Social Media as a Tool for Building an Alternative

Economy in Perry County:

A project among students, community partners

and faculty

Peter H. Hackbert

Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Program

Berea College, Berea KY

Hazard Chamber of Commerce

Hazard City Hall, Hazard KY

February 26, 20132/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 1

Source: Ezzell,T., Lambert, D., and E. Ogle. Strategies to Economic Improvement in Appalachia’s Distressed Rural Counties, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Washington DC: ARC. February 2012.

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Source: Ezzell,T., Lambert, D., and E. Ogle. Strategies to Economic Improvement in Appalachia’s Distressed Rural Counties, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Washington DC: ARC. February 2012.

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Source: Ezzell,T., Lambert, D., and E. Ogle. Strategies to Economic Improvement in Appalachia’s Distressed Rural Counties, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Washington DC: ARC. February 2012.

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“Uneven Ground”

UK Professor of

History: Ronald Eller www.google.com/images

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…growing popularity of ecotourism and

heritage tourism…contained the potentialfor building an alternative economy, one that

promised greater monetary returns for local

residents, the preservation of rural traditions,

and the protection of sensitive natural

resources.

- Ronald D. Eller, Uneven Ground, The University of

Kentucky Press, 2008: 256.

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5 Years Research

• Demographic Analysis

• Economic Analysis

• Entrepreneurship

• Community Survey

• Site visits (14x10x6) 840 night stays2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 7

Small Town ProgramPopulations

1,602

357

175

1,764

747

1,081

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Key Question

Can Social Media be a tool to

develop an alternative economy in

Appalachian communities?

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We observed and we listened to

the KRADD business owners,

attraction and destination

operators.

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They use

Facebook

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Google Search Website2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 14

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Summer 2012 - We researched

Kentucky Tourism

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Kentucky Visitor Profile Study

Daniel Boone Country RegionSeptember 2010 – August 2011 Visitors

Prepared for:

The Commonwealth of Kentucky

Department of Travel and Tourism

Prepared by:

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Tourism is the 3rd largest industry in Kentucky,

providing $3.3 billion in salaries annually

This is despite only 34% of first-time Kentucky

visitors actually recalling seeing any advertisements or

promotions for Kentucky prior to their visit.

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The Daniel Boone Country Visitor

Average Income: $68,560

Average Age: 50.8

Average Travel Group Size: 3

69% short pleasure trip

53% use internet

Recommend their visit to others: 96%2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 19

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36 Hours in Damacus

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115 million Americans live

within a day’s driving distance

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Imagine

How would you spend 36 hours in

the KRADD region?

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36 Hours in the

KRADD Region

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Online consumer recommendations are

the second most trusted source of brand

advertising, second only to

“recommendations from people I know” in

a global 2012 study of 28,000 consumers in

56 countries

Source: Nielson, “Consumer Trust in Online, Social and Mobile Advertising Grows, 2012

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"The traveler/tourist persona

profile gives you a chance to truly

empathize with target

market segments, stepping out of the role

as someone who wants to promote a product

and see, through your travelers' eyes…”

Peter H. Hackbert

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34 Personas

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1. Traveler and Tourist Personas

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Meet the Weston’s

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Lifestyle

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Limitations

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Westons’ Travel Goals & Strategy

• More Spontaneity

• Wide open road with

unplanned stops

• Download apps

• Love of history

• Good foods and

scenic roads

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H.O.G.

Run in

packs

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Appalachian “tag-a-long ride” to

Cherokee NC Arrive in Hazard, Kentucky at 2:30 p.m. at the Tourism office

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Perry County’s answer to the

history buff

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History of Perry County : Bobby

Davis Museum & Park

4:00 p.m.

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Py Cakes

5:00 p.m.

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Where to Stay?

6:00 p.m.

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Jabo’s State of MineDinner- 7:00 p.m.

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7:00 p.m. Dinner

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8:00 a.m. Ride to breakfast

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Departure

1:30 p.m.

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The Weston’s Next Steps

• Once returning home from their rally the

Weston’s…

• Uploaded multiple pictures on facebook

• Wrote reviews on their food and lodging

• Told their friends about their trip and passed

along their brochures

• Planned an annual trip to Hazard for the

Cherokee Rally Tag- A-Long

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Wildcat Harley-Davidson, London KY

Craft four seasonal tours

to and through

Perry County

2012 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards for Eastern and Southern Kentucky

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2. Traveler and Tourist Personas

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Joseph Atkins

Images.google.comImages.google.com2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 49

45 Years Old

45 years old

Works in Cincinnati

Restaurant Manager

Married

No children

History Buff

Social Media Experience

Wife is in Chicago

$1,100 budget

Travels by car

Visit a buddy at Alice Lloyd collegeImages.google.com

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Three Forks Historical Center8:45 AM

Facebook.com/DigitalAppalachia2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 51

What got him to stop?

Tripadvisor.co

m

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Old Country Inn12:15 PM

Facebook.com/DigitalAppalachia2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 53

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Alice Lloyd College9:30 AM - Wednesday

Facebook.com/DigitalAppalachia2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 55

Google Local Review: Alice Lloyd College

www.google.com/images2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 56

Deals/Discounts

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Yelp Review: Hindman Settlement

School

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Lunch Special

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Appalachian Artisan Center Studio

Yelp.com2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 60

Appalachian Artisan Center Studio1:00 PM

Facebook.com/DigitalAppalachia2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 61

Store decals

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Joseph Atkins Next Steps

• Returning home from his trip

• Uploaded multiple pictures on Facebook

• Wrote reviews on Yelp, Google+ and

TripAdvisor

• Told his friends about his trip and passed

along his comments

• Planned an annual trip to Perry County, KY

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Lessons Learned

1. Claim your business location

2. Use and promote local deals/updates

3. Prompt guests to leave tips

4. Create badges

5. Use signs at your location

6. Create contests

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3. Traveler and Tourist Personas

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Cameron Bruce

19 years old 51 years oldSourced: Google images

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Patrick Todd

16

years

old

49 years old

Source: Google

images

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Lifestyle/ Limitations/Budget

Sourced: Google images

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Historic Reenactments

Sourced: Google images

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Buckhorn State Park and Resort

Review

Sourced: Trip Advisor

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…the positive effects of star ratings

….a half star provides to the

restaurants evening bookings at 7pm

peak dining times….restaurants sell

out an average of 30-49% more often

when moving from 3.5 stars to 4 stars

on Yelp the rating system.

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7:00am Buckhorn State Park and

Resort

Sourced: Google images

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Begley’s General Store: Electronic

Archery Range Techno Hunt

Sourced: Jalissa Hunter2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 74

Begley’s General Store Review

Sourced: Yelp

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Kentucky School of Bluegrass &

Traditional Music Review – “all

cross the USA”

Sourced: Yelp2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 76

6:45 pm Creekside Go-Kart Track

Sourced: Ali Djire

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Go-Kart Review –”Like Disney

Land in Leslie County”

Sourced: Yelp2/28/2013 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 78

Next Steps

4 Actions Happy People Do:

1. Upload Photos

2. Tell others

3. Make comments

4. Comeback

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Lessons Learned

1. Study your competitors’ profiles

2. Complete your business profile

3. Create a photo gallery

4. Recognize the value of your customer

reviews

5. Respond to reviews

6. Track and use metrics

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4. Traveler and Tourist Personas

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The Ritchie Family

1980 • In 1980s Lived in

Perry/Hazard.

• Returning for family

reunion.

• Refresh the memories

of their childhood and

spend times in the

mountains as they call

it “Home”.

Meet the next Persona:

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Lifestyle

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