What’s hot for 2012

Current outlook

At the Visitor Economy Forum I attended last month, forecasters were cautious about the business outlook for 2012.  STR Global indicated that the majority of UK hotels are being affected to some extent by slowdown in demand, with major chains reporting evidence of people downgrading their grade of accommodation , and others deciding not to make a trip at all.

On the positive side:

• London has seen a 12% increase in available accommodation for visitors, with almost no adverse effect on occupancy levels – indicating increasing demand and prices holding firm.
• Budget accommodation is more in demand than ever, and site shortage has resulted in the likes of Travelodge expanding into spaces above high footfall retail premises such as supermarkets, particularly in outer areas of the capital.
• Budget operators are scouring the most attractive protected landscapes and national parks in the English countryside for suitable premises to take over and expand into.
• A new Premier Inn has recently sprouted on the rooftop level of the new Westfield shopping centre at Stratford International
• Unconventional online lettings agencies are springing up to promote apartments and homestays with easy access to London; but quality could be an issue. Look out for user generated reviews to counter this risk.

Business Opportunities

• Keep an eye out for  pop up shops and retailers – or even consider starting one yourself.  Taste of London pop up restaurant festival will be in Regents Park June 21-24. Presale tickets available online now.
• London 2012 merchandise is now on sale at John Lewis, Next, Adidas, The Post Office and official shops at St Pancras, Heathrow and Stratford City. Get yourself, your staff and your business dressed up for the Olympic torch relay when it passes by. No one in the UK should be more than 10 miles from the route, according to the organsiers.
• Obviously attractive popular official 2012 merchandise, like posters and pin badges are already on sale and may sell out nearer the time – so buy them now.
• Shop now for Union Jack accessories, window dressing and get thinking on how to celebrate the games with customers and staff.
• Editorial teams in the media are already out there looking for stories about places and happenings in Britain in 2012. If you’ve got anything  new, unusual or eccentric coming up, or if you win an award for something in your business – this is the year to share it with the world – and issue a series of news releases.  Dont forget to post them onto your website.
• This is likely to be a year of innovative and opportunistic developments like no other.
• New businesses may find it hard to get established unless eye catching promotions or discounts are offered. Social media makes it possible for a small business to make a big noise though.
• Don’t forget it’s the Queen’s Golden Jubilee (with an extra long weekend holiday in June to boot).
• Yet more opportunities await those businessses able to capitalise on the bicentenary of the birth of the novelist Charles Dickens, who enjoys a global network of fans. He travelled all over the UK, with many hostelries  he patronised still in business as hotels and restaurants. Visitor attractions in many towns and cities where he lived worked or set his novels (Portsmouth, London, Rochester, Broadstairs, all spring instantly to mind) are in line for a welcome windfall as well.

Regional winners and losers

Again, according to STR Global

• Of all UK cities outside London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds are all prospering most.
• Brighton and York are also likely to do well thanks to strong demand boosted by steady year round visitors attending meetings conferences and business events.
• Edinburgh willl continue to suffer from remedial repair works to crumbling tarmac along the controversial Princes Street tram route (laid along  in the very heart of the city in 2009); and although work was suspended over Christmas and New Year, word has spread on social media of unsightly hoardings and traffic disruption. I saw it myself in the autumn, and it’s likely to discourage or disappoint some visitors until it completes in July.

Leisure trends

Olive Insight, reporting further on their ongoing research for Visit Britain, both during and in the aftermath of the last recession, have found

• More people are now ( 61%) worried about the economic outlook in Britain than they were during the recession in June 2009 (when the figure was 40%).
• Earlier research showed that there was a tendency for consumers to ring fence their spending on holidays; but somewhat worryingly, this appears to no longer be the case.
• More people than ever are now looking to stretch their budget by taking advantage of deals and special offers.
• Businesses take note! Propositions offering service upgrades, added value, an inspiration you may not have thought of for yourself, or an opportunity to enjoy a bit of self indulgence, work best.

Will Brits still go abroad?

Here’s a  round up of current thinking:

• Demand for domestic holidays in 2012 is likely to strengthen because of the economic situation
• Our current near-recession makes our  offering more competitive as a destination to visit.
• Research from  TUI claims that outbound demand from Brits is holding up for traditional summer destinations such as mainland Spain and the Balearics, for those who want to get away from the fuss this summer.
• I suspect that other southern European Eurozone countries with economic issues, such as Greece, and even Italy, may not be so lucky in the current economic climate.
• In my neck of the woods in Kent, people are feeling cautious about leaving the country; mainly because they don’t want to miss out in this year of a lifetime.

Can we help you?
Virtual Viv is part of the team at Manifold Associates, working in the UK and travelling the world independently to inform you with incisive commentary in words and pictures about news that matters. We want to help businesses  maximise the benefits of the forthcoming exciting months.

Our recent projects have included researching and authenticating, on behalf of Visit Kent, locations still recognisable today, that have associations with Charles Dickens in advance of the bicentenary of his birth. We welcome freelance photo journalism assignments and writing commissions. Vivienne Boucher has recently been comissioned to write a feature article about The Kent of Dickens, which has been published in the January 2012 issue of BBC Countryfile magazine.

Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that 2012 might bring to you. If so, please get in touch.

 

Summer snapshot of English countryside and coast 2011

I want to show you how well chosen pictures can help you communicate a really powertful message. They really can save you a thousand words.

My shot of the  river Medway, that appears above, shows it flowing through the gap, (now known as the Valley of Visions), that it has cut through the chalk of the Kent Downs, near Medway. See how Dickens’s words add to the power of the image when set alongside as a caption.

The words of the greatest writers can be used for marketing purposes, although you must still take care that the context of their use is entirely appropriate, and be prepared to seek permission from the author’s descendants. Naturally, it’s an advanatege when the text is out of copyright, as in the case of Dickens, because no royalty is payable; but acknowledgement of the source is still a pre-requisite. Great words can help you tell a story that makes a real impression on the mind, or teaches you something that will always be remembered.

