NRPA

Directors School

August, 2014

Tom O’Rourke, CPRP

Executive Director

Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission

Charleston, South Carolina

Marketing, Public Relations and Branding

MARKETING

Product Place Price Promotion

ESSENTIAL MARKETING COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS

Vision Mission Values

Objectives Audience

Positioning Personality

Visual Identity Messaging Platform

Online In Print On Air In Person Mobile

You have to know all of this before you can embark on a marketing plan

Marketing Plan

MARKETING PLAN

Vision – The Big Idea

Mission – Actual work to be undertaken

Values – Beliefs of the organization

Objectives - The specific goals that must be reached to achieve the mission

Audiences - Individuals and groups the organization needs to target

Positioning - A single idea that differentiates the organization in the minds of others

Personality - Attributes that reflect the way others experience the organization

Vision

Mission

Values

Objectives

Audience

Positioning

Personality

VISION The big idea – Charleston Parklands Foundation

All Charleston County residents and guests – regardless of income level, ethnicity, ability, or age – will be able to readily access and, therefore, benefit from enjoyable, healthy, educational, cultural, and environmentally sustainable activities and experiences offered through the Charleston County park system’s facilities, programs, and services.

VISION

Sample Vision Statement

The Parklands Foundation’s vision is to identify, develop and sustain projects that actively encourage all members of the community to experience the Charleston County park system’s facilities, programs, and services for the benefit of a living a more healthy lifestyle.

MISSION

Actual work to be undertaken

The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission will improve the quality of life In Charleston County by offering a diverse system of park facilities, programs and services.

MISSION

Sample Mission Statement

The Parklands Foundation generates funding and promotes initiatives to support the CCPRC mission and the Parklands Foundation’s vision that all citizens will access and , therefore, benefit from the Charleston County park system’s facilities, programs, and services.

VALUES Beliefs of the Organization

Equality

Community

Health and well being

Stewardship

OBJECTIVES The specific goals that must be reached to achieve the mission Establish an independent organization

Physical location, email address, website, phone number, business license, federal tax Id

Personnel Elect officers of the board Hire dedicated staff Establish specific committees and members (i.e. finance, fund raising, capital planning, programs,

marketing)

Review by-laws Develop a strategic plan Raise money for the targeted projects Manage projects to completion Maintain facilities, programs and services

AUDIENCES

Individuals and groups the organization needs to target

Fundraising audience

Program audience (those who benefit from the program)

Advocacy audiences (community leaders, policy makers, the media)

POSITIONING A single idea that differentiates the organization in the minds of others

Adopt projects that make park and recreation the new lifestyle for communities to sustain

PERSONALITY Attributes that reflect the way others experience the organization

Community oriented

Serving the underserved

Encourages health and wellness

Actively engaged in the outdoors

MARKETING PLAN

Executive Summary

Market Analysis

Marketing Strategy

Operations Plan

Finance Plan

Executive Summary

Who you are Mission-Vision- Values Structure of

Organization Target Market(s) Current Opportunities Projection of Business

Future Financial overview

PARK AND FACILITY ATTENDANCE IN FY 12/13

Beach Parks 240,718 Campground

& Cottages 112,626

Caw Caw 12,919

Day Parks 765,671

Mullet Hall 14,129

Piers 476,520

Waterparks 277,491

25%

14%

11% 9%

9%

7%

6%

6%

4% 3%

2% 2%

1% 1%

Customer Market Segmentation

Families

Vacationers

Sports Enthusiasts

Corporations

Campers

Fisherman

Dog Owners

Nature Enthusiasts

Brides/Grooms

Boys and Girls Scouts

Students

Boaters

Culturalists

Equestrians

Operating receipts – Enterprise Fund

Admissions & Registrations

47.3%

Concessions & Retail 23.7%

Miscellaneous 2.0%

Rentals 24.8%

Sponsorship 1.7%

Transfers 0.5%

Market Analysis

Demographics Tourism Trends Communication Trends

14%

36%

53%

61% 63%

72%

70% 71%

73%

74%

74%

74%

78% 81%

85% 81%

85%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Internet adoption, 1995-2013

% of American adults who use the internet, over time

Marketing Strategy

By Business

Operations By Individual Parks

Lowcountry Cajun Festival James Island County Park

Overview

The Lowcountry Cajun Festival is the most profitable festival generating over $100K in profit each year. The festival always occurs in April on the weekend of the Cooper River Bridge Run. Surprisingly although there are many out of towners in the area, the majority in attendance come from the tri-county area.

Target Audience

A little less than 10K people came to this festival in 2012 with the majority being adults. The chart below illustrates the attendance breakdown.

Attendance – (Broken Down Adult Child Gold Pass Total Financials – Broken Down Marketing Budget Financials - Revenue – Expenses - Net

Operations Plan

Location Operation Organizational Structure Employees Space Capacity Critical Suppliers Financial System Computer System Equipment Insurance Contracts Credit Policy Permits and Licenses

Financial Plan

Product and Service Pricing Funding Sources Budget Projections Cash Flow Projections

PUBLIC RELATIONS

PUBLIC RELATIONS?

