rethinking your print guide strategy · • email marketing ... • otas, trip advisor, facebook,...

RETHINKING

YOUR

PRINT GUIDE

STRATEGY

Berkeley W YoungPresident

Young Strategies, Inc.

So many places to visit…

So many ways to market it…

AMERICAN EXPRESS SURVEY

"Increasingly, travelers want to see the world on their terms with

tailored, personalized and differentiated experiences that reflect

their passions and needs. The boundaries between technology and

personal service are being blurred, allowing more intimate

connections for travelers with the world around them.”

- Claire Bennett, executive vice president of American Express Travel.

Bennett said there were three major insights from the survey:

1. the travel industry is incredibly healthy

2. that travelers want both high-tech and high touch

3. travelers value a personal connection that makes a difference

when they travel.

Print is not dead

Worst reason to print guides & rack cards:

Best reason:

Because we always have

Because we rethought our strategy

Two assets to market your destination

1. Staff time – how many?

2. Money – how big is your budget?

• Brochures & Guides

• rack cards

• digital - web site - mobile

• email marketing

• social media

• direct sales for groups

• leisure/consumer shows

Two fundamental strategies

1. Inspire more people to visit

2. Once they arrive – inspire them to:

stay longer

do more

spend more

1. Inspire more people to visit!

Visitor guide - comprehensive

Fulfillment – mailing

Distribution in racks

Distribute at shows and events

Expensive

Rack card – hook/attract

Distribution in racks

Distribute at shows & events

Cost effective?

2014 Market SegmentationThe 2014 segments as reported by the 21 hotel/motel participating properties are presented below in rank order.

Destination Lodging Segmentation – Who is staying Overnight in Paid Lodging?

2014 2011 Market Segmentation

54.4% 57.5% Transient & Other

22.0% 24.2% Business Transient (individual business travelers)

16.9% 22.6% Leisure Transient (visitors to Montgomery, visiting friends & relative, etc.)

11.4% 8.2% Government / Military Transient

4.1% 2.5% Other (includes university-related)

45.6% 42.4% Group/Conference/Meeting

13.1% 6.9% Corporate

9.7% 7.0% Government

7.5% 15.4% SMERF (Social, military, educational, Religious, Fraternal)

7.0% 5.6% Association

6.3% 5.3% Sports

2.0% 2.2% Group Tour/Motorcoach

Will you fulfill inquiries, mail it or distribute it?

Know your target geographic markets

Drive routes

Fulfillment or true inspiration

Are you reaching them at home before they travel or

once they are on the road?

Who is reading it and where are they in the planning

cycle when they are reading it?

Have they already booked a room?

Millennials value stories and photos

over video for travel inspiration

This group also prefers content about:

destinations (74%)

travel activities (68%)

accommodations (60%)

cruises (48%)

flights (37%)

Source / 26 page PDF: Yahoo Travel

1. Successful marketing starts

with solid research

2. You MUST monitor the ever changing

planning behavior of YOUR visitors

3. When does your print travel guide fit

into their planning process

Inspiration

• Friends, family, coworkers

• Reading, watching, listening

Search

• OTAS, Trip Advisor, Facebook,

• Destination & lodging

Booking

• Airfare, car rental

• lodging

Planning

• Request visitor guide & destination info.

• Trip Advisor, Yelp, Twitter, Facebook

When do you connect with potential guests?

Know YOUR visitor

and how to use a print visitor guide to:

• Inspire the visit

• Fulfill an inquiry

• Provide information within the destination

One Size DOES NOT Fit All

When do you connect with arriving guests?

Fly-in Car rental Hotel room

Drive-in Hotel room

When do you connect with arriving guests?

From airport to hotel room with no human contact

From gateway to hotel room with no human contact

Factors to consider:

• Budget Size

• Destination type

• Strategy –

• Inspiration -increased visitation - fulfillment

• Increased engagement - in-market

• Shelf-life

• Seasonality

Visitor Guide Basics

1. Cost determines size & format – big is not always better

2. Position & Hook – top front 1/3 – The Experience

3. A great cover photo of an “Experience”

4. Close the sale with “Must sees”

5. Attractions = “why visit? Experience”

6. Places to stay & eat & shop

7. User friendly map & directions

8. Mobile connectivity that works

Don’t let politics drive format & content

Inspiration

(Rack)

Fulfillment

(Mailed)

In-Market

(Events)

Cover Hook Place & Hook Place

Wow experiences

Great Photos

Dining Editorial Editorial Ed & List

Shopping Editorial Editorial Ed & List

Attractions Editorial Editorial Ed & List

Lodging Editorial Editorial Ed & List

“We should be talking about CONTEXT rather than than content”- Michael Dominguez – MGM Resorts International

Visitor Guide Do’s & Don’ts

It’s NOT a phone book or business directory

It’s NOT for locals, design it for first time visitors

Bad photography hurts, great photos sell

Verbosity & alphabetization are painful

Venues are not activities – the event is!

Focus on UNIQUE – dining, shopping

Feature the unusual & noteworthy

Focus on 365 days/nights

Focus on room supply & demand

It’s all about you!

Do You Have

Any Questions?

Instuctor Contact Information

Berkeley Young,

Young Strategies, Inc

byoung@youngstrategies.com

704-677-4018

704-770-3333

facebook/berkeleyyoung

LinkedIn/berkeleyyoung

(I REALLY DON’T GET TWITTER)