I’m sharing some of the photos I’ve been taking while walking in the local countryside of Kent this summer. See how, when the words of one of our greatest writers about the places pictured are added, the images take on an entirely  new life and significance. It all supports my belief that the Dickens connection willl encourage tourism to the countryside of Kent as well as towns and cities in 2012, which will mark the bicentenary of his birth. Read more about Dickens 2012.

Dickens actually grew up in the nearby Medway town of Chatham, and chose to live out his final years at Gad’s Hill Place, overlooking the same part of the Medway valley, above the village of Cuxton, which is shown in the picture below. I’m starting to understand why.

Dickens knew Kent well, and loved it so deeply that he chose to honeymoon in the county, spent many holidays along its coastline, and  featured it in many of his best loved novels, including ‘ Great Expectations’ and ‘David Copperfield’.

 

What has really amazed me as I’ve shot these images of beautiful countryside, is how empty some parts of the landscape still are. They must be pretty much unchanged since Dickens came this way. He spent many holidays writing in Dover Folkestone and Broadstairs.

Here’s what he wrote about his coastal walks  in south east Kent when he was writing for his magazine Household Words in Folkestone in 1851

Our situation is delightful, our air is delicious, and our breezy hills and downs, carpeted with wild thyme, and decorated with millions of wild flowers, are, on the faith of a pedestrian, perfect.

Wild flowers above the white cliffs of Kent, where Dickens enjoyed 'going for a blow'

Britain is actually a pretty crowded island.  Southern England has an average population density of around 658 people per square kilometre (which is greater than the average for the Netherlands) and yet it’s still possible, indeed I’d even say easy, to get away from it all, if you know where to go and are prepared to walk – like Dickens did – even on summer weekends, as my pictures illustrate.

This magificent view looking west from the cliffs above South Foreland towards Dover harbour is likely to have been on the route of one of Dickens's 20 mile walks from Dover.

Writers sometimes get stressed out and find themselves in need of a break. Dickens was no exception. Here he is again, writing to fellow author Wilkie Collins about taking a break from working on Little Dorritt in Folkestone in 1855:

‘You know my state of mind as well as I do. How I work, how I walk, how I shut myself up, how I roll down hills and climb up cliffs; how the new story is everywhere, heaving on the sea, flying with the clouds, blowing in the wind; how I settle to nothing’.

Dickens’s writing reaches across the years as only the greatest can. In another letter, written to his actor friend Macready the same year, Dickens wrote that he was constantly tempted  ‘to run out on the breezy downs here, tear up the hills, slide down the same and conduct myself in a frenzied manner, for the relief that only exercise gives me.’ I understand  the feeling: working hard makes me feel I need to take a trip to the gym myself to unwind.

In a letter to his wife dated May 1856, Dickens told her that he ‘did nothing at Dover (except for Household Words), and have not begun Little Dorrit no. 8 yet (his novels were written and published in instalments). But I took twenty- mile walks in the fresh air and perhaps in the long run did better than if I had been at work’. It could almost have been written yesterday.

Until next time…

Virtual Viv is part of the team at Manifold Associates, working in the UK and travelling the world independently to inform you with incisive commentary in words and pictures about things that matter in marketing.   Freelance assignments welcomed. Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that London 2012 or Dickens 2012 might bring to you. We’re flexible and versatile. If you’d like to discuss how we might be able to help you, please get in touch.

What hope for those seeking or offering accommodation for London 2012?

 

Are you among those who were successful in obtaining tickets for London 2012? Well I’m afraid that you’ve now got another challenge  on your hands if you’re planning a visit to London during the games! If you’re travelling a fair distance to get to the Olympic Park, or any of the other venues in  London or elsewhere, you’d better get thinking about your strategy for finding accommodation.

In this post I’ve tried to take a realistic view about alternative strategies that I feel could have a realistic chance of success. Accommodation providers should already be making efforts to market their accommodation  availability during both games periods next year. In an unscientific straw poll I found that at this stage much already appears to be sold out .

You might want to consider planning how you (or your guests) are going to get to the games venues by public transport or otherwise, and find out whether a day trip is feasible. No doubt you can also appreciate why it’s already very much in the interest of all accommodation providers to research and publish information online and offline for visitors about likely journey times, the convenience of their location,and how to get to  2012 games venues by public transport.

If you need to stay over, here’s Visit London’s official accommodation finder for London 2012

Many of the evening sessions at The Olympic Park in London finish late – around 10pm, and it already looks as if most events will be sold out, so you can be almost sure that it’s going to be a battle to find accommodation, unless that is, you’ve already booked an official package available through Thomas Cook which guarantees you accommodation linked to tickets.

Favoured locations to stay in the London area
Given an unlimited budget and a free choice, in London I’d recommend looking to stay towards the east of London, or Docklands, and choosing The City, rather than the centre of the West End, in the months of July, August and September, when the weather in London generrally tends to be both hot and humid. Hotels in these areas should already be emphasising the benefits of their location in their marketing materials, and illustrating it in images.

As part of the deal for games ticket holders at London venues, those lucky people  will all get free travel on London public transport for the day of the event they hold tickets for, making location slightly less of a consideration, although they’ll still need to consider traffic and travel time to the venue involved. Here’s information about the area of London covered by a Games Travelcard on the day, which might allow people to widen their search area.

Other considerations

Another possible option for games ticket holders might be to narrow down their accommodation choice to a particular area that they favour, and then walk the streets on their next visit to London (well before the games), to try and find likely looking prospective accommodation. Accommodation providers may therefore find walk-ins by prospective guests enquiring about London 2012 will increase, and need to consider how to handle them.

Being near any sort of waterfront is clearly a good option for accomodation, but it is only likely to be available at a premium cost.Most people’s first choice is likely to be anything on or near any part of the River Thames, a canal, or a green space. Proximity to Hyde Park and all the games venues will probably cost people a premium, as will a position on or near water or any of the garden squares dotted about in Kensington, Pimlico or Belgravia. But you’ll be lucky to find any accommodation at all in London at the moment; because huge allocations have already been snapped up by the games organisers for officials, sponsors and competitors; and the balance is probably being held by tour operators for their regular clients on scheduled tours.

