Hey!  A real blog post.  Since it is almost December and other things, I’ve got some stuff to ponder for the New Year.

I love a good list and since I’m lazy, I’ll use someone else’s template.  These are in no particular order:

1. Green Marketing – The time is right, it fits the image we want to project, and it just makes sense.  I wouldn’t want to do it just for publicity – that should be the gravy.  We should sell the environmentally-friendly activities, but also we should sell in and environmentally-friendly way.
2. Find New Advertising Media – This is my constant theme.  There are a myriad of new ways to get our message out to people.  These are becoming more relevant as old-style interuption marketing declines.  Our potential customers are everywhere and likely they are not reading as many magazines or watching as much TV as they used to.
   
3. Find Viral Markets – Small children to Senior Citizens are playing Wii, sales are going crazy, game designers are abandoning other platforms.  It would be awesome to have an Adirondack game which featured Fly Fishing, Ice Climbing, Triathalon, Kayaking, Skiing, Snowmobiling, etc.  Or how about an I Love NY sponsored indoor ice-climbing wall at New York, New York?  I’m pretty sure that we would have more international exposure there than some supposedly high-profile travel convention.
4. Explore New Information Networks – The idea of “mobile” in the Adirondacks is pretty advanced.  Heck most of the area doesn’t have reliable cell service or broadband.  I’m going to go out on a limb here and say – Neither will ever likely happen.  What we can do right now is create a network of WiFi hotspots, aggregate the information, and publicize it.  That way, when those that are accustomed to being “connected” (most of the world), can do it.  Besides cell technology, WiFi is the next most highly adopted means of communication.  We could use this technology to stay connected to our travelers in virtually real-time.
5. Social Media Marketing – I’m not keen on the networks – MySpace, Facebook, etc, but I know that they are aggregating interest groups.  This is like the Wild West right now and that’s one of the reasons I am reluctant to committ to any platform.  The main thing to do here is create quality content – categorized and tagged – both to publish and distribute.  YouTube and Flickr are worth not ignoring. Once we form a core of Adirondack Tourism Evangelists, then we can implement a cohesive plan to gather up the disciples from these various networks.
6. Widgets – What kind of widget works for travel?  I like the idea of a Hot Deals widget.
7. Video – I’d love to upload a new video everyday of some really cool Adirondack thing.  Currently, this DMO doesn’t own a camcorder.  “Whether a B-to-B or B-to-C marketer, video is an enormous opportunity to engage, educate and entertain, the three new “Es” of successful marketing. Lots of brands are producing instructional videos to help customers install or use their product or service. Others create pure entertainment, hoping to build brand affinity or drive traffic.”  A series of Adirondack How-to’s – How-to Climb a Hike Peak, How-to Drive to the Top of Whiteface, How-to Catch Native Adirondack Trout, etc.
8. Behavioral to Contextual – Huh?  This is just gibberish for target-marketing.  Basically, we shouldn’t waste our money on low-conversion prospects.
9. Focus on Experience – As always, as travel marketers, we are selling an experience.  But we need to carry this to the next level.  We need to engage the community of Adirondack converts (actual and potential) – before, during, and after their visitation.
10. Marketing as Service – We should be Adirondack Travel Life-Coach/Motivational Speakers.
    

Top Ten: Marketing Ideas To Consider in 2008 (via HotelMarketing.com)