Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

10,000

When we relaunched DMOU (Destination Marketing Organization University) as a podcast in the Summer of 2019, I'm not sure we had a goal in mind...other than to share compelling stories from people in and around the Destination Marketing space. It's what we love to do; shining a light on people who are making a difference.

But, waking up this morning to the fact that, overnight, DMOU passed the 10,000 download mark? That's cause for humble celebration.

Thanks to the over 50 guests over the past year and a half that have taken time out of often brutal schedules to share their truths. You inspire us...and we're thrilled to give your voices wings. And, to those that have powered the downloads, thanks for valuing what we've created.

And, if you've yet to listen, the entire library of conversations is available here, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other audio platforms...including our latest episode with Visit Alexandria's Patricia Washington.

Here's to 20,000!

Open for Business

While weddings, concerts and large events have been shown to be potential super-spreader events, we have been excited to see a number of larger conventions and meetings that have been staged without any transmission of the ‘VID. And, that’s because these events are run by professionals for professionals…in other words, people who take safety protocols seriously.

Greg Edwards and his crew at Catch Des Moines recently released a promotional video, assuring meeting and event professionals that the DMO is just as serious about health and safety as they are. And, it carries with it that conspiratorial wink for which Catch Des Moines (and, more specifically, Greg) is known.

Nicely played.

Deb Archer

When I told my Board Chair that I intended to step down to launch my consultancy, he initially considered the process of a national search. I remember giving him "the look" and saying, "Really? Your next CEO is right here...and you know it."

A year previously, we had been able to snare Deb Archer from Visit KC as our VP of Sales. We had help in the process, as she was dating a Madison guy. But, from the moment she joined our team, it was clear to me that, one day, she would lead it and Madison's visitor economy. And, for just over 25 years she has done just that...and then some.

When I stepped away in May of 1995, I was intentional in laying low. Because I had been at the forefront of the fight to build our Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Convention Center, my face was synonymous with the DMO. I wanted to make sure that Deb became the focus. And, during that summer of '95, I rarely ventured out in public.

To set the story, you must know that Deb often busted my chops for spending too much time with elected officials...and not enough helping her close business or schmooze clients. I still smile today when I remember bumping into her on State Street on a brisk autumn day, six months after she had taken the helm..

She gave me "her look" and said, "I really hate you." As I recoiled in surprise, she said with a sigh, "I haven't been able to sell anything in months (and Deb loved to sell). All my time is spent with the Mayor and the Council and the County Board." And, we shared a laugh at what managing a Destination Marketing Organization had become.

Today, Deb announced her retirement from Destination Madison. She never lost her affection for destination sales...but she evolved into one of the best DMO CEOs in the nation. Had she not ultimately married her Madison boyfriend, I have no doubt that she would have gone on to lead a Top 20 DMO. Luckily for us, she stayed here in Madison.

Thank you, Deb, for all you've done for this community. While I may have played a role in the referendum win to build the Convention Center, you powered Destination Madison (the organization and the community) to heights that were unfathomable back then. This community owes you a debt of gratitude that will, sadly, never be repaid.

Now go enjoy your next chapter. You have been a blessing to us all.

 

The Future of Destination Marketing

Just weeks before "the VID," David Peacock was named to head up a consortium, convened by Simpleview, called the Future Tourism Group. Its raison d'etre: to focus on destination development through a lens of tourism stakeholders and their digital presence.

During this crisis, David has been interviewing industry leaders, delving into the concepts that will, hopefully, result in existential changes in the way Destination Marketing Organizations drive their communities forward.

I am honored to have been one of those that David reached out to interview...and allowed me to share my thoughts on the future of this unfortunately misunderstood and undervalued sector. If you'd like to listen in to our conversation, you can find it here.

And, thanks so much to David and Simpleview for the opportunity. You guys rock.

Handling Force Majeure

If Force Majeure was a person, besides having a pretty cool name, they'd likely have a pretty big chip on their shoulder for being ignored by virtually anybody but lawyers.

Force Majeure is a clause in many contracts that essentially allows one out of said contract in cases of natural or unavoidable catastrophes. Like a pandemic (you can hear more on the subject in our conversation with Bryan Grimaldi on the DMOU Podcast).

Leave it to Kevin Shanley and the Team at Kalahari Resorts to use Force Majeuer as a reason to book an event at one of their resorts.

Brilliant.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Girl Scouts

Those with Marketing degrees have got nothing on a Girl Scout Troop in Chicago.