At this stage, the situation is likely to be the same in and around other games venues such as Weymouth (sailing), and Windsor (rowing). With football tickets so far proving less popular, you might be luckier in those cities where matches are being played – at the moment – but even there I wouldn’t wait too long!

Possible strategies

If a prospective guest is prepared to pay upfront, they might just get lucky by being persistant with the hotel(s) of their choice by contacting them direct, as soon as their date of stay is known.

The alternative is for them to hold their nerve, register  interest on any accommodation web sites or written waiting lists they can find, that will accept their expressions of interest; and be prepared to take a chance later, immediatelywhen contacted, if an opportunity should arise. You can bet that some unsold rooms are likely released from allocations nearer the time; but the chances are that rates will remain high, and only the less attractive locations, and probably only the lowest category rooms within each property, will have availability at the very last minute.

I’m not sure I’d rate my chances for rooms during the games being available on Late Rooms or Last Minute.com; but they too could be worth trying nearer the time, as could multiple chains such as Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn and Travelodge in locations with good rail connections into the capital.

Alternatives to hotels during London 2012

1. Stay with friends or relations near a games venue (offer to pay)
   
2. Consider a home exchange
3. Look at apartments
4. Contact property management companies offering rentals
5. Dip your toe into the waters of alternative accommodation providers that I’ve picked up from the media. These all come with a ‘health warning’ because I haven’t used any of them personally:
   Camp in my Garden ; Air Band B; self catering and camping in Lee Valley Parks ; Silver Door; Go Native; Glamping; http://www.bedandfed.co.uk/;

Good luck!

Can we help you with marketing ?

Virtual Viv is part of the team at Manifold Associates, working in the UK and travelling the world independently to inform you with incisive commentary about things that matter in marketing.   Freelance assignments welcomed. Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that London 2012 might bring to you. We’re flexible and versatile. If you’d like to discuss how we might be able to help you with marketing, please get in touch.

PS To access a list of all my posts about the games, click on the words ‘London 2012′ under the heading ‘Tags’ on the right.

More information about The Boundary restaurant with rooms  in Shoreditch

 

 

Coping with disaster: perception vs reality

The recent inland flash floods that have hit the Australian state of Queensland during the 2010/11 cyclone seasonhave emphasised the scale of the inundation to have affected ‘an area larger than France and Germany combined’.

Even the first floods immediately after Christmas (pictured above) were bad enough to be described by Queensland state Treasurer Andrew Fraser as a “disaster of biblical proportions”.

Last week, first Toowoomba,  the state capital of Brisbane, and many other communities in the centre and south east of the state have been hit by further major flooding events almost surpassing landmark 1974 floods.

The death toll has already reached 20; but many more are still missing, so the final toll is expected to rise futher.

Queensland Flood Disaster appeal

The Queensland Government has launched an appeal to help people affected by the central and south east Queensland floods. With many communities devastated and some families losing everything, everyone can help make a difference by donating to the official  Flood Relief Appeal

SCAMwatch is warning consumers to thoroughly check the legitimacy of charities when donating to help flood victims in  Queensland. I was impressed to find information about the SCAMwatch service in Australia, and its work to help prevent unscrupulous fraudsters from cashing in when they see an opportunity to rip people off, especially in such unfortunate circumstances. Other countries take note!

Bringing reality home

There are several aspects to the story of disaster that I want to explore; but firstly I have to declare a personal interest, because we have family in the area, so I’ve obtained permission to use some of their photos, and can quote from personal testimony. I’ll be travelling to Queensland myself later in the year, so although I’ll be able to see the reality for myself in due course, I’m talking now about my perceptions of the situation, as seen from afar.

Reading about the unfolding situation, first in increasingly worrying emails from relations, and then seeing the reality in their photos and watching newsreel videos in the media, has helped bring the full horror of natural disaster into our living rooms and onto computer screens far way, my own included.

As I worked on the draft of this post, I’ve found myself re- writing it almost daily over several  weeks as the story unfolded. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

As a family we’ve watched ghastly footage of people stranded on car and house roofs; and seen live action of cars, boats, furniture  and trees being tossed about and crushed in raging flood water like mere toys. We’ve  watched desperate and dramatic rescues, and heart rending interviews with people who’ve lost everything, and seen horrific sights; but at least are alive.

Not everyone has been so lucky. One can only imagine the reality and horror of actually being there and experiencing it in person. Only this morning we heard from some relations that ‘it’s been horrible’, that they were ‘intact’; but that ‘that is a lot more than can be said for lots of other poor people, and lots and lots of animals of all kinds, wild, commercial and domestic.’

Suffering in such circumstances extends far beyond human beings, something that this disaster has really brought home to me personally. What’s really impressed me and everyone I know is the amazing resiliance and stoicism shown by the people of Queensland in coping with their exceptional recent circumstances.

How news editors interpret disaster

While it’s the job of news editors to make sure the news stories they cover provide accurate and reliable information to accompany arresting images that make people sit up and take notice, it’s quite another matter when you consider what individuals and business people think about being the focus of high profile international media coverage that has an immediate impact on their life or livelihood.

It’s a commonly used device by the media to explain the scale of a disaster with the aid of an analogy,  illustrating the size by comparing it to an equivalent more familiar to the audience. In the case of Queensland flooding the BBC in the UK talked about  ‘an area the size of France and Germany combined’ being affected.

While this may be useful for the authorities to help people understand the scale, it can potentially be misleading because, certainly in the case of flooding,  the worst damage is rarely evenly spread over a landscape. In Queensland this was the case. So in disaster situations, authorities might take more care over selecting apparently convenient soundbites about broadscale damage. With hindsight exaggeration can prove to  be particularly unwise,  especially when effects are  localised, and many areas escape unscathed.

From aerial views I’ve seen, although the worst of the Queensland flooding in the south east of the state was confined to river valleys, an additional problem was that the flow resulting from extremely heavy rainfall brought additional hazards by carrying many objects not secured in advance down intervening slopes from higher ground in uncontrollable torrents, that took the quickest route downhill irrespective of what was in their path, and areas previously thought safe suffered significant damage. See aerial views of Brisbane at the height of the flooding contrasted with the same view before the floods struck.

