Seven ways for regional tourism businesses to market themselves post Covid-19

South Australia, and indeed other Australian States and Territories, is now allowing regional travel.

And, in an effort to boost the decimated tourism sector, we’re all being encouraged to get out to stay and play for few days and spend money in regional areas that rely on the tourism buck.

Further relaxation of isolation restrictions on June 1, especially in the hospitality sector, means that we can tentatively stick our toes back in socially-accepted, physically-distanced waters. And, as further restrictions are gradually lifted, and life returns to something resembling normality, more of us city folk are expected to take holidays in our own state.

While this is terrific news for the regional sector, tourism operators now need to take stock of their marketing efforts to ensure that when the tourist onslaught hits your town, that you, as a tourist operator, have done everything in your power to ensure that your business is market-ready beforehand.

Essentially, this means taking a look at your marketing efforts and adjusting them accordingly so that people can find you and spend money in your business. Because, let’s face it if tourists do come back (and they will), and they don’t know about you, don’t know what you offer, and don’t know where you are or when you’re open, you’re going to be just as bad off as you were during isolation.

So what can you do to be ready for the return of the elusive tourist? Here are seven simple, often inexpensive, things you can do to ensure your business is open and that you’re eager to welcome visitors.

1. Update your website

How’s your website look? If you haven’t had a decent look at it for a while, it might be time to revisit and see if everything on there is still relevant. You may have new products or services available but haven’t had the time to get on there and update. How’s the wording and design? Could both do with a refresh? Remember that this is essentially your sales brochure. If people know that you have a web presence, this is where they will come to find out more about your offering, so it needs to be absolutely professional.

2. Visitor Information Centre

Did you know one of the first places new visitors to your region go is the Visitor Information Centre (VIC)? They’re hungry for information about the area and will often grab a map of the area, a visitor guide, and a handful of local brochures. They will often chat with the local tourism officers about where they should go, what they should see, and any unique tourist experiences in the area. So it’s probably a good idea to have a decent quality brochure/takeaway in the VIC for visitors to take with them. Speak to your local VIC further about how they can help promote your business.

3. Visitor guide

Most towns/regions, either through a local Tourism Development Board or Town Council, will produce a visitor guide. These are invaluable to anyone travelling in and around your region. Most will offer advertising space to local tourism businesses to promote their offerings. In many cases, additional exposure can also come from an editorial plug for an additional fee.

4. Signage

Pretty important, don’t you think? But How long has it been since you had it refreshed? Is it time for something new? The shopfront is critical, so take a walk outside and have a look from a tourist’s viewpoint. Is it easily recognisable from a passing car? Is anything obscuring it like trees or other signage? Have a think about free-standing sandwich boards or flags but make sure you get permission from your local Council first though. Other signage opportunities may exist in the way of local sports sponsorships – think fence signs at footy/soccer ovals or indoor signage at clubhouses and stadiums, etc. Think too about signs at Visitor Information Bays, street furniture, bus stops, and even outdoor billboards if the pennies stretch.

5. Email database

If you’re a business operator, you will have a database of previous customers that you can email every now and then. Guess what? Now’s the perfect time to remind everyone who has visited you before that you’re open for business and that you would love to see then again. It’s an excellent opportunity to tout new products, services, and incentives for them to return. Maybe it’s something like bring a friend and get a discount. Whatever it is, make it a value proposition to incentivise their return.

6. Social media

If you’re social savvy, you will be familiar with the likes of Facebook and Instagram. But have you considered setting up a specific page for your business? This is a fabulous opportunity to spruik everything great about your business and the daily/weekly goings-on. An added bonus is gaining a following and being able to market to them directly.

7. Local radio

Another great way to let people know about your business is via radio. You’d be surprised at the number of visitors and locals alike that listen to local radio while getting about in your region. A targetted radio campaign allows you to speak directly to tourist in the region at peak visiting times. It’s also a great format to be a little bit creative and add a touch of humour, or you can keep it low key and use it as a community announcement. It’s up to you.

