Marketour October/November 1998

THE MARKETOUR

A MARKETING GUIDE FROM THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

October/November 1998

MARKETING WISCONSIN: WINTER AND SPRING PLANNING

The Department of Tourism has been thinking winter and even spring, identifying the audience and researching the potential traveler's state of mind and what they need from the travel experience at that time of year. Once determined, advertising and public relations campaigns are created. Messages and images are developed and paired with seasonal activities, all with the goal of convincing consumers to get out and sample the state. Here's how the Department is positioning and promoting Wisconsin's winter and spring tourism seasons.

Winter Program: The goal is to maintain and grow our loyal base of outdoor enthusiasts. At the same time, we want to attract new visitors, inviting travelers who don't traditionally visit us for winter outdoor activities to sample our indoor offerings.

Research tells us about our prime prospects. Winter is the "friends" season, with families a secondary target. Half are Wisconsin residents, followed by Illinois, then Minnesota. Winter travelers are younger, 35-44, compared to other seasons; they also have higher incomes. Current loyal winter travelers vacation more often and travel across all seasons.

Reasons to choose Wisconsin in winter include both emotional attitudes and practical considerations.

Rational Reasons to Choose Wisconsin:
* We have charming cities that offer culture and romance.
* We have indoor pools and waterparks, and attractions that appeal to families.
* We have a diverse lodging base, from B&Bs to resorts to large hotels.
* We are the snowmobile hot spot in the Midwest.
* We offer a variety of skiing options close by.
* We're a good value. The people are friendly.

Emotional Reasons to Choose Wisconsin:
* If you love winter, then Wisconsin's great outdoors are exhilarating.
* There's no need to wait out the winter before you take a change-of-pace getaway.
* There's a certain pristine beauty to winter in Wisconsin.
* Your body is crying out for you to get off the couch and go somewhere.
* A winter getaway to Wisconsin produces immediate doldrum relief and great memories.

Messages Targeted to Consumers:
* We invented snowmobiling and have some of the best trails in the country.
* You can travel easily by car to take advantage of downhill and cross-country skiing.
* Our arts season is in full swing.
* We have sports attractions.
* Our lodging industry and spas know how to pamper winter travelers.
* Ice fishing is a Wisconsin tradition.

Spring Program: The goal is to establish the spring months of April and May as a travel season, attracting new visitors and increasing frequency of trips among current travelers. Our prime prospects include groups of friends and couples. Families are also an important target. Spring travelers are most likely to be Wisconsin residents, dropping off dramatically in numbers from Illinois, then Minnesota.

Again, there are rational and emotional reasons to choose Wisconsin in spring.

Rational Reasons to Choose Wisconsin:
* Everything couples like about summer is available in spring - romantic getaways, beautiful surroundings, diverse lodging choices, variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
* Spring break is a great time to do something as a family. It could be anything from visiting attractions and taking in sports events to sightseeing and shopping.
* It's easy to travel around the state. It's less crowded. It's a good value.
* Spring is a great time for group travel - to fish, golf, bike and canoe.

Emotional Reasons to Choose Wisconsin:
* After a long winter of hibernation, it's time to get off the couch.
* At the first hint of warm weather, the fresh air and greening landscape are rejuvenating for mind and body. It's a rebirth.
* Spring appeals to consumers' pent-up demand for the leisure travel product.
* Spring is a summer preview and kicks off the warm weather travel season.

Messages Targeted to Consumers:
* Spring is a hidden gem and more travelers are beginning to discover it.
* It's a beautiful time of the year.
* Shopping and sightseeing are high on the priority list of spring travelers.
* Kayaking, canoeing and rafting appeal to the adventure traveler.
* Fishing in any of our lakes or streams is irresistible to many.
* There's a pent-up demand for golfing, hiking and biking, among other activities.
* It's a time for rejuvenation, exploration and adventure.
* Spring is a time for bonding and romance.

Vacation Activities Suggest Ways to Market: The research the Department of Tourism conducted with consumers on vacation last summer and fall provided a wealth of information.
We found that travel groups have certain clusters of related interests. For example, those who like antiquing also tend to like historic sites and museums. By looking at a travel party's related interests, we were able to assemble activities into sets per season.