I fear that the general impression that the majority of television viewers took away from recent news coverage in the UK though, is that the entire state of Queensland was similarly affected to the places shown on screen.  This is because the majority of people haven’t made a study of hydrology, and don’t have a detailed knowledge of the geography of places on the other side of the world from the UK, such Queensland, Australia.

The effects of natural disaster on tourism
There’s no denying that tourism in Queensland has taken a severe battering this year, and I’m sure that it will take a very long time indeed for the worst affected places, and people, to recover, especially in places like Rockhampton, Ipswich, and Grantham, as well as in Toowoomba and Brisbane.

However it’s pleasing to see the upbeat approach on the home page of the official Queensland tourism website, which acknowledges the flooding with links to up to date factual information , but doesn’t make a huge issue of it.

There’s a lot at stake for the Queensland tourism industry which is an important contributor to the state economy. Read more about the effects of 2010/11 flooding events on tourism in Queensland.

With many people planning holidays in Queensland looking at dates a long time in advance, it’s important to present a positive face to the outside world. I like the idea that, in a new initiative, there are now live webcams on the official Cairns tourism website, in the almost unaffected tropical north of the state. Just bear in mind the time difference when tuning in, as they don’t all work when it’s dark!

Even in adversity, it’s important to try and look on the brighter side of things. Now lots more people in the world have heard about Queensland, perhaps for the first time(even if for the wrong reasons), or at least have been reminded about it: their curiosity may have been piqued. There really is a window of opportunity available for proactive PRs, to start beavering away to change back any negative perceptions, and remind people about the usually more favourable weather that can be expected in ‘the sunshine state’ of Australia at other times of year.

One of my favourite media relations tips is to never be afraid to tell the truth; but also to keep in mind this quote from Oscar Wilde, about the importance being selective:
‘the pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple’

Disaster recovery for accommodation providers

I have no wish to re-invent the wheel. In a recent article on the Hospitality Trends website about recovery from floods, fire and earthquake, Ken Burgin provides a range of practical tips about disaster recovery and contingency planning.. I dont want to sound trite in the context of Queensland floods,  but it provides food for thought, perhaps!

Can we help you?
Are you a business or organisation involved in the visitor economy that needs PR ideas to raise your profile, or improve perceptions, and secure media coverage to reach new prospective visitors or guests?

Manifold Associates could help you come up with compelling ideas, words and images that will encourage the world to beat a path to your door (as soon as it’s practicable) , or search for your business on the world wide web. If you run a small business we can also teach you the skills you need to manage your own PR and media relations campaigns in a professional manner.

Visit our website for more information about what we have to offer, including what customers think about our services as a UK based marketing consultancy.

Signs of the times: good practice that avoids pitfalls

Why signage in public places can be an issue

Signage can be difficult to get right, irrespective of which industry you’re in. If I was to pick out common factors from those that I consider to be the most successful practitioners, I believe that the best examples offer a combination of clarity, visibility, consistency and common sense. So where do you find them, and what are the signage pitfalls in public places that must be avoided at all costs?

Why is signage important? The reasons are various, but the key points are that without the aid of physical signage, people can potentially get lost, be put to considerable inconvenience, or even get themselves into a potentially unsafe or vulnerable situation from a security point of view. No-one  wants that to happen to anyone at business premises, and that’s why it’s so important for businesses of all sizes to get right.

Who can demonstrate good practice?

In my initial ignorance about the subject, I didn’t fully appreciate that informational signage and way finding was such a big business, or that as a country we’re among the world leaders in this fiield. Then I visited the Liverpool waterfront last year, and saw the results of the wayfinding and signage project completed there in and around Albert Dock by Holmes-Wood, who describe themselves as ‘one of Britain’s leading companies working in direction, information and identity design’. Yes, that’s right, there are specialist signage consultancies out there, that can help you spend millions on ensuring that your signage is tailored to meet your precise business needs, and looks good as well.

However, even the smallest business can learn from good practice undertaken, not only in places where new signage was necessary as a result of major re-branding and urban regeneration projects, as in the case of Liverpool; but also from the signage displayed in other high traffic public places such as airports, shopping malls, and on the motorway network. The directional signage and branding developed initially for the  UK motorway network, and then the entire national road network of Britain by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert between 1957 and 1967, is now a recognised design classic, that has become a model for motorway and road signage internationally. It’s a mark of its success, that it’s still in use today.

Clarity is vital when it comnes to signage. Wherever possible it makes sense to make use of internationally recognised systems of symbolism, such as those used for hazardous chemicals, and health and safety signs. It becomes vital that warning signs can be understood at a glance, even when people don’t speak the  language, and can’t read written text. That’s why international signage conventions have developed, such as the use of the lower case letter ‘ i ‘ which is used as visual shorthand to designate tourist information centres worldwide.

Mistakes to avoid

On occasion signage can be percieved as patronising, irrelevant, or worse, can be seen as treating grown adults like naughty children. From time to time I come across such signs. Where signs are used inappropriately they have the potential to provoke a negative reaction, disappointment, confusion, fear or even annoyance, all emotions that are not good for business from a marketing point of view.

In general signs should be used only to communicate simple unambiguous messages that are relevant to everyone who sees them. Unless there is danger, or a possible threat to life or limb, any complicated scenarios, applicable to the minority of the people passing by, is probably best communicated by a different method, and ideally during the course of personal communication.

When things get complicated..

In hotels, where there is a plethora of information that needs to be communicated, and people have an expectation that they’ll receive guidance appropriate to their individual needs, it can be particularly challenging to ensure that guests receive all the information and reassurance they might need, at the same time as being politely encouraged to act on it. In this instance it’s sensible practice to offer an information folder in all guest rooms, and to serve up the answers to frequently asked questions in advance of guest arrival on websites; but that’s not usually enough.

Signs can act as a catch all to help businesses communicate information; but they should not always be relied on or used alone. Some instructions, for example about responsible energy use,  can cause resentment or negative attitude on the part of the paying customer.

