Marketing guru Terry O’Reilly was full of one-line thoughts on marketing for the several hundred delegates attending the 11th annual Grey Bruce and Owen Sound Fall Tourism Conference.
However O’Reilly says there’s only two business people and tourist operators have to remember, whether you’re in a big community or small.
One is “Opportunity is everywhere, ” and you “Don’t have to outspend your competitor, but outsmart them.”
O’Reilly says most of your marketing questions can be answered by your present customers.
If you really listen, they’ll tell you what you’re doing right and where you need to improve.
O’Reilly says when it comes to tourism or any purchase a customer may make, the decisions are 20 per cent from the head and 80 per cent from the heart.
He says any marketing should play to that percentage breakout by making people “feel” the message you create–not just understand it.
O’Reilly says look for synergies with other partners.
He tells of a story where he bought a pair of boots from a company that offered to put a protective spray on them.
Because that procedure would take 15 minutes the boot company gave him a card to go across the street to a pastry shop and have a coffee on them.
With one card, he appreciated the customer service he was getting from the boot company and was introduced to a previously unknown pastry shop that served great coffee.
Business operators should always be on the lookout for those types of partnerships.
O’Reilly suggests the Bruce, Grey Simcoe area has a huge opportunity to cash in on the burgeoning stay-at-home tourist market.
