I notice that you have a lot of articles on your website, but I don’t see anything about the holiday season.   I hope you’ll take the time to answer my question.

I have a fairly new small gift shop where we sell a lot of locally and regionally-made arts and handicrafts.  We’ve become pretty popular among local residents who want something special to send out-of-town, but I’d like to draw more travelers and tourists.  I’m particularly concerned about the holidays, knowing what the economy looks like.  Got any suggestions for increasing holiday traffic from travelers and tourists?

Katie Y. – Atlanta, GA.

Dear Katie -

Here are some suggestions:

1. If you haven’t already, join your local CVB or tourism organization so that your shop will be listed on their website for visitors searching for things to do when they come to town.  For the future, consider advertising in their publications because many tourists consider these guidebooks to be their ”bible.”
2. Make sure you offer items for sale that appeal to both genders and multiple age groups.   Offer gifts at a wide variety of price points.  Be sure you promote that your items are “hand-crafted locally.”
3. Feature the credit cards you accept prominently in your window.  Most travelers try to conserve cash, and if you offer credit cards, you’re far likelier to attract the traveler.
4. Offer shipping (and post it prominently).  Travelers don’t have room in their suitcase for larg items or breakables and carry-on items are no longer practical.
5. Partner with other businesses that attract travelers.  By referring business to each other, you increase traffic and sales.
6. Set up a “travelers’ corner” with information on local activities.  Most CVBs and tourism organizations will supply these at no charge.
7. Be sure both you and your employees can recommend several good nearby restaurants, attractions and other shopping venues.
8. Keep the phone numbers on hand of taxi and car services, the airport(s) and local hotels to help travelers who may need this information.
9. Women are usually the more avid shoppers, so offer a sitting area for men that has male-interest magazines or a television.  That way, your prime shoppers won’t be hurried out of the store.
10. You’re in Atlanta, so you’ll probably attract international visitors.  If you sell clothing, be sure to post a size conversion chart.  You’ll find very helpful conversion charts at www.onlineconversion.com.
11. Be sure your bags and “bag stuffers” include your contact information, especially if you have an online site, so travelers can re-order or shop from home.
12. Consider giving the traveler a small “thank you for visiting us” gift so that you will become part of the Traveler’s Legend. (for more on this topic, visit: “Are You a Traveler’s Legend?”)

Katie, I hope this is helpful.  The travel market is definitely worth pursuing.  Best of success for the upcoming holiday season.

The Get Travelers Team

Sponsorships entail more than just money.  If done well, there is a commitment of dollars as well as labor and time.  It is important to evaluate each sponsorship opportunity in light of Return on Investment (ROI) and Return on Effort (ROE).

First, let’s explore both the tangible and intangible benefits of sponsorship. 

Tangible benefits can include pre-event and onsite media coverage in which the sponsor’s logo and marketing message appears, signage, online presence and links between the event’s and sponsor’s websites, tickets to the event and/or a hospitality package, onsite presence with premium positioning, access to mailing list(s) and television or other expanded onsite media coverage, if applicable.

Intangibles may include association with a prestigious event, exclusivity of the sponsorship (i.e., lack of competitors in the same category), the audience’s level of interest or loyalty, networking opportunities with clients and prospects, and the potential for further media coverage. 

I believe there is also value in being associated with an event that is either launching or growing, which is not to say there is less value in an event that has a stable “following” or history of successful attendance.  I mention this because some companies are reluctant to be “the first” to participate in a new event or one that is being taken to the next level.  There is value in being associated with success and the audience’s positive emotional attachment to the event.

Although sponsorship is usually considered to be a long-term marketing tool used to raise awareness, derive a competitive advantage and build brand by having “face time” in front of a particular community*, it is possible to use it to drive traffic to business.

If you are considering event sponsorship, here are some ways in which you can derive a higher level of return on your sponsorship investment:

• Assess the festival’s audience – Does the audience demographics fit with your organization’s current target audience or can it realistically be considered a new or potential target audience?  Consider both size of the attendee base as well as alignment of demographics or psychographics with your business’ target market.  For example, if an event’s or festival’s attendance is relatively small, but the target audience exactly matches the one you are seeking, this sponsorship may make more sense than the sponsorship of a larger festival where only a percentage of the attendees match. 
• Weigh the competitive advantage – If your competitor is there, is it important for your business to be present?  If they are not there, will sponsorship potentially increase your visibility and market share?
• Consider cost/benefit ratio - Is the benefits package and audience exposure equal to the price being charged?  Is the fee competitive with other such sponsorship opportunities?  
• Plan your participation in the event – The presence of knowledgeable representatives onsite who can interact with the public, give the company “a face,” answer questions and offer information almost always increases the value of participation.  Think about booth design and marketing collateral so that a targetted message is delivered to the event’s specific audience.  One size does not fit all.
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate – Most sponsorship offerings are negotiable.  The event organizers want to be sure each sponsor derives value from the event.  If the package being offered does not meet your business needs, brainstorm with the event organizers on alternatives that are a better fit.
• Do your own PR – Although successful events and festivals establish a  marketing/PR plan that includes sponsor promotion, you will maximize your participation by putting out your own press releases as well.  In this way, you can put your company’s spin on its partnership with the event and increase the possibility of media exposure for your business.
• Measure your participation - If you are taking the time, effort and money to sponsor a festival or event, make your effort count.  Plan a way to measure your investment.  Perhaps that’s an offer designed to grow your database or increase website or foot traffic through a special promotion. If awareness and brand building is your goal, establish a success measurement to justify the sponsorship.  For example, in a recent local festival in which Verizon was a major sponsor offering text-messaging for attendees to vote in a “Battle of the Bands,” they could measure the number of text votes registered, but were also able to capture the cell phone numbers and send a branded thank you note to each voter. 
• Finally, be creative! – Consider value-added offers, an innovative booth, exhibit or presence and outstanding onsite personnel.  A soon-to-open Skincare and Spa owner chose to sponsor a local festival to promote the opening of her new business.  Not only was her booth beautifully-designed, giving potential clients a sense of her new spa’s atmosphere and level of pampering, she also sold skincare products and distributed a special promotion incentivizing first-time trial.  She had multiple ways to assess her investment and was delighted with the outcome.

