It will be necessary to establish mechanisms to maintain confidentiality inside and outside the company. Confidentiality does not require the services of an international spy, but sometime the physical arrangements give that impression. This statement is not self-serving, but a consultant can represent a company confidentially because the logistics are easier for him.

There is a basic contradiction between site search and confidentiality; the first is information and the second is lack of information. The company seeks both external information and internal confidentiality.

When word gets out that a company is seeking a site, the marketplace will flood the company with attention. Maintain confidentiality to shield the company from this flood, from political pressure, and from unwanted publicity, especially early in the process before basic decisions are made.

States, communities, and organizations will readily cooperate with an unnamed company, but they will try to find out who you are. Real estate prices and incentives can best be negotiated before the company is known, so maximize leverage early in the project by shielding your identity.

Communities also delight to announce that a company is interested in an area, even if the choice is still in the preliminary stage. The annuls are full of premature announcements by economic development organizations, and by politicians.

Confidential communication between those who assist at the destination and the client is mandatory. The local contact must be able to get information to the prospect, who doesn't want to make his identity known. In many towns, everyone knows the business of a visitor. Well intentioned developmental council people are pressed to identify the prospect, and will undertake investigation on their own. A local politician may get knowledge, and that is the worst thing to happen. Representatives of financial and educational institutions, the media, and realtors are commonly part of the process of evaluating serious contenders. A consultant can deal with those issues easier than an employee.

Let me tell you sometime the story of a corporate jet, visiting a potential site, which was misidentified as a drug smuggler; police met the plane and demanded identification. Vice presidents don't like Air Force fighters on the wing tips, nor the local sheriff and the FBI who met the plane and demanded identification.

A few years back, the manufacturing VP of a Cleveland company visited the Mayor of San Antonio while looking for a relocation site; within two days his visit and its subject were on the front page of the local paper, and every local politician from Cleveland and San Antonio was on the phone to the company. The Mayor's daily schedule was public information.

The moral of these horror stories of course is that it is difficult to maintain confidentiality until the company is ready to take a more visible position. Once again and for the last time, a consultant can represent a company confidentially because the logistics are easier for him. His name, address, company, phone, web site are all common knowledge. All he must protect is the name of the client.

Until announcements are made by the client company, internal confidentiality is equally important. Older rules still apply but you will have to work at it, Limit information on a need-to-know basis; watch what you say, what you write and distribute, who you call, what credit cards you use, who sees expense accounts and credit card bills. What ID is on your briefcase or stationery, what you record at the hotel and car rental counter.

Inform those who will assist within the company; be sure that they know management's plan well so they can meet the objectives. There may well be several disciplines involved, to identify and evaluate options. But impress them with the need for confidentiality, and provide the support they need to maintain it. Because you and the teams will be asking many questions in many places, establish a logical rationale for the questions.

In this electronic age, confidentiality is much more difficult to maintain. Electronically, segregate files and communications. Don't leave your name or company or title or phone number or fax. Use an email address only if it is not in the name of the company, or otherwise traceable. Does your contact have caller ID? Most cell phones do. If so he can trace your phone number easily.