4th  Annual  LGBT                  Tourism  Conference

                 

How not to miss connections Relationship Marketing in the Age of Social Media

Alicia Whalen awhalen@acoupleofchicks.com

@acoupleofchicks

Judi Samuels judi.samuels@gmail.com

@chieflemonhead

a  chick  &  a  lemonhead  

Judi Samuels, Consulting Judi Samuels has over 15 years of experience as a marketing communications expert, having spent the past 7 years focusing on connecting brands with their audiences through new and innovative channels in the digital and social space. Her experiences include: experiential, social & digital, communications and brand strategy, working with both B2B & B2C brands. She has developed brand activation strategies, content strategies and social marketing strategies for industries such as automotive, business services, energy, entertainment, government , not-for-profit, professional associations, tech/telco, and tourism. Judi has worked with major Canadian brands including Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, the Canadian Tourism Commission, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, MuchMusic and McCarthy Tétrault. Judi holds an MBA specializing in Hospitality and Tourism from the University of Guelph.

POPULATION: 5,046 (2010 US Census)

Adventure Week culminates in a drag hike to Windows Arch in Arches National Park, where organizers promise that "the loop trail is brief, mostly paved, perfect for heels and with several beautiful photo opportunities to get your Vogue on!"

Key to Moab success §  Local community support §  Innovative product §  Groundswell through social outlets

MOST IMPORTANTLY: BEING TRUE TO MOAB

Not personifying… Humanizing

http://sqz.co/o5X9Gkj

Community

“We’ve made more friends here in 9 months than we did in London in 2 years. People are just friendly here.”

Chris and Adam

Traveling is not about things, it’s about discovering places that have meaning & meeting the people that shape those places

It’s about community

Community a group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or

neighborhood)

a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.

Merriam Webster dictionary

Interests. Beliefs. Passion.

Communities

§  Connect people §  Connect people based on passions,

interests, common bonds

§  Connect strangers who share those passions, interests, common bonds

§  Share values and beliefs §  Protect and defend members of the

community

It’s about micro community

Toronto Asian Hiking Club

Out on Bay Street

Oregon Women’s Sailing Association

Jewlicious Festivals

Married history & heritage aficionados

LGBT micro-community §  What connects them? §  How do they connect? §  Where do they connect?

LGBT market CMI 2012 Highlights

§  Urban core destinations is more associated with gay men §  Outdoor adventure and family travel is more associated with

lesbians §  25% of LGBT travelers say they are influenced by social

media §  LGBT-friendly destinations are an important factor in

decision making

Community Marketing, Inc., San Francisco, CA (2012)

BEFORE AFTER

Importance of the LGBT micro-community

LGBT   Everyone  else  LGBT   Everyone  

else  

How not to miss the connection §  Humanize your brand, your destination §  Travel is about an emotional experience &

human connection

§  Emotion leads to passion & loyalty §  Passion = micro-community

§  Loyalty value

Social is a tool §  Build trust & confidence §  Show commitment to the community §  Nurture relationships §  Expand reach

Case Studies: What works

Using social media to enhance the relationship with the customer, connect with communities, and extend the experience

Enhances relationships  

Interconnection of brands who focus on the LGBT market, and integration of platforms §  Connecting to the

community  §  Extending the community §  Being relevant to the

community

#MTLMOMENTS

Extends the experience  

Commitment to the LGBT community

Integrating social platforms

Nurturing the relationship Instagram

Participating in the community Microsite

Extending the experience YouTube

http://sqz.co/t5C9Bzi

Do it well If you are going to “do” Social Media

“Doing” Social Media Well

§  Have a plan §  Allocate resources §  Stay committed §  Be relevant §  Understand the market

Doing Social Media Well

be relevant

stay committed  

understand the market Remember Chris and Adam?

What did we learn?

Lessons

§  Use social media to build trust and confidence

§  Be committed to the market §  Participate in the community §  Nurture the relationship

Be sociable §  Social Media enhances the relationship with the customer, if

you do it well - and within the context of the channel. §  Challenges:

§  It’s (still) New §  Fast evolving §  Difficult to calculate ROI

Don’t get trapped

Too many brands get stuck trading long-term loyalty for short term ROI.

The last word(s) §  Know the micro-communities

§  Understand your audience’s context. Leverage the convergence between your brand & their context

§  Participate & nurture §  Create & deliver relevant content. Connect on an emotional level

& deliver on your promises

§  Extend & build loyalty §  And, care. Care deeply. Care genuinely. And make sure your

teams deliver the love

thank you

#coolchick  #knowsher$hi*%  

             4th  Annual  LGBT                  Tourism  Conference