Marketing Program

M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Issue Date:
New in 2006.
Circulation:
Cost:
2006: $2,500
2006: 218 leads; $11.47 per inquiry
Marketing Program
AAA World
7.10
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Issue Date:
2002, 2004, 2005, 2006.
Circulation:
Cost:
2002: $2,061.25
2004: $3,646.50
2005: $6,630.00
2006: $6,630.00
2003:
2004:
2005:
2006:
1,198 leads; $1.64 per inquiry
3,646 leads; $2.41 per inquiry
741 leads; $8.95 per inquiry
1,769 leads; $3.75 per inquiry
Marketing Program
WV Wild & Wonderful
7.11
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Issue Date:
2002, 2004, 2005, 2006.
Circulation:
Cost:
2002: $917.50
2004: $925
2005: $925
2006: $925
2003-04: 359 leads; $5.13 per inquiry
2005: 75 leads; $12.33 per inquiry
2006: 8,264 leads; $0.11 per inquiry
Marketing Program
SWV CVB
7.12
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Blue Ridge Country offers a terrific opportunity to target your message regionally. Editorial focus is on
mountains of the South, covering Ohio, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North
and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Information
from hiking trips to country roads to wildlife features.
Issue Date:
Four issues in 2003. Four issues in 2004. Five issues
in 2006.
Circulation:
425,000
Cost:
2003: 4 x $720 = $2,880
2004: 4 x $720 = $2,880
2006: 5 x $630 = $3,150
2003-04: 1,613 leads; $3.12 per inquiry
2005: 102 leads; $28.24 per inquiry
2006: 793 leads; $3.97 per inquiry
Marketing Program
Blue Ridge Country
7.13
Marketing Plan for
The Midland Trail
Scenic Highway Association
updated February 2007
Marketing Plan:
Past Successes
7.2
Midland Trail Scenic Highway’s award winning marketing efforts have propelled our once fledgling all
volunteer organization to a new plateau. After receiving National Scenic Byway status for the eastern
119-mile section Midland Trail/Route 60 and WV Scenic Byway status for the remaining 61 miles we
began immediately to instill the concept of a 180-linear community preparing to greet the public.
It was through building partnerships around the WV Tourism cooperative advertising program that we
were able to build the concept. With help of partners along the Byway, we produced a 120-page full
color 2003-4 Midland Trail Destination Guide and set up a marketing program, distribution system and
an effective tracking system.
Initial Challenges
In planning the Guide and marketing campaign we found we
had a couple problems to overcome:
1. The NSB section had been active for years and had built name
recognition with mile markers installed around 1992.
2. The western extension did not have an active organization, nor
the name recognition provided. There were several active wellfunded trail organizations. When we said Midland Trail, especially on the western extension, folks thought we were talking about
a rails-to-trails project, not a scenic car route.
Huntington, part of the western
extension
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Southern Living covers today's South. Through a comprehensive
editorial package highlighting foods, travel, homes and gardens, it
addresses the bond between the South's traditional and
cosmopolitan attitudes. It is a lifestyle guide for Southerners, or
Southerners at heart. Plus the state of West Virginia is featured in
every issue. West Virginia advertisers will always be placed within
the West Virginia section.
Issue Date:
Spring travel issues – 2004, 2005, 2006.
Circulation:
1.3 Million in the South Central Region and the Mid-Atlantic Region
(OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, KY, TN, MS, AL, DE, DC, PA, NY, VA, NC)
Cost:
2004: $3,500
2005: $2,680
2006: $3,500
2004: 3,318 leads; $0.95 per inquiry
2005: 7,926 leads; $0.34 per inquiry
2006: 605 leads; $5.97 per inquiry
Marketing Program
Southern Living
7.14
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Specially designed, multiple-page, 4-color West
Virginia exclusive newspaper insert.
Issue Date:
New in 2006.
