"Buy one, get one free!". Sound familiar? Of course it does: price led  promotions are everywhere. 

Show the world you're desperate 
Years ago marketing tactics like this were less usual. They had more impact. Now they're the norm. There's a place for them, but more often than not, price promotions are lazy marketing, a not very imaginative way to show the world that your business isn't doing so well and you're desperate for trade.

​Some people think they raise awareness of particular products but how can they do that when the market is saturated with them? When the 2-1 offer says nothing about the product itself. Price led promotions don't really help build a longer term market. Much of the time, they just focus the mind on the price instead of the benefits of the product or service. ​

Leaving money on the table...
​What also happens is that visitors use the vouchers and offers when they were going to come to you anyway. Last weekend 3 friends and I had planned a visit to an art gallery, for which we were all perfectly willing to pay. Then someone noticed that if we took along our train tickets, we could get a 2-1 voucher for the entrance fee to the gallery. So we paid half the price we were willing to pay. Of course some people may be enticed into places for the first time because the price is lower than usual. It might help them decide to go. But will they go there again at the higher price? Or will they value it at the lower offer price? 

Are 2-1 promotions ever good? 
Sometimes. When they're properly thought through and not simply a knee-jerk reaction. When you want to open up new markets e.g. bring a friend who's never been before (doesn't always work though!) and when you've worked out how you'll follow through and build that new market. Attractions where there are opportunities to generate secondary spend through catering and retail may also benefit from getting more people in through the door with a discounted promotion. But don't let that be your first thought. 

What are the alternatives?
2-1 offers may work some of the time, but they are unimaginative and it's hard to make an impact now there are so many.

Far better, to do something quirky, unusual, fun, interesting that helps demonstrate the emotional appeal of what you offer, that shows what you can do and why it's good.

If you rely on price promotions, it focuses visitors' minds on the price not the strength of the product. It encourages them to shop around instead of valuing what you do. And once you've reduced your price once, what happens next time? ​How low can you go? ​

"Sense of place" and "local distinctiveness" are two phrases we increasingly hear in tourism marketing. What do they really mean? I first started using local distinctiveness in tourism marketing activities in the last century (!) but it seems for many these ideas are only just coming to the fore. 

Major landmarks and famous sights can mark one place out against another but it’s not just big features that are important. Our impressions are formed through so many other aspects of an area’s character. 

Local distinctiveness is what makes one place different from another. It’s the combination of aspects that makes each place special. It’s the essential details, large and small, natural and man-made, that combine to create a sense of place. 

Normal for you - extraordinary for others
Features that you take for granted aren't necessarily obvious to everyone. They might be special and extraordinary for some visitors. 

Changing markets
Visitors are certainly changing. There’s growing interest in all things ‘local’. Visitors want to understand more, to experience places in different ways and to meet “real” people. They are ready to buy locally made products. They want to do as well as see.

Visitors are increasingly interested in anything that 
helps them understand and appreciate the essential character of a place. Today’s visitors are looking for ‘something different’ from their normal life. They look for places with ambience, atmosphere and soul. They welcome in-depth experiences, opportunities to participate and chances to meet local people.

Offering a different type of information
Traditionally we’ve offered visitors lists and directories containing lots of information. The focus has been on covering everything, being neutral and leaving visitors to make their own decisions. This no longer works. Visitors increasingly use social media and websites like TripAdvisor for second and third opinions. 

Visitors want insider tips and specific ideas for things
 to do. They've started to shy away from "official" in favour of more in-depth, personal recommendations. 
 
Think about the information you offer your visitors, both when they’re with you and before they visit on your website. Visitors enjoy knowing more, being given information on your favourite places. We’ve moved on from loving all things “local” to wanting to know more, to hearing the full story behind products and places.
 
Beware of overwhelming visitors. They don’t want to plough through long lists. Phrases like “so much to see and do” can be meaningless and over-used. What is there to see and do? Far better to offer curated content and carefully chosen ideas than bland phrases or a long list. Show your passion for your area, demonstrate your local knowledge. Visitors will want to come to learn and find out more from you. 

You're in business. You need to make money. You need to attract guests, visitors, customers.

So do you "ask for the sale"?

