Is it time for a marketing plan tune-up for your destination? If so, a Marketing Action Plan (MAP) may be just the tool you have been searching for.
Most organizations are representing a constantly evolving ecosystem of lodging providers, attractors, board members, local government leaders, the community, civic groups, staff, the media, etc. Your stakeholders expect you to be charting a course that will lead to financial stability and growth for the tourism ecosystem you represent. Behind every successful destination marketing effort is a team working to balance priorities, partnerships, and limited resources. Without a shared plan, even talented teams can find themselves pulling in different directions. With the proliferation of marketing mediums and the potential to reach each target group that will influence your success with increasingly granular approaches, it is more important than ever to have a deliberate plan for your organization’s marketing processes.
A Marketing Action Plan (MAP) is a proven process that your team can utilize to define success and then prioritize the Who, What, Why, and How you will achieve that success. A MAP doesn't replace creativity or initiative. Instead, it gives teams the clarity and confidence they need to focus their energy on the work that matters most. Making sure that the marketing processes that your MAP prescribes fully answer the required beliefs of the identified target audiences will ensure that you are taking an organized and well-thought-out approach to executing a successful program. While what we do for a living is facilitate the development of MAPs and many of the deliverables that your MAP will prioritize, below are several resources including the step-by-step process we go through with our clients that can help you (and your team) create this plan on your own.
DIY Marketing Action Planning development resources: MAP Worksheet / MAP Cheat Sheet
A strong plan also helps align internal teams, community partners, elected officials, and local stakeholders around shared priorities. When everyone understands what success looks like and their role in achieving it, organizations are better positioned to make consistent decisions and maximize limited resources. Once you have defined success for your organization, follow these steps to develop your own Marketing Action Plan for your destination:
Step 1 is listing the WHO.
Who are the Target groups that can influence your destination's success?
Identifying these audiences often requires input from across the organization. Team members who interact daily with visitors, partners, residents, and local businesses frequently provide valuable insights that help shape a stronger plan.
Step 2 is defining the WHAT.
Think about what each of your target groups would need to do to play a role in the success of your brand.
Step 3 is determining the WHY.
What does a target group need to believe about your brand in order for them to accomplish the roles that will result in your success?
Step 4 is identifying the HOW.
What should you do to communicate and/or reinforce the Beliefs that each Target Group must possess (required) in order for them to accomplish the Roles that will result in your success? Processes make up the foundation of your marketing plan. Examples could include a social media plan, website, PR efforts, collateral pieces, direct mail, etc.
Once these Targets, Roles, Beliefs, and Processes have been created, make sure to prioritize them from most to least important. This will help you clearly evaluate if your current marketing plan is communicating effectively to the desired Targets, is developed to get them to act with the desired Roles and conceived so the targets Believe what you need them to in order for you to have success with them. The desired end result is to ensure that you maximize the impact of your destination's marketing efforts, and ultimately maximize your marketing budget.
It’s important to remember that Marketing Action Plans are never completely done. We often find ourselves saying that the MAP is a living, breathing document—returning often to add processes or reorganize the priority.
The most effective Marketing Action Plans do more than organize marketing activities. They create alignment, establish priorities, and help everyone involved move in the same direction. When teams understand the bigger picture and feel confident in the path forward, they can focus their creativity and energy on delivering exceptional experiences for visitors and stronger outcomes for the destination.
Over the last 10 years, Stamp has facilitated the development and annual re-assessment of hundreds of Marketing Action Plans. In addition to plan development, our team has also developed a Marketing Action Planning seminar and leads Marketing Action Planning development how-to sessions at meetings and conferences. If you would like to discuss Stamp facilitating the development of a MAP directly with your destination, please contact Susan Bryan to schedule a call.