Public Relations and

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Public Relations and Your Rural Tourism
Enterprise
Governor Heinemans Agri-Tourism Workshop
November 29, 2005 Presented by Randy
Cantrell University of Nebraska Rural Initiative
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Public Relations and Marketing ARE NOT
Synonymous
Marketing involves determining what people want,
planning and providing products and services to
meet those wants, and selecting the most
effective ways of reaching those who might pay
for these products and services.
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Public Relations ARE a Critical Component of
Marketing Success
Public relations are most simply defined as the
creation and maintenance of a favorable image and
reputation. The image that you project to your
target audience. The image that you project to
your partners. The image that you project to your
neighbors and the reputation that you have within
the community.
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Image is in the Details
Set the appropriate image for your business. Pay
attention to ? Business name ? Logo ?
Facility appearance ? Business cards and
forms ? Employee appearance ? Equipment
appearance
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The Best Advertising is a Good Public Image
Remember that your best promotion tool is word of
mouth. Happy customers are the most important key
to success. Customers visit your farm or ranch
for the experience that you offer. You want them
to return as well as to tell others about your
operation. So, direct your attention to the best
ways to make your visitors/customers feel welcome
and comfortable.
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Serve your Target Audience

• Target audiences are distinct groups or segments
  of clients that you expect to reach when you
  employ different marketing strategies.
• You may decide to target your service based on
  the characteristics of
• Age
• Family
• Expertise
• Income Level
• Location (in or out of state, international)
• Preferences (lodging, guided or not, group size,
  etc.)

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Understand the Values of Your Audience and Shape
their Experience Accordingly
Remember that people visit you to have fun and
relax. Fun and relaxation will mean different
things to different people. For some, the
experience will require solitude and a pristine
environmental setting. For others, it may
require excitement and adventure. For others,
that may require active involvement in an
educational experience. Not all experiences are
compatible.
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Rule 1 Deliver What You Promise and Deliver it
With a Smile
Customer satisfaction, and thus your image,
depends primarily upon two things First you
having delivered the experience and service that
you have promised. Second their interactions
with you, your staff and your community having
been pleasant and satisfying. It is essential
that you take care of details that will ensure
that satisfaction. Control what you can Control.
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Train Yourself and Your Staff to Meet Customer
Expectations
Staff training is an essential component in
ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.
Staff must be knowledgeable about your
operation, your services and products as well as
the amenities available in local area. They
should become familiar with area attractions,
local restaurants and accommodations, events and
festivals. When the customer asks What is there
to do around here? HAVE AN ANSWER.
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Learn from Visitors
If you currently have people entering your
property without paying (hunters, anglers,
wildlife viewers, etc.) you may want to ask them
what they valued in that experience. When your
business is in place, you should continue to
learn from your guests. Question or survey your
customers about their satisfaction with your
services.
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Market the Things that will Enhance Your
Reputation Among Your Customers.
The feature that makes your product or service
different than the offerings of competing
attractions (e.g., a restaurant on an organic
farm, a BB on an exotic animal farm, a great
cornfield maze at a u-pick produce stand,
etc.) The length of time your organization has
been in business (e.g., a family-run farm for
over a century. The unique people involved in
your operation (e.g., clinics by a
nationally-renowned horse trainer, entertainment
by a cowboy poet, home cookin' by a country fair
blue ribbon winner, etc.)
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Market the Things that will Enhance Your
Reputation Among Your Customers.
Your location (e.g., in the heart of prime bird
watching habitat, within an hour of Omaha, far
off the beaten path, etc.). The size of your
operation (e.g., a small, intimate inn on a
working ranch a 120,000 acre cattle ranch,
etc.). The benefits of your product or services
(e.g., catch the romantic spirit of the West,
restful solitude and tranquility, fulfill a
childhood dream, guaranteed catch or wildlife
sightings, etc.). The services of your
organization (e.g., outdoor recreation for young
singles, pampered care of older couples,
wilderness adventure).
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Take Customer Concerns Seriously
Visitors are sometimes in search of empathy and a
solution to their own problems. If they have
complaints or concerns, listen to their problems
or frustrations without interruption. Ease the
situation by remaining calm and attempting to
understand the problem completely. Calmly ask
questions to ensure that everyone understands the
situation. Suggest several options and give the
visitor the courtesy of making their own
decision.
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The Importance of
Community Relations

