Comprehensive Plan Promotion That Actually Engages the Public

Photo Credit: Forward La Crosse

Comprehensive Plan Promotion That Actually Engages the Public

How Reach Travel Media Helped Power Forward La Crosse

Public engagement is one of the biggest challenges cities face during comprehensive planning. Too often, critical long-term decisions are shaped by limited public input, not because communities don’t care, but because traditional outreach methods fail to meet people where they are.

At Reach Travel Media, we specialize in turning planning processes into community-wide conversations.

One of our strongest examples? Forward La Crosse.

The Challenge: Low Participation in Long-Term Planning

Comprehensive Plan, Bike & Pedestrian Plans, and Zoning Updates shape the future of a city. Yet across Wisconsin, many municipalities struggle to generate meaningful public involvement.

The City of La Crosse wanted to do something different.

They didn’t just want to “publish notices.”They wanted to build awareness, increase participation, and create a recognizable, trusted communication platform.

The Solution: Build a Brand Around the Plan

Reach Travel Media partnered with the City of La Crosse Planning Department to create a full-scale outreach campaign branded as Forward La Crosse.

Rather than treating the Comprehensive Plan as a one-time government document, we treated it like a marketing campaign, because it is.

Our Services Included:

• Creation of the Forward La Crosse brand identity
• Development of a dedicated website
• Launch of social media channels
• Ongoing newsletter program
• Paid advertising strategy
• Posters and printed materials
• Community calendars and outreach graphics
• Cross-platform messaging strategy

Every touchpoint reinforced the same message: This is your city. Your voice matters.

Beyond One Plan: A Sustainable Engagement Platform

Forward La Crosse was not built as a one-off campaign.

The communication channels developed for the Comprehensive Plan were designed to scale and evolve.

To date, the platform has been used for:

• The City of La Crosse Comprehensive Plan
• The Bike/Pedestrian Plan
• The Zoning Plan Update (currently underway)

Instead of rebuilding outreach efforts every time, the city now has an established, trusted public engagement brand.

The Results: Participation That Stands Out

The impact speaks for itself.

Compared to other Wisconsin cities of similar size, the City of La Crosse Comprehensive Plan received double or more the percentage of population participation.

That level of engagement doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when planning is positioned as a community movement, not a government requirement.

You can learn more about the campaign at: forwardlacrosse.org

Why Comprehensive Plan Promotion Matters

Planning decisions affect housing, economic development, transportation, recreation, and quality of life. When public participation is limited, plans lack representation.

Modern public engagement requires:

• Strategic branding
• Clear, consistent messaging
• Digital-first outreach
• Paid amplification
• Community-centered storytelling

Cities must compete for attention,  just like destinations and businesses.

How Reach Travel Media Can Help

We bring tourism-level marketing strategy to municipal planning.

Our approach combines:

• Brand development
• Digital infrastructure
• Targeted advertising
• Content strategy
• Community storytelling
• Data tracking and reporting

If your city is preparing for a Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Update, Transportation Plan, or Parks Master Plan, we can help you build an outreach campaign that generates measurable participation, not just compliance.

Because when communities are informed and engaged, plans become stronger.

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