Strategic Planning Archives - Travel Alliance Partnership

Tour Operator Ramps Up Business with Digital Ads and Content Strategy

Tim Lindner — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 20:58:22 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved developing a strategic marketing plan, Google advertising campaigns for lead generation, brand cross-promotion and content development for customer engagement.

By advertising through the second half of 2021, before many of their competitors, and staying top-of-mind with their customer base through regular content, Old Sod Travel positioned itself to ride the wave of "revenge travel" into business recovery.

Situational Analysis

Old Sod Travel is a luxury tour operator creating custom trips to Ireland and the UK for its high end customers. They acquired another tour company in 2018, Scandinavian American, a tour company creating trips throughout Scandinavia. The new addition brought the opportunity for new business with the ability to expand into new markets, leverage pre-existing relationships into new customers and offer new experiences to past customers.

The Challenge

Old Sod Travel found us in early 2021, looking for a way to jumpstart sales post pandemic even though much of Europe was still closed to American travelers. They also wanted to make sure to leverage their new company and ensure it wasn't confusing for customers.

Objectives

Generate short-term revenue in 2021
Increase lifetime value of customers
Build awareness with new audiences

Strategic Insight

In our research, we found that the affluent customer was restless to travel again.

We looked at the competition and saw that they had a uniquely personal travel planning experience for customers.

The two brands, while offering trips to different parts of the world, ended with 5-star experiences that customers rave about.

Old Sod Travel was in an optimal position to deliver memories that last a lifetime for travelers longing to get away again.

Strategic Approach

Cross-promote the two brands, expanding customers' opportunities to travel.
Relate Old Sod Travel's unique positioning into the customer journey.
Create connections to experiences by telling authentic stories.
Refresh the content strategy to create a solid online presence and inspire the audience.
Help potential clients understand the experience they would have on a trip.
Activate the existing customer database with new travel opportunities.
Deploy digital marketing strategies to reach consumers at the right time.

Tactics

Implement strategic Google Advertising campaigns
Create and optimize landing pages for conversions
Engage customers with monthly email newsletters

Results

First Year Results

3 PPC campaigns, 1 display and 1 retargeting campaign
4 landing pages created
385 conversions (lead forms submitted) from ads
2.87% conversion rate and 8.3% click through rate
69% of 6-month website traffic came from paid search
12 email newsletters sent with an avg. open rate of 28%

Second Year Results

Added PPC campaigns for Iceland & Norway
2 landing pages created
450 conversions from ads
3.6% conversion rate and 8.4% click through rate
37% of 9-month website traffic came from paid search
16 email newsletters sent with an avg. open rate of 36%

Result Highlights

Recovered Google Analytics account access to implement cohesive tracking for ads.
Optimized lead intake form and coordinated a data feed to the sales CRM system.
Revamped audience targeting in 2021, which greatly improved lead quality.
Added new itineraries to the website to provide more travel inspiration.
In 2022, "revenge travel" began and the advertising and content strategy paid off with new requests and past clients coming back to reactivate their postponed trips.
Refreshed the full strategic plan after 12 months to expand marketing efforts.

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The post Tour Operator Ramps Up Business with Digital Ads and Content Strategy appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Historical Figure brings DEI to the Forefront: Auburn, NY

Tim Lindner — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 19:59:42 +0000

Harriet Tubman’s Chosen Hometown

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved applying DEI principles to a strategic PR and marketing campaign, balancing promotion goals with authentic messaging and community support.

We earned 1.7 billion PR impressions from 80 placements including feature placements in national and niche publications, and partnerships with key influencers.

photo credit: TourCayuga

Situational Analysis

Cayuga County is proudly the home of Harriet Tubman, where she lived the last 54 years of her free life. Leading up to the 200^th anniversary of Tubman’s birth in March 2022, the Tourism Office refocused the perception of the destination and repositioned itself as a place where freedom, justice, and equality are not just words, but actions supported by the entire community.