Do you need help?

You might be thinking this is all well and good, but I can’t spend the time, or my marketing skills are pretty limited to be able to do the things listed here. If that’s the case, a good copywriter can help. And that’s where I come in.

WriteMindcan help out with all of the above. If I think you need more substantial marketing input, I can steer you in the right direction with an introduction to a range of complementary businesses who specialise in regional tourism and hospitality.

Post COVID-19 tourism may look very different from what we ‘re used to. The key is to be ready for whatever eventuates with a marketing mix that gets you noticed.

And by taking these seven steps on board, you’ll be well on your way ensuring visitors to your region know about your business and what you can offer.

I'm only a phone call or an email away. Find out more about what I do and how I can help at www.writemind.com.au

About the author
Steve Williss is based in Adelaide, South Australia and the owner and go-to guy at WriteMind — a writing, communications, and ideas business specialising in tourism and hospitality.

Regional SA is open again. Are you?

The South Australian Government's easing of COVID-19 restrictions will come as a welcome reprieve to many regional areas and the local businesses that rely on an influx of tourists.

From today (May 11), South Australians can now travel intrastate, which means they'll be able to get out and start experiencing our incredible state again, albeit while still observing social distancing protocols.

And, with the opening of caravan and holiday parks, it now means our country towns can expect visitors to remain in their region for longer.

Mind you, if you're thinking of taking the van for a well-earned run again, just be aware that you will need to be self-sufficient. Amenity blocks won't be open, which means vans without wet areas and campers will have to wait a little longer. That said, why not leave the van at home and stay in a cabin? There'll be plenty on offer.

Outdoor dining at cafés and restaurants is back on the cards again so wherever you end up going, make sure to rug up when you visit.

Which brings me to the point of this musing.

If you're a regional business reliant on the tourism dollar to make a living, what are you doing to let your customers know that you're open and eager to welcome visitors?

Have you done any work behind the scenes to be ready for this day? Is your website updated, have you been active on social media? Have you given any thought to promoting your business and attracting new and existing business?

While some regions, primarily through their regional development entities and local councils, are doing everything in their power to draw visitors to their part of South Australia, individual businesses can't rely solely on this marketing to bring business through their front door.

I understand that money is incredibly tight, but there are a few inexpensive things you could be doing right now to generate exposure for your business.

As a copywriter with a penchant for promoting regional tourism and every business within that scope, I can help three ways: Copywriting, Communications, and Ideas.

Copywriting

Writing primarily for any marketing material and includes the likes of TV, radio, press ads, print collateral like brochures, leaflets and booklets, digital and outdoor advertising and websites.

Communications

Covers more online material like articles and blogs, email updates, case studies, newsletters, staff magazines, social media posts, company, personal, and property profiles, award submissions and more.

Ideas

The fun (but vitally important) stuff like creative concepts for winning new business, pro-active marketing, and naming exercises for new products. I can also help with promotional ideas, consumer or trade engagement, event design and theming, and just about anything else you can imagine.

As our state gradually gets back on its feet, intrastate tourism will be promoted heavily so that we can stimulate our economy by spending locally. Whether that's a week in a cabin in Port Lincoln or buying coffee and cake in a café in Berri, if you're a regional business or tourist operator, you will need to ensure people know you're as keen as mustard for them to spend in your town and, more importantly, in your business.

To do that, you need to be seen. You need to be visible at the shopfront and online. And that's where I can help.

Because the last you want is for tourists to return to your town only to drive straight past your business because they didn't know about you or didn't realise you were open.

I'm only a phone call or an email away. Find out more about what I do and how I can help at www.writemind.com.au

About the author
Steve Williss is the owner and go-to guy at WriteMind — a writing, communications, and ideas business based in Adelaide, South Australia.

What do you do in your downtime?

