And how one small town in the USA increased visitor numbers by 500% in 12 months.
Successful brands know themselves and their customers’ values.
We just returned from a very enjoyable holiday in the Apple Isle. As tourism is very important to Tasmania’s economy, we were struck by the generally outstanding level of customer service and the quality of the experiences and products (i.e. mostly local food and wine – yum).
Amongst these outstanding experiences were some operators who just get it right. One was World Heritage Cruises in Strahan. One just sensed from the initial greeting that the company clearly knows what it stands for – creating an outstanding, interesting experience where visitors learn about the environment, the economy, the people, the history. From woe to go, every staff member demonstrated their commitment to making the day a great experience. The company’s culture was so evident.
So, this article on what makes a brand successful came through right on the return to work, which was very timely.
The author, David Brier says successful brands must answer the following.
Who are we, and how do we relate this idea in a way that’s meaningful to our customers and the values they hold dear?
You can answer the following 3 questions and here’s an example of how a small town in the Midwest of the USA – Menomonie, Wisconsin – who wanted to attract more tourists got when they did just that.
Question 1. Who are our prospective customers?
Menomonie’s answer – Families, friends and groups that enjoy travel, discovery and quality time away from home.
Question 2. What are their values and priorities?
Menomonie’s answer – Being cared for. Being catered to. Discovering new things. A wide variety of interests and forms of entertainment, activity and venues for enjoyment.
Question 3. Who are we and are we a passionate extension of those values?
Menomonie’s answer – We are people who love life, love good times and embrace culture in all its forms.
So once they had these answers – they isolated key attractions and brought them to life for travelers in a way that had not been done before. They used things like these posters that 19,000 cars passed by everyday, each and every week.
The result? A crushing 500% increase in walk-in tourists in the first 12 months of this campaign launch.
Reference: Images by risingabovethenoise.com