Circulation:
Beckley Register-Herald 28,710
Bluefield Daily Telegraph 20,217
Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail 95,000
Clarksburg Exponent Telegram 20,446
Elkins Inter-Mountain 11,797
Fairmont Times West Virginian 12,422
Huntington Herald-Dispatch 35,552
Logan Banner 10,135
Morgantown Dominion Post 24,547
Parkersburg News/Sentinel 31,578
Wheeling Intelligencer/News-Register 32,600
Williamson Daily News 10,500
Baltimore Daily Sun (MD) 50,000
Cleveland Plain Dealer (OH) 56,093
Columbus Dispatch (OH) 75,000
Frankfort State Journal (KY) 10,075
Louisville Courier-Journal (KY) 25,000
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) 75,000
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (PA) 50,000
Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) 50,000
Washington Post (DC) 60,000
Total Circulation: 784,672
Cost:
2006: $2,000
2006: 2,682 leads; $0.75 per inquiry
Marketing Program
Madden Preprint Media
7.15
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
American Road Magazine, whose purpose is
"celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear
and the joys of driving them today," has been
added to our media mix for 2007. We look forward to evaluating our appeal to a readership
directly interested in planning trips on scenic
byways.
Marketing Program
American Road
7.16
M a r k e t i n g P r o g r a m f o r The Midland Trail
Editorial Content:
Issue Date:
2004, 2005, 2006.
Circulation:
2.1 million (readership = 4.2 million).
DE, DC, MD, WV, and VA.
Cost:
2004: $7,609.20
2005: $2,900
2006: $2,000 (reduced ad size)
2004: 26 leads; $292.66 per inquiry
2005: 28 leads; $103.57 per inquiry
2006: 267 leads; $7.49 per inquiry
Marketing Program
AAA Tour Book
7.17
Midland Trail Website:
www.midlandtrail.com
Features the Entire 180-mile Midland Trail Byway
Highlights Trail Attractions / Partners
Clickable Guide Request Feature on Home Page
Over 80 Guides Requested Monthly, Since August ‘04
7.18
Hospitality Training
Tourists come to the Midland Trail Byway for many reasons. For some it is the most direct route to the outdoor
adventure and sports and relaxation offered in WV’s forests, gorges, and streams; History buffs come for Civil
and Revolutionary War and pioneer heritage cultural and historical tourism; for others it is the path their
ancestors used to escape to freedom from slavery. Others seek art, quilts, and antiques.
Welcome Centers and other travel info providers direct tourists to particular points of interest. Personnel in
either of these Centers have had very limited, if any, opportunity to visit and learn about what the others have
to offer. Our training would include visits to the sites and activities all along Trail and provide "cross-training "
so each center and business could knowledgeably point tourists to other areas and attractions.
Highlights of the Hospitality Training Program
Understanding the Byway Story and Head for the Hills Marketing campaign
Understanding and Using the Midland Trail Mile Marker system
Familiarize with the points of interest along the entire 180-mile Byway
What brings people back to the Trail again and again? Thoughtful, caring, welcoming people
Plain talk about the Intrinsic Qualities of the Byway
1. History 2. Scenery 3. Nature 4. Recreation 5. Culture 6. Archeology
What's important to the MT Traveler?
Road conditions, Signs, Information, Restrooms, Shops, Lodging, Emergency needs
Special Needs Travelers
Knowledge of Special needs, Handicapped accessible sites, Baby friendly sites, Sight impaired,
special or minority interest sites, (empathy training)
Enthusiasm for and about the Trail
7.19
Upcoming Traveler Survey
From our new central office, MTSHA has established an effective Guide distribution program and a tracking and
evaluation system. We track inquires and distribution and measures the Cost Per Inquiry from responses from our
limited paid advertising budget.
For bulk distribution we have approximately 200 outlets - including Welcome Centers, partners, and others distributing the Guide along the Trail and its gateways. Midland Trail Guide has become a must have for a variety of
fairs, festivals, reunions, and public events.
We included devices in the Guide itself like a contest, reader response card and coupons to measure users interests, usage, and location. Partners tell us customers are utilizing the Guides to find their services. Midland Trail's
name recognition has soared -- Even the local TV weatherman often refers to Route 60 as "up the Midland Trail".
It is now time to initiate the second phase of our tracking system, which will include a market survey of a sampling of our database of 9000+ visitors who have used our materials and traveled the Byway. The goal here will
help us better understand Visitors’ needs and their impressions of the Byway, and their impressions of our materials. We will utilize the information as we work with partners and towns along the Trail to plan new accommodations and attractions, and as we design future materials.
Methodology for Traveler Survey
Select a random cross-section of travelers who have requested our materials. Choose a sample from each of the
advertisers and from the two groups we know used the Guide because they returned either the Reader Response
Card or entered the Contest.
