AAA World. Editorial Content: Issue Date: New in Circulation: Cost: 2006: $2, : 218 leads; $11.47 per inquiry

Transcription

1 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.10 AAA World Editorial Content: Issue Date: New in Circulation: Cost: 2006: $2, : 218 leads; $11.47 per inquiry Marketing Program

2 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.11 WV Wild & Wonderful Editorial Content: Issue Date: 2002, 2004, 2005, Circulation: Cost: 2002: $2, : $3, : $6, : $6, : 1,198 leads; $1.64 per inquiry 2004: 3,646 leads; $2.41 per inquiry 2005: 741 leads; $8.95 per inquiry 2006: 1,769 leads; $3.75 per inquiry Marketing Program

3 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.12 SWV CVB Editorial Content: Issue Date: 2002, 2004, 2005, Circulation: Cost: 2002: $ : $ : $ : $ : 359 leads; $5.13 per inquiry 2005: 75 leads; $12.33 per inquiry 2006: 8,264 leads; $0.11 per inquiry Marketing Program

4 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail Blue Ridge Country Editorial Content: Blue Ridge Country offers a terrific opportunity to target your message regionally. Editorial focus is on mountains of the South, covering Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Information from hiking trips to country roads to wildlife features. Issue Date: Four issues in Four issues in Five issues in Circulation: 425, Marketing Program Cost: 2003: 4 x $720 = $2, : 4 x $720 = $2, : 5 x $630 = $3, : 1,613 leads; $3.12 per inquiry 2005: 102 leads; $28.24 per inquiry 2006: 793 leads; $3.97 per inquiry

5 Marketing Plan for The Midland Trail Scenic Highway Association updated February 2007

6 Marketing Plan: Past Successes 7.2 Midland Trail Scenic Highway s award winning marketing efforts have propelled our once fledgling all volunteer organization to a new plateau. After receiving National Scenic Byway status for the eastern 119-mile section Midland Trail/Route 60 and WV Scenic Byway status for the remaining 61 miles we began immediately to instill the concept of a 180-linear community preparing to greet the public. It was through building partnerships around the WV Tourism cooperative advertising program that we were able to build the concept. With help of partners along the Byway, we produced a 120-page full color Midland Trail Destination Guide and set up a marketing program, distribution system and an effective tracking system. Initial Challenges In planning the Guide and marketing campaign we found we had a couple problems to overcome: 1. The NSB section had been active for years and had built name recognition with mile markers installed around The western extension did not have an active organization, nor the name recognition provided. There were several active wellfunded trail organizations. When we said Midland Trail, especially on the western extension, folks thought we were talking about a rails-to-trails project, not a scenic car route. Huntington, part of the western extension

7 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.14 Southern Living Editorial Content: Southern Living covers today's South. Through a comprehensive editorial package highlighting foods, travel, homes and gardens, it addresses the bond between the South's traditional and cosmopolitan attitudes. It is a lifestyle guide for Southerners, or Southerners at heart. Plus the state of West Virginia is featured in every issue. West Virginia advertisers will always be placed within the West Virginia section. Issue Date: Spring travel issues 2004, 2005, Circulation: 1.3 Million in the South Central Region and the Mid-Atlantic Region (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, KY, TN, MS, AL, DE, DC, PA, NY, VA, NC) Cost: 2004: $3, : $2, : $3, : 3,318 leads; $0.95 per inquiry 2005: 7,926 leads; $0.34 per inquiry 2006: 605 leads; $5.97 per inquiry Marketing Program

8 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.15 Madden Preprint Media Editorial Content: Specially designed, multiple-page, 4-color West Virginia exclusive newspaper insert. Issue Date: New in Circulation: Beckley Register-Herald 28,710 Bluefield Daily Telegraph 20,217 Charleston Sunday Gazett 95,000 Clarksburg Exponent Telegram 20,446 Elkins Inter-Mountain 11,797 Fairmont Times West Virginian 12,422 Huntington Herald-Dispatch 35,552 Logan Banner 10,135 Morgantown Dominion Post 24,547 Parkersburg News/Sentinel 31,578 Wheeling Intelligencer/News-Register 32,600 Williamson Daily News 10,500 Baltimore Daily Sun (MD) 50,000 Cleveland Plain Dealer (OH) 56,093 Columbus Dispatch (OH) 75,000 Frankfort State Journal (KY) 10,075 Louisville Courier-Journal (KY) 25,000 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) 75,000 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (PA) 50,000 Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) 50,000 Washington Post (DC) 60,000 Total Circulation: 784,672 Cost: 2006: $2, : 2,682 leads; $0.75 per inquiry Marketing Program

