Estc12 media-loves-ecotourism-final

@michaelmccoll #estc12

Best Practices in PR for Sustainable Travel -- AKA "The Media Loves Ecotourism”

By Michael McCollFounder & CEO, McColl Communications


Friday, October 12, 12

http://www.ecotourismconference.org/estc12-speakers#MMcColl

http://www.ecotourismconference.org/estc12-speakers#MMcColl


MCCOLL COMMUNICATIONSClient Portfolio:



LIFE ISN’T FAIR

We have advantages that non-ecotourism businesses don’t.

Our product “feels good.” And (done right), does good.





COVERAGE EARNED IN THESE PUBLICATIONS:


“PEOPLE DON’T BUY WHAT YOU DO; PEOPLE BUY WHY YOU DO IT.”

•The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have.

•The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

•People who believe what you believe take on your cause and make it there own. They don't take this trip to help you, they take it for them.

• Sustainable travel not only inspires people, but makes them passionate about being a part of something important -- protecting our planet.

• I’ve come to believe my MISSION in life is to use the power of travel to change the world. One of the ways I do that is via PR. In the next few minutes I'd like to share how you too can not just build your business, but change the world.



3 KEY INGREDIENTS TO PR CAMPAIGNS:

who: target market (those who believe what you believe)

what: call to action (MUST be subtle, not marketing-speak)

why (why now): news hook

Since PR is not paid advertising, you don't control when, how or even if it gets picked up by a given publication.

A single press release rarely results in coverage. PR is a virtuous cycle, whose returns increase over time.



3 COMMON PR TACTICS:

Stunts

Custom pitches

Press releases



RECOGNIZE THIS?



PATAGONIA’S “DON’T BUY THIS JACKET” CAMPAIGN

Black Friday & Cyber Monday, 2011. Tactics: emails to customers, & print/online ads. But clearly the purpose was PR, and it led to widespread media coverage.

Patagonia’s Common Threads Initiative asks you to not only purchase less, but to buy only what you need. And to repair what you buy before you replace it. (They'll help.) Patagonia even accepts worn-out gear from its customers, and recycles it into new gear. www.patagonia.com/us/common-threads

why it works: Shared beliefs. The campaign reinforces Patagonia brand message: we build durable stuff you can feel good about owning. We're a responsible company that shares your values" (Those who respond to this ad do so because they share Patagonia's ethics. Wearing the jacket is social proof.)


http://www.patagonia.com/us/common-threads

http://www.patagonia.com/us/common-threads

RECOGNIZE THIS?



“BEST JOB IN THE WORLD” CAMPAIGN

In 2009, Tourism Queensland promoted the Great Barrier Reef as a global tourism destination.

People worldwide to applied to be a "Caretaker" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island.

$1.2 million budget; the campaign generated more than $200 million in global publicity value for Tourism Queensland.



CUSTOM PITCHES Blogger/journalist outreach: Hand-pitching is very expensive! Hours per pitch, minimum. And the hit rate is still not high.

How to make worthwhile? Build relationships. If you are small and doing this yourself, pick less than 5 journalists/editors that would be a great fit for you: they right for your target market, and they've written about offerings like yours in the past.

Journalists hate spam, hate all email, and are naturally skeptical of pitches. BUT… they love comments on their blogs & interactivity in their social media streams.

Monitor your target writer/bloggers daily/weekly

Engage in conversation; contribute worthwhile comments

Stay in touch! Nurture the relationship



A SAMPLE CUSTOM PITCHA zero-budget success story: I respond to a journalist tweet complaining about Top 10 lists:

Inside the Travel Lab 2011 “When it comes to “Top Ten” lists, I find them fun but I never take them seriously….So when an email landed in my ludicrously overpopulated inbox with the subject “The Top Ten Ethical Destinations,” my cynical old heart sank a little. Why? Because this was something that I really wanted to believe someone had put some thought into, that this might actually be something that “meant” something – but a lifetime’s digital flotsam and jetsam prepared me for the worst.

In spite of myself, I opened it.

It started with a pleasant surprise (addressed by name! spelled correctly!) and then quickly moved on:

“Ethical Traveler conducts an annual study of developing nations from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe to identify the best ethical tourism destinations. The group focuses on three general categories: environmental protection, social welfare, and human rights.”travel…)



RESULT: CHARMING COVERAGE

2012: http://www.insidethetravellab.com/ethical-travel/ "So, if you remember from last year, people regularly spam me with press releases that they think I should publish over here. They’re usually totally inappropriate and utterly dull…

Well, the guys over at EthicalTraveler.org have put a bit more work into it than most and have come up with a list of the most ethical destinations for 2012 (I know, what are the chances? They’re called EthicalTraveler and they write about ethical travel....


http://www.insidethetravellab.com/ethical-travel/





AND FOLLOW-UP COVERAGE THIS YEAR



PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION

This is the classic “shotgun method” of PR. Can be effective if you have a large and well-targeted list. But the conversion rate is as low as that of direct mail. Without a doubt, many of your messages will get deleted unread.

How to improve the ROI?

Use press releases as an SEO tool. Back-links are guaranteed. Quality media coverage will come with time, but can never be guaranteed.


CASE STUDY:PRESS RELEASE

AS SEO TOOL

Before: BajaEx.com not in first 10 pages of Google SERPs

After: 1 SEO’d release: 3 listings in first 3 pages of Google SERPs (+radio)


CASE STUDY: PRESS RELEASE

AS SEO TOOLBefore: SEEtheWILD

PageRank = 2After: 1 SEO’d release:

SEEtheWILD PageRank = 4 (+media coverage)


PRESS RELEASES = EVEN MORE SEO OVER TIME

• Before: In 2003, EthicalTraveler.org had zero PageRank

• After: in spite of our nearly non-existent budget, we now have a PageRank of 6, and have popularized the term “ethical travel.”

• Key Tactic: a media-friendly annual “best of” list.


PRESS RELEASES CAN CHANGE THE WORLD:Case study: Ethical Traveler’s

tourism boycott of NepalFriday, October 12, 12



In conclusion:

• PR is a long-term investment that produces increasing

returns over time.

• People don't buy what you sell, they buy WHY you sell it.

The End (or “###” in PR-speak)


Estc12 media-loves-ecotourism-final

Documents

patagonias dont

people dont buywhat

sustainable travel

common pr tactics

socia travel

power of travel

travel lab

target market