We will work with a professional surveyor, but generally we want to know:
1. Confirm where they got the Guide.
2. Did they travel the Trail?
3. What was purpose of the trip? What did they do?
4. How long was the trip? How much money did they spend?
5. Did they visit any other attractions as a result of the Guide?
6. Did they enjoy the trip?
7. Will they return?
7.20
Public Education & Media Relations Program:
7.21
We have learned that editorial is vital to marketing program. We have been very lucky to get articles in Car and Driver, Cadillac,
Jeep, Outside Magazine, because our Byway is growing in national reputation for outdoor adventure and scenic vistas.
Development and distribution of a press kit - which we will utilize in attracting group tours, charter coaches, and travel writers to
our area. We will explore the potential for combined, coach train, and river travel.
As we undertake new projects like mile markers and “Share Our Heritage” Illustration project we will have several opportunities
for free press and media events.
Awards and Features in National Publications
Best Print Article –
"Riding the Midland Trail" by Beth Gorczyca,
which appeared in the Huntington
Herald-Dispatch on Nov. 10, 2002.
“Car and Driver Features the Midland Trail”
“The Fall 2003 Edition of the Charleston
Magazine presents Fall on the Midland Trail”
“The Midland Trail will be featured in an
upcoming edition of Outside Magazine”
Press Releases
Have Garnered Successful Publication
in Local & Regional Newspapers
The Register-Herald
The Hancock County Courier
The Nicholas Chronicle
The Cabell Record
Mountain Messenger
The Putnam Democrat
Target-Market Public Education and PR Program
7.22
Our target-market public education and public relations program will help partners and tour planners to direct tourists with special
interests to other parts of the Trail. The piece will be broken into specialized areas of interest aimed to attract different target markets
such as antique collectors, civil war buffs and adventure-seekers (i.e. A special section locating antique shops can be used at the
Huntington's Old Central City to refer antiques lovers to Lewisburg, and vice versa because we know those interested in antiques
travel to shop for them.)
Heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing market segments so another specialized section will highlight points of historical
interest all along the Trail. Likewise for hiking and biking trails, and the others. For many transplanted West Virginians Midland Trail
is the road back to "the old home place”. We have learned from our free publicity that WV weekly newspapers are an economical way
to reach out-of-state subscribers with an interest in West Virginia. We also know that the primary reasons visitors come to WV is to
visit friends and family. Part of our instate media message will be geared to encourage West Virginians to take their visitors to enjoy
activities offered on the Midland Trail.
Partnerships
MTSHA's marketing partners involves not only the usual suspects of tourism, like hotels and restaurants, but we extend our circle to
include a wide variety of traveler-based businesses, CVBs, colleges, community leaders, community organizations and local officials.
Not only does this involvement assure our Guide is well distributed and our message heard, but we also seek their involvement in
formulating our marketing and development plans as we build tourism to a viable segment of our economic base.
The recent Guide and marketing program was a first step in getting the entire Trail to think of itself as a 180-mile linear community
with the common interest of promoting tourism all along the Trail. Much work remains as we help our all our partners and those who
live, work, and travel US 60 to become familiar with the amenities, attractions and offerings all along the Trail. Our philosophy is the
more the tourist finds to do, the longer they stay, the better it is for everyone, so lets help them find lots to do.