After getting the Tourism Office’s Board of Directors on board, Cayuga County created an ad hoc committee of different voices including local leaders, experts in Tubman's story and organizations representing equal rights in the area and community interest and challenges. Cayuga County Office of Tourism hired Break the Ice Media, partnered with LaLew Public Relations, to promote the County’s current and historical connections of equal rights to attract visitors.

The Challenge

Diversity, equity and inclusion work is important, yet sensitive. Developing an inclusive marketing message is not the same as applying and integrating DEI principles into an organization – and the target audience knows the difference. This campaign needed a strong and authentic message backed by community support.

photo credit: Equal Rights Heritage Center

Objectives

Increase overall awareness of Auburn, NY, as the home of Harriet Tubman, and Cayuga County’s assets and attractions.
Address and educate the Cayuga County community on Harriet Tubman’s legacy and the Office of Tourism’s efforts.
Spark interest in Harriet Tubman and Cayuga County’s history to drive conversations and actions around Equal Rights.
Inspire travel and drive visitation to Cayuga County and its partners among target audiences.
Build an audience of loyal, repeat customers who will visit time and time again, and encourage families and friends to do the same.
Increase awareness of Auburn, NY, and Cayuga County as a prime location to host meetings and events that relate to Equal Rights.

Strategic Insight

“Welcome visitors to walk in Harriet Tubman’s steps to discover their truth in Cayuga County.”

Socially conscious travelers looking to unlock the details of American history will find it in Cayuga County. It’s where Harriet Tubman’s spirit lives – in the sites and stops where she walked – and where she lives on in the communities that carry her spirit forward. For those seeking truth, Auburn is an essential stop to connect with equal rights history and each other.

To motivate socially conscious travelers to plan a visit to Cayuga County, they need to see how her spirit lives on in the community and the truth to be learned studying U.S. equal rights history where it took root.

Strategic Approach

Position Cayuga County as Harriet Tubman’s home, where her legacy lives on today.
Differentiate Auburn, NY, and Cayuga County from other destinations with Harriet Tubman history, and its attractions from other historical sites, museums and attractions within the Northeast.
Humanize Harriet Tubman, her efforts and her accomplishments to make her relatable to visitors.
Highlight Harriet Tubman’s legacy through authentic experiences, offerings and stories.
Promote the ongoing work Cayuga County is doing to live Harriet Tubman’s legacy.
Promote the individual experiences offered, the county’s unique assets, and ability to span multiple interests.
Promote the assets and experiences where all individuals will feel accepted and safe.
Promote the equal rights history of the surrounding Finger Lakes region, acknowledging the ease of exploring from Cayuga County.

photo credit: TourCayuga

Tactics

Strategic marketing plan
Proactive public relations, including press releases, story pitching, media FAM pitching and planning, influencer marketing, PR representation, strategic partnerships
Reactive public relations
Event promotion and support
Community engagement
Crisis communication plan
Content development: social media posts, monthly blogs, PR collateral, website copy
Strategic consultation on other equal rights initiatives

Results

80 placements with over 1.7 billion media impressions
Hosted 5 travel writers
Collaborated with 2 influencers
Started 3 strategic partnerships
Published 20 blogs
Posted over 100 times on Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: John Kucko

Listen In

Hear from TourCayuga's Director Karen Kuhl on the destination perspective of this initiative and other projects that aim to align the community around diversity, equity and inclusion.

