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1 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. SLO TBID MARKETING PLAN 2017–2018 2 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 OUR APPROACH 5 DIGITAL 8 SOCIAL 10 LODGING LOYALTY 11 SEASONAL PROMOTIONS 12 CREATIVE 13 PAID MEDIA 14 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS 16 EVENTS 18 CONCLUSION 20 ADDENDUM A 21 ADDENDUM B 22 3 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. INTRODUCTION The following plan outlines our approach to deliver on SLOTBID’s Strategic Clarity Plan for 2017–18. Following a successful and accomplished 2016–2017, BCA & Matchfire are primed to capitalize on our discoveries about what works, what doesn’t and what’s next. Before we dive into our plan, take a look at a snapshot of the past year’s progress. SNAPSHOT OF 2016-2017 • Deployed “It Means Something Different Here” campaign 2.0, with addition of ‘Going Up,’ ‘In a Jam,’ and ‘Bubblegum’ print and digital ads • Created and distributed unique content that inspired returning and new tourists • Implemented a marketing automation program to enhance email marketing efforts • Captured and created a library of candid, “local perspective” video content • Expanded library of professional photography, including indoor and family-focused activities • Developed and distributed new collateral materials, including the revised Itinerary Inspiration Guide and the new Lodging Properties rack card • Executed new social media opportunities including Snapchat and Instagram Stories • Developed seasonal promotional campaigns, including Cal Poly Lodging Loyalty Program, Money for a Rainy Day, Exclusive Seattle Promotion, and tradeshow-specific promotions • Developed individualized event promotion strategies, including some media plans for SLOTBID-sponsored events • Partnered with Visit SLOCAL on new co-op placements in formerly out-of-reach publications NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2017-2018 • Venture into new geographic markets, including Seattle and Denver • Explore new tradeshow opportunities, including new markets and B2B events • Develop content specific to tiered markets and target personas • Enhance video strategy from real-time activations to short form, pillar videos • Amplify Cal Poly partnerships through the New Student & Transition Programs, Athletics and Parent Programs • Leverage expected travel trend of increased “bleisure” travelers to market to business travelers during mid-week and shoulder season • Develop email campaign that delivers interest focused content to spur “traveling by passion” • Develop new creative campaign and assets to inspire travel to SLO • Build on existing successful seasonal promotions strategy to increase hotel stays in shoulder season • Utilize effective event strategies from 2016-17, including personalized media buys and creative, to increase out-of-area event attendance and stays in San Luis Obispo lodging properties 4 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. TBID STRATEGIC CLARITY PLAN In 2017–18, we will link updated Strategic Clarity Plan marketing initiatives to specific action items within the Marketing Plan. The highest priority Strategic Clarity Plan initiatives for the 2017–18 fiscal year are: • Deliver Smart Growth ◊ Develop an engaging and comprehensive marketing plan ◊ Develop a SLO identity for attracting corporate visitors ◊ Identify, map and prioritize target audiences for marketing and PR • Develop the SLO Brand ◊ Clarify and strengthen the SLO (TBID/City) brand platform, including minimization of brand confusion ◊ Identify assets and build a unique identity for the City of SLO • Build Meaningful Partnerships ◊ Maximize our strategic partnerships at the national, regional, state and local level ◊ Create a comprehensive Cal Poly/Cuesta partnership plan • Contribute to an Unforgettable SLO Experience ◊ Further develop our loyalty program ◊ Create a packaged program for “How to do SLO” ◊ Develop a world-class event 5 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. OUR APPROACH We’ve spent the past three years learning the ins and outs of marketing the City of San Luis Obispo. We’ve celebrated our successes and what has worked, and noted the areas for improvement and new opportunities. Moving into the 2017-2018 fiscal year, we are using our experience, the goals outlined in the Strategic Clarity Plan, and research on the leading industry trends to shape our plan for the coming year. Our approach includes: • Research • Content Marketing • Video & Photography • SEO • Marketing Automation • Social Media • Lodging Loyalty Program • New Creative • Paid Media • Strategic Partnerships • Event Promotion • Seasonal Promotions • Tradeshows 6 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. RESEARCH While trend research and visitor data has always been at the center of SLOTBID’s marketing strategy, your agencies will focus on data aggregation in 2017-2018, utilizing information pulled from SLOTBID owned channels including social media, website traffic, email database, display ad performance, promotion redemptions and more. This research will connect to a larger picture as we develop specific personas and tiers for our marketing efforts. We’ll continue to monitor trends in tourism marketing and travel to inform our marketing strategy. In addition, we’ll review economic factors as part of our promotions strategy to address potential impacts. • Economic Impacts ◊ Expansion of SLOTBID properties: Motel Inn, Granada Hotel Expansion, Hotel Serra, Chinatown Hotel, Monterey Hotel, totalling to over 300 