Do you work at an attraction and wonder how you can get your money’s worth from your partner DMO (Destination marketing organization) every year? Or are you in the DMO world and always looking for resources to share with your partners? Then read on! And if you missed the first part of the conversation, check out “DMO’s- What your Attractions want you to know“. We all benefit when everyone learns something new. (P.S.- read through to the end to find out about my next free webinar).
Put money in your budget every year to support the programming and advertising opportunities that come up.
Yes, budgets are tight, and sometimes DMOs bring last-minute marketing programs but the truth is that a DMO can’t know all the opportunities that will come their way in a year. So if your budget must account for everything in advance, pad your budgeted numbers (a tactic I used all the time!) and then you can participate in great programs.
One trick I learned while creating budgets was to pad some elements with extra $$, and keep in a program I knew I was probably not going to use. Then the money suprisngly becomes available when you need it!
Get to know the staff at the DMO office. The more contacts you have, the easier it is if there is a staff transition.
Make an appointment to drop by the DMO office and bring some of your admission passes, your current brochure, and some treats. The pleasant squeaky wheel gets the grease. Answer any questions the staff might have about your attraction- hours, costs, discounts available, wheelchair accessibility, etc. An informed staff can market you much better.
And when your hotel or venue is fresh in their minds, it is easier to speak about you when someone requests informaiton.
Read all the information that is sent and needs to be acted on. Have several people at your attraction on the DMO mailing list.
DMOs will share information and timelines for activities. It is easy for those emails to get lost in the torrent of messages coming through every day. Make sure several of your staff receive correspondence and respond to requests in a timely manner.
Communication is always an important element for success, and this year is no different. Don’t use the excuse ” I didn’t see the email”. Call today and make sure they have your contact information, as well as at least one other person at your business.
Take advantage of all free opportunities- whether it is sending in updated photos, story ideas or event updates, the DMO needs your content. But they can only feature what they are given.
Years ago I received a mass email from an industry publication asking for photos for an upcoming story. I sent them on that same day and thanked the editor for the opportunity. He wrote back and said I was one of the few that responded. And our business was featured!
Your DMO likely sends out similar offers for free promotion. Take advantage of it every time. You will get a reputation as someone that responds, and your attraction will end up getting featured more often.
It’s probably time to update photos. Images with people wearing masks may have been reassuring in 2021-2022, but they are distracting in an image now. Take photos of your target demographics- families, couples, girlfriends, weddings, corporate groups and motorcoach groups. When someone can imagine themselves in a photo, it is an easier sell.
Assign a staff person to be the liaison for the DMO.
Who is the primary contact with your DMO? Sometimes it is the person who does the marketing, sometimes it is a social media staff person. While it is beneficial to have several people at your tourism business involved with the DMO, it is smart to have a point person. They should be attending meetings, and be the first person the DMO can call with a problem or opportunity
Have current images and B-roll to share. Share any updated videos you might have with them as well.
DMOs constantly need content for their website and social media. If you get on a schedule of sending updated imagery and video quarterly, you will be more likely to be featured.
What is B-roll? B-roll is secondary footage, often used as cutaway footage, to provide context and visual interest to help tell your story. Think of it as generic, general footage of your business that can be used in many stories.
Don’t worry about polished highly produced videos. An authentic and realistic video from your phone will do the trick this year!
Be willing to share market trends.
Are you seeing a big upswing in guests from a specific destination? Has another market decreased in the last year? Your DMO depends on you to be the eyes and ears on the ground and to get specific information from the visitors.
Some destinations are seeing a huge uptick from regional drive markets. That’s great news. Let your DMO know what markets you are seeing. They can then put more resources into those markets, which might typically not be markets they consider.
If you are hosting a VIP client, consider inviting the head of your DMO.
When I worked at attractions, I always invited someone from the DMO if we were hosting a tour operator, a travel writer or a VIP client. This makes your guest feel important and will give you DMO opportunities to interact. This will make everyone look like you operate as a team and will pay back many benefits. On the flip side, there is nothing worse than being a DMO staffer and hearing that someone important was in your destination and you didn’t know. A united destination works better for everyone.
Here are some ways I can help you this year:
DMOs- Check out my Online Tourism Training Program. I can deliver a monthly webinar to your partners. I will take care of the registration, recording, and even send out a post-event survey! You don’t have extra time or staff so let me step in and help. Topics include (but aren’t limited to):
- Tourism Sales,
- Group Tour Trends,
- Time Management,
- Linkedin Strategies for Tourism Pros
- and more.
Prices start at $1995/month for 3 months. Email me (sally@sallydavisberry.com) and I will follow up with you!
And if you are a supplier and think your DMO should offer this type of programming, please forward this information to them. If they end up using my services, I will gift you a 1-hour consulting call. A Win- win for all of us. Thanks in advance!
Interested in becoming a better Tourism Pro?
Then check out TourismProAcademy.com, a platform I launched in 2019. The most popular courses so far this year are:
- Your Network is Your Networth
- Fill Your Parking Lot: Secrets to Getting More Group Tours
- Create a Tourism Plan using S.W.O.T
And may I ask a favor? Could you share this with 2 other industry colleagues so we can all grow together? Thank you!