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As freelancers, I reckon we’ve all experienced a lull in our workload at some point. But how do you utilise this downtime to benefit your business?

Sure, you need to catch up on your invoicing and other bookkeeping related duties; chase down leads; follow up quotes; answer queries and, in general, do the sort of things you need to do every day as a part of running your business.

But what happens after that?

Even though it’s tempting, you can’t go fishing, play golf or simply make a cup of tea and relax while waiting for the phone to ring or your email to chime.

Yes, there are various (and often expensive) promotional avenues you can explore to boost your business’s awareness, but again, the question remains.

Even though it doesn’t make you money, there are strategies you can employ to help your freelance business become more top of mind, not only for existing clients but also for potential new ones.

Here are 12 things you can do with your downtime that may prove to be a big winner for your business further down the track.

1. Visit a mentor

If you haven’t got one, you should think seriously about seeking out someone (even a couple of people) you admire and respect. It doesn’t necessarily need to be someone in the same line of business as you, just someone who has considerable experience in the same or like-minded industry. Use them as a sounding board for new ideas and seek their counsel for issues related to your business.

2. Or become one yourself

Ever thought about passing on your knowledge to someone just starting out? Graduates especially are often looking for someone other than their teachers/lecturers and other students to bounce ideas off. I’ve been a mentor to a couple of students and can tell you that it’s quite a rewarding experience.

3. Catch up on your professional reading

There always seems to be someone in your industry talking about new ideas, technology, techniques, industry developments and even case studies. However, trying to find the time to read them all proves to be just about impossible. I've found the easiest thing to do is to create a folder on my desktop and drag a URL or article into the folder when you I something interesting. If I haven’t got the time to read it then and there, I can always catch up when I’ve got a spare moment.

4. Write an article

Like this one. It’s not hard to write about something you know and for which you have a passion. But don’t restrict your writing to just your industry. If you have an interest outside your profession, consider penning an article and posting it to any relevant websites. You’ll need to seek their permission first, but you’ll be amazed at how grateful they’ll be — especially if it’s topical and professionally written. And who knows, it might just lead to other writing projects.

5. Update your professional networking pages
(FB, LinkedIn, Google+)

This is a no brainer. If you’re active on social media or rely on your profile as a selling tool, update it regularly with your latest projects, case studies, awards, accolades and even testimonials if you have them. 

6. The same goes for your website

Especially if you rely on your website as a major source of lead generation. Keep it fresh, update it regularly, and create new content as often as you can. Don't forget to do an email shout out to your regular and potential clients to let them know about any changes. A bonus here is that if you’re active on your site, Google will reward you by shifting you up the rankings.

7. And your folio

Ditto your folio if you have one. Make sure your work is current and try to weed out the older entries. Remember, potential clients (and agencies) are always on the lookout for fresh talent.

8. Visit or call a client

Touching base with your clients should be part of your everyday business regimen. It doesn’t take a lot of time out of your day, and you’ll be amazed at how delighted your client will be that you’ve taken an interest in their business. Some of the things you can ask include:

• How’s their business is going?
• What’s their competition doing?
• What can you do to help them out?

Another consideration might be to:

• Create a speculative campaign based something topical; on their business, or something you’ve seen or heard relating to their company/industry
• Offer to write an article/blog to post on their website

9. Contact people/companies you haven’t had the chance to previously

A quick email or phone call is all it takes to introduce yourself and your services. Do a bit of research on the company beforehand to make sure you make contact with the right person. Be sure to offer them a way in which they can find out more about you. Ultimately, this would be via a face-to-face meeting, but you can also point them to your website or even your profile on LinkedIn for more information.

10. Offer your services pro-bono

Give a bit back by offering your services pro-bono to non-profit industry associations or committees. However, don’t be tempted to do this for existing or potential new clients as this will set a precedent, and you’ll find yourself in an awkward situation if they continue to ask you to work for free.

