Destination On The Left

Now displaying: June, 2024

Episode 384: Why Knowing Your Audience Makes Your Marketing Simpler, with Mary Charleson 0

Jun 26, 2024

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Mary Charleson, President of Five Minute Marketing and founder of Carry On Queen, about her formula for creating marketing plans that align with your target audience. We discuss how giving without expectation applies to Marketing and how Mary views volunteering with purpose as part of this philosophy. Mary also shares the importance of growing your business through referral and repeat business and why the quality of an audience is more important than quantity.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

Why understanding target audiences and their preferred channels is crucial in marketing strategies
The significance of focusing on dominant channels while giving yourself permission to experiment and innovate in other areas to achieve real traction
How the “packing rule of 3” works in relation to target audience and marketing
Why you should be constantly measuring and adjusting your marketing efforts based on the target audience and the platform’s performance
Why Mary loves networking and being involved in industry associations, and the opportunities gained through these connections

Embracing the Power of Targeted Marketing

On the show, Mary and I discuss why it is so important to be targeted in your marketing efforts and why often “less is more” in terms of where you need to share your content. Mary elaborates on the benefits of effectively serving a specific group and how that ultimately goes the extra mile to fuel business growth. By honing in on particular demographics and psychographics, businesses can exponentially expand their reach and impact.

Integrating Tactics for Maximum Impact

Mary shares the importance of focusing on specific tactics that work together harmoniously in marketing strategies. For example, when it comes to packing for a trip, Carry On Queen Mary prioritizes taking three items that work together as a “packing rule of 3,” and she applies this same principle to marketing strategies. Knowing who your target audience is allows you to hone in on the three items that work most effectively together.

Volunteering and Collaborating in the Travel Industry

Mary and I also discuss networking, and the opportunities that come from being known in the industry and being involved on committees. When you volunteer your time and help others in the travel sector you’ll make connections and often get the chance to be part of some exciting collaborations.

Resources:

Website: https://fiveminutemarketing.com/
Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/fiveminutemarketing
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fiveminutemarketing/

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Episode 383: Empowering Destination Marketing with Civitas Pro's Data Insights, with Tiffany Gallagher 0

Jun 19, 2024

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Tiffany Gallagher, Vice President of Operations at Civitas about what Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) mean for the communities where they are established. She shares more about creative funding opportunities designed as a benefit-based vehicle for the travel industry forward. Tiffany also discusses the Civitas Pro database and why they created a one-stop shop for all data related to funding for DMOs and other organizations that operate tourism programs.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) provide a self-funding mechanism for the tourism industry and actively support the local economy
What impact TIDs have had on communities, with specific examples from Portland, Maine, and Boston, and how they have significantly increased destination marketing organizations’ budgets
Why Tiffany and her team created Civitas Pro, a database for destination marketing organizations’ funding, and how tourism organizations can use it to maintain or increase funding
Why diverse funding sources, including the formation of new districts and alternative funding models like sales tax increment financing, are essential for capital improvements and infrastructure related to tourism
The importance of leaders overcoming fear, implementing new funding vehicles, and embracing an abundant mindset for long-term stability

The Rise of Tourism Improvement Districts

Tiffany joins me on the show to discuss the growing importance of Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) and why they’re proving to be such an effective funding mechanism for the tourism industry.

TIDs provide a self-funding mechanism for businesses within a jurisdiction, helping them make a collaborative effort to support the local economy. Tiffany shares more about the success stories of TID implementation in Portland, Maine, and Boston and why those examples underscore their positive impact on destination marketing organizations’ budgets, enhancing their competitiveness and resilience.

TID’s Impact on Community Development

The conversation underscored the pivotal role of TIDs in community development and the shift in the tourism industry’s focus from marketing to contributing to the local economy. The discussion emphasized the need for diverse funding sources to support capital improvements and infrastructure related to tourism, signaling a broader movement toward economic development perspectives. TID implementation in 2021 resulted in a remarkable $21,000,000 in revenue, further solidifying the positive impact on communities and their economic
development.

Introducing Civitas Pro

Civitas Pro is a game-changer in destination marketing and funding advocacy within the tourism industry. It has a comprehensive database for destination marketing organizations’ funding. This tool provides in-depth insights, competitive comparisons, and budget analysis, empowering DMOs to make informed decisions and effectively advocate for funding. I can’t wait for you to hear the full story!

