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Start-ups and economic developers sell different things but face a similar task – convincing sceptical investors to back their choice. Founders pitch a product. Economic developers pitch a place. In both cases, success depends less on how much data is shared upfront and more on how clearly the case is made.
Good startup founders understand that the pitch deck is not the place for every underlying number. It tells a tightly framed story about why this product, in this market, deserves attention. A handful of well-chosen numbers – market size, growth, traction – serve as proof. The detail sits behind the scenes, ready to be shared once investors are genuinely interested.
Economic development websites and microsites should play the same role for a community. Their job is to answer a single question quickly: Why this location for our next expansion or investment? That answer should be carried by a clear narrative and supported by data that shows strengths and advantages, not by an undifferentiated flood of statistics.
Here, dynamic charts, maps and dashboards can be powerful allies when delivering a succinct message. Used strategically and with intent, they turn abstract claims into something tangible. In one community, that might mean a visual of workforce concentration in key occupations; in another community, a map showing market access, or a simple comparison of operating costs with peer locations might work best.
The point is not to follow a template, but to choose the visuals and metrics that best express your particular advantages. The purpose is not to display everything that can be measured, but to make it easy for a site selector or business to see why your community deserves a closer look and to give them a clear reason to contact the economic development team.
Some communities are already doing this well. Angleton, Texas, uses its “Why Angleton” page to present a focused set of interactive tools on logistics, community profile, market potential, quality of life and available commercial properties – all chosen to surface the city’s advantages within the first minutes of a visit. Norfolk County, Ontario, takes a similar approach for a rural economy, using targeted visualizations on sector strengths, workforce, talent pipeline, logistics and market advantages to show that “rural” can also mean well-connected and opportunity-rich.
Behind this public story, access to robust internal data remains essential. Economic developers still need detailed datasets to support research, respond to information requests and prepare the tailored reports, presentations and marketing collateral that serious prospects expect. The difference is that this depth is deployed once contact has been made, not scattered across the website or microsite.
In effect, the most successful locations behave like the best start-ups. They treat their website and microsite as a disciplined pitch, not a data warehouse: a clear argument, a few decisive visuals and enough intrigue to prompt the next conversation with the people who can help an investor move forward.
Links to examples:
Angleton, Texas: https://www.angleton.tx.us/137/Economic-Development
Norfolk County: https://norfolkbusiness.ca/norfolk-advantages/