Everything you do to give your company a “Face” or persona that the target audience will identify with your  product or service and logo helps to increase the value of your sponsorship.  While it is certainly not possible to measure every tangible and intangible benefit of a festival or event sponsorship, much can be done to ensure return on investment. 

For futher information on the topic of sponsorship valuation, see the following articles:

• IEG Sponsorship.com on Valuation Services
• Measuring Sponsorship’s Return by Nicholas J. Cameron
• Measuring the Intangible Value of Sponsorship

If you found this article helpful, you may enjoy Festival Sponsorship, Part I: Can Sponsors Expect a Return on Investment?

QUESTION: HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO MEASURE YOUR FESTIVAL OR EVENT SPONSORSHIP , OR WHAT HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY DONE TO ENSURE RETURN ON INVESTMENT?

*  “Community” is used broadly to define a geographic destination as well as a group of individuals comprising an organization or broader-scope community.

VolunTourism, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating, empowering and engaging others regarding the field of VolunTourism, credits the Nevada Board of Tourism with coining the phrase “Voluntourism” (with a small ‘t’) in 1998, to praise those who volunteer in support of tourism.  Two years later, a group of cause marketers used the term “VolunTourism” (capital ‘T’) to mesh the non-profit and tourism sectors.

Today, the meaning has morphed and a distinction has been made between the terms ”VolunTourism” and “Volunteer Vacations.”  According to David Clemmons, Founder of ”VolunTourism.org,” a Volunteer Vacation is a trip in which, for every week taken, the traveler participates on average in five eight-hour days of service.  VolunTourists, on the other hand, would dedicate anywhere from a half-day to three days of service during a week’s trip, and the balance would be spent on heritage, cultural, recreational and other forms of tourism.  Volunteer Vacations are entirely tax deductible, VolunTourism is not.

Many attribute the rise of VolunTourism and Volunteer Vacations to Hurricane Katrina.  It seems less than coincidental that there has been a rise in these types of vacations at the same time as ecotourism and adventure travel have also risen.

When I asked the Smart Tips Travel Forum on Fodors about their experience with VolunTourism, a few travelers responded.  I was advised to thoroughly investigate the organization and trip prior to booking.  The National Trust was recommended as a good source for a working holiday.  Finally, one woman commented that Volunteer Vacations are often pricier than traditional vacations to the same destination which has kept her from booking one.

If you, your organization or community is thinking of launching a VolunTourist experience, VolunTourism.org outlines considerations for this type of endeavor, including:

• Long-term sustainability and revenue generation
• Risk mitigation and development diversification
• Donor cultivation and familiarization
• Collaboration and partnership
• General Education and Awareness

For more information on setting up a VolunTourist  activity or Volunteer Vacation, CLICK HERE.   To view podcasts hosted by David Clemmons, covering the topic of VolunTourism and Volunteer Vacations, CLICK HERE.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a correlation between the rise of voluntourism, volunteer vacations, ecotourism and adventure travel? 

What do you consider to be your region’s top 3 attractions, and what type of travelers do they draw (both in terms of demographic and type)?

For example, I think the Finger Lakes wine trails are one of this region’s top attractions and they tend to draw Generation X and Boomer couples interested in culinary tourism (although certainly, these travelers take in a lot of other activities as well, such as the wine trail festivals)

Dining out is important to the traveler

A series of postings, beginning in June 2008 and running through October 4th on Fodors suggest that travelers are making some changes in order to  dine well at the majority of their meals.  Although this is admittedly a very small sample of travelers, it echoes what I am hearing from many other corners. Travelers participating in Fodors Smart Travel Tips Forum mention:

• Seeking hotels that offer free continental breakfasts
• Renting an apartment or staying in a condo in order to prepare their own breakfast
• Looking for more budget-conscious restaurants for lunch in order to splurge on dinner
• Dining where locals dine for some meals, rather than at trendier, more upscale restaurants.
• Eliminating either dessert or alcohol (usually not both)
• Cutting back at home in order to splurge on vacation
• Choosing more moderately-priced hotels so they don’t have to scrimp on meals
• Occasional picnic lunches or take-out
• Public transportation instead of cabs
• Consuming alcohol they’ve purchased or bought in-room instead of at bar or restaurant

Even during economic downturn, travelers consider the dining experience to be paramount to an enjoyable trip.  They cook at home and want a break when they travel.  They also see travel dining as an opportunity to try local cuisine. 

Particularly when local residents are tightening their wallets and dining out less, it makes a lot of sense for restaurants to pursue the travel market.

QUESTION: If you are currently marketing to the traveler, how has this strategy helped your restaurant during the economic crunch?

For ideas on ways to market to the traveler, see: Restaurants, Part II: 10 Tips to Get Travelers