175+ Midland Trail Partners Across the 180-mile Byway
Wayne - Cabell Counties
Kenova- Ceredo-Wayne
Pumpkin Heritage Festival
The Collis P. Huntington Railroad
Griffith & Feil Pharmacy
Ceredo Historical Society
Town of Ceredo
Beechfork State Park
HuntingtonBuck’s Fruit Company
Cabell County Fair
Cabell County Library
Calamity Cafe’
Camden Park
Central City Market
Dale Morton Studios
Design by Bowen
Glass Amulet
Heritage Farm Museum & Village
Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau
Huntington Quarterly
Huntington Works! Committee
Lavalette Nursery
Main Street Studio
Museum of Radio and Technology
Ms. Phyllis Sports Bar
Old Central City
Quilts by Phyllis
Subway
BarboursvilleCity of Barboursville
Best Western Huntington Mall
Bob Evans
The Huntington Mall
Outback Steakhouse
Route 60 Music
Sunbeam House
MiltonBlenko Glass
Country Framer
Dairy Queen
Town of Milton
Union Baptist Church
Yesterday’s Memories
Subway
Putnam CountyMain Street Studio
Hurricane CVB
IKON
Putnam County CVB
Quilts by Phyllis
Root Cellar Herbs and Tea Room
Unique Boutique
Wellington’s
Whispering Wisteria
Nitro- Institute- Dunbar Loop
Antiques on the Avenue
City of Nitro
Gino’s Pizza & Spaghetti
Somewhere in Time
Terradon Communications
Tudor’s Biscuit World
West Virginia Trails Coalition
West Virginia State University
Booker T. Washington Institute
City of Dunbar
Huck Finn’s Restaurant
Travelodge Charleston/Dunbar
Kanawha CountyBMW’s
Tri-State Race Track and Gaming Center
Jerry Adkins Salon
Sleep Inn
St. AlbansAW Designs - Amy Whittington
El Rancho Inn
Fret N Fiddle
River’s Edge Cafe
City of St. Albans
St. Albans Historical Council
South CharlestonDOW Chemical
Harley-Davidson
House of Dimitri II
Komax Copiers
Lamp & Shade Studio
Longhorn Steakhouse
Microtel Inn
Precision Tune
Ramada Charleston
South Charleston CVB
Sugarbaskets
TGI Friday’s
Wingate Inn
Charleston405 Capitol Street
Aladdin’s Restaurant
Bank One
Capitol Complex
Charleston Marriott Town Center
Charleston Parks & Recreation
Charleston School of Beauty Culture
Chris’ Hotdogs
Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences
Craik-Patton House
Culinart at the Clay Center
Distinctive Gourmet
Donut Connection
Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream
First Watch
Holiday Inn / Chesapeake Crab House
Holiday Inn Express Civic Center
Ivor’s Trunk
Koenig Art Emporium
Neu Aesthetic Skin Care Clinic
New River Campground
Mulligan’s
Paranzino’s
St. Anthony’s Catholic School
Steve Payne Gallery
Taylor Books
The Annex Gallery
The Brass Pineapple
The Charleston Civic Center
The Roger Lucas Gallery
The Scottish Rite
The Sterling-Mykonos Restaurant
Trivillian’s Pharmacy
University of Charleston
Vision’s Day Spa
Walker Machinery
WV PBS
WV Symphony
West Virginia Lottery
Yeager Airport
West Virginia Cultural Center
Young Floral Co.
7.23
ChesapeakeTown of Chesapeake
Chesapeake VFD
Malden- Belle- QuincyLarry L. Rowe
Malden Antiques
DuPont Chemical
Old Stone House
Quincy Mall
Cedar Grove- GlasgowVirginia’s Chapel
Town of Glasgow
Fayette County
Smithers - Alloy- Glen Ferris
Market Express
Town of Smithers
Wee Rabbit Gift Shop
WV Metals (Alloy)
Glen Ferris Inn
Good Evening Ranch & Feedbox
Sticks and Stones
Gauley BridgeEvan Scent Candles & Gifts
Gauley Bridge Tepees
Town of Gauley Bridge
New River Campground
New River Exxon
Ansted AreaAfrican American Family Tree Museum
Ansted Dairy Queen
Ansted Floral & Gifts
Town of Ansted
Blue Smoke Salsa
Contentment Museum Complex
Dairy Queen
Hawks Nest State Park
L&S Designs
Midland Trail Motel
Mountain Cove Country Store
Mountain Memories Cabins
Mystery Hole
New River Jet Boats
Songer Whitewater
Subway & Shell
HicoAdventure Mountain Rivers
Country Road Cabins
Mountain River Tours
North American River Runners
US 19 North
Nicholas County
SummersvilleHardman’s Hardware
Long Point Cabin
Summersville CVB
US 19 South Fayetteville- Oak Hill areaComfort Inn/New River
Four Columns Inn
Passages to Adventure
White Horse Inn
Robin’s Nest
ACE Adventure
Hidden Cottage
New River NEO-Tropical Festival
New River CVB
Opossum Creek Retreat
Quality Inn
Smokey’s on the Gorge
US National Park Service
Raleigh County BeckleyCracker Barrel
