Local businesses and Innisfail and District Chamber of Commerce members got a double dose of tourism attraction strategies from the Yellow Pages and Roger Brooks International.
During the chamber's luncheon meeting on Nov. 13, Cheryl Dorn of the Yellow Pages spoke to a large crowd on social and digital media-driven marketing opportunities.
“Dorn did a good presentation on the current advertising landscape,” said Surina Carloni, Innisfail's marketing and social media coordinator. “It was relevant, and she talked about trends in social and digital media, which are always changing and what is constant.”
Carloni added Dorn spoke on what doesn't work and what does work based on their research.
“She gave the example of attention span, which has dropped in recent years and is measured in seconds for advertising,” said Carloni. “Companies and attractions have seconds to make an impression, so whatever media they choose has to have immediate impact and be highly relevant to marketing strategies.”
Later in the day, the Town of Innisfail and the chamber presented another Roger Brooks video seminar on branding at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre.
“We got together to watch Tourism for the 21st Century,” said Carla Gabert, chamber manager. “The video series is well done and will help local businesses and the town market themselves.”
In the video, Brooks spoke on strategies to maximize return on tourism marketing, including marketing to female boomers who account for 80 per cent of all spending online and travel, promoting the experience rather than the destination, and creating marketing partnerships within a community.
“Of all the Brooks presentations this was the funniest but it also brought out some important points in the process,” said Carloni. “The case studies and examples emphasized the need for a succinct message and tourism promotions that bring out the emotion of visitors and engage them.”
Brooks' mantra for the series, “I promise to promote only what is truly unique. I promise to be different”, concluded the video with an encouragement for tourism operators to deliver on their promises.
“Both events were educational,” said Carloni, who has been to numerous tourism seminars in the past. “What I like about these two was that together they emphasized the need to embrace opportunities for collaboration within our community and to be constantly aware of changes in trends.”
The Brooks seminars will conclude with a visit from Roger Brooks in 2015. For more information contact the chamber at 403-227-1177 or the Town of Innisfail at 403-227-3376.
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Surina Carloni
"Dorn did a good presentation on the current advertising landscape. It was relevant, and she talked about trends in social and digital media, which are always changing and what is constant."