The following shows two activity sets for each of the four seasons:
Summer
Live & Learn
Visiting museaums
Antiquing
Visiting historic sites
Visiting state parks
Eating at restaurants
Watching wildlife

Resort Surf & Turf
Golfing
Gambling
Motorboating
Playing tennis
Water-Skiing

Fall
Heritage & Sports
Fishing
Golfing/tennis
Visiting historic sites
Visiting museums

Back to Nature
Hiking/biking
Fishing
Visiting state parks

Winter
Quiet Sports Package
Hiking
Other winter sports
Visiting state parks
Wildlife watching
Sleigh riding
Cross-country skiing

Social Gathering
Relaxing with spouse
Visiting friends/family
Shopping/antiquing

Spring
Natural Relaxation
Fishing/hunting
Viewing flowers
Shopping

Merry Makers
Attending events
Eating at restaurants

Not everyone in the travel party did all activities. For example, we learned in our 1997 focus groups that in some travel parties of two or more couples, the men golf during the day while the women shop, and they meet for dinner later on.

Marketing sets of activities that vacationers themselves combine in their trips may help define the appeal of your area and provide ideas for packaging your area. In addition, focusing on specific sets of activities rather than all the activities available helps to present a clear, targeted message to consumers. These activity clusters are helpful in packaging a destination or positioning your business with other related activities.

For more information about the in-market studies or the activity sets, contact David Scheler at the Department of Tourism (phone: 608/261-8187).

QUICK TIPS
The Internet and PR: The Marketour will regularly report on Internet marketing and how to include the Internet in public relations efforts. The following quote seems useful and well expressed: "Once all the hype of the Internet is stripped away, what we have is a new medium that is now part of the public relations landscape. It hasn't replaced in-person, voice, fax or mail communications. Rather, it is a new tool in the public relations arsenal - one that will become increasingly useful and commonplace with technological improvements and the increase of 'wire' journalists now graduating."
The Media in Cyberspace, A National Survey

Trend -- Off-peak Vacationing: Nearly 70 percent of vacationers say they are planning travel times other than the peak months of August and December. Top reasons they plan to travel then: easier to take time off from work, 41 percent; less crowded at destinations, 40 percent; better airline/hotel rates, 31 percent; and weather preferences, 13 percent.
American Express Travel Index

One to One Marketing -- Customer Complaints: Customer complaints occur even in the best-run service business. Turn them to your advantage by viewing them as opportunities, not problems. If you find the solution to a legitimate complaint, you will strengthen your business. Remember, a complaint left unsolved can translate into nine negative references. That's why encouraging staff to immediately address and resolve complaints themselves is so valuable.
Here are some tips for dealing with a legitimate complaint:
* Listen.
* Respond positively, not defensively.
* Take immediate, sincere action to resolve the complaint.
* Offer a reasonable solution.
* Have the customer agree verbally that the solution is acceptable; it helps the customer believe in the solution and makes it harder to back out of the agreement.
For an angry customer:
* Take control of the situation immediately by speaking in a calm voice and through your attitude and body language.
* Ask the customer in a calm and confident voice to define the problem so you can better understand it and develop a solution.
* Calming an angry customer can turn them into a coherent legitimate complainer.
The key to good customer service is prompt and courteous help. You want customers to ask themselves: "It's so easy, why would I go anywhere else?"

Media Lead: Nationally syndicated travel columnist and travel editor of NBC's "The Today Show," Peter Greenberg is featured every day on The Travel Channel's new cable television program "Travel Daily." Greenberg shares travel advice targeted toward business and leisure travelers. The show debuted Sept. 28 and airs at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. CST. The key to getting Greenberg to notice your destination: great video footage - generating national television publicity is difficult without it. The best way to reach Greenberg is at P.O. Box 1377, Studio City, CA 91614.

10-Second Writing Clinic
The words "imply" and "infer" are often used incorrectly. Writers or speakers imply; to imply means to express indirectly or to suggest something without really coming out and saying it. To infer means to understand by reasoning or deduce from what someone's said; a listener or reader infers.

Industry Success Story: Tom Luck, innkeeper of the Gollmar Guest House in Baraboo, found out that offering free rooms to the media can be very rewarding. Granted, not every reporter that stays at your accommodation is going to include you in his or her piece. But when you do get mentioned, it can really pay off - just as it did for Luck. After a writer's free stay, The Gollmar was included in US News & World Report's "Great Vacation Drives" issue. Luck now understands why it's a great idea to selectively give away complimentary accommodations. "I'm getting more calls and our visibility has definitely increased," he said.

PR'S GREATEST HITS
USA Today recently featured Wisconsin twice: An article about the Wisconsin Folklife Festival, complete with photo, ran on Aug. 14 and a piece about NFL training camps, which appeared Aug. 4, mentioned the state's "Cheese League." Speaking of Cheese League, a five-page color article about Wisconsin's camps ran in the August issue of Mpls./St. Paul magazine. And Bayfield was the featured destination in the October issue of Midwest Living magazine - the article also mentioned Ashland, Washburn, Madeline Island and the Wisconsin Fall Sampler.