Resources:

Website: https://civitasadvisors.com/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/civitas_2/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/civitasadvisors

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Episode 382: Building a Purpose-Driven Company Culture, with Nicole Mahoney and TJ Bennett 0

Jun 12, 2024

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I’m sharing my recent appearance on the Desuckify Work podcast with TJ Bennett. We discuss why people crave purpose-driven work, why it’s important to have a vision, and, more importantly, how to communicate that vision throughout the company. We also discuss building a strong team and how structure and operationalization of your vision and values lead to more flexibility and creativity.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP) influences the economic vitality of local communities through the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry
Why having a clear vision and purpose is crucial for attracting and retaining employees and creating a fulfilling work environment
Strategies TAP has implemented to maintain team connection and communication in a remote work setup
Processes involved in integrating core values and brand promise into internal and external communications when rebranding
Why consistently reinforcing the company’s message and core values impacts company culture and the role of employees in contributing to and feeling ownership of the company’s culture
How to address the challenges and benefits of managing different generations in the workplace and the significance of training and support in creating a positive work experience

Creating a Purpose-Driven Vision

On the show, we discuss the significance of having a clear vision and purpose and how it helps a business attract and retain employees of all generations. I share more about how I intentionally crafted my company’s vision, emphasizing its evolution over time and continuously refining its direction and purpose.

The discussion sheds light on the need to shift the focus towards purpose-driven work to engage and motivate employees across different generations. I share the potential for small businesses and entrepreneurs to lead the way in shaping positive workplace culture.

Fostering Collaboration and Recognition

Our conversation extends to the value of coaching and mentoring in creating a supportive work culture and why it’s so important to recognize achievements and foster a sense of community among team members. I speak about the impact of structured onboarding for remote and on-site employees and why it’s crucial to create intentional connections and have increased touchpoints in a remote work setting. TJ and I discuss strategies for creating a fulfilling work environment where individuals can be themselves, make mistakes, and find joy in their work.

Aligning Values and Brand Promise

We focused on aligning values and brand promise within TAP and explored the rebranding process, including how the entire team contributed to integrating core values and brand promise. We also discussed why it’s so useful to have a system for recognizing and reinforcing core values, including “nice job” feedback given through an online form, illustrating the company’s consistent effort to uphold its brand promise and values.

Resources:

Website: https://www.thepuddingfactory.net/
Additional Web link, Substack: https://tjbennett.substack.com/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pudding-factory/
Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/pudddingfactory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desuckifywork/

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Episode 381: Business Growth and Thought Leadership, with Nicole Mahoney and Sharon Toerek 0

Jun 5, 2024

On this episode of Destination on the Left, you’ll hear my conversation with Sharon Toerek about the importance of finding your niche and how growth happens once you commit to it. We also discuss how becoming a thought leader in your niche leads to new relationships and opportunities. While this interview centers around building a marketing agency, I’m sure you’ll find value in the insights we share in our discussion.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

Why having a clear vision is crucial for agency leaders and how it helps in making decisions and evaluating opportunities
What the accidental birth of the Destination on the Left podcast allowed me to achieve, and how it became a lifeline for global listeners during the pandemic
How I diversified my client base and funding sources to grow the business
How the DOTL podcast allows me to develop a reputation as a thought leader in the travel and tourism industry
How I manage content creation with limited bandwidth as the owner of an agency and the time commitment involved in scaling my business

Vision-Driven Decision Making

On the podcast I share why it was so important to have a clear vision for the future of Tap Into Travel to support economic growth and prosperity within the communities we serve. We discussed why having that well-defined vision allows agencies to align their strategies with their long-term goals and adapt to ever-changing market dynamics.

Our conversation explores the importance of diversifying client bases and funding sources to avoid dependency on a single mechanism. I share how my participation in an economic gardening program through a local economic development organization allowed us to expand into new markets in the northeast.

Building a Media Ecosystem

I detail my vision of integrating three existing brands – the podcast brand (Destination on the Left), the agency brand (Break the Ice Media), and TAP allows us to realize the concept of building a robust media ecosystem. We discuss why an interconnected approach to content creation and thought leadership allows agencies to maximize their reach and impact across various platforms and engage diverse audiences.

Thought Leadership Impact on Business Confidence

Sharon and I also discuss the challenge of calculating the direct return on investment (ROI) of thought leadership, but we ultimately understand the significant impact it had on both our agencies’ confidence and billing rates. I loved digging into all of these fascinating topics with Sharon, and I know you’ll find our insights into the power of strategic vision, adaptability, and the ever-evolving nature of thought leadership in shaping the success and relevance of agencies in today’s dynamic market landscape helpful.

Resources:

Tap Into Travel: https://www.tapintotravel.com/
Research: Collaboration in the Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality Industry: https://breaktheicemedia.com/collaboration/

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