You probably think this is a pushy phrase, something that only greasy salesmen do. We are all concerned not to seem too forthright or to over-sell. 

If I ask an accommodation owner about the benefits of their place to stay, they'll often say things like "it's in a lovely location". Something they can't really take credit for, so it doesn't sound pushy.

Rarely will anyone say: "we put our hearts and souls into making our guests feel comfortable. We're proud of how we clean every inch so not even the most diligent Hotel Inspector would find dust on their fingertips. Our guests enjoy a really good hearty cooked breakfast so they feel set up for the day". 

Perhaps we need to put more of our personality into our marketing? To be braver? To sell? 

You're probably worried about being too pushy, too salesy. But people who worry about this aren't too pushy. They're sensitive to other's feelings and self-aware. People who aren't concerned about being pushy, tend to be the over-the-top sales machines. And they still get results, unless they're really awful. 

We do need to "ask for the sale" more.

I work with a lot of tourism businesses and at the beginning their marketing is often more akin to mumbling than shouting. You don't need to shout, but maybe speak up a bit? 

Much of the time we assume visitors know what we're offering. We give them a few photos (rarely enough of them) and a few words and hope from that short description they'll spare time to imagine how good it will be, and fill in the gaps in the information. We don't even bother suggesting they book/visit/buy - we just present a bit of information!

Perhaps you could use more phrases like "book now so you can...", "visit us soon to see...", "we'd love to show you...don't miss out..." ?

Offer information, build trust, make people feel upbeat, and then they're ready to buy/book. But you have to ask them. 

There's been so much shocking news recently - from Manchester and London in particular.

We're all reeling with the scale and unpredictability of the bombs, stabbing and Grenfell tower fire.

I'm so aware that as I watch the news, surrounded by soothing lush greenery in the Yorkshire Dales, many others are dealing with horrific challenges. It feels like we're a world away from the reality of the news. But that world away feeling could help in some way. 

What can we do?

Apart from donating to the various funds, is there anything we could do that's practical, than could actually make a difference?

I think there might be and would like to ask for your help too. 

We've seen the pictures and reports of people from the emergency services working around the clock, even when exhausted to save lives and comfort. We know it's their job, but it seems that they're going beyond the line of duty. Funds have been set up for victims of all these horrific incidents but what about the emergency services? I'm struck by the exhaustion on the faces of the crew dealing with the Grenfell tower fire. They had a horrific day yesterday. The next days could be even worse as they deal with the aftermath and discover those who didn't make it out of the building. And they just have to keep doing their job. How much help do they get to deal with the trauma of their experiences? The government hasn't always made those working in the emergency services feel valued. The public want to. 

I think this might be where the tourism industry could help, in a direct and practical way. Could we offer some free (or if you can't manage that, very discounted - 75% off) short breaks in beautiful, restful locations for members of the emergency services who've been involved in these recent disasters? I imagine it would be in Autumn so arrangements can be made.

It's only a small gesture but I know that when the world seems like a scary place and the news is dark, many of us feel better after spending time outdoors surrounded by beauty. It would be good to able to share the peace, tranquility and restorative powers of our wonderful places with those who really need them. 

I've already got a list of some Yorkshire businesses who'd like to help. Could you?

I've been in touch with the Firefighters Charity who said: We are currently co-ordinating a plan to offer support to the members of the fire community following the terrible fire at Grenfell. This is a fantastic offer and could definitely be of benefit to those involved, as we would be able to use it alongside our own recuperation services. Thank you so much for your support. 

If you'd like to help, please email me, explaining what you can offer, when and if you can offer it free of charge.  I'm not sure how long it will take for me to get back to you but I will when I know more. Please be generous!

Update: Thank you! I've received lots of great offers of help by email and free accommodation - thank you so much. I'll be in touch again soon. Please spread the word and keep being generous. 

Updated update (Sunday 18th June): the response to this has been absolutely incredible - I now have over 120 offers of accommodation for emergency service personnel. It's obviously going to take time to get back to everyone so I don't think I'm going to update this page with all the latest offers. I'd just like to say a huge thank you for everyone who has been so generously involved. I'll post an update about how the places will be allocated soon. Thank you. 