additional rooms ◊ Changes & Fluctuation in Occupancy, ADR and RevPAR within 2016-2017 ◊ Expanding Competition with Airbnbs, VRBOs and more ◊ Projected 2017 Growth in California Travel (Sourced from Visit CA, Tourism Economics; US Dept. of Commerce) • Total visitation for 2017 is forecasted to increase 2.0% * Domestic travel is forecasted to increase 2.0% * International travel is forecasted to decrease 1.0% • Total spending for 2017 is forecasted to increase 2.5% * Domestic spending is forecasted to increase 3.8% * International spending is forecasted to decrease 2.9% • Travel Trends for 2017 ◊ Growth in Experiential Travel: Person-to-person interaction is increasingly important. Modern day travelers have desire to bring humanity back into travel with the digital overload. ◊ Growth in Travel from China to California: Travel from China is potentially surpassing Mexico & Canada’s market share. Visit California poses China as top international market with India as top emerging market. ◊ Travel Growth Segments: People are increasingly traveling by a passion with growth in the following segments: Meetings & Events, Health & Wellness, Culinary and Ecotourism. There is also rapid growth within the “bleisure” segment, mixing business and pleasure. ◊ Increase in Local Travel amongst Millennials: Paralleling the growth in experiential travel, millennials value experience over things. ◊ Content Marketing: Content marketing has evolved from a novelty into the mainstream within travel industry, with increasing spends. 7 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. PERSONA & TIERED MARKETING DEVELOPMENT To more accurately target the types of travelers we have identified within our five pillars, we will create detailed personas to keep us on a dedicated path to attract the budget minded outdoor adventurer or those empty nesters with high interest in arts and film in addition to the various other travel types in between. By meticulously creating personas or cohorts, we can more accurately target the niche markets that we aspire to attract. We need to be aware of the traits, trends and detailed travel habits of several different personas that feed into our current pillars for City of San Luis Obispo visitors. • Develop an overarching creative campaign that speaks to all travelers, inspiring them to visit San Luis Obispo • Drill down into campaign to deliver specific messages to various levels and types of travelers, always driving millennials, young families and baby boomers to specific hotel types • Vary the parameters of age, household income, interests within specific campaigns • Create short videos geared toward budget oriented travelers, families seeking mid-range accommodations and luxury hotel seekers • Whitelist certain websites so SLOTBID ads appear on appropriate range of sites, such as budget travel sites, mid-range travel sites, high end culinary, mid-range food/beer/wine 8 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. DIGITAL With a strong digital infrastructure completed in 2015 that included a redesigned and fully responsive website, we focused our efforts in 2016-2017 on expanding our audience and growing our reach. Our primary focus centered around delivering relevant messaging to engaged audience members with a strong call to action that encouraged bookings at San Luis Obispo properties. Additionally, we implemented marketing automation with trigger campaigns based on user behavior, which allowed us to deliver relevant content to users at the most opportune time. Aligning with digital trends in the coming year, we will focus on big data, content marketing and video in addition to continuing an integrated marketing strategy that consists of SEO, marketing automation and a mobile first approach applied to all digital efforts. IN REGARDS TO BIG DATA, WE WILL— • Leverage big data to inform our marketing efforts, including but not limited to search data, Google Analytics, social metrics, email insights, survey and promotion data • Analyze historical data to forecast future trends • Utilize relevant city, regional and state-level research • Track trends to enhance marketing strategies, content development and delivery methods FOR CONTENT MARKETING, WE WILL— • Continue to position SanLuisObispoVacations.com as the go-to resource for SLO travel information • Create and implement a cohesive content strategy and calendar, aligning digital efforts across our strategic partnerships, events, promotions and SEO trends • Develop and expand site pages monthly, including things to do, vacation ideas and deals, specific to all tiered markets and target personas • Create engaging content on ShareSLO community blog that inspires travel • Continue to leverage guest bloggers whenever possible • Develop a packaged program for “How To Do SLO” on SanLuisObispoVacations.com and social channels WITH VIDEO, WE WILL— • Integrate video marketing strategy into master content calendar • Create short, captivating video content, optimized for mobile, as a tool to inspire travel through greater storytelling • Activate on social platforms’ live video avenues to showcase authentic, exclusive content, including but not limited to Instagram Stories, Snapchat and Facebook Live 9 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. OUR SEO PLAN, IS TO— • Maintain search rankings to continue to position SanLuisObispoVacations.com as the authority for the city’s tourism information • Continue to manage and refine keyword selection and distribution across site • Seek opportunities to incorporate ADA Compliant Regulations as they become available WITH MARKETING