9 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.16 American Road Editorial Content: American Road Magazine, whose purpose is "celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear and the joys of driving them today," has been added to our media mix for We look forward to evaluating our appeal to a readership directly interested in planning trips on scenic byways. Marketing Program

10 Marketing Program for The Midland Trail 7.17 AAA Tour Book Editorial Content: Issue Date: 2004, 2005, Circulation: 2.1 million (readership = 4.2 million). DE, DC, MD, WV, and VA. Cost: 2004: $7, : $2, : $2,000 (reduced ad size) 2004: 26 leads; $ per inquiry 2005: 28 leads; $ per inquiry 2006: 267 leads; $7.49 per inquiry Marketing Program

11 Midland Trail Website: Features the Entire 180-mile Midland Trail Byway Highlights Trail Attractions / Partners Clickable Guide Request Feature on Home Page Over 80 Guides Requested Monthly, Since August 04

12 Hospitality Training 7.19 Tourists come to the Midland Trail Byway for many reasons. For some it is the most direct route to the outdoor adventure and sports and relaxation offered in WV s forests, gorges, and streams; History buffs come for Civil and Revolutionary War and pioneer heritage cultural and historical tourism; for others it is the path their ancestors used to escape to freedom from slavery. Others seek art, quilts, and antiques. Welcome Centers and other travel info providers direct tourists to particular points of interest. Personnel in either of these Centers have had very limited, if any, opportunity to visit and learn about what the others have to offer. Our training would include visits to the sites and activities all along Trail and provide "cross-training " so each center and business could knowledgeably point tourists to other areas and attractions. Highlights of the Hospitality Training Program Understanding the Byway Story and Head for the Hills Marketing campaign Understanding and Using the Midland Trail Mile Marker system Familiarize with the points of interest along the entire 180-mile Byway What brings people back to the Trail again and again? Thoughtful, caring, welcoming people Plain talk about the Intrinsic Qualities of the Byway 1. History 2. Scenery 3. Nature 4. Recreation 5. Culture 6. Archeology What's important to the MT Traveler? Road conditions, Signs, Information, Restrooms, Shops, Lodging, Emergency needs Special Needs Travelers Knowledge of Special needs, Handicapped accessible sites, Baby friendly sites, Sight impaired, special or minority interest sites, (empathy training) Enthusiasm for and about the Trail

13 Upcoming Traveler Survey 7.20 From our new central office, MTSHA has established an effective Guide distribution program and a tracking and evaluation system. We track inquires and distribution and measures the Cost Per Inquiry from responses from our limited paid advertising budget. For bulk distribution we have approximately 200 outlets - including Welcome Centers, partners, and others distributing the Guide along the Trail and its gateways. Midland Trail Guide has become a must have for a variety of fairs, festivals, reunions, and public events. We included devices in the Guide itself like a contest, reader response card and coupons to measure users interests, usage, and location. Partners tell us customers are utilizing the Guides to find their services. Midland Trail's name recognition has soared -- Even the local TV weatherman often refers to Route 60 as "up the Midland Trail". It is now time to initiate the second phase of our tracking system, which will include a market survey of a sampling of our database of visitors who have used our materials and traveled the Byway. The goal here will help us better understand Visitors needs and their impressions of the Byway, and their impressions of our materials. We will utilize the information as we work with partners and towns along the Trail to plan new accommodations and attractions, and as we design future materials. Methodology for Traveler Survey Select a random cross-section of travelers who have requested our materials. Choose a sample from each of the advertisers and from the two groups we know used the Guide because they returned either the Reader Response Card or entered the Contest. We will work with a professional surveyor, but generally we want to know: 1. Confirm where they got the Guide. 2. Did they travel the Trail? 3. What was purpose of the trip? What did they do? 4. How long was the trip? How much money did they spend? 5. Did they visit any other attractions as a result of the Guide? 6. Did they enjoy the trip? 7. Will they return?

