Marketing Focus
February 2021
Making the most of your marketing during this time
The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s summary of the 7 Ps is a really useful guide:
Marketing helps businesses to respond to the needs and wants of your customers and compete effectively. We often find that many of our small tourism business members are already 'marketing' without realising it.
For example:
For example:
- Many of you are communicating with your guests / customers to resolve booking / cancellation queries, keeping in touch via e-newsletters and social media.
- Many of you are demonstrating empathy and consideration for your customers and communities at this difficult time, whether it’s rainbows in your windows or ‘thank you NHS’ messages shared on social media.
- Many of you have employees and have had to discuss furlough, etc. The way you communicate with employees is often equally as important as the public facing messages you relay to your visitors.
Thinking long-term
Many of us are preoccupied with immediate concerns, e.g. our health and wellbeing, accessing grant funding for our businesses, but it’s also a good idea to think long-term and set time aside to review your business and marketing plan (and get your thoughts down in writing if they’re currently in your head). Some businesses have said that having a plan helps to reduce anxiety.
Business Wales resources:
Many of us are preoccupied with immediate concerns, e.g. our health and wellbeing, accessing grant funding for our businesses, but it’s also a good idea to think long-term and set time aside to review your business and marketing plan (and get your thoughts down in writing if they’re currently in your head). Some businesses have said that having a plan helps to reduce anxiety.
Business Wales resources:
Improving your product and processes
If you have the time and resources, it could be a good time to do those jobs that you’ve been meaning to do for ages. As well as physical improvements to your property, it could be a ‘spring clean’ of your processes, e.g. thinking about ways to improve ways customers can book in future.
We appreciate that cash flow may be a challenge and MWT has been working with member businesses, providing tips and solutions to see where savings may be made. We recently helped one member save over £100 a month by switching their website and booking channel to another solution. Please contact us if you would like help.
If you have the time and resources, it could be a good time to do those jobs that you’ve been meaning to do for ages. As well as physical improvements to your property, it could be a ‘spring clean’ of your processes, e.g. thinking about ways to improve ways customers can book in future.
We appreciate that cash flow may be a challenge and MWT has been working with member businesses, providing tips and solutions to see where savings may be made. We recently helped one member save over £100 a month by switching their website and booking channel to another solution. Please contact us if you would like help.
Updating your website / photography
We know a few members who are taking this time to re-vamp their websites ready for when restrictions are lifted, and others who have had new photographs taken.
We know a few members who are taking this time to re-vamp their websites ready for when restrictions are lifted, and others who have had new photographs taken.
You might not need or be able to budget for a new website or professional photographer, but you may able to review and update your existing content e.g. text and / or images, at little to no cost. The same goes for your entries on www.visitmidwales.co.uk / www.showmewales.co.uk
*Guestlink have a log-in help page if you forget your username or password. You can also call MWT for help.
Zoe at MWT can build new websites for members from £300+VAT. Gwe Cambrian Web also offers discounted rates for members. Dan Badger can provide photography.
Please find all our suppliers in the supplier directory of your MWT Members' Area.
*Guestlink have a log-in help page if you forget your username or password. You can also call MWT for help.
Zoe at MWT can build new websites for members from £300+VAT. Gwe Cambrian Web also offers discounted rates for members. Dan Badger can provide photography.
Please find all our suppliers in the supplier directory of your MWT Members' Area.
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Images of Mid Wales
MWT has undertaken photoshoots around the region and we have a library of Mid Wales images. These are available without fee for members' non-commercial usage. Please contact us with what you're looking for. You can also register for access to search and download photography at assets.wales.com (Visit Wales' national image library - images from the whole of Wales). CymruStock is also a great website for photography and footage. |
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Using technology
You might be working or socialising virtually, e.g. using Microsoft Teams or Zoom to communicate with suppliers / employees / colleagues / friends and family.
These platforms and others like them can also be used to communicate with your customers. For example, consider giving customers the option to ‘see a friendly face’ if they’d prefer to discuss booking queries via Facetime or Whatsapp.
>> Our 'How to' guide to Facebook live streaming is here.
You might be working or socialising virtually, e.g. using Microsoft Teams or Zoom to communicate with suppliers / employees / colleagues / friends and family.
These platforms and others like them can also be used to communicate with your customers. For example, consider giving customers the option to ‘see a friendly face’ if they’d prefer to discuss booking queries via Facetime or Whatsapp.
>> Our 'How to' guide to Facebook live streaming is here.
Staying in touch with your customers to build your brand
Social media posts/e-news updates and blogs don’t have to reference the virus directly.
Many tourism businesses are focusing positively on other things at the moment, e.g. farmhouse B&Bs posting lambing photos, attractions running competitions to win tours/tickets to be enjoyed when the crisis is over, businesses sharing photos of their gardens and property renovations.
Other examples:
Some people will be researching where they want to go on holiday when this is over. Capturing their data via a newsletter sign up form on your website is an option you might wish to consider (e.g. their name and email address).
If your business is closed, and we appreciate that most are, please have a bespoke answerphone message, should you be unable to answer.
Social media posts/e-news updates and blogs don’t have to reference the virus directly.
Many tourism businesses are focusing positively on other things at the moment, e.g. farmhouse B&Bs posting lambing photos, attractions running competitions to win tours/tickets to be enjoyed when the crisis is over, businesses sharing photos of their gardens and property renovations.
Other examples:
- We are planting seeds in our kitchen garden so we can serve the best home-grown food to our customers when we re-open.
- Our guest bedrooms are getting a fresh lick of paint so they’re looking better than ever when we are able to re-open. Please sign up to receive our newsletter and you’ll be amongst the first to hear when this happens and exclusive special offers.
Some people will be researching where they want to go on holiday when this is over. Capturing their data via a newsletter sign up form on your website is an option you might wish to consider (e.g. their name and email address).
If your business is closed, and we appreciate that most are, please have a bespoke answerphone message, should you be unable to answer.
Training
Think about how you may be able to prepare yourself and / or your employees by training for the future. Now might be the time to prepare for when restrictions are lifted. Many training courses / reading materials can be found online.
MWT members: If there are any training topics you are particularly interested in, please let us know: members@mwtcymru.co.uk
There are several free Business Wales events running online, covering different topics ranging from Cashflow in Crisis, Accessing Business Finance, Diversification, Social Media, etc: https://wales.business-events.org.uk/
Check out Focus Enterprise Hubs, too: https://focusenterprisehubs.wales/
Think about how you may be able to prepare yourself and / or your employees by training for the future. Now might be the time to prepare for when restrictions are lifted. Many training courses / reading materials can be found online.
MWT members: If there are any training topics you are particularly interested in, please let us know: members@mwtcymru.co.uk
There are several free Business Wales events running online, covering different topics ranging from Cashflow in Crisis, Accessing Business Finance, Diversification, Social Media, etc: https://wales.business-events.org.uk/
Check out Focus Enterprise Hubs, too: https://focusenterprisehubs.wales/
Content Marketing Checklist
- Think like your audience
- Email your list sparingly
- Cleanse your email list
- Plan ahead
Guestlink Training / MWT Cymru Members' Facebook Group
- All members can have free virtual Guestlink training and talk to one of the team about your marketing. Please call us on 01654 702653 or email us to arrange this.
- If you have any questions or would like to bounce ideas around, our members' Facebook group is a great place to talk to like-minded business owners and managers.