The Tea: 4 Tips for Tourism Marketing
When you live in Connecticut it can be easy to take the natural beauty, world-class cultural attractions, and other great destinations for granted. When you grew up going to the Mark Twain House and Museum and Mystic Seaport on field trips, they may not seem like the exciting historical attractions or hubs of culture that they actually are. But lately, we’ve had a couple of occasions (read: clients) that made us think about all the region has to offer and how to sell it.
It’s no secret that Connecticut as a whole has had trouble selling itself as a destination. From cranky locals to inaccurate stereotypes, Connecticut suffers from a bit of an image problem. But the truth is, there’s a lot to love in Connecticut and we think many of our 169 towns and municipalities could use some help selling themselves. Here are our tips for marketing your town as a tourist destination!
Get visual (preferably with video)
Having a tourism website is great, and if you’re lucky someone might actually stumble on it, but the truth is, everyone (EVERYONE!) gets their content from social media and you need content that is going to be shareable. That means having great images and — even better — video! Not only is video popular with audiences, but it’s also easy to reuse, and is perfect for showing off everything your town has to offer — making it look vibrant and beautiful.
Here is where you find out this was all a thinly veiled excuse to show you this drone video we made for a pitch.
Get local buy-in
When you’re looking to increase tourism it’s tempting to concentrate on creating content for out-of-town audiences. And of course, that has to be part of the strategy, but if you leave out locals you may find that your content isn’t getting seen. By making your site a place where local businesses, artists, and other organizations can be seen — and contribute — you’ll create an ecosystem of ambassadors who share your site on social media, and send their friends, family, and larger networks back to your site.
Not only will you help market local businesses but they’ll help market you, giving visitors an idea of what it’s like to really live in town. It’s a virtuous circle where everyone wins — including your potential audience.
Embrace what makes you quirky
A few years ago I attended the first-ever Gilmore Girls Fan Festival in Washington, CT. (The event has since moved to Kent.) The town embraced its reputation as the inspiration for America’s favorite small town, Stars Hollow. Hundreds of people flocked into the tiny town, hitting the local market, book store, cafe, and more. There was even a “Festival of Living Art” put on by the local school. I got to meet Miss Patty. I tell you all of this because I think it’s a great example of what it means to really embrace what makes your town unique.
Let’s face it, there’s no shortage of small towns in Connecticut (and in New England, for that matter) with quaint villages and hiking trails. Figure out what makes your town stand out and highlight it. You may even need to create something — think the world’s largest knitting needles or a local music festival — to get a buzz going.* But with a little creativity, you could be the next Stars Hollow.
It’s not always about being ‘quaint’
We love a cute small town as much as the next gal, but not every town is a charming hamlet just waiting for a Hallmark Movie to be shot downtown. That doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot to offer — especially if you want to look past tourists and encourage new residents to give your town a look. Millennials embrace diversity, urban amenities, and are looking for cheap housing. I can think of a number of towns in Connecticut that fit the bill while offering proximity to public transit and bigger cities.
Whatever your particular challenges are, there’s a way to overcome them. Not sure how? Send us a message, we’d love to talk it through with you.
*Hey, Hartford, if you don’t find a way to capitalize on the legacies of Twain, Stowe, Stevens, and Webster, we’re going to scream! But we also have some ideas, so call us.