AUTOMATION, WE WILL— • Build upon and amplify marketing automation efforts that were established in 2016–2017 • Continue templated monthly and promotional emails, using search trends and audience insights to create content • Revamp the current newsletter template to encourage action and direct users to • SanLuisObispoVacations.com • Clean database to keep a captivated and engaged audience • Create unique trigger emails based on user behavior and identified interests, strategically targeting users with valuable information at the right time ◊ Enhance the current “welcome series” to engage users from the start ◊ Continue automated hotel abandonment follow up email, based on last year’s successful metrics ◊ Develop automated emails for events, showcasing upcoming SLOTBID sponsored events ◊ Establish annual birthday series, including special offers for traveling to SLO on their birthday • Launch a quarterly membership newsletter, informing constituents of SLOTBID updates, current promotions and marketing efforts OUR MOBILE FIRST APPROACH WILL ENTAIL— • Execute all site updates for mobile optimization • Develop all email templates with responsive design • Create content that can be conveniently consumed across all devices • Design all site pages that can transcend all devices seamlessly In alignment with the refreshed Strategic Clarity Plan, we aim to amplify the digital presence of the San Luis Obispo brand while delivering smart growth and focusing on contributing to an unforgettable SLO experience. By activating on the major digital trends in the coming year, we are providing the ideal digital landscape for a user to plan their vacation to San Luis Obispo. 10 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. SOCIAL Today’s modern travelers are “experience collectors,” looking for authenticity, immersion and enrichment. With its growing dominance in the digital space, social media now plays a major role in people’s travel decisions. Due to social media’s ever-evolving landscape, we’ll continue to adjust our strategies as new platforms and opportunities arise. Research shows the growing importance of social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram, with 1 in 5 minutes on mobile phones spent on these social platforms. Over half of travelers mentioned that social media influenced their travel plans, too. Due to last year’s successes, we will continue to focus on using user generated content and leverage San Luis Obispo’s “wow-factor” assets by capturing unique photos and videos. We will provide our followers with an authentic look at San Luis Obispo through our “local perspective” content strategy, inspired by the successes of the ongoing ShareSLO campaign. With Facebook standing as the leading referral to SanLuisObispoVacations.com, we’ll increase the social paid media budget and continue to promote posts, boosting engagement and driving users back to the site. OUR PLAN IS TO – • Focus on growing our fan base on Instagram while continuing to strengthen presence on Facebook and Twitter • Curate captivating, user generated content to increase engagement across platforms • Ignite greater storytelling through increased use of video, optimized for mobile and tailored to the fast-paced traveler • Amplify YouTube presence with additional video assets, specific to various target markets • Engage with visitors in-the-moment by activating on live stream and story capabilities, tapping into the growth of experiential travel • Tailor and optimize social content based on search trends and historical data • Explore Instagram and Twitter takeovers with influencers • Leverage social to increase adoption of SLOTBID promotions, driving travel during the shoulder season • Activate social giveaways in partnership with SLOTBID sponsored events and strategic partners such as Cal Poly, SLO Wine and Amtrak • Actively monitor social channels, #ShareSLO and other related travel hashtags to increase interactions with both locals and visitors • Utilize social listening tools to monitor social conversations, ensuring reputation management 11 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. LODGING LOYALTY Last year, we launched the lodging loyalty program exclusive to incoming Cal Poly parents. Taking a traditional loyalty punch card approach, registered participants would collect punches for every night they stayed at a City of San Luis Obispo lodging property. Once they reach 10 night stays, the participant could redeem a free night stay, up to $250 value. Although there was initially strong interest, the activation led to low adoption rates due to the laborious, complicated process and required night stays before reward. This year, we are focusing on a new approach to streamline the process, based less on incentives and more on exclusive offerings. We’ll work closely with the board to develop a solution that is effective for branded and non-branded properties. We’ll also further develop our relationship with Cal Poly parents, and glean valuable insight about their SLO travel preferences. 12 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. SEASONAL PROMOTIONS To address seasonal dips in occupancy, we’ll continue to develop promotions that put heads in beds when they’re needed most. The successful “Money for a Rainy Day” $100 gift card promotion has developed a loyal following over the past two years during its January–March campaign, and will be the likely promotion of choice for this same time period in 2018. In addition, we’ll utilize other dedicated promotions funds to attract fall stays, and set aside funds for special opportunities to attract specific audiences out of market, such as Seattle and Denver, SLO County Airport’s newest destinations. Fulfillment will be coordinated through the SLO Chamber. 