Why Idlewild? Rosalyn J. Jones, MBA. Positive Image: SWOT Analysis “Idlewild community members believe they must move forward with what they have and.

Why Idlewild?Why Idlewild?

Rosalyn J. Jones, MBA

Positive Image: SWOT AnalysisPositive Image: SWOT Analysis

““Idlewild community members Idlewild community members believe they must move forward believe they must move forward with what they have and with what they have and leverage it where they can leverage it where they can identify resources.”identify resources.”

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

Why would someone spend money to visit Idlewild today?

What am I coming to see and do?– Resort areas: Florida, Jamaica, Virginia

Beach, St. Simons Island – Black Heritage Tours: DC, Baltimore– Festivals: Traverse City Film Festival– Golf at Arcadia Bluffs or Bay Harbor – Boating,fishing in the Lake Huron area

Today’s DiscussionToday’s Discussion

Marketing Objectives:Build momentum for 2012 Centennial celebration

4 P’s of Marketing

Marketing: 4 P’sMarketing: 4 P’s

Product – Programming tracks, e.g. History & Heritage, Nature, Arts & Culture

PlacePromotion – How can I reach my

target audience? How do I tell them about the offer?

Price

Target MarketingTarget Marketing

The ultimate goal: match the right product or service with the right market or audience

Target AudiencesTarget Audiences

Specific groups or clientele most interested in your product

Specific marketing objectives for each segment

WHOWHO are my customers?are my customers?

“Baby Boomers” (45-64), Millennials (18-24), Gen Xers (30-44), Youth, Children, “Matures” (65+)

Which segment am I trying to reach? – Leisure

– “Academia”, e.g. Writers Conference

Inventory existing resourcesInventory existing resources

Youth & Children – Work with DNR and US Forest Service– Work with Lomas Brown’s group

Young Adults – Engage key people to create and deliver quality programming

Housing – Work with Positive Image to inventory lodging options

African American TravelersAfrican American Travelers

Likely to visit family and friends (41%) Likely to take kids (21%) More likely than other Americans to take

group tours (10% vs 4%) On average stayed 3.1 nights on their most

recent trip Most often stayed in hotels, motels or bed-

and-breakfast lodges (45%) About 32% stayed at private homes

Black Enterprise, Dec. 1996 by Marjorie Whigham-Desir

WHAT are they like?WHAT are they like?

Demographic Information

2009: Work with local business owners and event sponsors to collect zip code information

Lifestyle Profiles

Recommendations Recommendations (Ranked in Priority Order)(Ranked in Priority Order)Trademark the name “Black Eden”

Engage highly regarded historians to record oral histories for use on the Web

RecommendationsRecommendations

Feed content to michigan.org: Places to Stay; Things to Do

Prioritize new programming based on ROI, e.g. disposable income, availability of public sector funding, university relationships, etc.

RecommendationsRecommendations

Marketing Budget: How much do you have to spend?

Create a pool of marketing and communications talent, e.g. graphic artists, Web designers, copy writers, event planners, media relations, public relations

RecommendationsRecommendations

Create a “host committee” to help plan and prepare the region for hosting local welcoming events

Invite Lomas Brown to participate