14 Public Education & Media Relations Program: 7.21 We have learned that editorial is vital to marketing program. We have been very lucky to get articles in Car and Driver, Cadillac, Jeep, Outside Magazine, because our Byway is growing in national reputation for outdoor adventure and scenic vistas. Development and distribution of a press kit - which we will utilize in attracting group tours, charter coaches, and travel writers to our area. We will explore the potential for combined, coach train, and river travel. As we undertake new projects like mile markers and Share Our Heritage Illustration project we will have several opportunities for free press and media events. Awards and Features in National Publications Best Print Article "Riding the Midland Trail" by Beth Gorczyca, which appeared in the Huntington Herald-Dispatch on Nov. 10, Car and Driver Features the Midland Trail The Fall 2003 Edition of the Charleston Magazine presents Fall on the Midland Trail The Midland Trail will be featured in an upcoming edition of Outside Magazine Press Releases Have Garnered Successful Publication in Local & Regional Newspapers The Register-Herald The Hancock County Courier The Nicholas Chronicle The Cabell Record Mountain Messenger The Putnam Democrat

15 Target-Market Public Education and PR Program 7.22 Our target-market public education and public relations program will help partners and tour planners to direct tourists with special interests to other parts of the Trail. The piece will be broken into specialized areas of interest aimed to attract different target markets such as antique collectors, civil war buffs and adventure-seekers (i.e. A special section locating antique shops can be used at the Huntington's Old Central City to refer antiques lovers to Lewisburg, and vice versa because we know those interested in antiques travel to shop for them.) Heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing market segments so another specialized section will highlight points of historical interest all along the Trail. Likewise for hiking and biking trails, and the others. For many transplanted West Virginians Midland Trail is the road back to "the old home place. We have learned from our free publicity that WV weekly newspapers are an economical way to reach out-of-state subscribers with an interest in West Virginia. We also know that the primary reasons visitors come to WV is to visit friends and family. Part of our instate media message will be geared to encourage West Virginians to take their visitors to enjoy activities offered on the Midland Trail. Partnerships MTSHA's marketing partners involves not only the usual suspects of tourism, like hotels and restaurants, but we extend our circle to include a wide variety of traveler-based businesses, CVBs, colleges, community leaders, community organizations and local officials. Not only does this involvement assure our Guide is well distributed and our message heard, but we also seek their involvement in formulating our marketing and development plans as we build tourism to a viable segment of our economic base. The recent Guide and marketing program was a first step in getting the entire Trail to think of itself as a 180-mile linear community with the common interest of promoting tourism all along the Trail. Much work remains as we help our all our partners and those who live, work, and travel US 60 to become familiar with the amenities, attractions and offerings all along the Trail. Our philosophy is the more the tourist finds to do, the longer they stay, the better it is for everyone, so lets help them find lots to do.