13 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. CREATIVE SLOTBID’s 2015-2017 creative campaign showed viewers why San Luis Obispo is a desirable destination by comparing stunning San Luis Obispo photography to the mundane, stressful, and black and white world many of our visitors are coming from. “It Means Something Different Here” rolled out in digital and print alongside a brand new SLOTBID logo in 2015. Over the course of 2015-2016, SLOTBID worked to identify San Luis Obispo’s assets to define the types of travel experiences one could get in the city, then worked those pillars into new videography and photography. Since then, the logo, campaign, and photography and videography assets have served us well, and 2017–18 brings SLOTBID a new opportunity to analyze the messaging that was successful, fill in the gaps in our library of assets, and most importantly, create a new creative campaign that speaks to the hearts and minds of today’s ever-changing traveler. According to Visit California, the 2017-2018 traveler is looking for immersive experiences, choosing their travel destinations by the passions they align with, including SLOTBID’s pillars of Arts & Culture, Outdoor, Culinary and Family. The modern traveler wants to feel connected, not only to the sights and sounds in their destination of choice, but to themselves. In addition, today’s traveler makes his/her decision only after viewing a massive number of content pieces, sometimes up to 400, including videos, photos, reviews, articles and informational websites. Our campaign message must be applicable across various platforms in order to sell a holistic idea of San Luis Obispo. OUR 2017–19 CREATIVE CAMPAIGN WILL— • Bring humanity back into travel by selling the feeling of SLO, from landscapes to people • Captivate the prospective visitor and deliver customized messages within the pillars in which they align, with visuals that speak to their passions of Arts & Culture, Outdoor, Culinary and Family • Increase intention to travel by increasing campaign engagement • Include immersive video that acts as advertisement and as a sales tool for SLOTBID marketing and our strategic partnerships • Include print, digital, and social elements to be used in all aspects of our media plan Campaign development and production will take place June–August 2017, in order to launch paid media in the fall. 14 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. PAID MEDIA Our paid media sights remain set on Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego as well as expanding into and testing new flight markets in Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington, where applicable, and in accordance with Visit SLOCAL’s media plan to not duplicate efforts. The development of SLOTBID visitor personas and tiers, including budget, mid-range, luxury, will guide our demographic ad placement strategy. Paid media was heavily dedicated toward digital display, mobile, email targeting and SEM in 2016– 2017. These buys were a combination of static, GIF and pre-roll video ads, and were highly adaptable, accommodating SLOTBID’s needs to target various demographics and geographic locations based on time of year, sponsored events, or seasonal promotions. This programmatic and behavioral retargeting led to the highest performing campaign to-date, and we plan to utilize the same flexible placement methods in 2017–2018 in order to amplify the high-performing creative and scale back and adjust the creative that isn’t hitting the mark with our target audiences. In addition, we’ll be adding geo-proximity targeting to our digital media buy, which uses latitude and longitude to capture mobile device data. This will help SLOTBID capture late bookings and win over the weekend warriors making lodging property decisions while they’re traveling near or through the area. Visit SLOCAL continues to offer appealing co-opportunities for paid media buys in several markets that were formerly unreachable within SLOTBID’s budget, including the recent Buzzfeed advertorial, Matador advertorial and video, and Alaska Airlines Magazine in 2016–2017. A larger portion of the paid media budget will be set aside for 2017–2018 co-opportunities should they arise. SLOTBID participated in several print and digital advertorial buys in 2016–2017, including a number of custom content pieces, visitor guides, and special section print ad placements. In addition to these traditional placements, we will expand into radio and streaming music sources in 2017–2018, as more travel brands experiment with traditional media forms to cut through the digital clutter. We made optimal use of the new SLOTBID video assets in 2016–2017, including video pre-rolls embedded in online articles that aligned with our pillars, serving up video ads to audiences who were targeted for relevancy. Videos were also shown as video previews at movie theaters in San Jose and San Diego. While theater engagement is incalculable, digital delivery of video pre-rolls exceeded expectations, with an average 100% view rate of 23%. We plan to remove theater advertising in 2017–2018 due to the difficult nature of measuring ROI, and expand preroll delivery, with focus on the trend of shorter video lengths, as short as :06 seconds, according to industry insights, in order to increase video view time. 15 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. FOR PAID MEDIA, WE WILL— • Focus on drive