With businesses increasingly looking to give their business a ‘green edge’ and promote responsible tourism, it can be hard to find the right tone of voice, and form of words to encourage responsible attitudes to such issues as noise, energy use and contentious areas such as daily replacement of towels and bedding, with signage alone.

Tried and tested strategies

However you look at it, signs have a tendency to lecture because you can’t ignore them. One alternative approach is to draw people’s attention to where they can find information available (but not try to compel them to take notice); and you can invite people to be responsible about their energy usage for rational reasons, rather than posting signage that seems to demand compliance. A self catering opearator I know leaves a copy of the paperback book ‘One Planet Living’ in her cottages, and offers copies for sale to those who express interest. She’s found that this works well.

Offering a reward for compliant behaviour is a further strategy that can be adopted to persuade people to change their habits or encourage reponsible behaviour. I’ve come across hotels that reward guests who leave their car in the car park all day when they go out, with free tea and cakes when they return. Another goes out of her way to explain how to reach local attractions by public transport.  There’s no doubt though, that it can be a challenge to get people to do things the way you want. One thing is for sure, although signage can help, I certainly don’t think it will ever be the only answer.

What do you think? Marketing is about everything that helps a business to identify and satisfy customer needs profitably.  Contact Manifold Associates if you’re a business having difficulty in identifying the most appropriate form of  words and images to explain your business philosophy in your marketing communications. We also help businesses through the process of rationalising and communicating the reasons for people to do business with them; and deliver training on marketing your green credentials.

Until next time…

Ahoy there! Summer fun afloat in Maidstone (and southern England)

Cowes Week

According to the British Marine Federation only 2.73% of the UK population own some sort of boat, which makes it a somewhat minority interest. However, half the country’s population live within five miles of a canal or river, 11 million people regularly visit  inland waterways every year, and there are more than 32,000 registered boats on the water. Even if you’re a’ landlubber’ this is the best week of the entire summer for the casual visitor to get (albeit temporarily) interested in boating,  and heading for the waterfront  somewhere, whether it’s the coast, or a navigable river.

This week is Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight, just off the south coast of England in Hampshire. More information about Cowes Week. The Isle of Wight is one of my favourite places, although I have to admit I prefer to go there out of season when it’s less busy. Cowes Week is the highlight of peak season. More information about visiting the Isle of Wight.

Maidstone River Festival

In Britain you’re never very far from a river or the coast, and this year for the first time I decided to take the opportunity to visit this year’s Maidstone River Festival, to find out if this annual nautical carnival has anything to offer the casual visitor, as opposed to the convinced ‘yachtie’ type who owns their own boat.  Although it’s on an inland river, and on a much smaller scale than Cowes, as a landlubber myself, I still found it good fun. The serious yachties moor up days in advance, and die hard fans who sail  up the Medway to Maidstone in their own boats, decorate them in line with an annual theme – which this year was the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the WW2 Dunkirk evacuation (masterminded from Dover Castle in Kent, by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay, a  distant family relation).

I’d been tipped off that the highlight of the entire Maidstone River Festival weekend is always the Saturday afternoon raft race, and that’s what drew me to visit. I watched as teams of amateurs in fancy dress first contest a competition for best turned out raft, and then race on their home made craft, against the current, upstream from Whatmans Park to old Maidstone bridge, next to the county town’s law courts.  Having completed the race, which was won this year by Maidstone Canoe Club in ‘HMS Thrust’, competitors take turns to try and sink each others craft with flour bombs and jets of water, as they turn and drift back downstream to the start, to the evident delight and amusement of spectators lining the banks, and looking down from the bridges spanning the course (the best vantage point for taking photos).

The event co-incides with a funfair at Lockmeadow; and all along the town centre towpath, and in the car park near All Saints Church, are stalls selling fast food, raffle tickets and other trinkets, and stages with live musical entertainment. It was a lovely sunny day, and I also made another interesting discovery a new waterside restaurant, ‘The Barge,’ moored up adjacent to The Archbishops Palace, which looked like a nice place for riverside dining with a bit more style, inside and out. I plan to give it a try before the summer’s out, although it says on the website that it’s open year round!

There are a couple of other nautical diversions on offer in summer in Maidstone that are likely to be of particular interest to the casual visitor. These include one hour cruises downriver from central Maidstone to Kent Life heritage farm and museum of rural life, on the paddle steamer Allington Belle, which also operates two hour summer evening cruises from the Malta Inn Beefeater and adjacent Premier Inn at Sandling on Wednesdays and Friday evenings at 7.30 pm (booking essential). Motor cruiser Kentish Lady is a family business also operating trips to Kent Life, and they also offer 3 hour trips up the Medway to Teston Lock and back. I’ve walked along the towpath in this area, and can recommend the rural scenery you’ll encounter. For dates and times check the website.

More summer fun afloat in Dorset
Back on the south coast, if you’re looking for something a bit different, the summer barbecue cruise on Saturday nights at 7pm from Tuckton Bridge on the lower reaches of the rivers Stour and Avon in Christchurch, is an interesting propostion on a warm evening, with a one hour trip on the river followed by a barbecue and New Forest Ice cream. More information or phone for details on 01202 429119. A riverside table at the Captains Club Hotel on the river Stour might be a safer (but more expensive) bet if the weather looks a bit iffy.  For those game enough for a more nautical adventure, how about a boat trip out across Christchurch Harbour for a ‘Safari supper’ at the Beach House Cafe on Hengistbury Head. The next one is scheduled for August 13th, but you can also get out to this idyllic location the long way round, via the land train that operates from the main car park at Hengistbury Head, as well as by ferry from Mudeford Quay. Whenever the weather is fine, they put flags up to show from a distance that they’re open.

Expect the weather to play an important part in the success of such ventures as these. Experience suggests that there’s often a last minute flood of bookings in fine weather; but advance booking is vital to be sure of a place whenever such trips do go ahead. My advice is always to enquire well in advance, and, if you’re ever in a position to make recommendations about boat trips, include a caveat about watching the weather forecast, as safety is always paramount, and trips can get cancelled at short notice.

