Musquodoboit Valley Communication Strategy 2013

Musquodoboit Valley Communication Strategy 2013

As a non-profit, community-based group of associations, the Musquodoboit Valley Halifax County Exhibition, Agricultural Society and Tourism Association have formed an informal working group to help promote the activities and offerings of the Valley. Promotion will be funded jointly by the Agricultural Society and the Musquodoboit Valley Tourism Association.

Be a desired destination

1. 
   _{To increase awareness of offerings and events in the Musquodoboit Valley}
   
2. 
   _{To increase visits to Tourism website}
   
3. 
   _{To increase attendance to events in the Musquodoboit Valley}
   

1. 
   _{Residents of the Musquodoboit Valley}
   
2. 
   _{Provincial day-trippers, likely the women planning 35-55 years old}
   
   1. 
      _{Likely starting with nearby communities such as} Elmsdale, Stewiacke
      

To position the Musquodoboit Valley as a viable and desired destination. To outline the offerings and events it provides in places where trip seekers are looking for the information or naturally gather travel information or opinions. Find opportunities to partner and collaborate on pieces. Apply a mixture of methods to maximize our efforts.

1. 
   _{The Musquodoboit Valley is an unofficial region and therefore has no official borders or boundaries. A decision will need to be made to define what communities it includes to be able to make accurate claims of} who we are, where we are and what we offer.
   
2. 
   There is little to no benchmarked data to know what our starting point is, who our current and past visitors are, or where they’ve come from. There is no way to follow up with them to help understand their motivates or reasonings.
   
3. 
   _{There is no current brand - do people know about us?} what do they associate us with - is that a negative or positive position? what colours, fonts, images, words, slogans, logos best reflect what we have to offer. Without a proper brand exercise we are only able to make educated guesses to what will resonate and attract visitors.
   
4. 
   _{There are limited eating establishments to offer even for day trippers.}
   

1. 
   _{Define the Musquodoboit Valley - where does it start and stop? Do residents of those communities identify themselves with the Valley? Develop a full list of what we have to offer - attractions, events and businesses. This is a crucial first step to help us define and design already agreed upon marketing materials such as the tourism map, as well as an improved website.}
   
2. 
   Website audit - I believe a thorough website audit should be done to determine what information should be on the site, how it should be organized and what features it should have. As we begin to promote the Valley we will need a polished, professional and complete website to direct people to for more information. Consider the role that www.musquodoboitvalley.ca has.
   

3. 
   _{Develop a list of} who we see as competitors and research what they do to promote themselves.
   

4. 
   _{Define our Brand - To be able to best communicate what we are, who we are and what we offer, you need to know how to define it, and embody it. This includes the logo you use, the tagline (if there is one), the} colours, the fonts, the key words and tone. Your brand becomes your guide to how to communicate about yourself. This would help get everyone and everything on the same page and ensure materials are consistent.
   

5. 
   _{“Welcome to the Musquodoboit Valley” Road Signs - Because the Musquodoboit Valley is a somewhat unofficial area that you will not find on a map, it is important to define the area for locals and visitors. Signs should be posted at all entry points of the Valley to let people know they’ve arrived.}
   

6. 
   _{FAM Tours - Invite key influencers, bloggers and tourist operators from other areas, and tourism media to our area. Organize it as one single event or multiple ones. Prepare an agenda and map out a route to ensure they take in the best of what we have to offer.}
   

7. 
   _{Have professional photos and a video taken of the various sites to help populate future tourism materials and website. Match to branding and what we want highlighted.}
   

8. 
   _{Booth Exhibit - Create a 10’ X 10’ booth exhibit that can be used to promote the area at various events, including Bedford Days, the airport, local farmers markets, and} Saltscapes. It would need to be slightly refreshed every couple of years, but careful planning could ensure that the main expensive pieces we’re designed for the long haul.
   

9. 
   _{Develop a system to gather visitor information and opinions this year to establish a baseline.}
   

10. 
    _{Attract sporting and nature-related events to take place in the Musquodoboit Valley, i.e. cycling, hiking competitions or fundraisers such as Heart and Stroke bike or MS Bike Tour. Give participants information to bring them back.}
    

11. 
    _{Maximize opportunities offered through Nova Scotia Tourism - i.e. Bloggers (Jim Cyr, Karl Vollmer,} Kim Humes), Forums (Favourite Places, Research Your Roots), website listing of cycling maps and trails, Doers and Dreamers guide advertising and listing (perhaps a cooperative one). Gather pricing and deadlines.
    

12. 
    _Promote similiar activities together to interest groups. An example would be prepping a package to send back with children when Scouting, school clubs visit the area - outlining reasons and highlighted areas of interest to families (perhaps the map).
    

13. 
    _{Research possibility of school-based promotion - sending flyer home through} neighbouring schools to promote family-based activities and attractions.
    

14. 
    _{Gather a list of stories and opportunities for potential media stories and approach media outlets to garner coverage, i.e. unveiling of hummingbird statue. Develop media list, including bloggers.}
    

15. 
    _{Develop a list of free media outlets that offer PSAs for events.}
    

16. 
    _{Gather a list of event calendars to post/send events information to. Use the events list gathered in first bullet that includes event name, date, time,} location, purpose of event and highlights, contact information. Most calendars need at least three weeks notice.
    

17. 
    _{Develop a list of} Facebook pages in the area to follow from Tourism account and help communicate with them to keep in the loop of events. Create Facebook events to invite and share around.
    

18. 
    _{Develop a list of directories to be listed in, i.e. HRM Parent:} http://hrmparent.ca/index.php?/Directories/ , HRM Rec: http://halifax.ca/rec/PlaygroundsinHRM.html, http://halifax.ca/rec/Beaches.html, http://halifax.ca/rec/boatlaunches.html, http://halifax.ca/rec/BaseballDiamondsinHRM.html, http://halifax.ca/rec/FieldsinHRM.html
    

19. 
    _{Develop a list of memberships that are important to belong to, i.e. Taste of Nova Scotia, Maple Producers of Nova Scotia.}
    

20. 
    _{Develop sample day trip itineraries for website, bloggers, i.e. one for families, one for outdoors,} one for genealogy.
    

21. 
    _{Develop a list of civic signs and contact information to post information and events on.}
    

22. 
    _{Research industry award programs for ones that may award what we have to offer - best river, best B&B.}
    

23. 
    _{Research opportunities for sponsorships / residents to speak at conferences, events about the area and offerings.}
    

Develop March break events at forest nursery and promote beyond region, winter fun day/carnival.

How do we know we’re successful? Should measure against the established objectives:

24. 
    _{To increase awareness of offerings and events in the Musquodoboit Valley}
    
25. 
    _{To increase visits to Tourism website}
    
26. 
    _{To increase attendance to events in the Musquodoboit Valley}