Fiona Hering, Ibis Advantage for Food Safari

November 26, 2009

Ibis logo

• Field to fork experience days

• Behind-the-scenes at Suffolk’s best food & drink producers

• Farm walks or forays

• Butchery and/or cookery workshops

• Fantastic feasts with beer/wine matching

• Founded late 2008• First event March 2009• Founder Polly, only member

of staff with PR support: Ibis Advantage & design: Spring

• Audience – long weekenders and locals, foodies young and old, corporate & bespoke events

• Marketing budget – practically none!

Digital marketing activity

• Make web sites lively and interesting

• Include a news section

• Include mutual links with other sites; can improve Google page rankings – suppliers, other events in the area,

• Add testimonials and links to press articles

Other digital marketing

E-marketing

• Email newsletters cheap communication and greener • Enable people to subscribe to a mailing list• Encourage people to subscribe with an offer i.e

competition, free draw, voucher, money off.• Creates customer loyalty• Follow rules of direct marketing with an ‘opt

out/unsubscribe facility on each email.• Your database is key for any future business

developments!

• Use a real voice, be natural• Add links to interesting sites & your own (use

shortening services like TinyURL or tr.im• Upload photos or videos• Get into conversations – ask and reply to

questions• Avoid blatant self-promotion!

Why Twitter works for Food Safari

• Reach new audiences = new business: real return• Drives majority of traffic to my web site• Creates a buzz around Food Safari • Developing a reputation as expert on Suffolk food & drink• Pick up PR opportunities by answering journalists requests

for tips & ideas – e.g. Olive magazine or Travelbite• Made new friends and contacts• Live customer feedback.

Other Social Networking sites:

www.blogger.com • An online diary• Creates interactive content for your website which in turn

is, easy to update and great for search engine ranking• Needs regular input for success• Creates an image of expertise – if written well

www.facebook.com• Twitter can link to facebook with a newsfeed • Create a group with’fans’ for your product• Support for photo/video content/pod casts• User feedback and interaction (www.LinkedIn.com is a the

professional/business alternative)

www.youtube.com – this is something Food Safari plans to do soon!

• The home of all video content

• Can be used freely across other networks, like Facebook and Twitter; most websites have built-in YouTube support

• User-friendly – videos are very easy to use and share

• Content can be commented on and rated.

Marketing matrix

Cost£

Value to business

Web site

PR

TwitterOther social networking

Online listings & directories

Flyers

e-newsletterEvents & networking

Final tips• Experiment with new media; don’t be intimidated by it• It’s fun and informal • Tell your existing contacts you’re on Twitter maybe

they are too• Twitter is nothing without followers. Take time to find

them.• If you are part of a marketing group or association see

if they have plans to develop a social media presence

To get you started:

• twitter.com/FoodSafariUK • twitter.com/ChooseSuffolk• twitter.com/east_of_england• twitter.com/EET_Corporate• Twitter.com/EEDA • Twitter.com/IbisAdv• Twitter.com/SpringDandA