Going door to door to sell cookies is hard...so why not set up shop where your customers will be and let them come to you?

That's what these Girl Scouts did by setting up a stand in front of a cannabis dispensary on North Clark Street.

The Marketing Manager of the store said, "I admire the hustle." 

As do we.

Innovation on Stage

It was a number of years ago. I was presenting at a Tourism industry conference somewhere in the Midwest and was among the audience for the lunch speaker. 

After the presentation concluded, a DMO friend came up to say that she had the best time watching me watch the speaker. "You didn't smile once," she quipped. So, yeah...I'm a critic. Which, isn't my most endearing quality, I guess. But, I am.

I'm also exceptionally competitive. And, when I see a presenter with a better slide deck, I make sure that my next deck is better than theirs next time. When I see a better open or close, I double down to make sure that won't happen again.

I say all that as a preface to sharing a clip from an old friend that has simply dominated in a niche market even tighter than ours in Destination Marketing. Bill Guertin (yeah, we're part of the BG brotherhood) has just developed a Powerpoint-free presentation that is really unique.

It's called the "7 Voices in Your Head" (the trailer is here)...and, if you are engaged in the selection of speakers for your next event, you should give this a look/listen.

Well played, my friend. So well played.

A Lack of Foresight

I'm no longer surprised at such stories...but, continually bemused when I watch a government axe its contract for Destination Marketing services, only to be shocked when, a couple months later, the website is out of date and its social media channels have gone dark.

It's happening again, this time in Solvang CA. This summer, the City Council there terminated its 33-year contract with its Destination Marketing Organization. A few months later, it has occurred to them that they didn't have a Plan B. The City's Public Information Officer said, “We’ve made a request to the CVB repeatedly as well as the city attorney and have not received (online) assets or, frankly, information about where these assets live currently. So we’re waiting on that, and while we wait for that, we’d like to correct information (online) that isn’t correct and also get information about businesses and what there is to do in Solvang on the internet,” said Fleckenstein.

Ya think?

The City has directed staff to find a "public relations contractor," and "marketing contractor" and a "sales consultant." One Council member rightly doubts if this approach will save the City money. But, one thing's for sure: if the DMO isn't handing over its online and Social assets, it likely won't share the meeting planner database it has cultivated for decades. And, that will take years to rebuild.

Governments are free to change direction whenever they want; I have no argument with that. But, would a government kill a contract for telecommunications, healthcare or social services without having a replacement teed up to replace it? So, why do an increasing number think they can get away with such a cavalier approach when it comes to Destination Marketing?

It's because Destination Marketing has yet to be viewed as a Community Shared Value...which will be one of several topics that will be explored at Destinations International's Advocacy Summit next month in Madison. If you are from the DMO-world, I hope to see you there. 

 

What Took Us All So Long?

Sometimes, we are so consumed with the job at hand that we can't see the opportunity before us. Sometimes we get comfortable with the "norm" of how business has always been done. And, that's when innovation is an orphan.

My alma mater DMO, Destination Madison is starting to pick up some serious industry buzz for its recent roll-out of a concept that is deceptively simple. One that sort of paraphrases Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" to "Start with the Customer."

The Destination Madison Team took the time to break down the challenges faced by today's meeting and event professional. And, juggling contract upon contract from each of the hotels they planned to use certainly floated to the top as one of a planner's biggest pain points.

How to solve the dilemma? Design one contract for all the hotels in the city the planner intends to use.

They call it "One City. One Contract."

It's One brilliant idea. 

Kudos to Deb, John and the Team that makes those of us that call Madison home so proud...

The Proving Just Got Tougher

Those who have seen me present in Boardrooms and on stages know I'm pretty dismissive of counting Room Nights as a primary measure of the efficacy of Destination Marketing. Don't jump to conclusions here. Achieving Room Nights is important. Using them as your proof has been a slippery slope for over a decade.

And, it just got slipperier.

A new study from Hilton, NYC & Company and the PCMA Foundation has found that the practice of convention attendees booking outside the contracted hotel block has gotten much worse over the past 5 years. Like, twice as bad as the last study I saw.

Over the past three years, roughly half of all delegates attending large-scale, urban conventions are booking accommodation outside the block. 25% of attendees actually booked the HQ hotel...but didn't identify themselves as attendees qualifying for the block. Thus, they haven't been counted. Thus, our "proof" just got shakier. 

As the report states, all participants in this dance will need to re-evaluate the practice of establishing Room Blocks from the consumers' point of view.

And, DMOs need to find other ways to communicate our value.