These are just some of the offers we've received so far. There are plenty more that I still need to follow up and add. Thank you for your generosity: 

Thanks so much for taking the initiative. We would be delighted to offer 2 short breaks - a 3 night weekend or a 4 night midweek, free of charge. Our cottages sleep 2 or 4 and won best in Yorkshire last year and one cottage is also the best in England this year, so quite appropriate for the best heroes in England. We'd be honoured to welcome them. Looking forward to hearing more.​

Regards, Diane Howarth
Cottage in the Dales

Bunkhouse sleeps 30 free accommodation for a couple of nights mid week. We can also offer Caving or ghyll scrambling free for up to 20 people. We do a similar package for help for heroes as part of their recuperation so I think it might be good for the emergency services. 
Debbie Bryant
Old School Bunkhouse, Yorkshire Dales

We have a 2 bedroom, sleeps 4 bungalow in Dumfriesshire, south west Scotland. I would happily offer up to a one week stay free of charge – Also own farm nearby so farm visits available.
Caroline McMillan 
Viewforth Cottage
 
I own a holiday cottage, the GateHouse, in Dover. It's a mini castle with turret, crenellations etc and would love to offer a 3 night weekend break (Friday to Monday) or a 4 night mid week break (Monday to Friday). The GateHouse sleeps 4, has one bedroom plus a fully sprung sofa bed in the living room. 2 dogs are welcome.
Michelle Harrison.
 
Short break for a group of 8 (10 with two camp beds- suitable for kids) they can bring their dogs too!
Angela
North Norfolk Holiday Cottages
 
 A completely free holiday for a family of up to 4. Accommodation will be in either 2 twin rooms, or a twin and a double, or we could do a combo with singles if the children were older. It will be in our rooms with shared bathroom facilities. 
Linzi
Scargill Foundation, Yorkshire Dales
 
We are Low Moor Holiday Cottages, Scarborough, North Yorkshire and would be willing to offer a free weekend in a two bedroom cottage which would sleep 4 people plus baby in cot or a child under 10 on a z-bed.
Paula Penny
 
The Bay, Filey on the Yorkshire Coast. We have a 4 bed property which sleeps up to 9 and a 2 bedroom property which sleeps 4. It might be nice for both to be booked out at the same time sleeping 13 in total (across both properties). There's a stunning beach which there's direct access to and it's lovely to wrap up and take walk on the peaceful beach or the on-site Meadow (with lots of nature to appreciate). There's a cosy on-site pub and restaurant and lots of other facilities, including swimming pool, sauna and gym. It might even be worth approaching the beauty room to see if they would offer a free treatment (e.g. Massage). The walk on the beach is very good for the soul and we have had various guests who have been going through a difficult time who have mentioned how their stay had helped. We also have Netflix and provide, wine, chocolate and candles for a relaxing evening.
Suzie Brown
Meadowside Filey
I would like to offer our 3 bed cottage free of charge for a
Suzie Grimwood
Castle Ely Mill
 
We are happy to offer a 50% discount on our rates
Liz
Bank Villa Masham
 
Our Buck Place Cottage Filey Bay sleeps 4 and an infant on The Bay Holiday Village twixt Scarborough and Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast
Su Rees
 
We have 2 double en suite bed and breakfast rooms in Askrigg, a beautiful village in the Yorkshire Dales, www.sykeshouse.co.uk. We would be happy to offer both rooms for 2 nights free of
Alison and Michael Niklewicz
Sykes House
 
Happy to offer a free 3 or 4 night mid-week break for up to 4
Elaine
Broadgate Farm Cottages
5 Star & 4 Star Gold Award Cottages

We would happily offer a 3 or 4 night break The cottage sleeps 4 people in one double and one twin bedroom - dogs welcome too.
Anthony & Joseph Duncalf
Holiday cottage scotland

I will offer some free B&B at Burnside Brace Guesthouse in Stanhope Weardale.
Tracy
P.s I am dog friendly too 
 
I would like to offer some free stays
Floss
The Kettlewell Hostel, Yorkshire Dales

We have a three bed cottage sleeping five plus camp cot and we would be pleased to offer a week or two shorter breaks (3 nights Fri-Mon or 4 nights Mon - Fri) in the autumn after Sept 8 once we have some space. We are really family friendly and have 1.5 acres of garden, where the children can play, parents can relax - we have chickens and they can collect free eggs each day. I would be interested to know how you will identify the personnel and tie them up with suitable accommodation but count us in!
Rowena Kerslake
Green Acre Lodge

So we all know that first impressions are important. First impressions count. 

