1. THE FUTURE OF DESTINATION MARKETING
Why all marketing is social marketing
Anna Pollock
DestiCorp
Presentation to BIT Reiseliv
Oslo, 2009 1

2. THE FUTURE OF DESTINATION MARKETING
Why all marketing is e‐marketing
Anna Pollock
DestiCorp
Presentation to BIT Reiseliv
Oslo, 2009 2

3. My Purpose Today
To help you survive the next
decade
From the Five Ps to Five Cs
Why all marketing is social in
nature
The Importance of Content
… Relationships: The Power of
Community
What to do now?

4. Your Survival depends on:
1. Being Relevant
and Effective
Reducing the
PAIN!

5. If the Destination Management
Company does not reduce the
pain experienced by
guest, supplier or host,
it won’t survive!
5

6. Who’s Pain?
Supplier
Members
Customers
Guests
Host
Community

7. What pain exists for Guests?
Risk
Unique experience
Planning their trip
Online products are not
representative
The small, unique and unusual
is particularly hard to find. This
is what the high yielding
tourist seeks!
7

8. What pain exists for the Supplier?
Suppliers sell just one element
Distribution costs are high
(25‐40%)
The product is perishable
Difficult to unload distressed
inventory.
Distress leads to discounting.
Discounting leads to paper
thin margins
At the same time, suppliers
must deal with…..
8

9. Access Proliferation
• Video games • Radio • Satellite Radio
• Email • DVD • TiVo (Starhub PVR)
• XBox LIVE • Ring Tones • Video On-Demand
• Websites • TV • Newspapers
• IM • Blogs • Podcasting
• Search • Magazines • Cell Phone
Source: Darwin Day Conference, Google

10. More New Channels
14,463,346 auctions
www.ebay.com 21 Nov 2006
133,000,000 blogs
2 billion page
views daily
2008
Almost 10,000,000 articles 78 million videos
(10 languages) (200,000 publised/day)
33,347,000 profiles
1.8 million
139 million + residents
members
10

11. What pain exists for the Host?
Politicians want re‐
election
They want people
talking about them
They want people
believing they’ve
made a contribution
That’s why they like
tangible things
11

12. But Survival also depends on:
2. Understanding
the world you live
in
Harnessing the
Change Drivers

18. Human organizations are slow to change
Evidence that the old model still being used
Our organization structures
Our language
What we count
What we value…….
18

19. From Heirarchies

20. From Functional Boxes

21. To Networked Teams

22. From Value Chains

23. To Value Networks - Ecosystems

24. To Value Networks - Ecosystems
Host Community Agents
Providers GUEST Channels
Destination
Suppliers Partners

25. Me and My

27. Back to Familiar Ground!
Marketing
How Far We’ve Come!

28. Marketing: A Quick History
1930-1960s
•ONE TO MANY
•Products Pushed at Targets
•Blitz campaigns through limited media
•Print – newspapers and magazines
•Radio & TV – broadcast channels
•Call to action: the BROCHURE
•Glorious days for advertising
•Enormous reach and influence

29. Marketing: A Quick History
1960-1990
•ONE TO FEW
•Beginning of individualism
•From mass markets to market
segments
•Growing variety of media
•Magazines and Cable TV –
focused TV channels
•Pushy

31. Marketing: A Quick History
1990-2000
•ONE TO ONE
•Customer Relationship
Marketing CRM
•WEB SITES!
•Plethora or Brochures to Plethora
of Web Sites
•Still PUSHING – Banner ads and
phone calls

32. Marketing: A Quick History
BUT DID ANYTHING
REALLY CHANGE?
Still Pushing
Still interrupting
Still Product Centric
Still Transaction
Oriented
1950-2000

33. the Millennium Bug didn’t strike but
SHIFT HAPPENED!