Result Highlights

Feature piece in AAA World (2,600,000 print; 8,400,000 digital UVM) on Harriet Tubman's life for the bicentennial birthday with mentions of 5 tourism assets
Feature piece on Black News Channel (51,000 UVM) on celebrating Harriet Tubman in Auburn with mentions of 7 tourism assets
33 Instagram stories by influencer blondwayfarer (6,577 followers) with follow up feature stories on her blog Blond Wayfarer (35,000 UVM) with mentions of 24 tourism assets in the first and 16 tourism assets in the second blog
Inclusion in Boston Globe (print edition) piece on three road trip destinations with mentions of 3 tourism assets
Feature piece in Conde Nast Traveler (2,869,000 UVM) on Harriet Tubman's birthday in the Finger Lakes with mentions of 9 tourism assets
On air mention of campaign on Fox 4 News Dallas Fort Worth (1,000,000 viewership) with mention of 4 tourism assets
Inclusion of 2 partner parks in Fodor's Travel (2,750,000 UVM) piece "15 Places on the Underground Railroad Trail in the U.S."
Inclusion in Lonely Planet (3,400,000 UVM) piece on New York historic parks and monuments with mentions of 3 tourism assets
Inclusion in TravelAwaits (5,000,000 UVM) on the best sites to visit during the bicentennial
Feature piece in Travel & Leisure (5,254,000 UVM) on the bicentennial celebrations in Auburn
Inclusion in Travel & Leisure (5,650,000 UVM) piece on New York history celebrations
Inclusion in U.S. News & World Report (37,765,000 UVM) roundup of Juneteenth celebrations with mentions of 7 tourism assets
Feature piece in We Empower Magazine on Harriet Tubman's legacy in Cayuga County with mentions of 8 tourism assets

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The post Historical Figure brings DEI to the Forefront: Auburn, NY appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Re-aligning Strategy to Meet Changing Visitor Sentiment

Tim Lindner — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:06:05 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This is an example of strategy and a deep understanding of the changing visitor landscape. The marketing campaign reached target audiences in New England and other nearby drive destinations to engage with events, purchase tickets, enjoy virtual workshops and plan a future trip to a cultural attraction and its surrounding region.

We lead digital and public relations efforts, driving over 65,000 clicks, 3,000,000 impressions from social media advertising, 350,000 new users to the website, 120 media placements and 3,800,000,000 impressions from earned media efforts.

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Situational Analysis

Old Sturbridge Village is one of many cultural institutions that was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The typical start to the village’s busy season kicks off in April of each year, largely accommodating school trips and educational groups through June. However, due to state restrictions and safety protocols around the global pandemic, the village closed in mid-March 2020 and remained closed through late June 2020, missing out on large portions of its regular revenue streams.

Research told us that as state lockdowns were lifted and businesses began to reopen, the first visitors to return to places such as OS V would be from local and regional markets. These travelers cared about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans, and emphasized outdoor, open-air attractions. This was a space where OS V could thrive.

On the flip side, a study conducted by Wilkening Consulting noted that only about one-third of Americans were concerned about the state of museums in the COVID landscape, and also considered cultural institutions as a “luxury expense.” With less expendable income to go around, OSV needed to compete for visitor dollars.

The Challenges

Old Sturbridge Village faced the challenge of needing to stand out in the marketplace and drive high-levels of visitation, while also adhering to state guidelines and new guest safety protocols.

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Objectives

Inspire travel and increase standard daytime admission ticket sales among visitors in local and regional drive markets.
Drive up to one-third of typical visitor capacity for front-gate visitation.
Build awareness of Old Sturbridge Village’s current museum offerings, changed guest experience and updated safety procedures.
Connect with an established audience of loyal customers who will make OSV visitation a priority.
Increase sales among established and new revenue streams, including events, merchandise, on-site dining and other museum experiences, as they become available.
Drive visitors to www.osv.org to learn more, purchase tickets and engage with virtual experiences.

Strategic Positioning

Differentiating OSV from other historic attractions, museums, and living history experiences within the region and leaning into its open-air, outdoor offerings.
Promoting the OSV experience for families, couples, solo travelers, and other identified verticals.
Highlighting the ongoing need for cultural institutions and their role in preserving history, memory, and identity.
Highlighting the educational opportunities presented by OSV and its role in engaging with school-age children.
Touting special events, demonstrations, or one-time offerings that enhance the OSV experience, as they become available.
Sharing action images from the Village upon reopening to encourage others to “follow the crowd” and plan a visit.

