

CONNECTION WITH URBAN OBJECTIVES

Marketing plays a crucial role in successful city management. It contributes to realizing the strategic objectives of cities, regions, countries. Marketing is clearly a means to an end, not a goal in itself. We assist in connecting the marketing approach and the city strategy.

DILEMMAS, CHOICES, PRINCIPLES

City marketing is all about tackling complicated dilemmas, making clear choices and applying effective principles. We assist our clients in doing so.

CLEAR ANALYSIS

What needs to be solved? What is bothering the city?  What needs focus? What is the present and what the aspired situation? The right answers to these questions form a strong basis for the marketing approach.

STRATEGY ACTION

Concrete day-to-day activities should be based on  and contribute to the city’s long term strategy. We can assist in translating the strategy into concrete action. One example would be the development of an ambassador network.

COHERENT APPROACH

City marketing is comprehensive. Many urban issues and policies are interrelated. This requires an all-encompassing, integrated approach.

In our work, we involve topics such as smart cities, sharing economy, the Sustainable Development Goals (with a focus on SDG 11 and SDG 17), and other relevant aspects of a coherent urban marketing approach.

We are more than happy to support you.
If you are interested in our services, please get in touch with us.

Citymar Consultancy is specialised in place marketing. We advise cities, regions and countries on strategic and more practical topics. In a pragmatic, interactive way, using clear language. We aim to assist our clients in making the right decisions. By being a creative and driven sparring partner, with expertise and experience in this specific field.

Citymar Consultancy, based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, is an activity of Nesselaar Urban Consultancy BV.

About Citymar Consultancy

Why we do what we do

Our main drive: sharing knowledge, spreading urban ideas. We are passionate about working on urban challenges. We enjoy supporting cities and other places in improving their marketing and branding policies

Some of our activities

Just a few examples of our activities:

  • Regional marketing of the Rotterdam The Hague metropolitan region, the Netherlands
  • Empowering Cities and Citizens conference November 2018, in partnership with Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Ghent, Belgium: workshop to further develop the economic profile
  • Basel, Switzerland: strategic session on how to connect the architecture policy with the city’s marketing
  • Regional marketing ‘Dunes- and Flower Bulb region’, the Netherlands

Founder

Robbert Nesselaar is founder and director of Citymar Consultancy. Robbert has over 20 years of experience in city marketing. He has worked on the marketing and branding of the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and was involved in the strategic marketing development of various cities. Robbert frequently gives presentations and guest lectures.

Robbert is also Founder and President of the International Generation Games Association, a non-profit sport for all event. Shared with cities around the world, open source and no fee involved.

We are more than happy to support you.
If you are interested in our services, please get in touch with us.