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	Strategic Plans Programs & Services Media Room Research & Travel Trends Partners & Resources Driving Directions Online Toolbox Governor's Conference on Tourism Travelwisconsin.com		THE MARKETOUR A MARKETING GUIDE FROM THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM October/November 1998 MARKETING WISCONSIN: WINTER AND SPRING PLANNING The Department of Tourism has been thinking winter and even spring, identifying the audience and researching the potential traveler's state of mind and what they need from the travel experience at that time of year. Once determined, advertising and public relations campaigns are created. Messages and images are developed and paired with seasonal activities, all with the goal of convincing consumers to get out and sample the state. Here's how the Department is positioning and promoting Wisconsin's winter and spring tourism seasons. Winter Program: The goal is to maintain and grow our loyal base of outdoor enthusiasts. At the same time, we want to attract new visitors, inviting travelers who don't traditionally visit us for winter outdoor activities to sample our indoor offerings. Research tells us about our prime prospects. Winter is the "friends" season, with families a secondary target. Half are Wisconsin residents, followed by Illinois, then Minnesota. Winter travelers are younger, 35-44, compared to other seasons; they also have higher incomes. Current loyal winter travelers vacation more often and travel across all seasons. Reasons to choose Wisconsin in winter include both emotional attitudes and practical considerations. Rational Reasons to Choose Wisconsin: * We have charming cities that offer culture and romance. * We have indoor pools and waterparks, and attractions that appeal to families. * We have a diverse lodging base, from B&Bs to resorts to large hotels. * We are the snowmobile hot spot in the Midwest. * We offer a variety of skiing options close by. * We're a good value. The people are friendly. Emotional Reasons to Choose Wisconsin: * If you love winter, then Wisconsin's great outdoors are exhilarating. * There's no need to wait out the winter before you take a change-of-pace getaway. * There's a certain pristine beauty to winter in Wisconsin. * Your body is crying out for you to get off the couch and go somewhere. * A winter getaway to Wisconsin produces immediate doldrum relief and great memories. Messages Targeted to Consumers: * We invented snowmobiling and have some of the best trails in the country. * You can travel easily by car to take advantage of downhill and cross-country skiing. * Our arts season is in full swing. * We have sports attractions. * Our lodging industry and spas know how to pamper winter travelers. * Ice fishing is a Wisconsin tradition. Spring Program: The goal is to establish the spring months of April and May as a travel season, attracting new visitors and increasing frequency of trips among current travelers. Our prime prospects include groups of friends and couples. Families are also an important target. Spring travelers are most likely to be Wisconsin residents, dropping off dramatically in numbers from Illinois, then Minnesota. Again, there are rational and emotional reasons to choose Wisconsin in spring. Rational Reasons to Choose Wisconsin: * Everything couples like about summer is available in spring - romantic getaways, beautiful surroundings, diverse lodging choices, variety of indoor and outdoor activities. * Spring break is a great time to do something as a family. It could be anything from visiting attractions and taking in sports events to sightseeing and shopping. * It's easy to travel around the state. It's less crowded. It's a good value. * Spring is a great time for group travel - to fish, golf, bike and canoe. Emotional Reasons to Choose Wisconsin: * After a long winter of hibernation, it's time to get off the couch. * At the first hint of warm weather, the fresh air and greening landscape are rejuvenating for mind and body. It's a rebirth. * Spring appeals to consumers' pent-up demand for the leisure travel product. * Spring is a summer preview and kicks off the warm weather travel season. Messages Targeted to Consumers: * Spring is a hidden gem and more travelers are beginning to discover it. * It's a beautiful time of the year. * Shopping and sightseeing are high on the priority list of spring travelers. * Kayaking, canoeing and rafting appeal to the adventure traveler. * Fishing in any of our lakes or streams is irresistible to many. * There's a pent-up demand for golfing, hiking and biking, among other activities. * It's a time for rejuvenation, exploration and adventure. * Spring is a time for bonding and romance. Vacation Activities Suggest Ways to Market: The research the Department of Tourism conducted with consumers on vacation last summer and fall provided a wealth of information. We found that travel groups have certain clusters of related interests. For example, those who like antiquing also tend to like historic sites and museums. By looking at a travel party's related interests, we were able to assemble activities into sets per season. The following shows two activity sets for each of the four seasons: Summer Live & Learn Visiting museaums Antiquing Visiting historic sites Visiting state parks Eating at restaurants Watching wildlife Resort Surf & Turf Golfing Gambling Motorboating Playing tennis Water-Skiing Fall Heritage & Sports Fishing Golfing/tennis Visiting historic sites Visiting museums Back to Nature Hiking/biking Fishing Visiting state parks Winter Quiet Sports