Why is regional marketing a good idea? Where should a regional marketing campaign start? Are there champions for regional marketing in your area, and do they care enough about it to commit the necessary energy and time?
There are many issues that affect the success or failure of regional marketing activities in Australia. In thinking about regional marketing, it is worth asking at the outset how it is different to any other marketing.
The answer is not a lot as far as essential marketing principles go, but there are some differences in what I call the ‘Concentrated Framework of Regional Marketing’.
Most regions are small, in either population or geographic terms. ‘Locals’ usually want to protect their patch making change of any sort difficult to achieve.
This is especially so when marketing designed to shift the paradigm, while building on the existing strengths of a region, is involved.
Why engage in regional marketing?
If you need to be convinced that regional marketing is a good idea, you probably shouldn’t do it. Obviously the answer to this question depends on the needs and objectives of your region.
From an economic development perspective there are many benefits arising from regional marketing, increased tourism and stronger demand for people to visit or do business in your region among them.
From my perspective, any desire for betterment of a region and the lives of those who live in it is reason enough to embark on a carefully considered regional marketing strategy.
Start at the end
A good place to start is at the end. What is the objective or desired outcome? Is it:
- to increase visits or tourism activity and, if
so, by how much? - to keep local ratepayers happy, so they will
vote for you in the next election? - to build economic activity and attract business
investment to your region, thereby increasing employment prospects? - to restore ‘pride of place’ in your region?
- to make the State and/or Federal Government
take notice of your region? - to create an identity – a memorable and
recognised brand for your region? - to bring attention to and help solve local
community issues? - something else entirely, unique to your
region?
The objective is the single most important criteria in any marketing activity, as it determines the future direction of the entire campaign. Without an ‘end goal’ you can waste a lot of time, energy and money.
That is not to say getting agreement on a clear objective is easy.
Self interest, politics and lack of leadership usually come into play.
Perhaps you have noticed within most councils, some Councillors become instant marketing experts and the fountain of all knowledge, as soon as the subject of regional marketing is raised.
This is always amusing, because it doesn’t matter a brass razoo what any individual thinks.
What matters is what your target audience thinks.
The essential truths of successful marketing includes understanding your target audience and communicating in their language.
Both point to the need to focus on what will persuade your target to take the action you want, having seen or been exposed to your marketing.
As the first step in successful regional marketing and the focus of your efforts, it is worth taking the time to get the objective right.
Another important criterion you should start with, which relates to the end results, is success measurement.
How will you determine whether your marketing efforts are successful? It is good to decide on these measures up front.
A strategy that has
everyone on board
With the objective settled, it’s time to determine a strategy to employ to help you achieve it. The strategy must be one that is supported by the majority of stakeholders on an ongoing basis. This requires a consultative process that allows major decision makers a voice – only then will they embrace the direction.
By ‘major decision makers’ I mean those who have a genuine interest and worthwhile contribution to make. There is no time or space in a process like this for people who do not participate properly, who cannot make useful contributions, or who wear blinkers. An ideal number of participants is six to eight people.
Time and time again, I marvel at this ‘truth’. It happens in any sphere of marketing activity – ‘the idea lives near you, it comes from within!’ You probably passed it this morning, or you will see it in action this afternoon. It’s a matter of recognising what it is and putting it front and centre with your target audience.
In determining your creative direction it is critical that you are able to deliver on what you promise in your communications. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise it.
There’s more good news. If you’re looking for stars or champions to front your marketing efforts, they too are alive and well and living near you. They are your neighbours, friends, local storekeepers and identities – people who live in the region. It’s hard to overstate how valuable it can be to build ‘real locals’ into regional marketing campaigns.
They immediately capture credibility and trust. After all, who better to express a passionate point of view? And passion is a vital ingredient. Why? Because passion = truth = belief = results. A winning equation!
Is it time to challenge your comfort zone?
A last thought. It takes guts to break the pattern at a regional marketing level – to not just think outside the square, but outside your comfort zone.
If you are committed to a serious regional marketing program, understand that to be successful you will need to apply different thinking. If you don’t think your regional stakeholders are up to this task, you’re better off continuing to do what you are doing.
*Stewart Kennedy is the Principal of Brighton Road Marketing, a strategic and creative marketing consultancy specialising in regional marketing. He can be contacted on 0414 501 966, email stewart@brightonrd.com.au or visit www.brightonrd.com.au