34. Marketing: A Quick History

35. So What Happened?
Information & Choice Overload
35

36. So What Happened?
Information & Choice Overload
36

37. NGOs
EMPLOYEES CUSTOMERS
TRADE ORGS The new
cacophony.
INVESTORS
MEDIA
ANALYSTS
MARKETERS
GOVERNMENT
37

39. But Something else was happening
Break Down of Trust
39

40. With so many voices in the mix…
People turn to peers for
recommendations.
They also do this when:
Risk is higher
More choices to review and filter
They have less time to research

41. In fact, PEERS are the most credible source
of company/product info
58% believe
what “a person like
me” says about an
organization
(up from 51% in 2007) LEAST CREDIBLE (IN THE US): corporate or
product advertising (22% of ages 25‐34)
SOURCE: 2008 Edelman Trust Barometer

43. Peer recommendation isn’t just influential.
Trust and distrust are widely shared.
56‐63% were “likely to share their opinions and
experiences about companies they trust or distrust on
the web.”*
when you put it on the web, it stays forever….
*SOURCE: 2008 Edelman Trust Barometer

44. And trust drives preference.
88%
of opinion elites choose
to buy from companies
they trust. 85% refuse
to buy from companies
they distrust.* The bottom line:
Trust drives transactions.
*SOURCE: 2008 Edelman Trust Barometer

45. SOURCES OF INFORMATION USED BY TOURISTS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES
Source: Phocuswright

46. So What Happened?
Open Source + Web 2.0
Machines can talk with one another;
People can interact;
web services & widgets
46

47. So What Happened?
Proliferation of Online Communities; sites that enabled
sharing of pictures, papers, videos, and personal details……..
Social Media emerged as the “next big thing”
Another FAD or something deeper?
47

48. PUSH to PULL

49. •Power to Search
•Power to Express & Publish
•Power to Participate
•Power to Choose
•Power to Share

50. Power of Self Expression
Anyone can now be:
Author
Journalist
Film maker
Reviewer
Marketer
Intermediary, or even a
DMO or DMC !
50

51. Power of Influence
Consumers decide what’s valuable or important
Amazon ratings
E‐Bay ratings
Trip Advisor ratings and reviews
Content Tags
People who bought this, also bought……..
So customers shape your brand, influence others, and….
51

52. BECAUSE CLIENTS TALK and
TALK INFLUENCES PURCHASE DECISIONS

53. There is only one metric!*
Will your
customers
recommend your
brand/product to
their friends?
Fred Reichfeld in Driving Good profits and True Growth

55. ALL MARKETING IS SOCIAL MARKETING
MARKETING IS NOT A BATTLE
IT’S A DANCE!
AND THE CUSTOMER TAKES THE LEAD…

56. PUSH to PULL
Product Customers
Position Connections
Price Conversations
Promote Content
Place Community

57. THE NEW BASICS!

58. CUSTOMERS
58

59. How well do you know your customers?
Norwegians or International?
Repeats or First‐timers?
Single, couple or in a group?
Weekend Escape or Annual Vacation?
Touring (passing through) or Staying Put
Activity or relaxation focused?
Special interest? ??????????
How do you connect with them?
59

60. Do you Know Where They Are?

61. Do you Know Where They Are?
1.4 billion
prospects can
now potentially
be reached via
the web.

62. Do you know where they are?
Brits spend 164 minutes a day online

63. Do you know what your guests are trying to
achieve when they “ask you to dance”?
Decide where to go?
Decide when to visit?
Plan activities?
Find a good deal?
Learn about the destination?
Read other visitors’ reviews and impressions?
63

64. Where are they in their experience cycle?
64

65. What media are they using?
65

66. How are you Connecting with your visitors?
Through a screen?
Face to Face, Voice to Voice?
There’s a technical answer….
66

67. The 3‐Screen world
TV
Computer Monitor
Handheld
67

68. How are you Connecting with your visitors
Through a screen?
Face to Face, Voice to Voice?
There’s a human answer…….
68

69. Markets are CONVERSATIONS!
69

70. Features of a Good Conversation
Two‐way dialogue
Active Listening
Let your partner hog the limelight
Good Content makes for good
conversations
As trust builds…..
So will more content be
exchanged
The conversation can be
continued later…
70

71. Where do Good Conversations Occur?
Homes
Offices
Restaurants, bars
Dinner parties
Travel agencies
At the gym
On the way to work
71

