Reaching New Heights . . .Reaching New Heights . . .

Relationships: Community, Relationships: Community, Sponsorships, and StewardshipSponsorships, and Stewardship

Chapter XIIIChapter XIII

Integrating Marketing in the Leisure IndustryIntegrating Marketing in the Leisure Industry

Value of RelationshipsValue of Relationships• Fundamental to effective marketing plans• Provide the insight needed to address specific needs• Help gain buy-in to delivering the quality that is

expected and deserved • Create long term communication between board

members, employees, volunteers and consumers which result in achieving agency objectives

Partnership relationship is between at least two agencies that combine efforts or resources for some type of mutual benefit.

Value of partnerships:• Addition or expansion of resources• Reduction of service duplication• Increase in an organization’s visibility and credibility• Enhancement of relationships• Increase in networking opportunities• Development of friendships among staff in different

organizations

PartnershipsPartnerships

Elements for Effective PartnershipsElements for Effective Partnerships

• Leadership support• Target market• Workforce• Cultural fit• Goals and mission• On-going communication• Formalization of partnership arrangements

Cross Promotion Partnership Cross Promotion Partnership (Co-branding)(Co-branding)

Two or more agencies leverage their resources to ultimately attract and better serve target markets.

Co-branding partnerships can be used to:• Gain access to each others’ consumer base• Provide more to existing consumers experiences and

keep them loyal• Expand the consumer base to reach those with

additional offerings • Use promotional/marketing dollars more efficiently and

effectively.

Community RelationsCommunity RelationsCommunity relations is developing partnerships with

local “public service” (community, service and social) agencies to communicate with targeted markets.

• Gaining free coverage or exposure from any number of community sources where the agency is viewed as a positive contributor to the local area, industry and profession

• Example: Involvement and volunteerism in related professional and industry associations

Sample Community Relation Sample Community Relation ActivitiesActivities

• Community service columns• Community service presentations• Organization membership (and participation)• Service on advisory boards• Information booths at other events• Attending and planning community events• Attending and planning charitable events• Volunteering/providing leadership for local,

professional and industry agencies/associations• Cause related support activities

Agencies invest marketing resources in cause-related issues and activities

Benefits:• Enhanced brand awareness• Enhanced brand loyalty• Consumer brand switching

Cause Related MarketingCause Related Marketing

SponsorshipSponsorship

Sponsorship is a cash or in-kind fee paid to an agency in return for access to the exploitable commercial potential associated with the agency (McKnight, 2003).

Agencies solicit sponsors or become sponsors to: • Achieve broad agency objectives such as

enhanced image• Achieve specific target market objectives• Leverage media and marketing communication

exposure with target markets• Align themselves with a partner to be perceived as

one verses two separate agencies

Types of SponsorshipsTypes of Sponsorships

On-site samplingOn-site signage Event partnershipOn-site usage partnershipBrand awareness in promotional literatureAgency privatization partnership

Value of SponsorshipsValue of Sponsorships• Expanded marketing efforts when associated with a positively

viewed brand• Enhanced image and reputation with targeted markets• Altered or enhanced public perception• Build business trade relations and good will• Greater agency awareness, revenue, market share and

participation• Improved employee morale and relations• Agency differentiation from competitors• Improved stakeholder support

(Bennett, 2002; Clark, Cornwell & Pruitt; Verity, 2002)

Approaching Sponsorship Approaching Sponsorship Relationships Relationships

Sponsorships are like any dating relationship (Bunting, 2004):

• Grab the sponsor’s attention • Court the potential sponsor • Ask the potential sponsor for a date • Get to know the sponsor first• Follow up after the date• Commit• Do what you say• Long term relationship

Identifying Successful SponsorsIdentifying Successful Sponsors

1. Identify a target list of potential sponsors2. Learn everything about the potential sponsor3. Understand how the sponsors and the agencies are

similar4. Identify potential mutually beneficial opportunities

where each can have a win-win situation

StewardshipsStewardships

Stewardship represents the agency’s specific decisions designed to protect and preserve long-term relationships with targeted markets and achieve marketing objectives.

External StewardshipInternal Stewardship

Sample of Stewardship Related Sample of Stewardship Related ActivitiesActivities

External (Consumers)• Loyalty programs • Consumer gifts• Consumer notes (e.g. thank you, etc.) • Verbal compliments • WOW – do something unexpected!

• Host a consumer appreciation event

Sample of Stewardship Related Sample of Stewardship Related ActivitiesActivities

Internal (Employees)• Employee incentives tied to performance• Employee gifts • Employee notes (e.g. thank you, etc.) • WOW – do something unexpected! • Host an employee appreciation event • Host annual employee get-togethers

Stewardship ExamplesStewardship Examples

Target market:• Ask a community member to conduct a mystery

shopping experience to better learn of what a particular market segment experiences

• Develop comment cards and make them available for visitors

• Call a patron after he/she has visited to see how they enjoyed his/her experience

• Mail random surveys community members to identify the quality of the department

• Do something special for people . . .WOW THEM

Stewardship ExamplesStewardship ExamplesEmployees:• Provide employees incentives for good performance• Send a thank you to an employee for providing great

guest service• Give an employee an extra day off for superior

performance• Mail employee birthday/work anniversary cards• Conduct an exit evaluation for employees that are

leaving your employment• Empower staff to handle guest situations • Provide staff the training necessary to be experts at their

jobs • Ensure employees are easily identifiable (nametags,

uniforms, standards for appearance, etc.)