It’s common practice for visitor bureaus and chambers of commerce to print and distribute an annual guide. But there are good arguments for publishing more often! Take a look at just a few of them.
Avoid Outdated Content
When a publication has a shelf life of a year, content can grow stale — especially if it’s about events, exhibitions or member anniversaries that have already passed. Publishing twice a year instead of once reduces the likelihood that customers or prospects will pick up a book with obviously outdated information.
Go With the Seasons
This is especially crucial for visitor guides. The sorts of activities visitors may want to pursue are significantly different in the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons (think garden shows in the ...
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You already know that email marketing is key to reaching your customers. But do you have the right targeting system in place to reach the people who are actually most likely to buy from you?
Here are just a few targeting filters you should consider implementing to ensure you’re reaching your optimal audience:
Location: Do you want to reach only people in your city or county? Or people within a day’s drive?
Age: Is your ideal audience young and single, just starting a family or on the verge of retirement?
Income: Do you only want to reach people over a certain income threshold?
Lifestyle interests: Maybe your product or service is something that mainly appeals to, say, homeowners or hobby ...
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The professional social media platform can be a major asset for your business if you use it right.
Ever since LinkedIn became “cool” again, there’s been more of a focus on the social networking platform — and not just for individual use. The career-centric site has long been a place for people to post job updates and company moves, but that’s far from all it does. For businesses with an eye on expanding their presence and fostering community connections, LinkedIn is the place to be.
That being said, it’s far from a free-for-all when it comes to brand presence on the platform. Here’s what you can do right now to leverage LinkedIn for your business.
1 | Set Up a LinkedIn Page
Let’s ...
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As any business owner today likely knows, social media is a powerful tool. Whether that means setting up a strong Google Business Profile or managing a Facebook page, business professionals need to have a pulse on what their online presence looks like. Unsurprisingly, few platforms garner as much attention as Instagram. For business owners, the photo- and video-based platform can serve as a major asset to help promote products and services or get the word out about new offerings.
Here are a few tips to make the most of the platform:
1 | Craft strong captions with a consistent voice
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the caption. Instead, use the caption space ...
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With the much-discussed advent of generative AI — artificial intelligence that can produce various kinds of content based on prompts from a user — it’s become easier than ever to plug your information into an algorithm and let it do the work for you. But should you?
It’s true that AI is constantly learning and getting smarter. But the truth of the matter is that, for now, AI tools still struggle with creating certain kinds of imagery — for example of human hands and feet.
Then there’s the fact that AI learns by scraping existing information off the internet. What this means in practice is that any kind of design AI creates for you is going to be based on something ...
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Every visitor and convention bureau faces the same struggle year after year: how do you promote the same sights, restaurants, shops and venues repeatedly, while still making your content seem fresh?
Luckily, we can help. Here is a list of expert tips on how to keep your travel content compelling from one year to the next.
1 | Add a multimedia component
Even if you publish a print guide (which you should), you can add interest to the guide by linking to videos via QR codes throughout the book. The videos could be behind-the-scenes footage of photo shoots you did for the guide, or a quick, informal tour of a notable local place by one of your staff members.
2 | Tell a ...
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I’m sure you’ve heard at least one or two people talk about digital marketing, and maybe you’ve heard mention of a decision-making sales funnel too. But how are the two related and what do they mean for your business?
The sales funnel is a way of visualizing a potential customer’s decision process. At the top of the funnel, you have customers researching a vague problem and discovering potential solutions. In the middle of the funnel are customers who have defined their problem and the sort of solution they need. At the bottom are customers who are ready to make an informed purchasing decision.
Ideally, you want customers to discover your brand as a potential solution for their problem right at the ...
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A Google Business Profile is a powerful way to help your business on search — and it’s easier to manage than you think.
You know that moment when you’re searching for something on Google and you see a business profile card pop up? That’s a Google Business Profile page in action. A built-in feature on the search engine, these free profiles offer businesses the chance to develop a strong first impression online. And, since more than 83% of the global population uses Google as its primary search engine, according to Statista, chances are high that a Google Business Profile will get more than a few eyeballs on it.
So how can you set up your Google Business Profile?
1 | Google Your ...
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Whether you’re a membership association, a nonprofit or an employer in the education or healthcare space, you have important messages to communicate — and stakeholders who need to hear that message.
What better way to keep potential members, donors or alumni engaged with your mission and vision than with a magazine that highlights your needs and accomplishments?
For one, the consistent publication schedule of a magazine means your stakeholders are reminded of both your existence and your value on a regular basis, whether it’s monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.
Also remember that a beautiful magazine can be a keepsake, lending your message the kind of staying power that’s difficult to achieve in the digital age.
1 | Consider Print vs. Digital
Your magazine could be ...
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Chambers of Commerce, visitor bureaus and other membership-based organizations need member dues to thrive. To recruit more members and keep the ones you already have, you need to offer perks. One great way to highlight existing members and win new ones is your annual print directory.
Here are a few strategies to consider:
1 | Feature a prominent member on the cover.
If one of your members is a major local employer or a significant supporter of your organization (e.g. via event sponsorships), you may want to consider giving them prime placement on the cover of your directory. The cover photo provides great exposure to the member, especially when paired with an article about the member inside the publication. It also elevates ...
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