Looking for inspiration or help with marketing ?

If you seek nautical adventure, boat sales or hire for yourself or your customers in your local area, the definitive guides to navigable inland waterways in Britain, including the ‘River Thames and southern waterways’ edition, are published by Collins/Nicholson and available online from retailers such as Amazon.

If you’re a tourism business looking for new marketing ideas, Virtual Viv could help you. We can inspire you by sharing case studies, and can teach you basic DIY marketing skills. Contact us for more information.

Until next time…

Summer’s here and the living is easy!

I went to Gatwick airport this weekend. On a Friday afternoon in July I expected it to be busy, yet the Easyjet check in at North Terminal check in was quiet.  I didn’t have a problem getting a space on the first floor of the short term car park, and I came away glad that I wasn’t flying off to the Med myself. It’s another staycation for me this summer, and it’s already apparent that I’m not alone.

Thanks to factors as varied as the threat of the volcanic ash cloud returning,  people who’ve had their holiday budgets blown by the last Icelandic eruption, to fear of ongoing recession, the World Cup, and the simply fantastic weather that saw Wimbledon fortnight 2010 uninteruppted by rain, all the cicumstantial evidence that I’m aware of seems to point to another boom year for UK staycationing.

Buy produce and learn about fruit growing in The Garden of England

When the weather’s good there’s simply no place like England in summer, and it’s been beautiful in the south these past few weeks. In Kent, aka ‘The Garden of England’, the cherry season is now in full swing – always something I particularly look forward to. At Brogdale, near Faversham, home of the national fruit collection, they held their cherry festival this weekend.

If you live in Kent, are here on holiday, or planning a visit, Brogdale is a great place to buy and learn about the various fruits grown in Kent. Indeed if you want to learn about actually growing your own fruit, Brogdale is one of the best places to come, as you can go on guided tours of the orchards and nut platts and buy the various plants, bushes and trees, which are also sold online. They have a seasonal programme of fruit related events too. This year’s programme is typical:

Cherry festival	July	10 – 11
Plum Day	August	15
Nut Day	September	19
Cider Festival	September	25 – 26
Apple festival	October	23 – 24

Where to find the best cherries

In my humble opinion though, the very best cherries of all are those sold at The Cherry Basket, a pop-up roadside kiosk on the north side of the Cranbrook road outside the village of Goudhurst, in Kent, half a mile beyond the Taywell Farm shop (a good place incidentally for local asparagus, blueberries and strawberries).

The Cherry Basket is only ever there from late June until mid July annually, so catch it while you can – it’s well worth waiting for! That’s my latest picture of their produce above.   This year these most succulent of cherries cost £5.50  per kilo basket. They’re just the best, and there’s absolutely nothing like eating them fresh, straight from the stall. The carefully netted trees where they grow can be seen in the fields right alongside, and you can just taste the freshness.

NEW – what to do when you find something you like in Kent

Share your secrets with the world on the brand new My Kent website.

What I can do for you

As well as being a Kentish cherry fan and active blogger, I’m a content strategist. If you represent a business or a destination management organisation, and you’re looking to outsource, I’m someone who can research, interpret, contextualise and produce original multi-platform content for you, and commission the images to go with it. If  you’re interested in finding out more, contact me at Manifold Associates.

Until next time…

An insiders guide to making an exhibition of yourself

When I was recently offered the opportunity of showcasing my business at a consumer exhibition, I jumped at the chance. It seemed to offer a good opportunity to see if I could  generate some local sales leads, even although it meant giving up a precious day of my time over a weekend, usually reserved as sacrosanct family time. However I soon discovered, whether you’re a visitor to an exhibition, or an exhibitor hosting a stand, if it’s a summer event, there can be a lot to think about. One thing’s for sure, during the course of the day I learned a lot!

Supporting charity
The exhibition was part of a community open day for the Kent air ambulance, and held at their headquarters and operational base. The life saving air ambulance service of Kent is entirely dependent upon the community, particularly the groups, clubs, business, organisations and individuals who fundraise on its behalf. It happens to be based in our local village, and is a real lifesaver when major incidents or serious road traffic accidents occur. I’ve seen how it the benefited a local farmer we know, who was seriously injured in a tractor accident on neighbouring land, some distance from the nearest road.

I try to support local charities, and it’s something clients notice long term, on a subliminal level. That’s why I make sure I always buy Kent Air Ambulance Christmas Cards, and contribute to their fundraising activities when I can.

Some of the interesting ways Kent Air Ambulance create an additional buzz for visitors of all ages on their open day, which is aimed mainly at fundraising from the general public, is to bring in children’s amusements, vintage car owners clubs, and an entertaining Star Wars costuming group called UK Garrison.

How weather plays a part

If an event is partially held outdoors, as this one always is, the weather can be an important influence on overall success. This is something that exhibitors and visitors need to bear in mind. On this occasion the event was held on one of the hottest days of the year (so far).

One has to dress appropriately for temperatures approaching 30ºC and high humidity, which dictated an airy linen dress for me (linen or silk, blended with cotton as a less expensive alternative,  are usually the best bet for the more formal items of clothing when it’s really hot), and comfortable shoes. There’s nothing more off putting for visitors than a perspiring exhibitor!

You don’t want to look like you’re suffering from stress if you hope to make a positive and favourable impression on people. My advice is check the weather forecast and dress accordingly, and go for a layered look if there’s any uncertainty. Exhibition visitors will also feel more comfortable heeding this advice.

Another aspect to consider is the effect of extreme temperature on plant displays. In these times of austerity it seemed appropriate to use skills honed in the local church flower arranging circle to save on the cost of decorating my stand, by creating two fresh flower arrangements myself. My arrangements included some billowy pink peonies from the garden. In spite of overnight conditioning, some of the peonies began to wilt noticeably in the heat. By mid afternoon it became necessary to remove two blooms that had begun to go brown round the edges. Keep everything watered, and whisk away any dead or dying stuff – at exhibitions appearances count for a lot.

