Download Strategic Destination Marketing Plan Template for NEK

Strategic Marketing Plan Template
for the Northeast Kingdom
Prepared for NVDA
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Strategic Marketing Plan Template
Visitor Research
Visitor Research should be conducted to collect critical marketing information that can be
used in the marketing planning. An online survey, based on the Burke survey design and
customized with community input, should be employed.
Strategic
Marketing Plan
The majority of the Burke Area marketing planning process can be applied to other
communities in the Northeast Kingdom and to their stakeholders. The Strategic Marketing
Plan needs to apply to both the Destination Marketing Organization and its stakeholders.
Strengths
DestinationSpecific Goals
and
Objectives
Product &
Visitor
Experience
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Marketing
Variables
Weaknesses
Competitive
Analysis
Opportunities
Target
Audience(s)
Threats
Distribution
Channels
Destination
Positioning /
Identity
(Destination
and/or
Stakeholders)
Stakeholder
Pricing &
Invent. Mgmt.
Funding
Opportunities
Marketing Mix
(Spending
Allocations)
Visitor Research
Role of Visitor Research in Future Studies

Visitor Research should precede and guide the development of a Strategic
Marketing Plan developed for the balance of the Northeast Kingdom or for any
other region within it. This research should:
 Identify and quantify the area’s demand generators, overall and by visitor
segment
 Develop a demographic profile of visitors to the region
 Identify community strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
 Identify the competitive set(s)
 Measure visitor satisfaction levels and the likelihood to recommend the area to
others (loyalty), and identify perceptions about the area
 Test alternative positioning strategies
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Visitor Research (cont.)
Research Methodology

The research methodology should closely mirror that used in the Burke Area
study. Online surveying should be conducted using visitor and guest email lists
obtained from participating stakeholders (hotels, inns, condo owners…etc.); this
is the most cost effective way to conduct the research.

The online survey format used in the Burke Area study should be replicated, with
the survey customized for the region involved.
Execution of Research

The research can be executed in at least three ways:
 By a local or regional research company that finalizes and fields the survey
 By Guest Research, Inc. using its proprietary software for survey design and
online Management Report System
 By having Guest Research, Inc. adapt the Burke Area survey, but have the
community field it using a third party provider (e.g., Survey Monkey,
Zoomerang, etc.)
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Strategic Marketing Plan
A Critical Partnership Between the Destination Marketing Organization (“DMO”)
and its Stakeholders
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
With any tourism destination – large or small – effective marketing of the
destination requires a close partnership between the Destination Marketing
Organization and its stakeholders. This is particularly critical in the Northeast
Kingdom because of a number of factors, including its location and the lack of
large stakeholders with large marketing budgets to market the destination.
Without the support of the stakeholders, the DMO will not be effective.

In order to attract more visitors and strengthen tourism as an economic driver,
it is important to increase the destination’s “share of voice”, increase its
awareness and enhance its relevance to its target audiences. Most individual
stakeholders are small, have limited marketing funds and focus on promoting
their own businesses. Properly funded, the DMO is best suited to market the
destination overall and be the caretaker of the brand.
Strategic Marketing Plan (cont.)
There are many areas in which the DMO can assist the stakeholders, in particular,
the lodging properties. These apply to any other areas of the Kingdom.
Responsibilities
Stakeholders Opportunities
DMO Opportunities to Assist
High guest satisfaction/loyalty
Support with hospitality training
Expand distribution
Support with destination website internet connectivity
Increase reservations sales effectiveness
Support with sales skills training
Enhance pricing & revenue management
Provide pricing & revenue management training and
STR hotel data
New demand generators
Develop & coordinate special events/festivals
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Strategic Marketing Plan (cont.)
Destination Marketing Priorities for the DMO

The destination marketing priorities recommended for the BATTC apply to any
other area within the Kingdom or to the Kingdom overall. These include the
following in support of the destination:
 Website and Search Engine Optimization
 Email marketing
 Social media (including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)
 Publicity
 Pay-per-click advertising (as appropriate)
 Work with the community to create a new promotional event
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Strategic Marketing Plan (cont.)
Funding Opportunities

The various funding opportunities discussed in the Burke Area plan apply to
the balance of the Northeast Kingdom. These funding opportunities include:
 State and local government allocations
 Grants (can be good in the short-term, but often not sustainable)
 Vermont Local Option Tax on rooms and restaurant meals
 Tourism Improvement Districts
 Voluntary Tourism Assessment Fees

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Ideally the destination marketing organization would be the Northeast
Kingdom. It has name recognition, clearer borders and the potential for
greater funding.