how to market your travel plan. can you cope with a challenge? #mynetworklive @networkwm
TRANSCRIPT
HOW TO MARKET YOUR TRAVEL PLAN
Can you cope with a challenge?
#mynetworklive @networkwm
• Give a background to marketing and how it applies to transport
• Help you understand the role of a travel plan co-ordinator and how marketing is important for this
• Give you some ideas for how to start marketing to key stakeholders
• Case Study – University Hospital of Coventry and North Warwickshire
• Consider how to challenge negative perceptions of sustainable travel
AIMS OF TODAY’S WORKSHOP
• 9.30 - Welcome & Why marketing is important
• 9.55 - Issues and Solutions activity
• 10.05 - Key Factors
• 10.20 - Refreshments
• 10.35 -Case Study – University Hospital of Coventry and North Warwickshire
• 11.00 – How to market your travel plan and top tips
• 11.20 – Activity – Designing an event
• 11.50 – Feedback and Plenary Session
• 12.10 – Lunch and networking
HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL PLAN COORDINATOR
• Name
• Organisation
• At what stage of Travel Planning process
• What would you like to learn from today – anything in particular?
#mynetworksessions @networkwm
INTRODUCTIONS
• Communicating the value of a product/brand
• Selling a brand, service or product
• Less about getting payment as generating demand
• Gets the information to potential customers
• Needs to tap into their ways of thinking
WHAT IS MARKETING
• The car is generally the ‘mode of choice
• If people don’t know that there are alternatives, they won’t take them up
• And if people don’t know an offer is available they won’t take it up
• Communication is key
• Information and incentives
• Consistent professional tone
SO WHY IS THIS RELEVANT FOR ME?
PRODUCT
• According to entrepreneur.com
• “The most successful restaurants do not sell food. They sell the idea of a memorable culinary experience”
• “The most successful alcohol brands do not sell you booze. They sell the idea of the lifestyle they have attached to their booze”
• Lifestyle advantages
BUT
SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY WALKING CAMPAIGN
• Exercise (calories)
• Money saving?
• Time saving?
• Environment benefits?
• Arriving at work less stressed?
• Not having to find somewhere to park?
• Having company through a car share?
SO WHAT LIFESTYLE OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE?
• Old habits can die hard
• Reluctance to try new things
• Door to door nature of the car
• Journey blending
• Is it possible for them?
• Negative marketing of alternative modes – bad news stories
BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS
• A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself as a failure (Thatcher, 1986)
• Cycling groups urge action after rise in UK road casualties (Guardian 2013)
• APOLOGY OVER RISE IN RAIL MISERY (Metro 2014)
• Frozen duty drives motoring prices to a new low (Financial Times 2015)
FOR EXAMPLE BUSES
• Team A
• Negatives
• Think of reasons people might give why they need to travel single occupancy car
EXERCISE
Team B
Positives
Think of responses that you could give each of these individuals to challenge this negative view
• The backdrop of promoting public transport
• Economic theory – the cost of delays
• Can we give people a ‘push’ to break their habits
TO RECAP
• Demand for transport is ‘derived’
• Purchased for what it achieves rather than a good in it’s own right
• Often done ‘without thinking’
• So if we can convince people.....
AND REMEMBER
• We aren’t going to achieve 100% change
• Whilst not for everyone, key to set ‘targets’
• Early adaptors, but this can give momentum
• Some people will not give up their car, some may not be able to
• Positive messages
• What changes can people make
TARGETS
• Other stakeholders in the organisation
• Senior management, Human Resources, Business Travel
• Organisational change
• Staff time
• Think carefully about how to convince them
NOT JUST TO STAFF
• Keep messages positive
• Help individuals to plan – take the fear out of it
• What information to provide and how
• Resources
• Details of upcoming events which can back these up
INFORMATION PROVISION IS KEY