In a global economy where every city and region is competing for the same pool of investors, talent and innovation, the challenge of standing out has become more complex and ever more critical.
Returning from MIPIM, the global urban property expo, I was in the departure lounge at Nice Airport perusing the racks of fiction, business titles, travel guides and best sellers in the French version of W H Smith’s.
It got me thinking – a useful analogy for this challenge facing cities and region comes not from economics or urban development, but from the world of publishing.
The book market is fiercely competitive: thousands of titles appear every week, yet only a small number gain meaningful attention. Understanding why some succeed while others fade offers powerful lessons for place makers trying to craft a compelling investment identity.
A successful book almost always begins with a distinctive voice. Even when two authors tackle similar subjects, what separates a memorable book from a forgettable one is tone, perspective and personality. Cities often overlook this. Equally, good books are the craftsmanship of a single author and a supportive editor, rarely scripted or compiled by a committee.
Investment propositions frequently rely on generic claims such as ‘good connectivity’, ‘skilled workers’, ‘attractive lifestyle’ all of which may be accurate but rarely differentiate. Just as an author must uncover their unique narrative style, a city must discover and articulate the aspects of its character which no competitor can imitate. Its architecture, climate, industrial heritage, cultural mindset, geographic advantages or entrepreneurial spirit may be what form this narrative DNA which investors connect with, favouring places that know who they are.
Books also succeed because they offer clear value to the reader: they solve a problem, provide insight or deliver an experience the audience wants.
The same principle applies to inward investment. Businesses choose locations not because of jazzy ads or websites, but because the place solves a commercial challenge: offering access to a niche talent pool, shorter supply chains, regulatory stability, clean energy availability or proximity to customers. The most effective city narratives shift from listing features to explaining benefits: not “what we have” but “what we help you achieve.”
Another lesson from publishing is the importance of knowing the audience.
A book designed to appeal to everyone typically ends up appealing to no-one. Cities sometimes fall into this trap by targeting every sector and every investor at once or
pandering to internal stakeholders and voices. The places which succeed identify their priority industries, double down on their natural strengths, and speak directly to the businesses most likely to thrive there. Strategic focus creates credibility; broad generalisations merely create noise.
And in publishing, the most compelling books can be pitched in one sentence.
That single clear idea – what authors, editors and booksellers call ‘the hook’ – anchors marketing, sales and reader engagement. Cities need a similarly sharp message: a concise explanation of what makes them relevant, competitive and valuable.
When a city can be summed up simply and powerfully, investors can repeat that message internally, champion it to colleagues, and use it as the foundation of a business case.
But competitiveness isn’t just about facts. Books endure because they make people feel something – curiosity, inspiration, attachment. Think about your favourite books, after reading them we keep them on shelves, out on display – we have connected with them beyond the printed word.
Investment decisions, though always grounded in data, are influenced by emotion as well.
Leaders want to believe in a place’s potential, trust its political and business climate, and imagine their teams and businesses thriving there. Cities that share human stories about entrepreneurs scaling companies, innovators solving global problems, communities embracing new industries will build emotional confidence that spreadsheets alone cannot provide.
And of course, authenticity is essential. Readers quickly lose patience with books that overpromise and underdeliver, and investors react the same way.
The strongest place brands don’t fabricate strengths; they amplify real ones. They are honest about where they excel and clear about where they are still developing. In an era of online reviews, instant information and peer-to-peer investor networks, credibility is one of the most valuable currencies a city can hold.
What emerges from the parallels between publishing and placemaking is a simple truth: places, like books, succeed when they tell a story that only they can tell.
Distinctiveness, clarity, focus, emotional resonance and authenticity are not marketing tricks for investor glossy brochures or publisher’s dust covers, they are strategic necessities. In a crowded investment marketplace, the cities and regions which rise above the noise will be those who communicate a compelling identity, grounded in reality, supported by evidence, and delivered with confidence.
