A few years ago, on the last day of our Talent Attraction Summit, a bunch of us went to lunch at a local spot in downtown Fargo where we hosted our conference.
Above: After our Summit event, we went to one of those beer hall places with the long, wooden tables. We were tired but excited about a few great days talking about talent attraction. The vibes were immaculate.
Our server asked us what we were all doing there. We explained the event, who was there, and that we were all about to head home. Her reply… “Oh no, I can’t believe that you had to come to Fargo.” (For the record, Fargo is incredible! You should absolutely go!)
This fond memory highlights an important point:
Internal perception dictates external perception. What we believe about our communities, and what we say and write about our communities, matters. And in talent attraction and tourism, perception is often all that matters.
You can take my word for it, if you’d like. I always appreciate that. But in this case, you don’t have to. Recently, at the City Nation Place Americas conference in Vancouver, I had the privilege of attending a session with Jose Filipe Torres on his expertise with, “The impact of city brands on the North American economy.”
Above: Jose Filipe Torres, CEO and Nation and City Branding Global Director at Bloom Consulting,
presented on the topic of perception. (Photo Credit: CNP)
He asked the question “Why do some cities in the US and Canada consistently outperform others in tourism, investment, and talent attraction?” The answer: Perception. Decisively.
Throughout the session, Torres provided data and examples on why and how much perception actually drives investment, tourism spending, and migration.
He also clearly outlined how shifting perception .1% in a positive direction translates into billions (with a B) of dollars in economic impact.
Torres was able to show correlation in his research of how small improvements in a city’s perception can translate into substantial financial gains.
If improving perception is the answer, the question is: “What are economic developers doing to improve it?” Because that server could have been in any community.
In our work, we’ve heard that same question in different forms over and over and over. Baristas, Uber drivers, HR professionals, teachers, hotel concierges are all part of a robust talent attraction strategy. They often create first and lasting impressions of your city.
Our job is to build cities that our residents are proud of — one they invest in, brag about, invite friends to, and welcome newcomers to. The message has to be clear: This place is awesome. We’re glad you’re here. You’re going to love it. And if your people don’t believe that, why should anyone else?
Perception isn’t a soft metric — it’s a powerful economic driver. Perception plays a bigger role in talent attraction than most communities realize.
Above: My Fargo story is a simple reminder that the way residents talk about their city shapes first impressions, influences decisions, and ultimately impacts growth.
When people inside a community believe in it and speak positively about it, attracting talent becomes much easier—and much more effective.
If you’re ready to better understand how perception is shaping your community’s ability to attract and retain talent and where the biggest opportunities lie — let’s talk. Book a meeting with RoleCall to explore your talent attraction strategy, community WayFinders and uncover actionable ways to strengthen your story from the inside out.