Positioning for Tourism Marketing

5th November 2009Joggins Fossil Cliffs World Heritage Site

Objectives of this Workshop:

1. To enable you to understand the difference between marketing and advertising.

2. To make it possible for you to look at who your customers are and to develop a plan for promotion.

3. To empower you to break the cycle of non-constructive advertising.

4. To enable you to see how your business can fit in with the tourism product for the region

Marketing Vs Advertising

•You will often find that many people confuse marketing with advertising or vice versa.

•While both components are important they are very different.

•Knowing and understanding the difference can go a long way to dispelling the myths of complicated marketing and advertising plans and also save you money.

MarketingIts role is to match the right product or

service with the right audience by:1. Designing products and services to meet

customer needs and wants.2. Identifying business objectives and

developing marketing efforts that fit 3. Focusing on those people most likely to

buy their product rather than the entire mass market

“I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

Bill Cosby

Marketing for Tourism• Tourism marketing is unusual in as far as the

consumer comes to the product and not vice versa.• There is also a large ‘intangible’ aspect to tourism –

Experience• It would be unusual for one business to provide all of

the activities and facilities tourists want and need.• It is therefore vital that tourism-related organisations

and businesses work together to develop and promote tourism opportunities in their towns and regions to assure consistency and appropriate product for target markets.

• Do not be afraid to not promote a local business, which does not fit with your own levels of quality.

How do most tourism businesses market themselves?

The “Piñata” approach

• Blindfold no idea who their visitors are

• No planned approach• Using wide sweeps and lots of

aggression• Last-minute advertising “bargains”

aren’t usually a “bargain”

Cons: Lots of energy, time and money often for little reward

How do other tourism businesses market themselves?

The “Chess player” approach

Planned and strategic, yes Trying to outsmart

“competitors” Pieces are fixed in their

movements

Cons: Competitive, working alone

How should tourism businesses market themselves?

• The “Tree Climb” approach• Strategic and slow• All movements planned and

executed• Can limbs support you?• Best fruit is at the top!• More fun when you work

together• Next time you climb it will be

easier because you will know that tree.

Market Segments – your visitors• Market segments used to be identified in a number

of different ways (demographics):

• Geographic -location of residence (origin)• Social - age, family status and education• Economic - equipment ownership, income levels

and price expectation• Lifestyle - activities, interests, opinions and

expectations of quality

Customer profile was limited and lots of assumptions were made. Having the right information will enable you to decide how, when and where to market.

Identifying your market - Traditional• Who are your visitors? (age, single, couple, over 50s etc.)

• When do they come? (spring, weekends, during festivals)

• What Experience are they after? (tangible and intangible)

• Where are they from? (local area, domestic, international)

• Why do they travel? (break from work, family time etc. )

• How do they travel? (hitchhike, hire car, train, 1st class)

The 9 EQs (Explorer Quotients)Targeting “Inner Motivations”

Reluctant Travellers:1.Gentle Explorer2.Virtual Traveller

Escapists:3.No-hassle Traveller4.Rejuvenator

Enthusiastic Indulgers:5.Free Spirit6.Personal History Explorer

Learners:7.Authentic Experiencer8.Cultural History Buff9.Cultural Explorer

Remember that Experience is individual and five people can

have five different experiences of the same place

The top three for Nova Scotia have the highest propensity to

spend

Canadian Tourism Commission Survey

http://equs.canada.travel

Nova Scotia’s Top Three

Authentic ExperiencerAvoid “tourist traps”Travel Focus: beauty & natural environments

Cultural ExplorerLoves to go “off the beaten track”Travel Focus: fascinated by history & wants to be a local

Free SpiritSeek luxury travelTravel Focus: all about me(bragging rights)

Group Exercise 1

Scatter Card ExerciseExperience is a critical connection and

something must touch at least two of the five senses to be considered an Experience

• Identify the (What) Experiences for your region.•Which of the (Who) EQs would they appeal to?•Which of the markets is most lucrative?

•Feedback to group

Positioning

•One important aspect of tourism marketing is developing a Positioning Statement.

•Your Marketing Plan will likely be inspired by your Positioning Statement

What is a Positioning Statement?•A brief paragraph, which encompasses your

business, organisation or destination and sets the mood for marketing tools

•Succinct and honest and must be emotive

Three Elements of Positioning

Made of three key elements:

1. Attributes of business/destination2. Emotive expression3. Brand Personality

Made up of key words, which are selected for their relevance to business/destination and its target markets

“Keeping it Real”• Dig down deep to get to the truth behind your

business/destination – face reality before your visitors do

• Develop a positioning statement that is honest

• Talk to your visitors and your non-visitors

• Always refer to your positioning statement when faced with advertising choices, business changes and plans for the future

• Don’t be afraid to re-position

Nova Scotia Tourism BrandAttributes include:Old world charm New world pulseShaped by the sea The spirit of our people

Visitors will feel:Delighted CaptivatedGrounded Fulfilled

Defined Brand personality as:Spirited AffableSalt-of-the-earth Proud

Nova Scotia Positioning Statement

“Nova Scotia is North America’s original maritime culture where visitors will be captivated by our culture of old world charm with a new world pulse, shaped by the sea and the spirit of our people.”

(Nova Scotia Tourism Plan 2009)

http://novascotia.com/en/home/aboutnovascotia/default.aspx

Does it work?

• Is it memorable, motivating and focused?•Does it provide a clear, distinctive and

meaningful picture of the destination, that differentiates it from the competition?

•Can the brand own it? • Is it credible and believable? •Does it enable growth? •Does it serve as a filter for destination

decision making?

Group Exercise 2

1. List the Attributes, “Emotives” and Brand Personality of your region

2. Devise a Positioning Statement based upon these three elements, which fits with the markets you identified in exercise 1.

Australia

Scotland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lbz03AP44c&feature=PlayList&p=247CC493A37FD34B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8

Belfast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kpz6KGF1UE

Who got it right?

Conclusions

1. Set time aside to develop a plan2. Involve others – your thoughts are

biased3. Do research – look at other adverts and

marketing plans4. Speak to other operators5. Be honest6. Don’t try to please everyone7. Position Yourself to get the best ROI8. Analyse and re-position if necessary