Coming Summer 2012
The new book for destination marketing executives
and their stakeholders     

DESTINATION MARKETING
INSIGHTS
How to boost performance, increase customers 
and maximize market share      
by
Marshall E. Murdaugh

"Marshall Murdaugh has distilled three decades of experience in operating some of the most prominent Destination Marketing Organizations in the country, along with more than eighty destination consulting assignments, into a single book. These insights will enhance the abilities of DMO officials and others to help their destinations flourish." —Dr. Douglas Frechtling, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, School of Business, the George Washington University

"A "must read" for seasoned destination executives as well as those just entering the marketplace." —Kevin Kane, Chairman, Destination Marketing Association International and President and CEO, Memphis CVB

In this Newsletter
THE ART OF COLLABORATION

It’s not just about delivering quantifiable performance results that’ll keep your destination marketing organization partners firmly on your team.

You also must assure qualitative success—and that is best provided by collaborative efforts that galvanize community participation and keep everyone marching to the same DMO drummer. Here’s how.

But first, some insights for you on two current issues:

1. "Stay-cation" destination advertising

In the Destination Marketing Organization's continued quest for relevance, be sure to pay particular attention to strategically directed marketing strategies, like this one that is currently being deployed: 

Many DMOs are now targeting additional marketing dollars to their close-in leisure market due to economic downturns that have kept these nearby residents closer to home.

But redirecting advertising dollars against that limited market is both impractical and ineffective. That's because no one already knows more about the destination's travel product and opportunities than those who live nearby.

Instead, reach them efficiently through low cost PR/publicity.  Then reallocate traditional ad dollars in direct relationship to each of your market's potential benefits to your destination.

2. Fraud & Embezzlement; and how to prevent it

In the last few months, there's been a rash of publicly reported DMO finance management issues, highlighted by alleged embezzlement, fraud and malfeasance.

So we asked noted financial management expert Edward j. McMillan, CPA and CAE of Forest Hill, MD, to share his thoughts about how you should address and avoid this issue.

If you are the victim:  

For prevention, answer these questions--hopefully in the affirmative:

Copyright, 2003

For additional information, contact Mr. McMilllan at:  email: emcmillan@sprintmail.com, or  by phone 410-893-2308. On the web at: www.nonprofiltguru.com

This Quarter's Topic:
THE ART OF COLLABORATION

Is one of your core strategies collaborating with local tourism partners to achieve optimal success? My observation is that for some organizations, it's merely an afterthought.

It's not always on the front burner of need for DMOs amidst their deadline commitments for ongoing planning and delivery around every corner. So sometimes, asking for initial insights from stakeholders in planning DMO programs does take a backseat and isn't a management priority.

(Continued click here.)
 

It just doesn't always seem important—that is, until you conduct a stakeholder assessment and discover just how left out your constituents feel about their lack of a participatory role in your future planning—and the stake they share in their industry of tourism.  

Take at moment and answer this question honestly:

Do you believe a collaborative DMO effort is a good thing?

Most would say, yes, absolutely, for so many occasions.  After all, collaboration builds team support and spirit, leverages resources, and ultimately, delivers stronger results for the organization and the destination.

It that's the case, then answer this question:

What's the difference between input and feedback?

And does your staff also  understand the difference?

If everyone did, I don't think anyone would ever ask for program feedback. Here's why:

So instead, as an afterthought, you ask for feedback --and what response you might then receive is usually half-hearted and meaningless. And again, unfortunately, the word "meaningless" most likely also describes how your request for feedback is perceived by stakeholders--particularly since the project has now been concluded and offers little to no opportunity for modifications based on their feedback.

This whole issue of using ineffective feedback as a communications and marketing mechanism is a special pet peeve of my friend and tourism industry associate Tom Moulton, Director of Tucson's Pima County Department of Economic Development and tourism. It's easy to understand why, and I'm hoping you and your staff are focusing on stakeholder input and not feedback.
 
It that's the case, I suggest you make a list of the opportunities for getting great input and building collaboration through partnership efforts. Some include:

A Collaborative Case history

One of my all-time favorite collaborative opportunities for producing DMO input is provided by CEO Rob Varley's Florida Space Coast CVB.

Known as "Camp Creative", it's a planning session for its principal partners who gather in a major meeting room for this popular annual program.  

As CVB partners enter the meeting, there's a real feeling of positive energy, with people milling around, getting a coffee and Danish and preparing for the session ahead. The room is festively decorated with balloons and banners, and you get the impression that something important will get done here today that is going to be fun, too.

Across the entire room, leadership has set up dozens of tables of ten—each with a center stanchion featuring a  hand-printed topic for each table that shout out : THE INTERNET, NEW SALES TECHNIQUES, SOCIAL MEDIA, VISITOR SERVICES, ADVERTISING, MEDIA PUBLICITY, and on and on.

More attendees show up and everyone begins to quickly survey the room and the topics to be addressed. Then all take their seats until most of the tables are full. 

There are still some tables available that don't feature completed signs and discussion topics, but they are soon added by the participants, as other groups join up to work together on recommending other creative approaches for CVB success.

Now the room is a buzz of conversations, as some participants jump from table to table to provide still more input. 

Then the session comes to a rousing conclusion over lunch, as a chosen presenter from each table goes to the podium to announce and describe their table's individual marketing recommendations.

What follows is robust applause from all participants as the session ends on a m high note. Then, in just a few days, the CVB staff has memorialized the "Camp Creative work session in writing, and disseminates the new plans with all stakeholders as it begins to tackle the list of great ideas that have been produced.

All I am left to say is: Wow. What an invigorating program, and what a terrific collaborative CVB effort this is.  

Input from Staff

Now it's your turn.

I suggest that during an upcoming staff meeting, you brainstorm their suggestions for new opportunities in receiving stakeholder input.

And speaking of staff, when was the last time you formally considered what kind of new inputs you need from them to round out your management thinking and performance planning for the future?

Maybe it'll turn out to be another "camp creative" moment-- providing a productive step for everyone through the new and ever-evolving art of collaboration.

Need a strategic plan tailored to your DMO's specific requirements? Contact:
marshall murdaugh
901-336-9170