Postioning considerations

I was lucky that my stand was postioned by an entrance, which is usually a high traffic area, (retail experts call this space with high footfall), and therefore with greater potential to generate stand visitors.  Corner spots are often good too, as you can capture visitors passing in two directions. Premium stand positions may be priced to exhibitors at a premium. In this case try at least to get an ‘early bird rate’ by committing to exhibit early on.

Something I hadn’t thought about at all was air flow. I’d decided to use multi coloured helium balloons to help attract attention to my stand. It wasn’t a bad idea, but what I didn’t realise was that a position by a door can mean a strong one way draught develops, and my balloons were being dragged in unwanted directions across the front of the stand and into a neighbouring space. So I had to forget the long weighted strings I’d planned to use to display them either side of my stand, and tether them on a shorter string to the pole adjacent to the entrance. Take some duct or gaffer tape as a contingency.

Creating an impact on your stand

Hosting an exhibition stand involves capturing the interest of passing visitors, who as a matter of course usually try and avoid eye contact.  This is somewhat unnerving at first, but you can use the implications to your advantage. Here are a few other ideas I’ve picked up:

• Have a handout, which explains what you do at a glance, and what the stand is all about. It gives you an excuse to accost people as they pass.
• Offer a business card prize draw in a glass bowl. It can be useful for generating leads and has the benefit of forcing people to venture up to your desk.
• Branded carrier bags can work well, but make them tasteful and give thought to relevant but lightweight content.
• Everyone attending an exhibition likes to pick up free stuff and have something to put it in, but most gets thrown away later, unless it’s attractive, genuinely useful or both. No one wants anything heavy or tacky.
• Signage and display material should support your message; but at a glance.
• Pop up banners are a great idea, but give careful thought to the format and content in detail, or the investment can be wasted. Have your name and logo prominently on the top, not at floor level where people can’t see it, let alone read it.
• Draft a bulleted list of services offered, and try and use one, or perhaps two, clear graphics or representational images to illustrate what’s on offer in your handout. Make sure to include contact information and your website address.
• Avoid assuming that visitors understand jargon words or acronyms.  For example, if you’ve won an award it’s better to imagine explaining it to someone outside your industry sector, and explaining in full each word making up the constituent letters.
• Hand out business cards, so bring a good stock, and collect them from visitors if it’s a trade show. Consumers won’t have them though; so you must either ensure you give them a reason, or way, to remember you, or you must solicit their contact details, for example by collecting competition entries!Otherwise you have no way to follow up their interest.
• Tell your friends and business contacts you have an exhibition stand. They’ll probably enjoy coming to see someone they know, and it gives you an opportunity to update them on new services or developments they’re likely to be interested in.
• Watch the inimitable Geoff Burch’s guide to making an exhibition of yourself on You Tube

Give thought to taking a break

If you’re in the awkward position, like I was, of running an exhibition stand on your own, give thought to a way of allowing yourself time to take breaks. I persuaded my husband to look after things while I took a lunch break, and this also had the benefit of allowing me enough time to visit other stands and distribute my handout.  It probably doesn’t look good to have to eat  lunch in front of visitors to your own stand.

My final piece of advice is to make friends with fellow exhibitors at stands nearby. They might be prepared to reciprocate if you agree to mind their stand for a few minutes, and you never know, they might even be interested in what you have to offer.

Taking things further

As well as occasionally making an exhibition of myself , if you run a small business, I can teach  you DIY PR and marketing skills. For larger organisations looking to outsource, I can deliver PR and marketing related training workshops and help with  content strategy on a freelance basis. For more information about the services we offer, contact me at Manifold Associates or visit our website.

Until next time…

Be a bystander in 2012… or sail into history?

A question of salt

This weekend I came to stay in Maldon Essex, somewhere I’d never been to before. I already knew about Maldon salt of course, I use it myself in cooking.  I half expected to see the salt factory, and take a tour, but there was no signage in evidence in the town, and there’s nothing on the website to indicate that it’s possible to visit, just lots of information including a video presentation about the manufacturing process, and a history of the business.

It was a sunny day, so, instead, based on a vague notion that Maldon must be on the coast or a tidal river,  I strolled down the High Street in seach of the quay from my base at the Blue Boar Hotel, a photogenic old coaching inn. Full of character, I was amazed to discover it even has its own on-site Farmers brewery, and, on the day I visited, a beer festival was in progress to re-inforce the point!

Summer attractions on the Hythe at Maldon

Passing by way of the well signposted local visitor information office, which although closed, distributes a free local guide, I soon found the quay, passing historic St Mary’s church on the way.

The Hythe is a lively place with several waterfront pubs, and posters advertising crabbing competitions (with monetary prizes) and other exciting sounding children’s adventure activities taking place locally. More information about visiting Maldon.

On the day I was there, river cruises were operating on the tidal river Blackwater, although I was unfortunately too late in the day to join one. However, one other interesting thing I found were plenty of advertisements from a company called Topsail Charters,  offering various adventures on board historic Thames Sailing Barges, one of which was tied up alongside the quay.

About Thames Sailing barges

I’ve discovered that, in their heyday, around 1860, there were up to 5,000 of these fine old ships, with their distinctive red ochre sails, operating as cargo vessels on the east coast of Britain, with the last few working until the 1960s. In Maldon the version known as a ‘stackie’ was used to transport bales of straw and hay, stacked to a level halfway up the mast, away from local arable farms.

Built for ease of handling, with a mast that pivots to allow them to sail under relatively low bridges, Thames Sailing Barges have a shallow draft and flat bottom. This means that they can rest without support on mudflats at low tide, in the shallow tidal rivers and creeks that are found along the Thames estuary. At the turn of the twentieth century the sailing barge fleet still numbered over 2,000 – but today only a handful of these traditional barges survive, restored and converted for leisure usage.

More pictures of sailing barges

Onboard adventures

With prices advertised for Maldon departures starting at £17 per head for a two hour two island cruise to £30 for a 3 and a half hour trip with a traditional ploughmans and apple crumble lunch, a cruise onboard a Thames Sailing Barge can be an attractive proposition. There are also various options for birdwatching cruises (sailing is almost silent, remember); and you can even hire out a barge out of season for a static self catering weekend if you’re worried about seasickness.