Photo Credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Key Messages

“More than a museum” touting all that OSV has to offer
Ongoing need for historical and cultural preservation
Ongoing need for community engagement and support as a major local attraction
Opportunity for enhanced educational experiences
Opportunity for “immersive” experiences (over hands-on, which can be a deterrent for visitors) for all ages and interests
Outdoor and open-air museum experiences, coupled with the universal benefits of fresh air
Enhanced safety procedures and new social distancing and cleanliness protocols to ensure guest health
Day-trip or multi-day destination, with hours of activity and exploration (lean into drivable/staycation messaging)
Flexible booking/ticket sales (standard daytime admission available year-round for purchased tickets)
On-site food, merchandise, and nearby lodging

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Results

By the Numbers

2 strategic marketing plans
9 press releases
120 media placements
3,769 Facebook event responses
65,000 link clicks
350,000 new website users
1.4 million advertising impressions
3.8 billion media impressions

Photo Credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Result Highlights

Developed two strategic marketing plans to aid in reopening for Old Sturbridge Village and partner museum Coggeshall Farm Museum.
Developed and managed monthly digital and social media advertising campaigns on behalf of Old Sturbridge Village, resulting in 26,000+ link clicks, 1,400,000 impressions, 760,000 reached, and high engagement in three top DMA targets including Boston, MA, Manchester, NH, New Haven, CT and New York.
Developed and managed digital advertising strategies around two major events: Christmas by Candlelight with over 20,000 link clicks and 900,000 impressions and Phantoms & Fire with over 7,000 link clicks and 250,000 impressions at Old Sturbridge Village.
Drafted and sent nine press releases on behalf of Old Sturbridge Village covering reopening, major announcements and closures, events and activities.
Provided ongoing public relations support including active pitching and pitch writing, garnering 120 media placements and over 3,800,000,000 total impressions.

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The post Re-aligning Strategy to Meet Changing Visitor Sentiment appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Strategic integrated marketing campaign leads to high economic impact in 2020

Tim Lindner — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:16:03 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you:

This example of work illustrates our strengths in strategic planning and the tool we developed to help destinations plan for strategic recovery during the pandemic. It also demonstrates how we executed an integrated, short-term campaign. We drove strong results in a very short period, using a high-impact, strategic approach.

An integrated, holistic approach is more effective than siloed tactics. We started by taking the Finger Lakes Countrysides through our Recovery RoadmapTM process: a two-hour planning workshop with their team and stakeholders followed by a full strategic plan outlining goals, strategy, audiences and key messages. Through that process, we determined that the following tactics would best engage with the visitor in the short-term, at each step of the customer journey, with each touchpoint and channel working together to provide a unified, strategic message.

Yates County is in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. It borders three of the area’s major lakes – Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua and encompasses 30 of the region’s world-class wineries and two wine trails. Its convenient location among the region’s attractions give visitors access to shape their own vacation. The area is known for its beautiful countryside, boutique offerings, and small-town atmosphere where visitors come to escape – all of which tied into the county’s effort to rebrand as “Finger Lakes Countrysides.”

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Situational Analysis

Yates County wanted to engage in a robust campaign to increase occupancy at area lodging establishments to mitigate and recover from the lack of travel and economic effects of COVID-19. Their goal was to increase single-day and overnight trips, looking towards an aggressive, short-term and high-impact campaign concentrating on driving leisure travel from August through October 2020.

Research told us that as state lockdowns are lifted and businesses begin to reopen, the first visitors to return were seeking out small-town destinations over big cities. They were finding and frequenting open-air spaces and participating in outdoor activities first, traveling primarily from local and regional markets, within a 2- to 4-hour drive. Travelers cared most about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans during the pandemic, and, by leaning into its unique positioning as a scenic, outdoor, small-town and “countryside” destination and leveraging the Finger Lakes brand, Yates County had an opportunity to stand out in the marketplace and thrive.

The Challenge

Engage in a robust digital marketing and public relations campaign to

Increase occupancy at area lodging establishments
Increase single-day and overnight trips
Drive leisure travel from August through October.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Objectives

Increase overnight bookings among accommodation partners within Yates County that will lead to increased occupancy tax collections.
Increase revenues for Yates County businesses that will lead to increased sales tax revenue.
Create a foundation for the Yates County Tourism office to build upon in 2021 and beyond.

