Great catering - what all attractions should have!

Sunderland Trust Coffee Shop Group, a photo by Boxbrownie3 on Flickr.

Sunderland Trust Coffee Shop Group - great catering with well displayed food and happy welcoming staff. Note the RAF chap at the window table, waiting to go back to his flying boat! The Glass House Cafe - the Sunderland Trust Coffee Shop

Durham Heritage Centre & Museum

Durham Heritage Centre & Museum, a photo by Attract Marketing on Flickr.

Marketing and business development plan as part of a grant application

Coffee cups with Sunderland Flying Boat

Coffee cups with Sunderland Flying Boat, a photo by Boxbrownie3 on Flickr.

Innovative way of using a logo on the froth!

Game changer for the travel Industry? SoLoMo means social local mobile

SoLoMo means social local mobile – and is especially important for the travel industry as mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets become the primary way to access the internet.

 

The research company Euromonitor International  has looked at the implications of this trend that have  resulted in several intersections of two trends, such as social media usage via smartphones and the rise of geo-social networks allowing users to “check in” their current location.

 The mobile dimension has also resulted in a new development for the online world – the emergence of the local aspect. Through GPS technology, the location of users can be detected in order to offer them location-based services (LBS). These use information on the geographic location of mobile device owners to offer them tailored services based on it. This opens new opportunities for local businesses.

The range of location-based services is very wide, including location-based m-commerce, promotional offers, information services, games and loyalty programmes.

SoLoMo can be seen as the third step of the evolution of online travel, which first saw the introduction of travel websites and online reservations, then the popularity of social media and finally, thanks to the possibility to access the internet via mobile devices, the rise of the SoLoMo

See more at the World Travel market site here

Get yourself connected in Tourism

Fascinating article by James Lang that has implications for how we will access tourism sites and how attractions will  connect with their customers/vistors and gather data on them

get yourself connected article

Help for leisure and tourism sector businesses in the West Midlands Region

 

The  Innovation 1st Project aims to help leisure sector SMEs (small companies, charitable trusts and similar organisations) in the West Midlands Region explore and adopt new technologies that will have a positive impact on their business.

The scheme provides two days of fully funded business assistance i.e. at no cost to the client  for SMEs in the leisure and attractions sector, focused around the introduction of technology including for example, the use of social media and online reputation management. ICT and innovative marketing and management techniques.

The Innovation 1st Project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under Priority 1 - Promoting Innovation and Research & Development.

The West Midlands includes Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the predominantly rural shire counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Nick Booker a Visiting lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton’s Department of Leisure and a director Attract Marketing is delivering the Innovation 1^st programme. SMEs signing up for the scheme will also benefit from a range of other services and opportunities from the University of Wolverhampton.

Nick is a strategic thinking marketing and business specialist, leisure, museums and heritage attractions consultant, non executive director, interim manager and mentor. He has expertise in strategic planning and marketing including social media, audience and business planning, market research, project management and options appraisals. He is a board member of two major museum trusts.

Please visit the university website at: www.wlv.ac.uk/innovation1st for more information

Or contact

Nick Booker – email:  nick@attractmarketing.co.uk    Tel: 01926 864900

50 Ways to Get More People to Like your Facebook Page

 

50 Ways to Get More People to Like your Facebook Page is a very good list of hints and tips for using Facebook to increase exposure of your website and your other social media

 

Click here