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Arks

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This info is from a community marketing perspective, but I thought it was an interesting read for anybody who's promoting their place, particularly the part about the goal of advertising being to drive people to your website, not your property.
I thought I’d take a break from branding for a week or two and hit you with another sad fact: That 88% of destination marketing organizations spend more on printed materials than they do on the Internet? Is this you? If so, you have it backwards. In this new digital age, here is how your marketing dollars should be spent:
  • 45% on digital marketing:
    Your website, social media, online advertising, digital guides, apps, search engine optimization, website updates, e-newsletter, video content, pay per click advertising, etc. When you plan your personal travel what is your number one resource? I’ll bet it’s the web.
  • 20% on advertising:
    The goal should be to drive people to your website, which must be good enough to close the sale.
  • 20% on public relations:
    You build your brand on PR, advertising is used to maintain your ownership position of your niche in the marketplace. What is said about you is far more important than what you say about yourself. For every dollar you spend on public relations, you’ll see a $3 return in “earned media” – what it would cost if you paid for that space. Publicity is a third-party endorsement, and that carries a lot of weight! Think about the power of good reviews on TripAdvisor.
  • 10% on collateral materials:
    This includes your Activities Guide, other brochures, maps and printed materials, including distribution costs.
  • 5% of trade shows and signage:
    This includes trade shows, fairs, billboards and readerboards and other forms of marketing.
This is a general guideline, and your destination may require some tweaking. What worked in the 1970s doesn’t work today, so break out of that mold.
WHAT TO DO
1. Take your last year’s budget and categorize your marketing as I showed above.
2. Then compare it. What can you do differently?
3. Redevelop your budget so it fits into these parameters. Of course content is what closes the sale, but this will help you put your valuable resources into the right pots. Over this weekly series I’ll help you narrow these down into specifics. But the big takeaway is to spend your most precious resources on the web, not creating print guides and brochures.
I’d love to hear from you. How are you doing with your budgets? If you have questions, please send them my way!
Roger Brooks
Author | Speaker | Destination Expert
 
Partly it depends on your set up ie we have just started a regional Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) called www.visitharrogate.co.uk (if you would like a look) we are doing a printed brochure however the profits from the Brochure which we are sending out like the clappers (due to the Tour De France they are being requested by the shed load) will then go to fund the next stage of the DMO which is sorting out a conference desk which will handle all meeting, event and conference enquiries - this will be partly self funded when it gets off the ground through commission from accommodation booking and venue booking - so it depends a lot on when, how much and what for
 
It is my willingness to buy ads and give certificates when needed that gets me the word that certain issues or subjects will be the focus..... So paying for the print (which is also online) really is a part of my marketing. BUT this does remind me to send a link to my PR guy.
The rack cards I did several years ago in a co-op run will give me what I need for quite a while. I always have some with me to hand out (as well as biz cards) and I leave them at the Welcome Centers and CVBs. Yes, I want them to drive to my web site.
 
What worked in the 1970s doesn’t work today
What worked five years ago doesn't work today!! - On another thread there was mention of yellowpage ads - example of waste of $$$ (IMHO which I am entitled)
This is a general guideline, and your destination may require some tweaking.
So true. There are exceptions to the rule in every situation but they did say GENERAL guideline! Print marketing does work in some areas or in some situations but that print better direct them to your website as that is THE tool to broadcast to the masses.
 
In our community, there is a very active Visitors' Center. So printed brochures are still very useful.
But mailings will likely be purely email. And we will have a FB page, much as I hate FB.
(we move in two weeks to our new Inn! Pretty excited!!)
 
In our community, there is a very active Visitors' Center. So printed brochures are still very useful.
But mailings will likely be purely email. And we will have a FB page, much as I hate FB.
(we move in two weeks to our new Inn! Pretty excited!!).
Congrats! May the move be SMOOOOOOOOOTH.
 
In our community, there is a very active Visitors' Center. So printed brochures are still very useful.
But mailings will likely be purely email. And we will have a FB page, much as I hate FB.
(we move in two weeks to our new Inn! Pretty excited!!).
We always have some printed rack card type efforts (vistaprint) as we are in a location where people often collect details at the door - ie we have signed a 4 week Gilbert and Sullivan competition for next august and they are already scouting out the best locations for next year - its good to have something to give them or all the properties blurr together - wouldn't advocate spending a lot of money mind, usually we spend about $30 a year
 
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