As a landowner, you should always be concerned
with your business image. Besides client
satisfaction with their experience, your public
relation goals should include satisfaction of
your vendors, and acceptance of your operation by
neighbors, local community leaders and the
general public. It's worth the effort to foster
the support of other businesses, neighbors, state
and federal agencies, local sheriff and law
enforcement personnel, citizen groups and your
local Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Bureau.
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Personal Selling
Building good relations within the community will
also help promote your business. Many clients
are commonly referred by people living in your
own area. Local residents and businesses like to
recommend places that are an asset or unique
feature of the community. If they believe you
are offering a quality service, they will
recommend you.
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Community Partnerships
Establishing relationships and cooperative
alliances with your community is a key element of
long-term success. In some ways, this will be
the most important part of your public relations
strategy.
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Building Community Partnerships
Speak about your project early with neighbors,
family, and local businesses. Share your ideas.
Listen to their concerns and feedback. Address
any problems early in the development of the
project. Speak about your project at service
clubs, association meetings, and other
gatherings. Get feedback and modify your
presentation. Join the local Chamber of Commerce.
Offer to write a regular column for your local
newspaper. See your shortcomings or weaknesses
as future partnerships. Inventory your community
and seek out those who have what you need to
complete your goals. Return the favor.
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Building Community Partnerships
Define who shares potential customers with you.
Align yourself with other businesses and
attractions and openly discuss potential
customers. Develop exchange promotions and track
the source of your leads. Regarding local
ordinances the government listens to
commitments, not complaints, and so do your
neighbors. Work through compliance issues as
required by law and in the spirit of cooperation
with surrounding properties and interests.
Engage any adversaries. Most people simply want
to be heard or are afraid of the unknown impacts.
Sit down with them one-on-one and listen. Address
the concerns and do not whitewash them.
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Building Community Partnerships
Keep your business plan and marketing plan in the
daylight. Use your plans to support your actions
and efforts. Work to foster a sense of community
and personal responsibility among citizens. Work
with other businesses to encourage small town
character and support of locally owned
businesses. Maintain and enhance historic
structures and work to support resource based
assets (agriculture, timber, rivers, etc.) in the
area.
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Building Community Partnerships
Support community programs. Become a member of
the Chambers of Commerce, Better Business Bureau,
and visitors bureau. Become active in civic
and/or environmental groups. Offer to assist
your tourism agencies with familiarization tours
that they may be planning for travel writers in
your area. Providing a complimentary service to a
travel writer will be a good marketing
investment.
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Building Community Partnerships
Send news releases to area newspapers and radio
and television stations. Make them aware of
events that may be of human interest. Such things
as the early arrival of a bird species or the
catch of a record-breaking fish are often
newsworthy. Send out Christmas cards to your
clientele, including past users, and to your
vendors. Participate in community events. Keep
abreast of activities within the community, and
donate your services when appropriate.
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Building Community Partnerships
Make sure that local vendors are aware of your
needs and have an opportunity to bid on the
services that you require. PAY YOUR VENDORS in a
timely fashion.
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Thanks for listening!
If you have questions or would like to obtain
additional information, please feel free to
contact Randy Cantrell University of Nebraska
Rural Initiative 402-472-0910 or
send e-mail to rcantrell1.unl.edu or visit the
Rural Initiative Web site http//ruralinitiative.
nebraska.edu/ We wish to express our
appreciation to The University of California
Small Farm Center and the University of Minnesota
Tourism Center and Clemson University for the
material that they have made available.