markets and new flight markets, in alignment with Visit SLOCAL’s media buy to prevent duplicating efforts • Continue the successful digital campaign which includes programmatic, behavioral, email, and geo-proximity targeting & SEM • Increase budget for co-ops through Visit SLOCAL in order to expand reach and maximize dollars • Further experiment with traditional media including print & digital advertorials, visitor guides and FM/streaming radio • Increase video pre-roll placements and decrease length of video 16 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS SLOTBID’s strategic partnerships allow the marketing agencies to build relations with the organizations below, elevating the destination as a whole. Promotional opportunities with each organization gives SLOTBID new platforms and audiences to build brand awareness and amplify our message. Amtrak • Partner with LOSSAN’s Pacific Surfliner route to encourage travel to and from SLO by train • Develop mutually beneficial promotions with Amtrak, including RTA discounts once guest arrives • Provide and receive digital assets for cross promotion Visit California • Utilize Visit CA-provided research on visitor growth trends • Align content calendar with statewide tourism efforts • Participate in marketing opportunities & activations within Visit CA pillars, including Kidifornia, Dream Eater, Golden State of Luxury, Jonny Moseley’s Wildest Dreams, Dream 365 and more • Participate in Visit California’s Official Visitors Guide CCTC • Work with CCTC to resurrect blog page and return referral traffic to SanLuisObispoVacations.com back to historical levels, if not better • Increase monthly blog content to boost referral traffic • Place and update banner ads as needed • Coordinate with representative to keep events listing up to date • Align content calendars to ensure maximal content reach • Add new “buzzwords” such as “overlanding” to blog content • Focus on wellness and a retreat-like experience Visit SLOCAL • Take full advantage of applicable co-opportunities provided by Visit SLOCAL for high value media placements • Coordinate content calendars to ensure maximal content reach • Continue efforts to break the SLO log jam by working in partnership with SLOCAL to differentiate and clarify brand purposes • Continually update SLOCAL’s WebDAM database of SLO assets for editorial use • Prepare media buys in accordance with SLOCAL’s existing media plan in order to prevent duplication of efforts • Provide ongoing content updates as needed for SLOCAL’s SLOTBID web listing and other SLO mentions 17 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. Cal Poly Athletics • Update all PA reads to customize message for in-market and out-of-market audiences (ShareSLO in, SanLuisObispoVacations.com out) • Update all athletic event signage per agreement • Provide ongoing content for Cal Poly Athletics e-newsletters • Coordinate two social media campaigns to Cal Poly Athletics fans • Utilize Presenting Sponsor games for SLOTBID member engagement events • Use sporting event tickets for planned giveaways, hosted media and potentially Lodging Loyalty 2.0 • Fulfill additional deliverables as outlined in SLOTBID’s contract, including content/ad for the visiting teams guide Cal Poly Parent Program • Implement event strategies for Open House, Student Life Orientation (SLO) Days, and • Week of Welcome to get SLOTBID and ShareSLO brands in front of new students and parents • Develop a co-branded campaign to equally fulfill Cal Poly and SLOTBID goals of connecting parents to and developing a relationship between the campus and the City • Leverage Cal Poly Parent Advisory Committee as sounding board and focus group for generating additional room nights in San Luis Obispo • Work toward finding in-roads with Cal Poly Alumni via successes with the Parent Program and Athletics SLO Wine • Update SLOWine.com banner ads to reflect SLOTBID sponsored events and promotions • Provide monthly content for SLO Wine e-newsletter and social media • Promote SLO Wine events in accordance with SLOTBID’s event strategy guidelines • Attend SLO Wine member meetings to provide seasonal information about promotions and other brand integration opportunities SLO Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center • Coordinate SLOTBID sponsored event coverage with event organizers by utilizing • Chamber’s public relations contract to enhance marketing efforts • Align foreknowledge of media mentions & stories with advertising strategy to target new, niche markets • Utilize Visitors Center for seasonal promotions • Utilize staff-collected visitor data in ongoing SLO visitor research efforts 18 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. EVENTS In 2015–2016, your marketing agencies developed and implemented an event strategy and deliverables document to be included in event contracts to ensure all SLOTBID sponsored events are well-aligned with the SLOTBID and ShareSLO brand, and that our expectations for brand integration at these events is clear from the moment the event signs the SLOTBID’s contract. While the document outlined event organizer responsibilities and goals for reaching the guest before, during, and after the event, execution often didn’t measure up to SLOTBID’s vision, and the intention for sponsorship dollars seemed to be lost in the chaos of event planning. In addition, post-event reporting was hard to come by. In 2016-2017, we took a new approach to event funding as an experiment in ROI. Some events were granted sponsorships, however those sponsorship dollars were funneled differently on: • Event promotions, directly