Daniel Vineyards Crab Orchard
Glade Springs Resort
Southern West Virginia CVB
Tamarack
ClifftopBabcock State Park
Camp Washington-Carver
Greenbrier CountyRainelleMeadow River Festival
Rupert
Beech Ridge
Lewisburg1785 Restaurant
Carnegie Hall
Cooper Gallery
Day’s Inn
EcoTheater
Food & Friends
General Lewis Inn
Greenbrier County CVB
Greenbrier Valley Airport
Greenbrier Valley Theatre
Greenway Real Estate
Great Oak Bed & Breakfast
Lee Street Inn
Lewisburg Floral
North House Museum
Patchwork Film
Peddlar’s Alley
Rose Summers Greenway
Real Estate
Stone Hill Realty
Wisteria Bed and Breakfast
Patchwork Films
Peddlar’s Alley Antiques
Robert’s Antiques
Wolf Creek Gallery
White Sulphur SpringsJames Wylie House
Kitten’s Korner
Lillian’s Antique Shop/B&B
New York Life
North House Museum
Oakhurst Links
Open Book
US Fish and Wildlife
RonceverteHarvest Grille
Organ Cave
Ronceverte River Festival
Route 60 American Grill
Rudy’s Corner Grill
Summers & side trips south
Pence Springs- Talcott Hinton area
Thimble & Plow
John Henry Festival
Dillon’s Superette
Talcott Station
Cantrell Ultimate Rafting
Pocahontas County & side trips north
The Current Bed & Breakfast
Brazen Head Inn
Statewide:
American Travel Center
Gino’s Pizza
Harley-Davidson of WV
Shoney’s
Tudor’s Biscuit World
U. S. Airways
West Virginia Culture & History
WV Public Radio
WV DNR Wildlife Division
West Virginia State Parks & Forests
WV Tourism
WV Byways and Backways program
WV Department of Transportation
7.24
More than a Guide, It’s a Marketing Program
7.3
Began branding Midland Trail as Historic U.S. 60, by creating a logo that encircles the historic U.S.
Route 60 badge with the words the Midland Trail National Scenic Highway, a six county map and line
map illustrating the idea of the Midland Trail
as a 180-mile linear community.
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GREENBRIER
Getting Started
7.4
During the production and design phase of our 2003-04 Midland Trail Destination Guide we purposefully chose an autumn
picture of a large curve in Rt. 60 for the front cover of our Guide so people would mentally connect Midland Trail with the
popular curvy road ride to see fall foliage.
We also undertook a low-budget print advertising campaign to build name recognition. We secured the phone number
1-866-Route 60. Our ads have won awards. Through the Cooperative Advertising Program we placed ads in Southern Living,
AAA Tour Book, Blue Ridge Country, WV Wild and Wonderful, Cabela’s, etc.
Our target market was drawing people from the Mid-Atlantic with an interest in travel to West Virginia. To track results of our
advertising each ad had a call to action – call for a Guide. From these efforts over 9000+ individuals have contacted our office
across over the past 18 months, requesting a Guide. We also measure our response by “cost per lead.”
Plus we track distribution tens of thousands Guides through WV Welcome Centers, fairs,festivals and events, and through our
partners along the Byway.
In fact, we are told that our 120-page Midland Trail Destination Guide is the number one requested guide at WV Welcome
Centers.
2007-2008
Guide Cover
2005-2006
Guide Cover
2003-2004
Guide Cover
2001-2002
Guide Cover
Our “Head for the Hills” campaign works
well for several of our target markets:
Outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers think of it as a
call to the cliffs of the New River Gorge for fishing, world-class
rafting and climbing
Urban-escapees
Those longing for the nostalgia of West Virginia Hills
Motorcyclist, sports car enthusiasts, RVers
History buffs, antiquers, treasurer hunters of all sorts think
there is treasure in 'em hills
7.5
Setting the Stage
The recent Guide and marketing program was a first step in getting the entire Trail to think of itself as a 180-mile linear
community with the common interest of promoting tourism all along the Trail. Much work remains as we help all our
partners and those who live, work, and travel US 60 to become familiar with the amenities, attractions and offerings all
along the Trail. Our philosophy is the more the tourist finds to do, the longer they stay, the better it is for everyone, so
lets help them find lots to do.