There are options for everything from team building events, to weddding receptions held aboard Thames Sailing barges. They’re available from Ipswich, London, Maldon or Tilbury, with operation broadly possible on the east coast of Britain between Aldeburgh in the north, down to Faversham in Kent in the south. More information and full details.
There is also a Thames sailing barge based at Whitstable in Kent offering summer cruises. More information

Thames estuary summer racing schedule

For a real adventure and fantastic photo opportunities, you can watch Thames sailing barge match races , held each summer.  Here are the remaining dates of the to be held in the summer of 2010:

* July 3 Thames (Gravesend)
* August 7 Swale (Faversham)
* August 28 Southend
* September 4 Colne (Brightlingsea)

Book well in advance if you’re interested in joining a racing barge for the day (for safety reasons on board participation is not permitted). Some of the races can also be followed on a spectator boat. These are annual events, so  check online for dates announced for future years.  Spaces for 2012 are likely to be particularly in demand in the weeks immediately prior to the London games, so I’d recommend planning ahead.

London 2012  – opening ceremony news

This week it’s been announced that Oscar-winning Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry, will direct and produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the London 2012 Games. Find out how to register your interest in booking tickets.

A standalone production company, London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd, has now been set up and will be based in Three Mills Studio near the Olympic Park in East London, which I saw on a recent visit. For more information about what’s happening on on the ground in East London and at the Olympic Park at the moment, see my previous post dated May 25 on the subject, visit the London 2012 website or Inside the Games, a news site.

How Viv can help you

There will be increasing media interest in stories about tourism and the UK visitor economy during the run up to London 2012 . Commission me to help you with writing  about, filming or  photographing your destination or business, or simply researching and writing punchy copy about newsworthy events you’re involved in organising.

I’ll cut to the quick and won’t go over the top with waffle, puff  or hyperbole. A true content strategist, I can package up information in the form of anything from website content or advertorials, to news releases or video scripts, to match your end user needs.  I’ll take real pride in doing a great job, so why not contact me at Manifold Associates to find out more.

Until next time…

Minding the gap? Why writing can be a challenge…

You may have wondered why there’s been a gap in posts in the last week or so. The answer’s quite simple. As you’ve probably realised by now, I make a living through my use of word and image, and the assistance that I give to other businesses, to help them more effectively  market themselves or their  destination to consumers, or other businesses.

I’m a one man band – and what that means in reality is, that it really is just me that does all the work. It can be very fulfilling, but it takes a lot of time. So when I’m really really busy, something has to give, and this time it was Virtual Viv that had to feel the pain.

Time managment for creative types

Problems can occur with a blog due to unecessary time spent on procrastination. I’ve  found it can be a problem selecting a single topic to focus on, even when theoretically I have a free choice. I like to be topical, and several themes I’ve been mulling over in recent weeks continue to compete for attention; and I couldn’t decide which to dash off quickly, like I usually do. It was only when I realised that too much time was elapsing, and that I had to make a decision or risk alienating everyone who looks out for my posts, that I simply got down to writing about an entirely new topic, unblocking the metaphoriacal ‘log jam’ in my torrent of thoughts, and solving my problem ‘at a stroke’.

Still a relative ‘newbie’, I find as I get used to regular blogging that the answer is to write up a plan and initial draft of potential topics and a stock of photography to accompany them. This does go slightly against the grain with me; but nevertheless the words can always be kept topical, and new photos can always be taken.  For me the best type of plan is one that can be flexible and has potential to be changed if necessary.

Avoiding stress

I pride myself on  anticipating how long something’s going to take; but like many writers I’ve discovered the hard way that it’s sometimes hard to be accurate. Like anyone, I can get thrown when I find things taking far longer than I’d thought.

I don’t think I’m alone in getting stressed by the realisation that I’ve got less time to do the things I need to do, than I thought I had, especially at this busy time of year. What I’ve found by experience, is that this is most likely to happen when I have to push  boundaries in my own knowledge while I’m working, something which, in our fast moving digital age, always has the potential to occur. The answer, I’ve realised is to work in a smarter way, not just be smarter about marketing, and allow for such a contingency.

Absorbing new stuff is important

Now don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy learning new things. No one could accuse me of being an old dog which refuses to learn new tricks.   In the last two or three years, I’ve managed to find time to learn German and pass the GCSE exam, study Geology to AS level at a school with a group of 17 year olds, taking and passing another exam in the process; and try video editing  (not my thing at all) and screen printing (which I intend to continue). I’m also currently learning Italian, and hope to take that forward to GCSE as well.

I also subscribe to other blogs and loads of e-newsletters. Among those I currently find most useful are Travolution, Travelmole and Travel Blather, which gets my vote as a great blog.

When it comes to writing, there’s a lot of really sensible advice in the book ‘Brilliant Copywriting’ by Roger Horbury (ISBN 978-0-273-72734-7).

Learning from past errors

When you’re in the middle of a big but exciting research and writing project, as I’ve been over the past few weeks, it can be easy to allow it to take over your life.  That’s never likely to be a good move, and must be avoided.

Determined to do things differently this time, I continued much as usual this time, even wearing a wig and dark glasses to a party to avoid being recognised as tired and haggard, which perhaps was going a bit far! However I didn’t miss my exercise class and even managed to fit two days on long distance walks, and deliver a breakfast presentation about my business, to an audience of local business people from outside the tourism industry. This really helped crystallise my thoughts about how to explain better exactly what it is that I do. More about that in a future post…

So apologies to everyone who’s wondered about the decline in frequency of posts. You’ll be glad to know that I’m now back on the straight and narrow, determined to keep up with near weekly posts (I think it’s only fair to retain some flexibility).

Did you realise that you  could commission Virtual Viv to help you with writing  about, filming or  photographing your destination or business. I never go over the top with waffle, puff  or hyperbole. A true content strategist, I can find a great angle for your news; creating or writing anything from website content or advertorials, to news releases or video scripts – I’ve got plenty of form – and I’ll take real pride in doing a great job for you too! So why not contact me at Manifold Associates to find out more.

Until next time…