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GOAL 2.0: <br />Launch a coordinated economic development marketing campaign that <br />increases awareness and perception of the community to the outside <br />world. <br />Economic development entails both capacity building and marketing. Capacity building <br />improves a community’s readiness for its target audiences. As addressed in Goal 1, master <br />planning and changes to City policies will greatly contribute to La Porte’s capacity for <br />economic development. <br />Marketing alerts a community’s target audiences of a city’s interest in them and its ability to <br />serve their needs. The mix of audiences vary from city to city. Many traditional economic <br />development programs market to industry, encouraging those businesses to relocate or <br />expand into the city. In La Porte’s case, local industry is strongly dominant. The community <br />has overwhelmingly stated its desire for economic development to prioritize quality of life <br />enhancements, specifically in four areas: <br />1. Beautification <br />2. Downtown <br />3. Sylvan Beach <br />4. Retail <br />La Porte’s marketing audiences are those that will complement these objectives and be <br />attracted to the city as a result. As discussed in Chapter 2: SWOT and Target Audiences, <br />Avalanche Consulting highly recommends the following four targets: <br />Tourists. La Porte should focus on attracting day visitors from the Greater Houston <br />area. <br />Hospitality Businesses. As La Porte invests in its tourism amenities, hospitality <br />businesses become a natural target. Full service restaurants are a prime target <br />immediately. Long-term, small grocers, wellness businesses, art studios, and bed <br />and breakfasts will fit well in La Porte. <br />Real Estate Developers. Several of the larger projects under consideration by the <br />city should involve a real estate development company. <br />Retailers. Ensure that the city has the appropriate infrastructure and policies in place <br />to attract retailers. Big retail centers will require a sizable, shovel-ready property. <br />Niche retailers, such as the type that would locate in the Main Street District, along <br />Fairmont, or in neighborhood centers, need attractive space, quality control, and <br />assurance of adequate local demand. <br />In addition, the City should also remember that La Porte’s residents and businesses are also <br />audiences for the economic development campaign. <br />26 <br />Forward La Porte Economic Development Strategic Plan I 2009-2013 <br /> <br />