measurable and conceived by your marketing agencies, including discounts and gift cards that mandated hotel stays in San Luis Obispo in order to redeem • Promotions that tracked out-of-town guests specifically • Out-of-town media buys, placed by your marketing agencies, to connect the event to the City of SLO through co-branding • Graphic design support, provided by your marketing agencies, for display ads that promoted the event and staying in SLO This approach allowed us to more accurately measure the events’ impact on hotel stays, and more directly control where and how the SLOTBID brand was being shown. Sponsorship successes varied, and highlighted the need for the event review process to be based on the event’s ability to generate and prove heads in beds. In addition, your marketing agencies will continue to work with the tourism manager and SLOTBID board to identify already established and successful tourism-driving events from out of market that could be successful in San Luis Obispo. 19 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. TRADESHOWS SLOTBID tried a new on-site approach at the three Travel & Adventure tradeshows the team regularly attend in Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Diego. Instead of promoting the widely publicized Rainy Day Promotion, we developed a nearly-identical promotion with a different fulfillment email address in order to directly track the conversion of tradeshow attendees to San Luis Obispo visitors. In addition, we col- lected email addresses from willing attendees in exchange for a reusable SLO-branded bag. Response to this particular promotion did not meet expectations, which could be attributed to a variety of factors including the Rainy Day promotion running simultaneously and a new location for the Los Angeles trade- show. As suggested in 2016–2017, we’d like to take an objective look at the value of currently attended tradeshows and make decisions based on prior year’s attendance, specific numbers, demographics and quality of audience. In 2017–2018, we will research new tradeshow options, including shows that align with our pillars and aren’t crowded with competing tourism organizations, shows in new or emerging markets, shows that may elevate business or mid-week travel, and opportunities to attend shows alongside our strategic partners. We’ll also explore the possibilities of co-opportunities with Visit SLOCAL in the groups and meetings space. 20 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. CONCLUSION BCA & Matchfire will update the SLOTBID Marketing Plan each fiscal year, with a two-year plan for 2018– 2020. We feel that it is imperative to acknowledge trends, be observant of growth or decline and make changes according to the current tourism climate on an ongoing basis. The SLOTBID Marketing Plan coupled with the SLOTBID Strategic Clarity Plan provides a foundational outline for building the City of SLO brand and establishing real tactics for consistently improving tourism in the City of San Luis Obispo. 21 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. ADDENDUM A SLO TBID: 2017/2018 Marketing Budget DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY TOTAL % BUDGET Paid Media 34% Offline Media $25,000 4% Social Media $50,000 6% Digital Media $65,000 8% Mobile Advertising $60,000 7% SEM $37,000 5% Visit SLO CAL Co-op $40,000 4% Design/Creative 18% Design Support $15,000 2% Creative/Online $20,000 2% Creative/Offline $15,000 2% Content Creation, Management & Distro $105,000 13% Website 4% Website Maintenance $20,000 2% SEO $20,000 2% Social Media 3% Social Media $28,000 3% Agency Services 13% Account Management $70,000 9% Event Strategies $15,000 2% Media Planning $20,000 2% Hard Costs 26% Marketing Automation $37,500 5% Seasonal Promotion #1 $50,000 6% Seasonal Promotion #2 $25,000 3% Collateral $20,000 2% Campaign Production $32,000 4% Hosting $6,000 1% Video Production $24,000 3% Contingency Fund 2% Contingency Fund $15,000 2% TOTAL $814,500 100% Approved Incremental Budget Beyond Approved Budget Campaign Production (additional funds)$19,200 22 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. ADDENDUM B CONTENT CALENDAR JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER SEASONAL CONTENT/THEMES Summer California Wine Month - SLO Wine National Dog Week (last week of Sept) EVENTS & TRADESHOWS Bacon & Barrels SLO (July 14-16) Festival Mozaic (July 19-30) Shakespeare Festival (July 14–Aug 5) Pride Celebration (July 7-9) Concerts in the Plaza Cal Poly Student Life Orientation Days Shakespeare Festival (July 14–Aug 5) Concerts in the Plaza Movies at the Mission Cal Poly Student Life Orientation Days SLO Ultra (Sept 9) Cal Poly Week of Welcome (Sept 10–17) Brews & Bites (TBD) Concerts in the Plaza Labor Day (Sept 4) WEBSITE Update Cal Poly TTD Page Update Cal Poly Vacation Idea Page Update Low Cost Getaway Page Update California Wine Month Page Update Wine Vacation Idea Page Update RaceSLO Page-Ultra & GranFondo Create Business Travel Vacation Idea Page Update Mustang Family Weekend Page Update Boat Page Update Kayak Page Create Hot Springs Page SHARESLO BLOG Endless Things to Do in Montaña De Oro Historical Sites to See in SLO Bubblegum Alley Blog SLO in the News: June Labor Day in San Luis Obispo How to Do SLO: “Bleisure” SLO in the News: July Top Things to Do this Fall 2017 Cal Poly Parent Blog How to Do SLO: Top List of Wines from Edna Valley Meet the Winemaker Series SLO in the News: August SOCIAL MEDIA THEMES/CAMPAIGNS Summer Lovin’CA Wine Month VIDEO First Reactions to Bubblegum Alley How To Do SLO: Cal Poly Advice from