This Head for the Hills on US Route 60 campaign sets the stage for Midland Trail to be more sophisticated in our branding ourselves as the route to adventure. It is the marketing hook that can be used to beyond the shores of WV to attract
tourists regionally, nationally and internationally to use the Midland Trail as a part of their travel plans. We believe life
begins at the exit ramp and we are targeting those who can be lured away from interstate travel to enjoy the slower pace
offered on our scenic and historic byways (i.e. AAA book).
Build on the Success of our Past Marketing Efforts
We plan to implement a marketing plan containing the following elements:
a cooperative advertising program, a public education & relations program, hospitality training and a traveler survey.
Implementation of this plan will benefit the traveler in three ways:
by allowing us to continue to offer the traveling public well produced, professional information on available attractions
(Our 120-page MT Destination Guide the #1 requested brochure at WV Welcome Centers); hospitality training assures
tourists are greeted and serviced with friendly accurate information and can maximize use of our mile marker system;
and surveying a sampling of our database of 9000+ visitors who have used our materials and traveled the Byway will
help us better understand Visitors’ needs and impressions of the Byway, as we work with partners and towns along the
Trail to plan new accommodations and attractions.
7.6
Next Steps:
Our Marketing plan is a three-fold approach -- designed to strengthen travel within WV across
the 200-mile Trail and to attract a broader geographic region that encompasses the
Mid-Atlantic regions and attract international markets.
Elements that the Marketing Plan include:
A cooperative advertising program
Website: www.midlandtrail.com
Rt. 60 Day-tripper
Public education & relations program
Hospitality training
A traveler survey
Cooperative Advertising Program
Our Cooperative Advertising program includes publication of a Midland Trail Guide, the Route 60 Day-Tripper and
an accompanying marketing program including ads in national publications such as Southern Living, AAA, Blue
Ridge Country and the WV Travel Guide and commercials on regional television stations. We will also continue our
successful complimentary public relations campaign.
7.7
Midland Trail Publications
The MT Destination Guide is the Cornerstone of our Marketing Program.
Partners
Branding
PR Campaign
Paid Advertising
Route 60 Day-Tripper designed to provide up-to-date travel information
and day trips. Big Hit!
Premiere issue released December 2004
10,000 distributed per issue
Features Midland Trail sites and attractions
Guide Distribution Outlets throughout WV:
Welcome Centers
CVBs
Partners
Fairs and Festivals – Guide Distribution
The Pumpkin Festival
Bridge Day
The Nicholas County Potato Festival
Mary Ingles Reenactment
Wayne Fall Festival
The Mystery Train
Chilifest
The Vandalia Gathering
The Ronceverte River
Festival
Symphony Sunday
7.8
2003-2007 Print Advertising Program
Placement and Cost Per Inquiry
On the following pages are examples of our accompanying Mid-Atlantic marketing program geared to motivating potential
visitors to call us for a MT Guide. Sample ads, publications and results are shown. Other visitors get our Guide while in state
from a Welcome Center or from our partners. Visitors use our Guide to find other activities and attractions along the Trail that
entice them to stay longer, come more often or plan a first time visit. The more time travelers spend along the Trail, the more
money they spend.
The top three objectives of this part of our marketing program are:
1. More travelers on the scenic byway
2. Inspiring visitors to travel stay longer or repeat visits to enjoy new sections
of the Byway or other activities on the Byway
3. More money is spent with our partners
Tracking Results:
From our new central office, MTSHA has established an effective Guide distribution program and a tracking and evaluation
system. We track inquiries and distribution and measure the Cost of Inquiry from responses from our limited paid advertising
budget.
Moving forward we will continue with print advertising with the most successful results (i.e., Southern Living, AAA Tour Book,
Blue Ridge Country, Madden preprint newspaper insert, WV Wild and Wonderful) and add television and direct mail to our
media mix, as we can afford it.
Our media program is generating about 2500 requests from individuals per month, via phone, email and mail labels. We ask
each individual how he or she heard about the Guide and record the information. Almost all who call the office directly to
request a Guide tell us they plan to travel on the Trail within the coming six weeks. We have had Guide requests from every
state in the union and 8 foreign countries.
Also, we included other devices in the Guide itself like a contest, reader response card and coupons to measure user interests,
usage, and location. Partners tell us customers are utilizing the Guides to find their services. Midland Trail's name recognition
has soared -- Even the local TV weatherman often refers to Route 60 as "up the Midland Trail”.
7.9