Source: SC Lennon & Associates
A prospectus whets the appetite. A prospectus will not secure an investment on its own. Its role is to generate interest, build confidence and encourage the prospective investor to take the next step.
A good prospectus will clearly present major industry or project investments taking place or planned in the region that existing businesses, incoming businesses and job seekers could potentially leverage or take advantage of.
So, what are investors looking for? It depends on who you ask or who the prospective investor might be. This depends in large part on the type of business or industry. For example, a medical equipment manufacturer( and their staff) will have some different needs to a food producer, a prospective tourism attraction operator, a café owner or a freight transport operator.
There will nevertheless be some common needs and interests. These can be classified as either‘ business considerations’ or‘ lifestyle considerations’. For places seeking to attract investment, the Investor Considerations outlined above can provide a helpful guide to what prospective investors may be looking for. Having regard for what it is that investors will be seeking when considering their location decisions and considering the fact that the investment attraction landscape is highly competitive, a good prospectus will need to display a number of key attributes.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS? A strong investment prospectus will have the following attributes:
• It will be strategic, informed and targeted( focused);
• It will be visual with beautiful presentation to capture the reader’ s imagination;
• It will be informative with easy-tointerpret data that doesn’ t overwhelm the reader;
• It will highlight the region’ s attributes and opportunities for growth and, where appropriate, gaps in things like critical enabling infrastructure in which the region is seeking investment;
• It must have clear and concise messaging; and
• It should be multi-channelled in its delivery, including hard copy( glossy brochure-style), online( multiple formats) and via social media( with regular, consistent programming).
A strong investment prospectus will use visuals and data. It will have a clear narrative underpinned by persuasive copy. It will be underpinned by a clear vision and may focus on, for example:
• Industry sectors that can leverage the region’ s existing comparative advantages;
• Emerging industry sectors driven by local( or imported) innovation;
• Opportunities created by socioeconomic shifts( e. g. renewables, bioindustries, artificial intelligence); or
• Industries needed to serve a changing demographic( e. g. childcare, the care economy).
The checklist on page 38 presents elements of a strong investment prospectus. If each of these boxes can be ticked, the city, shire or region concerned will be well-placed to present its investment offer to target audiences.
ACTIVATING YOUR INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS Of course, the information presented in the prospectus will need to demonstrate to the reader how to start the process of an investment enquiry. Preparing a well-written and presented document is not enough.
The prospectus‘ quick test’. Can the reader quickly understand where the region is, why it is investable, what the opportunities are and who to contact?
As well as preparing the prospectus, the council or agency responsible should establish an investment enquiry protocol within the organisation and, where relevant, across partner organisations in the region. This will ensure a shared understanding of investment attraction objectives and consistency in messaging, while also making it easy for prospective investors to get the information they need.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 19 NO 2 2026 37