Web and EMarketing

1
Web and E-Marketing

• Maximizing Small Budgets
• Kim Thompson Madden/Preprint Media
• Patty Becraft Springfield MO CVB

2
Did you know

• As reported by the Consumer Internet Barometer
  (June, 2004) 67 of Americans use the Internet
  to research travel plans.
  
• 75 of all Americans have an email address.
• An average consumer spends close to 3 hours per
  day online, but only 1.7 hours watching TV.

3
Have an Internet Presence

• It doesnt cost THAT much to have a web site.
• URL Registration - 25 - 35 / year
• Web site hosting - 250 - 300 / Yr. (including
  email address)
  
• Can be maintained in-house as needed with
  off-the-shelf software. (FrontPage /
  Dreamweaver)
  
• Keep the URL simple easy to remember.
• Have an email address that matches your URL.
• Have a consistent look.

4
Have a consistent Look

• Your web site should look similar to your
  brochures and ads.
  
• Your logo should be present on all pages of your
  web site.
  
• List your web site address on all printed
  material (Ads, brochures, business cards, etc)
  
• Maintain the same URL (web site address). Dont
  let it expire!

5
You CAN do this yourself

• Keep your web site updated.
• Have an easy-to-find Contact Us page or email
  link.
  
• For larger web sites, be sure to include a site
  map.
  
• Always reply to web site inquiries or emails.
• Request links on other relevant web sites.

6
You CAN do it yourself . (Continued)

• Check out your competition.
• Who links to them? (Altavista.com linkurl)
• What are their Keywords? (View / Source)
• Maintain High Search Engine Rankings.
• Create concise Page Titles.
• Update your Meta-tags Keywords consistently.
• Submit URL regularly to major Search Engines.
• Dont Forget a Privacy Policy / Disclaimer
  page.
  
• Place a visitor counter on your home page or
  subscribe to web site statistical reports
  (WebTrends).

7
Grow your customer list

• Collect email addresses on your web site.
• Information Request Form
• Newsletter / Special Promo Offers
• Offer giveaways / contests
• Kids Quiz
• Sign up to win
• ALWAYS include an Opt In / Opt Out selection.
• Include on original sign up form.
• Include a Remove option on any Email Blast.
• Keep your Email list updated.
• Process all REMOVES immediately.
• Update email address changes when notified.

8
Research

• Conduct your own Surveys / Market Research.
• Encourage Participation - Make it a contest.
• Offer a free getaway or ??? to one lucky
  participant.
  
• Collect email addresses from visitors to your
  business or area. (Visitor Profile Study)
  
• Email addresses collected from web site or from
  information requests. (Conversion Study)
  
• Use the results in future marketing efforts.

9
Use that research .

• If they did visit
• Where did they come from?
• When did they visit?
• How long did they stay?
• Who was with them?
• What (else) did they do?
• Generate email lists by geographic regions,
  season, interests, and/or age of visitors in
  party.
  
• If they didnt visit why not? Where did they
  go?
  

10
Work with your constituents

• Identify those businesses that could enhance your
  customers visit.
  
• Encourage reciprocating links.
• Package your offer with others.
• Attractions / Hotels / Lodging
• Your competition could be your friend!
• The more there is to do the more visitors will
  come they WILL stay longer!
  
• Work together to do email blasts that include
  those packages with your constituents.
  
• Include Opt-In from other related businesses on
  your sign-up forms.
  
• Combine email lists send email promotions to
  both groups.
  

11
Do cooperative marketing

• Create a marketing campaign that combines
  multiple attractions / constituents.
  
• Opportunity for from local / regional / state
  co-op grants.
  
• Do cooperative advertising at reduced rates.
• Create a co-op web site.
• Reach a broader audience.
• Share all costs.

12
Generate Other Online Revenue

• Think Outside the Box. Identify other
  businesses that would not normally be considered
  a Tourism business. (Gas stations,
  doctors/dentists, pharmacies, vets, banks.)
• Add a Relocation page on your web site. Most
  people visit an area before they move. Realtors
  look for these opportunities.
  
• Annual charge for hyperlinks or banners, or pay
  per click.
  
• Investigate Google or Yahoo advertising
  services you can place on your web site. Receive
  revenue per click.

13
Dont forget about your locals!

• Have a Vacation in your own Back Yard
  campaign.
  
• Offer reduced rates for residents during specific
  dates and make them available on your web site.
  
• Use local media to direct them to your web site.
  Radio stations love giveaways as a promotion.
  
• Residents of your area have friends / family that
  visit.
  
• Collect their friends or relatives email
  addresses. Offer to email an invitation to
  visit, or encourage them to Send a Postcard
  from your web site.

14
Public Relations

• Keep them informed of what there is to do or
  anything new!
  
• Work with local media by writing news releases
  and generating public interest stories.
  
• Kids determine what most families do for fun.
• Create an educational opportunity for the
  students to visit with their family. Create a
  Kids Quiz on your web site for the local
  children to participate in. Post the winners
  name or the class with the most participation on
  your web site.
• Hold a photo contest for the kids. Best photo is
  posted on the home page of your web site.

15
Q A
16
Contact Us

• Kim Thompson Madden / Preprint Media -
• kim_at_preprint.com
• Patty Becraft Springfield, MO CVB / Becraft Web
  Design - info_at_becraftwebdesign.com