72. LOCATION OF ONLINE
CONVERSATIONS

74. When do Good Conversations Occur?
Where and when the partner wishes to initiate it…..
They may knock on your front door
They may come in through the back door
They maybe “hanging out with friends”
Remember
It’s rude to shout & brag
Don’t interrupt
Success is to become the topic of conversation
Don’t be shy – join in; be where your customers are; but
don’t interrupt. 74

75. NOT about pulling levers
75

76. NOT about exploiting new channels!

77. Not About Shouting
77

78. It IS about becoming your customers’
Topic of Conversation
78

79. And You Do This By..
Listening
Helping
Supporting
Being present
Being alert
Being creative
79

80. So, do You Need a Social Media Strategy?
NO!
You need to re‐think your entire role and your entire
marketing strategy
Ensure it reflects the realities of your marketplace
Is active in the places your customers meet
Acknowledges the new rules and realities
Learn the power of CONTENT and COMMUNITY!
80

81. The Power of CONTENT
In tourism, content is your currency.
Conversations are fuelled by content
Content
Enables choices
Reduces risk
Stimulates emotions
All content is digital
All marketing is publishing
DMOs are the ideal content brokers
Close to the supplier, the setting, the place
Closest to the customer’s experience
Content comes in different forms and performs different
functions
81

82. INSPIRE http://www.newzealand.com/travel/USA/
82

83. ENGAGE http://www.classicbritain.no/
83

84. ENABLE A SEARCH http://www.classicbritain.no/
84

85. ENABLE A SELECTION
85

86. Good Content is created by:
The DMO
Third Parties
Suppliers
Other travel companies
Film and TV producers
Users
It doesn’t matter who created it so long as
86

87. Good Content is
Relevant
Reliable
Comprehensive
Compelling
Consistent
Portable
Ubiquitous = Everywhere
87

88. Why Everwhere?
88

89. Content Has to Be Everywhere!
Supplier Web Site & e‐newsletters
Destination Portals
Third‐party web sites and portals:
Online agencies: Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com
Other suppliers (tour, ferry , airline, train companies)
Media: newspapers and magazines – on and offline
Banner and classified advertisements
Directories (Yellow pages)
Travel Community Sites (Trip Advisor, Real Travel,
WAYN)
Social Media Sites (Facebook, MySpace)
Kiosks
Hotel, airline TV
Mobile phone channels
89

90. You Can’t Do This By Yourself!
90

91. But that’s impossible!
91

92. It is impossible unless….
You engage your community!
Guest, Suppliers, Residents are doing
the inviting!
Everyone is an intermediary
92

93. Your NEW role as DMO is to
Enable
Facilitate
Support
Encourage
Seed
And all in a digital world!!
93

94. In summary
Rethink your entire marketing approach, from
outbound monologue to full engagement
Go DIGITAL, think DIGITAL
Build trust by being found, providing value, and
not interrupting consumers on their journey to
find what they want
Engage and support your Community in their
conversations about your destination

95. CREDITS AND SOURCES:
This slide deck is a “mash-up” – a blend of author’s observations, insights and
learning. I have attempted to indicate sources either on the slides or below and
and express gratitude to the generosity of those who have shared their insights
on the web.
Slides 1-2 Image of boat: http://www.flickr.com/photos/good_day/236094065/
Slide 9: http://www.slideshare.net/wah17/social-media-35304
Slide 10: More new channels
Slides 14:17 – still searching
Slide 25: David Armano – see slideshare
Slide 25: David Armano – see slideshare
Slide 28:34 Background: The Changing media Landscape:
http://www.slideshare.net/Cscout/cscoutmarketing-innovation-presentation
Slide 37, 40, 41, 43,44 - http://www.slideshare.net/Weave/trust-drives-
transactions-why-marketing-must-go-social-presentation
Slide 45: PhocusWright
Slide 52, 54: http://www.slideshare.net/Weave/trust-drives-transactions-why-
marketing-must-go-social-presentation
Slide 78: http://www.slideshare.net/howardgr/greenstein-landsman-social-
media-jungle-presentation
Slide 89: http://www.slideshare.net/socialmediainfluence/social-media-comes-
of-age-radar-ddb-uk-at-social-media-influence-conference

96. GOOD LUCK!
Thank You
Anna Pollock
Anna.pollock@btconnect.com
+44 01544 388 910