Parents & Students Wine Focused Video EMAIL Spring Newsletter CP Lodging Loyalty Program Announcement Email (TBD) Quarterly Member Newsletter Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Enhance Welcome Series (Birthday & Interests) Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors PROMOTIONS CP Lodging Loyalty Program (Launch)-TBD PAID MEDIA SLOCAL MONTHLY PROMOTIONS CA Wine Month VISIT CALIFORNIA PROMOTIONS CA Wine Month KEYWORD TOPICS Beaches, Day Trips, Bubblegum Alley, Events Cal Poly, Wineries Hot Springs in San Luis Obispo, Labor Day Weekend TOP KEYWORDS Beaches near San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Beaches, Day Trips from San Luis Obispo, Things to Do Near San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach, Fun Things to Do in San Luis Obispo, Best Beach in California, Pismo Beach, Bubble Gum Alley, Bubblegum Alley, What to Do in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Events, Events in San Luis Obispo, SLO Brew Events Cal Poly, Cal Poly SLO, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Wineries Near San Luis Obispo, California Wine Country, Edna Valley Wineries, Central Coast Wine Map Hot Springs in San Luis Obispo, Avila Hot Springs San Luis Obispo, Sycamore Mineral Springs, San Luis Obispo Labor Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend San Luis Obispo QUARTER 1 23 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. ADDENDUM B CONTENT CALENDAR OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER SEASONAL CONTENT/THEMES Arts & Culture Holidays in SLO EVENTS & TRADESHOWS City to Sea Half Marathon (Oct 8) Central Coast Railroad Festival (Oct 13-15) Mustang Family Weekend (Oct 20-22) SLO Gran Fondo (Oct 28) Pumpkins on Parade at Farmers (TBD) Munchkin March (TBD) Harvest on the Coast (Nov 4-6) Festival Mozaic WinterMezzo (TBD) SLO Bacon Fest (Nov 21) Sustainable Ag Expo (Nov 13-15) Santa’s House in Mission Plaza Holiday in the Plaza Craft Fair Downtown Holiday Parade (TBD) Reindeer Run (TBD) Holiday in the Plaza Santa’s House in Mission Plaza CP Commencement (Dec 9) WEBSITE Update Festival Mozaic WinterMezzo Page Update Winter Getaway Vacation Idea Update Performing Arts Page Create a Health & Wellness Vacation Idea Page Update Walking Tours Page Update Skate Page Update Horseback Riding Page Update Nightlife Page Update Restaurant Month Page Update Restaurant Page Update SLO Marathon Page Update Galleries SHARESLO BLOG Thankful Blog with Thanksgiving Theme Arts & Culture Blog SLO in the News: September Top Things to Do this Winter 2017 Treat your Kids to a SLO Vacation: Feature Kid-Friendly Activities and Events How to Do SLO: List of Happy Hours (Updated) SLO in the News: October Update SLO Holiday Gift List Cal Poly Parent Blog How to Do SLO: Farmers’ Market (What’s In Season & Where to Grab) SLO in the News: November SOCIAL MEDIA THEMES/ CAMPAIGNS Arts & Culture Family-Friendly Travel Holidays VIDEO How to Do SLO: Ways to Get Around SLO (Train, Trolley, Busses, Taxi, Uber, Rental Car, Bike) Q&A with Kids - What are your favorite things to do in San Luis Obispo? (Kidifornia) How to Do SLO: Holidays (Santa’s House, Carousel, Trolley, etc) EMAIL November/December Newsletter CP Lodging Loyalty Program Announcement Email (TBD) Quarterly Member Newsletter Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Develop Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Develop Events Follow Up Email PROMOTIONS Exclusive Cal Poly Parent Events (TBD) Cal Poly Lodging Loyalty Program (TBD) PAID MEDIA New Campaign—Digital Media, Offline Media, Mobile Advertising & SEM Campaigns (Late September-Mid May) SLOCAL MONTHLY PROMOTIONS VISIT CALIFORNIA PROMOTIONS KEYWORD TOPICS Hiking, Performing Arts, Winter Getaway Airport, Museums, Amtrak, Weather Christmas/Holidays, Farmers’ Market TOP KEYWORDS San Luis Obispo Hikes, Hiking San Luis Obispo, Madonna Mountain Hike, Cal Poly P, Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo Performing Arts, Fremont Theater, Fremont Theater SLO, Winter Getaways California, Best Winter Getaways in California San Luis Obispo Airport, San Luis Obispo Airport Arrivals, San Luis Obispo Museum, San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, San Luis Obispo Museums, San Luis Obispo Amtrak, Amtrak San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station, San Luis Obispo Weather, Weather San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Holiday Parade, San Luis Obispo Christmas Parade, San Luis Obispo Farmers Market, Farmers Market San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Farmers Market Thursday QUARTER 2 24 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. ADDENDUM B CONTENT CALENDAR JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH SEASONAL CONTENT/THEMES Restaurant Month Valentine’s Day/Romance Spring EVENTS & TRADESHOWS Restaurant Month (Jan 1-31) Festival Mozaic WinterMezzo (TBD) TRADESHOW San Diego (Jan 13-14) SLO Craft Beer Festival (TBD) Festival Mozaic WinterMezzo (TBD) TRADESHOW Bay Area (Feb 17-18) TRADESHOW Los Angeles (Feb 24-25)” SLO Film Fest (March 13-18) Love SLO (TBD) TRADESHOW Denver (March 24-25) WEBSITE Update SLO Craft Beer Fest Page Update Money for a Rainy Day Page Update Family Vacation Idea Page Create Roadtrip to SLO Vacation Idea Page Update Outdoor Vacation Idea Page Update SLO Film Fest Page Create Cal Poly Open House Page Update Trolley Page Update SLO Jazz Fest Page Update Roll Out the Barrels Page Update Music Page Update ATV Page SHARESLO BLOG ShareSLO Chef Series Top Sweet Tooth Treats in SLO Update Top Brunch Spots Blog Post Update Top 10 Eats in