16 175+ Midland Trail Partners Across the 180-mile Byway 7.23 Wayne - Cabell Counties Kenova- Ceredo-Wayne Pumpkin Heritage Festival The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Griffith & Feil Pharmacy Ceredo Historical Society Town of Ceredo Beechfork State Park Huntington- Buck s Fruit Company Cabell County Fair Cabell County Library Calamity Cafe Camden Park Central City Market Dale Morton Studios Design by Bowen Glass Amulet Heritage Farm Museum & Village Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau Huntington Quarterly Huntington Works! Committee Lavalette Nursery Main Street Studio Museum of Radio and Technology Ms. Phyllis Sports Bar Old Central City Quilts by Phyllis Subway Barboursville- City of Barboursville Best Western Huntington Mall Bob Evans The Huntington Mall Outback Steakhouse Route 60 Music Sunbeam House Milton- Blenko Glass Country Framer Dairy Queen Town of Milton Union Baptist Church Yesterday s Memories Subway Putnam County- Main Street Studio Hurricane CVB IKON Putnam County CVB Quilts by Phyllis Root Cellar Herbs and Tea Room Unique Boutique Wellington s Whispering Wisteria Nitro- Institute- Dunbar Loop Antiques on the Avenue City of Nitro Gino s Pizza & Spaghetti Somewhere in Time Terradon Communications Tudor s Biscuit World West Virginia Trails Coalition West Virginia State University Booker T. Washington Institute City of Dunbar Huck Finn s Restaurant Travelodge Charleston/Dunbar Kanawha County- BMW s Tri-State Race Track and Gaming Center Jerry Adkins Salon Sleep Inn St. Albans- AW Designs - Amy Whittington El Rancho Inn Fret N Fiddle River s Edge Cafe City of St. Albans St. Albans Historical Council South Charleston- DOW Chemical Harley-Davidson House of Dimitri II Komax Copiers Lamp & Shade Studio Longhorn Steakhouse Microtel Inn Precision Tune Ramada Charleston South Charleston CVB Sugarbaskets TGI Friday s Wingate Inn Charleston- 405 Capitol Street Aladdin s Restaurant Bank One Capitol Complex Charleston Marriott Town Center Charleston Parks & Recreation Charleston School of Beauty Culture Chris Hotdogs Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences Craik-Patton House Culinart at the Clay Center Distinctive Gourmet Donut Connection Ellen s Homemade Ice Cream First Watch Holiday Inn / Chesapeake Crab House Holiday Inn Express Civic Center Ivor s Trunk Koenig Art Emporium Neu Aesthetic Skin Care Clinic New River Campground Mulligan s Paranzino s St. Anthony s Catholic School Steve Payne Gallery Taylor Books The Annex Gallery The Brass Pineapple The Charleston Civic Center The Roger Lucas Gallery The Scottish Rite The Sterling-Mykonos Restaurant Trivillian s Pharmacy University of Charleston Vision s Day Spa Walker Machinery WV PBS WV Symphony West Virginia Lottery Yeager Airport West Virginia Cultural Center Young Floral Co.

17 Chesapeake- Town of Chesapeake Chesapeake VFD Malden- Belle- Quincy- Larry L. Rowe Malden Antiques DuPont Chemical Old Stone House Quincy Mall Cedar Grove- Glasgow- Virginia s Chapel Town of Glasgow Fayette County Smithers - Alloy- Glen Ferris Market Express Town of Smithers Wee Rabbit Gift Shop WV Metals (Alloy) Glen Ferris Inn Good Evening Ranch & Feedbox Sticks and Stones Gauley Bridge- Evan Scent Candles & Gifts Gauley Bridge Tepees Town of Gauley Bridge New River Campground New River Exxon Ansted Area- African American Family Tree Museum Ansted Dairy Queen Ansted Floral & Gifts Town of Ansted Blue Smoke Salsa Contentment Museum Complex Dairy Queen Hawks Nest State Park L&S Designs Midland Trail Motel Mountain Cove Country Store Mountain Memories Cabins Mystery Hole New River Jet Boats Songer Whitewater Subway & Shell Hico- Adventure Mountain Rivers Country Road Cabins Mountain River Tours North American River Runners US 19 North Nicholas County Summersville- Hardman s Hardware Long Point Cabin Summersville CVB US 19 South Fayetteville- Oak Hill area- Comfort Inn/New River Four Columns Inn Passages to Adventure White Horse Inn Robin s Nest ACE Adventure Hidden Cottage New River NEO-Tropical Festival New River CVB Opossum Creek Retreat Quality Inn Smokey s on the Gorge US National Park Service Raleigh County Beckley- Cracker Barrel Daniel Vineyards Crab Orchard Glade Springs Resort Southern West Virginia CVB Tamarack Clifftop- Babcock State Park Camp Washington-Carver Greenbrier County- Rainelle- Meadow River Festival Rupert Beech Ridge Lewisburg Restaurant Carnegie Hall Cooper Gallery Day s Inn EcoTheater Food & Friends General Lewis Inn Greenbrier County CVB Greenbrier Valley Airport Greenbrier Valley Theatre Greenway Real Estate Great Oak Bed & Breakfast Lee Street Inn Lewisburg Floral North House Museum Patchwork Film Peddlar s Alley Rose Summers Greenway Real Estate Stone Hill Realty Wisteria Bed and Breakfast Patchwork Films Peddlar s Alley Antiques Robert s Antiques Wolf Creek Gallery White Sulphur Springs- James Wylie House Kitten s Korner Lillian s Antique Shop/B&B New York Life North House Museum Oakhurst Links Open Book US Fish and Wildlife Ronceverte- Harvest Grille Organ Cave Ronceverte River Festival Route 60 American Grill Rudy s Corner Grill Summers & side trips south Pence Springs- Talcott Hinton area Thimble & Plow John Henry Festival Dillon s Superette Talcott Station Cantrell Ultimate Rafting Pocahontas County & side trips north The Current Bed & Breakfast Brazen Head Inn Statewide: American Travel Center Gino s Pizza Harley-Davidson of WV Shoney s Tudor s Biscuit World U. S. Airways West Virginia Culture & History WV Public Radio WV DNR Wildlife Division West Virginia State Parks & Forests WV Tourism WV Byways and Backways program WV Department of Transportation 7.24