Another avenue is to volunteer your time to a charity entirely unrelated to what you do for a living. For me, it’s spending a few hours a week in the Meals on Wheels kitchen but look around for any charity group that might be looking for volunteers. I've picked up a couple of projects through volunteer work.

11. Take a course related to your service offering

When it comes to what you do for a living, you can never know too much. There are all sorts of courses, seminars, webinars and even conferences designed to improve your business. The hard part is finding an offering that suits and is relevant to your business. Additionally, like me you may find yourself constantly bombarded by companies offering new ideas, software and technologies, so make the most of any downtime by using it as an opportunity to learn and boost your skill levels.

12. Join or even start a professional networking group

A professional networking group can be a fantastic source for finding new business. The group puts you in contact with other businesses who then refer your services to their client and suppliers. You’re expected to reciprocate, so this arrangement means everyone wins. 

It’s time to get proactive

Because I’m a writer, the above is aimed at those who work in a writing capacity and any related industry. But it doesn’t matter what you do as a freelancer, the same principles apply.

Make use of your downtime by having a think about what you can do to better your business. There must dozens, but if you think of (and have successfully used) any strategies I haven’t covered above, please let me know.

In the meantime, I’m off to update my LinkedIn page, visit my mentor and call a client or two.

Image: Pixabay

About the author
Steve Williss is a freelance copywriter who has worked in the advertising industry for more than 30 years. He is currently owner and go-to guy at WriteMind — a writing, communications, and ideas business based in Adelaide, South Australia.

Why using a freelance copywriter makes good business sense.

You know how it is. Your business is relatively new or just getting off the ground, and there are a thousand things that need doing.

Unfortunately, the little stuff somehow tends to overshadow important aspects of your business that are essential in ensuring its initial and on-going success.

One of the main things you’ll need to think about sooner rather than later is how to market your product or service.

Now, unless you've got tons of money, hiring an advertising agency is an expense that a lot of businesses, especially small businesses, can’t justify in their early stages.

However, not being able to afford an advertising agency doesn’t mean you can’t access creative individuals who have worked in agencies and are now freelance.

In fact, there is a wealth of freelancers out there — many of them award-winning — you can access to help promote your business.

And not just copywriters. Brilliant talent abounds in art directors, designers, web builders, social media specialists, photographers, illustrators, videographers, marketers and much more.

But from an advertising and marketing perspective, a copywriter is an inspired choice to ensure your business gets off to a good start.

Here’s just a sample of how you can benefit from using a freelance copywriter.

• We can help you to establish a voice for your brand.
• We can provide a consistent tone across all your communications channels.
• We (well most of us) are experienced in writing material for all types of media— broadcast, print, outdoor, transport, digital, online, ambient, experiential and social.
• We have the contacts you need for producing any of the above.
• If you have a website, we can keep it up-to-date and keep it relevant by creating fresh content.
• We can help with CRM programs by creating direct mail, eDMs, email alerts, SMS and social media updates.
• We understand how to write for different markets like consumer, trade and B2B.
• We also know how to write to a particular target audience.
• Most of us are pretty good wordsmiths and can proofread and edit new business documents or proposals.
• Sometimes what you perceive is important to your customers, may not be important at all. In fact, they may be more concerned with another aspect of your business to which you pay very little attention. A copywriter is an excellent option for having a pair of unbiased eyes and providing a fresh perspective on your business.
• We are obsessed with tone, copy structure, readability, grammar and spelling. We like nothing more than crafting what we write. If you’re not as disciplined as we are, it might pay to bring in a copywriter.

Let’s face it, any form of communication riddled with spelling and grammatical errors is doing you and your business no favours whatsoever. 

So here’s the most important take out of all this.

By using a copywriter to create effective, well-written and creative marketing and communication material, it gives you one less thing to worry about. Significantly, it allows you to concentrate on doing what you do best — running your business.