Using You Tube to Promote an Event

Advertise your event on You Tube. It's pretty easy. All you need is a video camera of some kind - even a phone will do. Upload the video and then email it out - make it viral. Share with as many friends as you can. This is one of the least expensive ways to get your message out there.

Myths About Blogs

I find there are two misconceptions about blogs - 1) anyone can post anything and 2) it's a fad. The truth of the matter is that so few people in the tourism industry know anything about blogs. You can set your blog up so YOU moderate the comments. No posts go live without you letting them do so.

And a fad? It's no more of a fad than the Internet, a Website or an email address. Millions of people are using blogs for a variety of reasons. I use them to post educational information. However, attractions, festivals and events, hotels, downtowns, arts councils, retailers and the like can use them as a tool to build interaction between themselves and potential customers. Cyber traffic then converts to walk-in traffic in your business or to your attraction. The end result is revenue.

Look at http://www.oakborocruisein.com. This site was actually created in lieu of a Website. On the same day I set it up, I created a Google Analytics account for it so I could track usage. Later, I set up the Site Meter. I like using two instead of just one. I learn more about who is visiting the site.

And at the same time, I've sent out press releases announcing the blog (being used as a Website) to encourage more visitation and comments - which are sent to me for approval to be posted. Visitation is up and people are spending an average of several minutes on the site. That's what we want.

This may sound complex, but it's not. Blogger and Wordpress are very easy to use.

Marketing Tip: Shed your fear of blogs and create one. Use it to build a relationship between you and potential/repeat customers.

Free Way to Attract International and Domestic Travelers

Newcomers are tourists, first. They come and check out an area to see if it's suitable. Some are from the USA - others from abroad. So we know the international tourists are in the United States. But how do we continue to attract them? Traditionally speaking, one of the best ways is to work with your local and state tourism offices. Many states actively court international business.

But aside from that, what can you do? Work the Internet. For instance, do a search of your town, attraction, festival or state. Search the same categories on the same-named towns in other states (like there are 28 Lexingtons in the USA), or in neighboring towns. What shows up? Are there any forums or chat rooms where people are looking for tourist and relocation information? You'll be surprised by the Q & A you see.

Marketing Tip: Pretend you're a tourist and ask some questions in your searches. Researching the Internet will reveal free places for you to promote your destination.

June 5 - Increase Your Visibility on the Web; Post Images

Be prepared to laugh. I just bought a new cell phone with a camera. I wanted to do the same thing the 13 year olds were doing - take pictures and videos and email them. Unfortunately, I didn't have a young teen around to help me with this project....

After 2 visits to the Alltel store, 2 calls to Alltel tech support, a Quick Time download and $75 worth of memory cards and adapters later, I am fully equipped to take photos and email them - and shoot videos. But they must be downloaded onto your computer before you can share them. No, the people at the Alltel store didn't realize that videos can't be emailed - at least not from my phone.

Say you're running an attraction and have a Website. Simply create a link to your video and photos. Use the Web space on those sites, instead of on your own. Search engines love sites that feature multimedia. Photos. Videos. Movies. Sound. If you don't have a site at all, post images on You Tube! and Flickr anyway!

Marketing Tip: Someone once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Upload your images and reach a new audience.

May - Want to Reach Generation Y?

Want to reach the younger crowd? There are some sites you may want to check out, such as Ypulse - but the bottom line message is use the Web. That was the focus of a recent meeting in Sydney, Australia. Check out this article from the Sydney Morning Herald....

Tourism told to use web to attract Gen Y

May 2, 2008 - 12:10PM

Tourism businesses should be using Facebook and creating a buzz around their companies to draw Generation Y workers to plug the skills shortage, a conference has been told.

Young Australian Tourism Export Council (YATEC) NSW chair Anna Guy told an ATEC symposium on Friday that young people could be a business best tool in attracting other young people to work at their company.

Ms Guy said not only did Gen Y have hundreds of contacts via social networking sites such as Facebook, but they were often the best person to get other young people excited about working for a company.
"If you have a person who's happy in their job, it's all about bragging rights," Ms Guy told the conference.

"(And) if they're talking to the friend who's working in a (boring) bank, they're going to get over the money pretty fast because they're not having fun."

For young people success was not just about money but about gaining experiences, enjoying their jobs and making a difference, she said.
"If you have young people come into work and you're excited and you're having fun ... people will notice that," she said.

"... In tourism we're selling dreams and offering experiences, and if we can talk to young people about that they're going to listen."
Ms Guy said companies who concentrated on exciting employees would gain by retaining their workers and having them spread the word to others.

But, she said, many employers failed to retain young staff because they did not recognise that many young people were quite conservative and had well-planned goals, not all of which revolved around work.

For example, YATEC research showed that while they were happy to go out drinking with their friends, young people did not want to go out and "get hammered" with work colleagues because mixing work and play did not fit in with their priorities, she said.

"They've got yoga and boxing at 6am the next morning because it's all about being successful in every aspect of life, not just their careers," Ms Guy said.
© 2008 AAP

May Marketing Tip - Court younger people to your attractions, festivals and events by creating blogs on Facebook, My Space and others. Go where the young folks go. Learn all you can. Get comfortable searching the Web.

January 2007 - Utilize your email signature

One overlooked way to promote your event or attraction is through your email signature. You can either use a photo or add a line of information.

For instance, you could say:
COMING SOON: Sam's Oyster Roast, Saturday, February 17, 2007 - Riverside Park - and then list the Web site or a phone number.

You can include your Web site, blog or email addresses in your signature, too. Why your email address? If someone prints out an email you've sent and gives the piece of paper away, it may or may not show your email address. So, it's important to include that in your signature. Someone may want to contact you!

This is a free way to increase your exposure - and to send repetitive messages to potential customers.

January Tip: Create an email signature that offers you promotional value.