18 More than a Guide, It s a Marketing Program 7.3 Began branding Midland Trail as Historic U.S. 60, by creating a logo that encircles the historic U.S. Route 60 badge with the words the Midland Trail National Scenic Highway, a six county map and line map illustrating the idea of the Midland Trail as a 180-mile linear community. WAYNE CABELL PUTNAM KANAWHA FAYETTE GREENBRIER Va. Point Park Kenova Ceredo Huntington Barboursville Ona Milton Hurricane St. Albans Nitro Institute South Charleston Charleston Belle Quincy Malden Cedar Grove Glasgow Montgomery Smithers Glen Ferris Mystery Hole Rt. 19 Lookout Clifftop Babcock Park Rainelle Charmco Gauley Bridge Ansted Hawks Nest Rupert Lewisburg White Sulphur Springs

19 Getting Started 7.4 During the production and design phase of our Midland Trail Destination Guide we purposefully chose an autumn picture of a large curve in Rt. 60 for the front cover of our Guide so people would mentally connect Midland Trail with the popular curvy road ride to see fall foliage. We also undertook a low-budget print advertising campaign to build name recognition. We secured the phone number Route 60. Our ads have won awards. Through the Cooperative Advertising Program we placed ads in Southern Living, AAA Tour Book, Blue Ridge Country, WV Wild and Wonderful, Cabela s, etc. Our target market was drawing people from the Mid-Atlantic with an interest in travel to West Virginia. To track results of our advertising each ad had a call to action call for a Guide. From these efforts over individuals have contacted our office across over the past 18 months, requesting a Guide. We also measure our response by cost per lead. Plus we track distribution tens of thousands Guides through WV Welcome Centers, fairs,festivals and events, and through our partners along the Byway. In fact, we are told that our 120-page Midland Trail Destination Guide is the number one requested guide at WV Welcome Centers Guide Cover Guide Cover Guide Cover Guide Cover

20 Our Head for the Hills campaign works well for several of our target markets: 7.5 Outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers think of it as a call to the cliffs of the New River Gorge for fishing, world-class rafting and climbing Urban-escapees Those longing for the nostalgia of West Virginia Hills Motorcyclist, sports car enthusiasts, RVers History buffs, antiquers, treasurer hunters of all sorts think there is treasure in 'em hills