They colour the way we think about people, places, experiences. But do they encourage people to share on social media, to remember, to pass on recommendations to others? 

I don't think we place enough importance on last impressions. And yet they last. What we do before we wave a cheery goodbye may be the most important factor in getting someone to come back again or recommend to others. 

​Is there anything you do to reward your customers, and encourage them to recommend you to others?

Years ago I ran a programme of very short breaks to England for overseas visitors. They had very little time so we gave them a folder of info, including a ready-stamped postcard of the place they were visiting.

Towards the end of their trip we reminded them to write their postcards and then we collected them and promised to post them. A small gesture, a small cost, with a big impact. Those postcards triggered a lot of recommendations and positive messages. 

When guests leave their accommodation, they're usually setting out on a long journey. They'll get hungry and their children will get bored. How about saying goodbye with a tin of travel sweets (branded with the accommodation name)? Perhaps a small puzzle for young children and a chew for their dogs? Maybe you could clean their car windows or offer tips on the best way to avoid local traffic?

We say first impressions count, and they do. But last impressions are important too. They're part of making good memories that last.

​As business owners/managers we all want to make our businesses "better". We want to believe our businesses are the best. But what does that really mean?

Here are three questions for you to think about for your business. Try not to simply answer as a slogan!

1: How are you better, what does it mean in your case to be better?

2: Have you thought about who you're better for? And how? Complete this sentence: "for people who are..... we ...."

Perhaps an example will help: "For people who want to grow their business and be more profitable I can offer several easy and cost-effective ways to improve their marketing..." 

​3: What are your answers to these questions and does your marketing make this clear?

Is it time for you to up your game a bit?

In 2018 SpaceX will take private passengers on a trip around the moon. Sounds "out of this world" (sorry) but these sort of trips are set to become a reality to Millennials who're ready to spend considerable sums of money on experiences.

So how much do you know about Millennials?

Start with this research.  

Note: I posted about this in our Tourism Knowhow facebook group a little while ago. Most of my posts there get a good response and engagement. When I posted about Millennials, the response was almost zero. Scarey - because this is probably the most important market to secure the future of your tourism business.

It's worth finding out about Millennials - they're the future, and yet many in the tourism industry are still ignoring them!

I've talked before about how journalists love stories about anything new, even if it's something contrived, silly or something anyone could do - but hasn't yet thought of. A friend recently sent this clip to me. 

Anyone can book a stay in a hotel (or even stay at home and do this!), and take with them some food, beer and DVDs. Any accommodation provider could offer something similar but as far as I know only the D Hotel in Drogheda has thought of packaging this together and promoting "Duvet Days".

A good idea + press release = £000s worth of media coverage, social media engagement = improved search engine rankings = massively raised profile = bookings!

It all starts with a good idea though. If you find it hard to step back from your business and brainstorm different promotional angles, I'd love to help! Just email to find out how I can help you. 

​Could you make more of the trend for speeding everything up?

I was about to watch a video (how to chop food properly... but that's not the point!) and then a box popped up offering me the option to speed up the video. I'm impatient by nature so I was tempted (I opted for the 1.5x!). What does this tell us? What does it mean for tourism? 

People frequently pay more for next-day-delivery & express services. Life is speeding up in so many ways. Some hotels offer express check-in services for their VIP guests. People pay more for fast and quick. Perhaps you can charge more for a speeded up service? 

Or maybe the answer is to slow it down? Tourism can be the antidote to a busy stressful life. Over 50% of UK residents say they feel under time pressure in their daily life.

What could you be doing to either take advantage of the need for "express"? Or should you offer an option for visitors to just slow down, stop and feel calmer?

Many of you probably do this but maybe it's time to make it even clearer. After all, if everyone's in a hurry, they may not notice unless you spell out how you can really help them?