Strategic Insight

Create your own wide-open escape in the Finger Lakes Countrysides, your hometown away from home.

The area may feel rural but with access to so many experiences nearby, you can craft your own memorable experience. Finger Lakes Countrysides is full of outdoor beauty – from wide-open spaces to water and waterfalls to wilderness. The community is friendly and laidback, making visitors feel right at home. Travelers will choose Finger Lakes Countrysides because they are looking for a close and safe vacation spot where they can connect with their family or friends.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Strategic Approach

Build awareness for the new “Finger Lakes Countrysides” brand and new strategic positioning
Build awareness of the Finger Lakes Countrysides destination experience, its tourism stakeholders and its major assets
Promote single and multi-day trips with overnight stays in the destination among regional markets within a 3- to 6-hour drive to increase overnight accommodation bookings
Bolster late summer and fall season visitation and sales tax revenues by increasing demand for destination experiences
Drive visitation to the new Finger Lakes Countrysides website to encourage further engagement with destination materials and future bookings

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Key Messages

Create your own home away from home. Settle down and snuggle up in one of Finger Lakes Countrysides’ established hotels, boutique B&Bs or private vacation rentals.
Create your own relaxation. Slow down and sit back as you enjoy the quiet escape of Finger Lakes Countrysides.
Create your own connection. Feel right at home with the friendly shops and small businesses who provide personalized experiences.
Create your own memories. Enjoy established traditions or create new ones. Finger Lakes Countrysides leaves an impression you will crave.
Create your own outdoors. Get outside and explore the beauty of Finger Lakes Countrysides, whether you prefer water activities or on-land experiences.
Create your own fun. Find what you enjoy in Finger Lakes Countrysides among water, wine and wilderness.
Create your own sophistication. Choose from a diverse blend of culinary and craft beverage experiences.
Create your own nightlife. Cozy up to the local wine bar or stargaze next to a bonfire on the beach.
Create your own vacation. Finger Lakes Countrysides is full of exciting possibilities, all within reach.

Targeting

Targeting Method

A key cornerstone of this campaign was the use of 2019 mobile ID data, collected from visitors who had made a daytrip or booked an overnight visit to the Finger Lakes Region at any point within the previous year.

We used this data in our Digital Retargeting, Pay per click (PPC), Over the Top (OTT), Facebook and Instagram campaigns to find and target visitors who are loyal to the region and most likely to make a return visit in 2020.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Result Highlights (to date, December 2020)

Launch of Finger Lakes Countrysides website, brand and new social channels, with over 8,800 fans/page likes gained on Facebook July-October among target audience.
4,336,617 impressions garnered July-October through digital retargeting, PPC, OTT, Facebook and Instagram ads.
32,493 clicks driven to the landing page July-October through digital retargeting, PPC, OTT, Facebook and Instagram ads.
7,891 conversions tracked July-October from the landing page to Finger Lakes Countrysides lodging pages and lodging partners.
Two regional travel writers hosted in the destination, during the time of COVID-19, with 37 social media placements totaling over 64,000 impressions and two dedicated feature stories to-date.
Ongoing implementation of COVID Response Satisfaction Survey among regional partners and stakeholders, to survey current visitors and track responses on health, safety, cleanliness, customer service, adaptability and more.

ROMI based on Mobile ID Tracking Results:

12,810 Total Visitors came to the Finger Lakes Countrysides during the months of August-October 2020.
7,155 of those visitors booked an overnight stay spending an average of 2.3 days in the county
5,655 of those visitors came for a daytrip spending an average of 4.5 hours in the area

This represented $2,899,381 in total visitor spend over the three-month campaign.

For every $1 invested in this campaign, we delivered $41 in visitor spending to the Finger Lakes Countrysides.

A 4042% Return on Marketing Investment

Finger Lakes Countrysides Landing Page

Finger Lakes Countrysides Digital Ads

Finger Lakes Countrysides Facebook Ads

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