CLIENT Beech Mountain Tourism and Development Authority (Beech TDA)
Beech Mountain, NC
OBJECTIVE
To increase occupancy tax dollars in Beech Mountain, North Carolina,
through tourist rentals of condominiums, country inns and private
homes.
CHALLENGE
Beech Mountain is located 5,506 feet above sea level in the high country
of North Carolina. It is primarily known for Ski Beech, one of the
southeast’s best winter destinations. Due to the economy, Beech
rental revenue had steadily declined over a three-year period. Winter
is traditionally a strong season for Beech, the rest of the year tourism
traffic waned significantly. The marketing budget for Beech is limited,
requiring selective marketing.
SOLUTION
Beech had worked with several advertising agencies over the years to
develop a market position. The agreed-upon position and the one we
adopted was “Beech Is Eastern America’s Highest Incorporated
Town.” Over the year’s, various market surveys had been
done by the Beech TDA to determine the types of tourists Beech Mountain
attracted and their points of origin. Prior to its association with
Gotham, Beech Mountain engaged in costly traditional media including
billboards, radio and magazine advertising. Such mass-media campaigns’ require
bigger budgets to achieve the consistency desired to reach the audience.
Gotham’s
first suggestion for Beech was a comprehensive strategic marketing
plan. After collecting all past market data and rental trends, and
conducting conversations with key stakeholders on the mountain, Gotham
provided comprehensive messaging and tactics to promote Beech as
a year-round destination. Gotham persuaded the Beech TDA to view
the mountain as a comprehensive “product.” To make the “product” as
strong as possible, it was vital to unify the Beech TDA, Beech Mountain
Chamber of Commerce, Beech Mountain Resort (Ski Beech) and the private
Beech Mountain Club, which offered dining, tennis, swimming, fitness
activities and golf.
Ten viral marketing strategies were included in
the strategic marketing plan to create newsworthy, word-of-mouth
buzz and to help mitigate the low marketing budget. Gotham concentrated
the bulk of Beech Mountain’s
marketing focus away from costly mass media and to online efforts including
a new web presence, a blog, a comprehensive full-color brochure, optimized
public relations, random search engine optimization and regionalized
pay per click. Rounding out the marketing effort were some traditional
media in targeted radio and in magazines with a long shelf life. The
Beech TDA also was able to partner with the Beech Mountain Club to
offer a free golf, stay and play package to help bolster the traditionally
weak summer months.
RESULTS
Within the first seven months of Gotham’s working together with
the Beech TDA, occupancy tax (indicative of lodging rentals) had grown
by 14 percent. Web traffic has grown by 21,000 new visitors in just
five months.
Joint efforts are continuing among the Beech TDA, Beech
Mountain Club, Beech Chamber and Ski Beech Resort to add cohesion
and consistency to the marketing of Beech Mountain.