21 Setting the Stage 7.6 The recent Guide and marketing program was a first step in getting the entire Trail to think of itself as a 180-mile linear community with the common interest of promoting tourism all along the Trail. Much work remains as we help all our partners and those who live, work, and travel US 60 to become familiar with the amenities, attractions and offerings all along the Trail. Our philosophy is the more the tourist finds to do, the longer they stay, the better it is for everyone, so lets help them find lots to do. This Head for the Hills on US Route 60 campaign sets the stage for Midland Trail to be more sophisticated in our branding ourselves as the route to adventure. It is the marketing hook that can be used to beyond the shores of WV to attract tourists regionally, nationally and internationally to use the Midland Trail as a part of their travel plans. We believe life begins at the exit ramp and we are targeting those who can be lured away from interstate travel to enjoy the slower pace offered on our scenic and historic byways (i.e. AAA book). Build on the Success of our Past Marketing Efforts We plan to implement a marketing plan containing the following elements: a cooperative advertising program, a public education & relations program, hospitality training and a traveler survey. Implementation of this plan will benefit the traveler in three ways: by allowing us to continue to offer the traveling public well produced, professional information on available attractions (Our 120-page MT Destination Guide the #1 requested brochure at WV Welcome Centers); hospitality training assures tourists are greeted and serviced with friendly accurate information and can maximize use of our mile marker system; and surveying a sampling of our database of visitors who have used our materials and traveled the Byway will help us better understand Visitors needs and impressions of the Byway, as we work with partners and towns along the Trail to plan new accommodations and attractions.

22 Next Steps: Our Marketing plan is a three-fold approach -- designed to strengthen travel within WV across the 200-mile Trail and to attract a broader geographic region that encompasses the Mid-Atlantic regions and attract international markets. 7.7 Elements that the Marketing Plan include: A cooperative advertising program Website: Rt. 60 Day-tripper Public education & relations program Hospitality training A traveler survey Cooperative Advertising Program Our Cooperative Advertising program includes publication of a Midland Trail Guide, the Route 60 Day-Tripper and an accompanying marketing program including ads in national publications such as Southern Living, AAA, Blue Ridge Country and the WV Travel Guide and commercials on regional television stations. We will also continue our successful complimentary public relations campaign.

23 Midland Trail Publications 7.8 The MT Destination Guide is the Cornerstone of our Marketing Program. Partners Branding PR Campaign Paid Advertising Route 60 Day-Tripper designed to provide up-to-date travel information and day trips. Big Hit! Premiere issue released December ,000 distributed per issue Features Midland Trail sites and attractions Guide Distribution Outlets throughout WV: Welcome Centers CVBs Partners Fairs and Festivals Guide Distribution The Pumpkin Festival Bridge Day The Nicholas County Potato Festival Mary Ingles Reenactment Wayne Fall Festival The Mystery Train Chilifest The Vandalia Gathering The Ronceverte River Festival Symphony Sunday

24 Print Advertising Program Placement and Cost Per Inquiry 7.9 On the following pages are examples of our accompanying Mid-Atlantic marketing program geared to motivating potential visitors to call us for a MT Guide. Sample ads, publications and results are shown. Other visitors get our Guide while in state from a Welcome Center or from our partners. Visitors use our Guide to find other activities and attractions along the Trail that entice them to stay longer, come more often or plan a first time visit. The more time travelers spend along the Trail, the more money they spend. The top three objectives of this part of our marketing program are: 1. More travelers on the scenic byway 2. Inspiring visitors to travel stay longer or repeat visits to enjoy new sections of the Byway or other activities on the Byway 3. More money is spent with our partners Tracking Results: From our new central office, MTSHA has established an effective Guide distribution program and a tracking and evaluation system. We track inquiries and distribution and measure the Cost of Inquiry from responses from our limited paid advertising budget. Moving forward we will continue with print advertising with the most successful results (i.e., Southern Living, AAA Tour Book, Blue Ridge Country, Madden preprint newspaper insert, WV Wild and Wonderful) and add television and direct mail to our media mix, as we can afford it. Our media program is generating about 2500 requests from individuals per month, via phone, and mail labels. We ask each individual how he or she heard about the Guide and record the information. Almost all who call the office directly to request a Guide tell us they plan to travel on the Trail within the coming six weeks. We have had Guide requests from every state in the union and 8 foreign countries. Also, we included other devices in the Guide itself like a contest, reader response card and coupons to measure user interests, usage, and location. Partners tell us customers are utilizing the Guides to find their services. Midland Trail's name recognition has soared -- Even the local TV weatherman often refers to Route 60 as "up the Midland Trail.