The Fastest Way to Lose a Project? Make A No Easier than a Yes

Economic development professionals spend countless hours thinking about what they believe site selectors want. They obsess over incentives, workforce data, available sites, and infrastructure. But while those are all important pieces of the puzzle, they are only one part of what determines whether a community advances to the next round of consideration.

Even communities with a compelling case for attracting new investment will put themselves at a disadvantage if they are difficult to work with – if they’re slow to respond, provide outdated information, or offer sites that aren’t actually available. 

Anything that adds friction to your relationship with a site selector will make it harder for your community to win investments. After all, when site selectors begin a new project they may be reviewing 150 or more potential locations. With so much to work through, Job One isn’t to find one winner. It's to quickly eliminate dozens of communities that don't inspire confidence. A website with outdated demographic data, a contact page that’s missing emails addresses or phone numbers, or an incomplete RFI will all make it easier for a site selector to pass you by. 

Partnership Beats Perfection

None of that means you have to be perfect in everything you do. Site selectors know that every community has challenges and every EDO is juggling dozens of responsibilities. As much as anything, they’re looking for a community that makes them believe it can be a good partner. 

One of the easiest ways you can do that is by filling out RFIs fully and following directions to the letter. If a site selector asks for EDOs to send attachments as PDFs, then send your attachments as PDFs. If they want five years of demographic data, don’t send them four. That might seem basic, but the reality is that following instructions and providing all requested information will typically put your community in the top 10 percent of respondents. 
 

You can take other steps to eliminate friction, too. Respond quickly and completely to requests for information. Work with utilities, city officials, and others in the community to make sure everyone is sharing the same information. Simplify processes at every opportunity and you will make the site selection process easier in the moment while also reassuring site selectors that you will be easy to work with for the duration of a project and beyond. 

Another way to be a good partner? Make it easy to find relevant information on your website. That site is often the first experience a site selector will have with your community, possibly long before you know they’re interested. If they can’t find the information they need, it will be easier for them to move on without ever reaching out. 

Take a minute to review your site and ask yourself: 

• Do we have a clear value proposition that will set us apart from other communities?
• Can visitors quickly find information about available sites and buildings? 
• Is workforce information complete and up to date? 
• Can visitors find a direct phone number or email for the person they need to reach? 
• Ensuring your website makes a site selector’s job easier is a real competitive advantage. 

Every Interaction Shapes Your Reputation

Economic development is a surprisingly small profession. Site selectors remember communities that answer questions quickly, deliver information when promised, and are easy to work with. They’ll also remember communities where every interaction felt like a slog through a swamp. 

Reducing friction and becoming a good partner won’t win you every project, but it will make you stick out in site selectors’ mind, and it will make it easier for them to come back to you on their next project. And the one after that. In other words, reducing friction isn’t about winning one project. The communities that win are often the ones that remove obstacles, answer questions before they're asked, and make it easy for site selectors to say "yes."
That's a competitive advantage every community can build.

To learn more about how to enhance your relationship with site selectors, download our latest whitepaper, What Site Selectors Want: How to Help Your Community Stand Out and Win Investment.