Package Hiking Other winter sports Visiting state parks Wildlife watching Sleigh riding Cross-country skiing Social Gathering Relaxing with spouse Visiting friends/family Shopping/antiquing Spring Natural Relaxation Fishing/hunting Viewing flowers Shopping Merry Makers Attending events Eating at restaurants Not everyone in the travel party did all activities. For example, we learned in our 1997 focus groups that in some travel parties of two or more couples, the men golf during the day while the women shop, and they meet for dinner later on. Marketing sets of activities that vacationers themselves combine in their trips may help define the appeal of your area and provide ideas for packaging your area. In addition, focusing on specific sets of activities rather than all the activities available helps to present a clear, targeted message to consumers. These activity clusters are helpful in packaging a destination or positioning your business with other related activities. For more information about the in-market studies or the activity sets, contact David Scheler at the Department of Tourism (phone: 608/261-8187). QUICK TIPS The Internet and PR: The Marketour will regularly report on Internet marketing and how to include the Internet in public relations efforts. The following quote seems useful and well expressed: "Once all the hype of the Internet is stripped away, what we have is a new medium that is now part of the public relations landscape. It hasn't replaced in-person, voice, fax or mail communications. Rather, it is a new tool in the public relations arsenal - one that will become increasingly useful and commonplace with technological improvements and the increase of 'wire' journalists now graduating." The Media in Cyberspace, A National Survey Trend -- Off-peak Vacationing: Nearly 70 percent of vacationers say they are planning travel times other than the peak months of August and December. Top reasons they plan to travel then: easier to take time off from work, 41 percent; less crowded at destinations, 40 percent; better airline/hotel rates, 31 percent; and weather preferences, 13 percent. American Express Travel Index One to One Marketing -- Customer Complaints: Customer complaints occur even in the best-run service business. Turn them to your advantage by viewing them as opportunities, not problems. If you find the solution to a legitimate complaint, you will strengthen your business. Remember, a complaint left unsolved can translate into nine negative references. That's why encouraging staff to immediately address and resolve complaints themselves is so valuable. Here are some tips for dealing with a legitimate complaint: * Listen. * Respond positively, not defensively. * Take immediate, sincere action to resolve the complaint. * Offer a reasonable solution. * Have the customer agree verbally that the solution is acceptable; it helps the customer believe in the solution and makes it harder to back out of the agreement. For an angry customer: * Take control of the situation immediately by speaking in a calm voice and through your attitude and body language. * Ask the customer in a calm and confident voice to define the problem so you can better understand it and develop a solution. * Calming an angry customer can turn them into a coherent legitimate complainer. The key to good customer service is prompt and courteous help. You want customers to ask themselves: "It's so easy, why would I go anywhere else?" Media Lead: Nationally syndicated travel columnist and travel editor of NBC's "The Today Show," Peter Greenberg is featured every day on The Travel Channel's new cable television program "Travel Daily." Greenberg shares travel advice targeted toward business and leisure travelers. The show debuted Sept. 28 and airs at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. CST. The key to getting Greenberg to notice your destination: great video footage - generating national television publicity is difficult without it. The best way to reach Greenberg is at P.O. Box 1377, Studio City, CA 91614. 10-Second Writing Clinic The words "imply" and "infer" are often used incorrectly. Writers or speakers imply; to imply means to express indirectly or to suggest something without really coming out and saying it. To infer means to understand by reasoning or deduce from what someone's said; a listener or reader infers. Industry Success Story: Tom Luck, innkeeper of the Gollmar Guest House in Baraboo, found out that offering free rooms to the media can be very rewarding. Granted, not every reporter that stays at your accommodation is going to include you in his or her piece. But when you do get mentioned, it can really pay off - just as it did for Luck. After a writer's free stay, The Gollmar was included in US News & World Report's "Great Vacation Drives" issue. Luck now understands why it's a great idea to selectively give away complimentary accommodations. "I'm getting more calls and our visibility has definitely increased," he said. PR'S GREATEST HITS USA Today recently featured Wisconsin twice: An article about the Wisconsin Folklife Festival, complete with photo, ran on Aug. 14 and a piece about NFL training camps, which appeared Aug. 4, mentioned the state's "Cheese League." Speaking of Cheese League, a five-page color article about Wisconsin's camps ran in the August issue of Mpls./St. Paul magazine. And Bayfield was the featured destination in the October issue of Midwest Living magazine - the article also mentioned Ashland, Washburn, Madeline Island and the Wisconsin Fall Sampler.
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