Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit - Marketing Tips & Takeaways

HELPING ORGANIZATIONS ACHIEVE EPIC SUCCESSIs what we do!


Small Business Marketing Tips + Takeaways

(Kinda…)



I’m not going to give you a couple of weak tips that probably won’t

make a noticeable difference.

I’m am probably going to annoy you a little, especially in the

beginning.



#1BE NICE.



BE RESPECTFUL, KIND, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. BE A GOOD CITIZEN

It’s obvious why business owners need to be good citizens in the community. Isn’t it?



It’s obvious why business owners need to be good citizens in the community. Isn’t it?

If you have a bad reputation with a local, they are not going to refer you to a tourist, or partner with you in their business.




YOU are your business.




…SOMETIMES WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES.

…AND OFCOURSE SOMETIMES THERE’S EXCEPTIONS.

ME

Being a jerk to someone I have never met. Who might be a business owner.

Who might need marketing.



#2YOU NEED AT LEAST TWO OF THESE:

1. Great Service2. Great Product3. Great Price



DANNY AND TOBI’S BIG FLOP OF A BUSINESS HAD:

1. Great Service2. Great Product3. Great Price



IN SMALL TOWNS:1. Marketing starts with you and your product.

2. Marketing ends the thought your customer has in their mind after using your product or service.



FOR NOW REMEMBER:1. Marketing starts with you and your product.

2. Marketing success depends on the thought your customer has in their mind after using your product or service.

PSST!This is your brand ;)



HOWEVER TODAYwe’re supposed to talk about the actions you can take in

between [you and your customers’ thoughts].



ANDwe’re going to start from the

ground up.



#3ASK FOR FEEDBACK.



FEEDBACK!



THEY WILL GIVE ITOnline and publicly.

Get ahead of the game. Ask for feedback.

Improve what you do.Engage with your customers.



ACTIONS:1. Ask for feedback via email.

• Have a sign-up sheet by the register.• Use automated services like ZenReach.• Follow-up with a note of thanks and ask for feedback.



ACTIONS:1. Ask for feedback via email.

• Have a sign-up sheet by the register.• Use automated services like ZenReach.• Follow-up with a note of thanks and ask for feedback.

2. Have a comment box or guest book. No, this isn’t the best way. The best ways are always harder.

• It’s better than nothing…



ACTIONS:3. Respond to all reviews online, especially the bad ones. Yelp,

TripAdvisor, Facebook, Foursquare etc..• Google your business, find the reviews, and humbly respond and reach

out.





out.

4. Encourage online reviews.• For under $50 you can print a card to keep on-hand that requests

reviews from various online source.





out.

4. Encourage online reviews.• For under $50 you can print a card to keep on-hand that requests

reviews from various online source.

5. Ask.• I think the best and most hardest way is to humbly ask for feedback by

simply…asking for it.



ACTIONS:6. Be nice, and do your best to make changes where possible to negative

feedback.



#4DESIGN & COLLATERAL.



YOU EITHER HAVE AN AMAZING REPUTATION AND

YOUR PRODUCT STANDS ON IT’S OWN, OR…



YOU NEEDto establish your business visually in a

way that shows you can be taken seriously.



REMEMBERA brand is not your logo, and branding is

not something that can be put into a presentation on tips for marketing.



EVERYsuccessful business we work with has taken care to present themselves well

visually. Some have failed at doing it well, but they all have taken the care to.



CREATE:• Logo• Rackcards• Nice business cards• Nice signage• Auto signage• Menu of services• Door hangers• Direct mail postcards• Flyers for the chamber

newsletter• Stickers• Cool clothing for employees



So… You represent your business in a respectable way.

You have two of these; a great product, great pricing, great service.

You’ve asked for feedback and fine-tuned your product or service.

You have a well designed logo and marketing collateral.



NOW YOU CAN MARKETand meet the expectations of your

customers, because you’ve done the ground work.



#5ADVERTISING.



EVERYTHING YOUR BUSINESS DOES IS

ADVERTISING.



HIGHLY SUCCESSFULbusinesses usually advertise in

some way.



There’s no way I can tell you where or how to advertise your business right now.



that’s what we get paid to do



ADVERTISING DEFINED:To describe or draw attention to

(a product, service, or event) in a public medium in order to promote

sales or attendance

It‘s not just ads!



ACTIONS:1. Banners on the highway – a super cheap way (in comparison) to reach

thousands.2. Take advantage of yearly ad sales to get larger ads at better prices.3. Always ask anywhere you advertise to lower their price.4. Start a yearly scholarship giveaway5. Create a rackcard and give it to accommodations6. Facebook boosts for specific results, targeted to specific audiences7. Pinterest pins if you have an e-commerce store8. Investigate smaller publications like Port Ludlow’s Village Voice for

advertising opportunities9. Have a large giveaway and announce it in the paper10. Our market is saturated with classes right now, but they can be good

ways to get leads.



#6DIGITAL MARKETING.



YOU EITHER NEEDtime or money.

You can absolutely use digital marketing to your advantage and it will increase, at

a minimum, visits to your website.



ACTIONS

1. Create a customer newsletter2. Create an educational blog on your website that will encourage site

visits.3. Advertise on Google and Facebook4. Optimize your website for search engine placement

If you have only a little bit of money and a lot of time you can research

and learn the basics.



ACTIONS

1. Work with a professional to analyze your business’s specific needs2. Create a strategy and editorial calendar3. Implement the strategy and editorial calendar across all mediums4. Manage your social media well5. Ensure your website is optimized for Google (SEO)

If you have a budget for digital marketing.



ACTIONS

1. Do something other than digital marketing.

If you have NO time and NO budget



#7DO THESE THINGS NOW

Update Your Google My Business Listing

UseThe Tools Of Your Chamber

RespondTo Negative Reviews Online

ThinkAbout What A Successful Business Looks Like, For You.

DefineYour Mission Based On Those Thoughts

AskFor Help!



Survive winter

Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit - Marketing Tips & Takeaways

Marketing

Transcript of Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit - Marketing Tips & Takeaways