Managing the communication between an organization and its public. (Control)

Strategic initiatives to ensure the Agency has a

positive image.

Creating and maintaining goodwill for your Agency by organizing various forms of communication and publicity. Usually FREE!

WHAT PUBLIC RELATIONS IS NOT

Marketing – product, place, price, promotion

Sponsorship Advertising – sale of products using paid

media messages

PR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Raise image and awareness Influence product, market and recreation

agency positioning Position your agency staff as industry

experts Pursue articles/placements to create

customers and advocates

PR VEHICLES

Press releases. Editor briefings Tradeshows Case histories Speaking engagements Authored articles Social Media

Over a billion monthly active users

618 million daily active users on average

680 million monthly active mobile users

Average age is 35

Fastest growing demographic is women 55+

11 million businesses using Facebook Pages

Why Social Media

Ask co-workers to “Share” your page with their friends.

Email signatures

Link from website

Link from email marketing

List URL on press releases

Make sure your social channels are visible on any outgoing communication

Build Your Fan Base

Visitor ‘liking’ the page

Leaving a comment

Sharing your status

Posting a link

Liking a post

Make your posts ENGAGING

A Picture is worth a thousand words.

As you post…Remember,

When Others “sell” your greatness

HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR

CORRECTING INACCURACIES

PREPARE FOR ANYTHING

Let the Public See the people behind the agency and your

Agencies “Culture”

TIMELY RESPONSES

SAY THANK YOU

PROMOTE YOUR PARKS AND PROGRAMS

RECEIVE FEEDBACK

• It’s OK to be silly and edgy.

• Sometimes, and very carefully.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Or at least pretty good practices, most of the time

• Your recipients want to know that you’re listening, and many social media managers often overlook this.

• Answer questions asked or simply say, “Thanks!”

• Be sure to tag the fan in your response so he's notified of the response.

• The fan will often “like” your comment, thus continuing the conversation and further boosting your visibility.

Best Practices

“80% of the content you publish or share should pertain to things that really matter to your audience.

The other 20% can be about your products and services.”

80-20 rule of social media

Dealing with Negativity

3 Main Types

Dissatisfied Customer

Just a miserable person

Grammar Police

• Always respond in a timely manner, but make sure you get your facts straight first.

• Don’t get into a “back-and-forth” discussion.

• Sometimes it’s necessary to take the conversation off of Social Media in order to get the details, but bring it back if there is a satisfactory resolution

• Encourage them to email you so you can help or have the appropriate person respond.

• Always respond in a timely manner, but make sure you get your facts straight first.

• Don’t get into a “back-and-forth” discussion.

• Turn a negative into an opportunity to make a true fan.

BRANDING

WHAT IS A BRAND?

The personality that identifies a product, service or company (name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or combination of them) and how it relates to key constituencies: customers, staff, partners, investors etc.

BRANDING

A brand associated with a product or service has certain qualities or characteristics that make it special or unique.

A brand is therefore one of the most valuable elements in an advertising theme, as it demonstrates what the brand owner is able to offer in the marketplace

THE BRAND IMAGE

Committed to enhancing the quality of life for the community

Ensures customer satisfaction is at the top of priorities

Provides great gathering places for family, friends, pets and acquaintances

Offers high quality and a wide range of passive and active recreational, educational and leisurely activities and programs throughout the year

CCPRC BRAND IMAGE

Honors and preserves our natural and historical resources in the Lowcountry

Maintains clean, safe and well managed county parks, beach parks, piers, boat landings and rental facilities

Secures successful partnerships with government and private sectors to enhance and expand the park system offering

Serves as a model for other park systems to emulate

PROMOTING THE BRAND

Consistent quality offerings

Consistent high service level

Consistent message

Consistent look and feel

Consistent approach to promoting

ADVERTISING STRATEGY

Advertise across wide range of mediums Increase

Internet (social media, web ads, blogs)

Events (trade shows, exhibits)

Partnerships/Sponsorships

Permanent facilities (Billboards, malls, kiosks)

Public Relations

Promotional Items

Decrease Print (Newspaper, magazine, brochures, coupons)

T.V. (regular)

Radio (AM/FM)

NEW LOOK

Offers a consistent look that is distinct, recognizable and familiar to others

Embodies and promotes our image

Repeated use of look in print, radio, television, email, and Internet strengthens our brand

Creates efficiencies and maximizes marketing resources

THE MESSAGE

“Everything Under the Sun” Encompasses all that we do in the broadest way

Allows us to sustain the message over long periods of time as the park system grows

Complements the logo

RETIRED MESSAGES

“Let Yourself Go”

RETIRED MESSAGES

“Where Fun Comes Naturally!”

OTHER PLANS

Redesign of the website

Promote primary URL

Creation of a smart phone app

Establish consistent email signature line

Company vehicle advertising

Determine future of the “Quarterly”

Creation of the Master Brochure

The End