Background: Kotler et al (1999) tell that places are facing some major challenges: the globalization, the urban evolution, a growing competition of attracting scarce resources and that places have to rely on their own local resources to face the growing competition. Due to these factors it is getting harder for places to retain and attract residents, especially for smaller places. But Hospers (2011) tells that communities and cities undertake place marketing in order to fight these challenges and to be attractive for both existing and potential residents.
Purpose: The aim of this research is to find out how small Swedish municipalities promote themselves in order to retain and attract residents.
Method: A case study strategy with a semi-structured interview and documentary secondary data as data collection methods.
Findings: It is beneficial for small Swedish municipalities to promote unique and realistic characteristics as they want to be identified with and to promote existing residents in promotion campaigns in order to display that the municipality value the residents. Furthermore, it is also beneficial for small Swedish municipalities to promote a well thought through place brand that builds on a set of characteristics that form a place’s brand identity. However, promotion of the place brand and unique and realistic characteristics together with the reputation of an area create images of a place. In order to create a good reputation of a place existing residents must be satisfied as they can be seen as ambassadors for the municipality and spread a good word-of-mouth to potential residents.