SLO Blog Post SLO in the News: December Top Things to Do on Valentine’s Day How to Do SLO: Magical Spots for Weddings SLO in the News: January Top Things to Do this Spring 2017 Wildflowers in SLO Cal Poly Parent Blog SLO in the News: February SOCIAL MEDIA THEMES/ CAMPAIGNS Restaurant Month SLO in Love VIDEO Foodie Video Recap Video of CP Parent Exclusive Event (TBD) Ask a Local Video Wildflowers Video CP Open House Video EMAIL Money for a Rainy Day Announcement Email (TBD) Tradeshow Follow Up Survey Email (TBD) February/March Newsletter Tradeshow Follow Up Survey Email (TBD) Tradeshow Follow Up Survey Email (TBD) Quarterly Member Newsletter Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Events Email Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Events Email Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Events Email PROMOTIONS Money for a Rainy Day (TBD) Exclusive Cal Poly Parent Events (TBD) Cal Poly Lodging Loyalty Program (TBD) PAID MEDIA New Campaign-Digital Media, Offline Media, Mobile Advertising & SEM Campaigns (Late September-Mid May) SLOCAL MONTHLY PROMOTIONS Restaurant Month CA Wine Month VISIT CALIFORNIA PROMOTIONS Restaurant Month CA Wine Month KEYWORD TOPICS Restaurants, Family Mission, Weekend Getaway, Trolley ATV, Attractions, Romantic Getaway TOP KEYWORDS Restaurants San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Restaurants, Downtown SLO Restaurants, Restaurant Month San Luis Obispo, Brunch San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County Restaurant Month, Family Vacations in California, California Family Vacations Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Mission San Luis Obispo, Mission San Luis, San Luis Obispo Mission, Weekend Getaways in California, California Weekend Getaways, Central Coast Weekend Getaways, Trolley San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Trolley, Beach Trolley Oceano Dunes ATV Rental, San Luis Obispo ATV Rentals, San Luis Obispo ATV, San Luis Obispo Attractions, Attractions in San Luis Obispo, Tourist Attractions San Luis Obispo, Romantic Getaways in California, Romantic Weekend Getaways QUARTER 3 25 Copyright © 2017 - Barnett Cox & Associates. All Rights Reserved. No distribution or reproduction is allowed without expressed written permission or authorization. ADDENDUM B CONTENT CALENDAR APRIL MAY JUNE SEASONAL CONTENT/THEMES Spring & Pet-Friendly Travel Bike Month Beer National Travel & Tourism Month Summer EVENTS & TRADESHOWS Cal Poly Open House (April 12-14) SLO Marathon (April 29) SLO Jazz Fest (TBD) American Craft Beer Week (TBD) California Festival of Beer (TBD) Avila Beach Blues Festival (TBD) Greek Festival (TBD) National Travel & Tourism Week (May 6-12) Mother’s Day (May 13) Cal Poly Graduation (June 16-17) SLO Wine ROTB (TBD) Father’s Day (June 17) WEBSITE Update Pet-Friendly Vacation Ideas Update Avila Barn Page Update Bubblegum Alley Update Golf Page Update Beer Tasting Vacation Idea Page Update Zoo Page Update Sustainability Vacation Idea Page Update Surf Page Update About SLO Page Update Girls’ Getaway Vacation Idea Page Create Wedding Vacation Idea Page SHARESLO BLOG Top Spas in SLO Pet-Friendly Blog How to Do SLO: Shopping (Favorite Stores) SLO in the News: March Bike Month in San Luis Obispo Biking Focused Blog (Cycling/ Overlanding) How to Do SLO: Beer Tasting (Update SLO Beer Trail) SLO in the News: April Top Things to Do this Summer 2017 Beach-Fun Blog Summer Concerts/Concerts in the Plaza SLO in the News: May SOCIAL MEDIA THEMES/CAMPAIGNS Pet-Friendly Bike Month & Beer Summer Lovin’ VIDEO How to Do SLO: Pets (Pet-Friendly Video) Bike Focus Video—Bike Night or Mountain Biking SLO Craft Beer—Interviews with Brewers Summer Video EMAIL April/May Newsletter June Newsletter Quarterly Member Newsletter Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Events Email Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Events Email Ongoing Welcome Series Ongoing Hotel Page Visitors Ongoing Birthday Offer Email Ongoing Events Email PROMOTIONS ROTB/California Wine Month Promotion in September (TBD) Cal Poly Lodging Loyalty Program (TBD) PAID MEDIA New Campaign—Digital Media, Offline Media, Mobile Advertising & SEM Campaigns (Late September–Mid May) SLOCAL MONTHLY PROMOTIONS V ISIT CALIFORNIA PROMOTIONS National Tourism & Travel Week KEYWORD TOPICS Spa, Biking, Pet Friendly, Whale Watching Sunset Drive-In, Shopping, Botanical Gardens, Breweries, Hearst Castle Beaches, Kayaking, Edna Valley, Things to Do in San Luis Obispo TOP KEYWORDS Spa San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Spa, Sycamore Mineral Springs, San Luis Obispo Bike Shop, Bike Trails in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Mountain Biking, Pet Friendly Hotels in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Dog Friendly Hotels, Pet Friendly San Luis Obispo, Whale Watching San Luis Obispo, California Whale Watching Season, Morro Bay Boat Tours Sunset Drive In, Sunset Drive In Theater, Sunset Drive in SLO, Sunset Drive in San Luis Obispo, Shopping San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, SLO Botanical Garden, Downtown San Luis Obispo, Breweries in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Brewery, Hearst Castle, Hearst Castle Tours, Hearst Castle History Things to Do in San Luis Obispo, Things to Do in San Luis Obispo this Weekend, Beaches near San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Beaches, Kayak San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay Boat Tours, Kayaking in Morro Bay, Avila Beach Paddlesports, Edna Valley, Edna Valley Chardonnay, Edna Valley Wineries QUARTER 4