The Queensland Government has produced “The Big Marketing Guide — An introductory guide for Queensland tourism businesses” and whilst it is obviously aimed at Queensland tourism businesses, many not-for-profit community groups and sporting clubs in other states will find some of the information contained with the document incredibly useful advice that can be applied to their own operations.
The guide contains essential marketing information and resources that can be adapted to develop a marketing strategy for your organisation. In addition, the guide also offers practical marketing advice, information, handy tips and web links to help you plan for a long and prosperous future.
The full 170-page document contains twelve different sections:
- Introduction
Writing your marketing plan - Experience Development
Delivering world-class experiences - Branding
Brand development to build business (including target markets and imagery) - Domestic Marketing
Becoming domestic ready (including packaging, price, distribution and promotion) - Digital Marketing
Making the most of your online marketing - International Marketing
Setting your sight on the global stage - Trade and Media Familiarisations
Familiarity creates buyers and bookings - Media and Publicity
Making media work for you - Working With Events
How working with events can benefit your business - Low-Cost Marketing Ideas
Low-Cost Marketing Ideas - Tourism Industry Terms
- References
When reading the guide remember to translate “your business” to “your organisation, club or group” and to translate “customer(s)” to “members, volunteers AND users of your services/products”
The sections that not-for-profit community groups and sporting clubs will be most interested in reading include:
Branding
Branding is far more than just your organisation’s name or logo. To brand your organisations identity is to create impressions about your products and services in the minds of consumers, potential volunteers and your own members, and then transform those ideas into authentic experiences. It’s a powerful tool when done well.
The guide explains how to create a brand blueprint and to develop creative elements and guidelines for your brand. Then it covers how to use your brand messaging in your marketing activity.
It has a great section on Imagery; Why the quality of your images and how they are used can make a huge difference to your organisation. They literally ‘speak’ to you and conjure up all kinds of thoughts and emotions. Of course, you want your images to work for you and sell your product. That’s their job. And there’s plenty you can do to make that happen.
Digital Marketing
If local not-for-profit organisations and sporting clubs are to grow in the 21st century, Digital Marketing MUST be an essential part of your communications — both internally and especially externally.
“OK”, we hear you say, “I’m up with the times, I have a website.” That’s all well and good but it’s really just the start. This section of the guide will take you through all the facets of digital marketing that will help you get the best from your online investment, including:
- content, e.g.words, images, video, interactive tools etc.
- technology, e.g. content management systems, templates, booking systems etc.
- marketing tools to promote your site, e.g. pay per click (PPC), eNewsletters, social media etc.
This section of the guide covers How to develop and manage an effective website. Then it goes to explain how to Integrate and manage your online content and how to optimise your website for search engines. Finally it illustrates why you should develop a Social Media Strategy and how to Reach your target markets through social media.
Media and Publicity
This is an incredible resource on how to make the media work for you and your organisation, with suggestions including:
- How to make the most of your media and public relations opportunities
- What to expect when dealing with media and how to manage media contacts
- How to write media releases and manage media during a crisis
- Who to contact to distribute your stories
- A list of Do’s and Don’ts of media releases
Working with Events
This is the section that first attracted my attention to The Big Marketing Guide!
Events contribute to the local economy bringing people that need goods, services, accommodation and entertainment. They attract visitors, enhance the profile of the destinations and foster community pride. The most successful events are those that engage the local community in which they are held.
Events create employment in the local community and can provide a positive impact in both social and cultural realms to a region. They provide the opportunity for people to interact with one another and they create a sense of belonging and social cohesion within a community.
Often, the cost of leveraging off an event will be minimal and all that’s really required is a creative and can-do attitude to value adding.
This section explains the benefits of optimising relationships with event organisers and other partners. It also provides an understanding of event sponsorship and partnership opportunities
Low-cost Marketing Ideas
Good marketing isn’t necessarily expensive, but it does require effort, strategy, innovation and an investment in time.
Yes, this section is heavily focused on how tourism focussed businesses can market themselves — but if you remember to translate many of the ideas to suit your organisation, there is a wealth of inexpensive marketing tips in here.
Also have a look at some the References links — especially Good Marketing Ideas and the Public Relations Institute of Australia.