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 Several discussions took place on product purchases and
promotions while waiting for a marketing and branding plan being
developed for Logan County tourism by DCC Interactive Marketing of
Decatur.
Downtown Abraham Lincoln Walking Tour
The year that there was no Railslitter [2013], the city of Lincoln
gave Main Street Lincoln funds for a downtown walking tour that
featured Abraham Lincoln sites. The tour guide cost $2,500 for 4,200
brochures, which the brochures lasted one year. More are needed.
Initial considerations were that possibly the brochures were high
priced due to the use of the QR Code provided in them. This would be
looked at. If possible, it would be looked into to see if the codes
were used. It was also considered if there might be another source
of funds that could purchase a smaller amount of brochures for less
money for the short-term.
O'Donohue hedged into measuring the appropriateness of tourism
supplying the funding for this request, asking the other bureau
directors if this should be a tourism sponsored activity? It was
Main Street Lincoln that initiated this program to promote Lincoln.
He observed what if other communities were to come ask for funds for
like programs for their town. If Mount Pulaski were to develop a
walking tour of its downtown; would we give Mount Pulaski money for
it, he questioned.
If we agree to do this, it sets a precedent. "We would need to get
with other communities and say, you need to give us your
information, but we can do this for you too," O'Donohue said.
If we decide to do this, we wait for DCC for our marching orders as
far as branding goes, because that has to be included with whatever
we do," he added.
O'Donohue asked the board, "Is this a tourism thing?"
Around the table board members affirmed that it was. Hake said that
just coming off of a two-week stint in another area, "I lived off of
brochures." And, she added, "I think we take this to the other
communities [to do the same for them]."
"I think it is what we should be doing," she said.
The group reviewed taking the Tourism booth to past and future
events. O'Donohue observed that it was important to have an
attraction that will bring people to the booth, and that more people
came to the booth when there was something to do. "We need a draw,"
like the duck game that went out to a couple of the summer events.
New tourism director, Sarah Wallick agreed the ducks worked at
attracting people to the booth, "except the ducks kept falling
over."
One suggestion was to tailor the game to the event, like soccer
balls for the soccer tournament. "I want to advance the duck game to
Duck 2.0, or something," O'Donohue quipped. He knew he could get
custom made ducks with stove top hats and would look into that or
some other adaptation.
New billboards
The newest billboard is up, and everyone agreed they like it. Andi
Hake said she thought it was too close [to Lincoln and Logan County]
and needs to be farther out. All the others agreed, with O'Donohue
saying it needs to be out at least 50 miles in every direction.
In raising the question about what was next for billboards, Hake
urged the board to wait for decisions "until after the marketing
recommendations about what we are marketing has been returned,"
which won't be long from now. Later in the meeting, it was agreed
that all large purchases that involve branding wait for the
marketing plan to make decisions.
Free state maps available in office
Stocking state maps in the Tourism office was discussed. The maps
had previously been free from the states. Some states are changing
policy and charging for those. "We have all 50 states, even Hawaii.
I don't know what we would actually do with Hawaii or Alaska in our
office," Wallick said.
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"People come and get them," Hake said.
Andy Anderson was for stocking them, "If they're free."
O'Donohue agreed, "Even Hawaii, though I wouldn't have thought
to find Hawaii there, but if I knew about it and were going to
Hawaii, I'd stop in."
The Logan County Tourism guide stock is also dwindling, but
re-orders would be held until the market plan is returned.
Looking at the rest of the year, tourism would seek to have a
booth at Christmas on Vinegar Hill, which takes place the
weekend before Thanksgiving. A request would be made to have
Tourism information at the historic Courthouse.
Anderson suggested that the bureau contribute to the Christmas
on Vinegar Hill advertising this year if the organizers would
come make a request. Everyone agreed that it is a well attended
event that draws visitors from outside Logan County.
The Bureau has been holding off on a number of actions, and
replenishing stock on several other marketing tools and products
such as T-shirts, banner, bags, brochures, etc that will wait
until its market plan and branding are in place.
Anderson was wearing his T-shirt, the first that sported the new
logo 'Destination Logan County.' Future t-shirts will look
different, even the color. Kiddingly he commented, "You mean I
have a generic T-shirt?"
O'Donohue told Anderson, "That T-shirt was a well-done, quick
solution to needing T-shirts." Laughing, O'Donohue called it the
1.0 version.
Events
A Meet and Greet has been scheduled to introduce the new tourism
director, Sarah Wallick. The event will take place at the
tourism office at the corner of 5th Street Road and the Lincoln
Parkway on October 14 from 4 - 6 p.m.
Trick-or-Treat with the Mayor will take place once again
downtown. Businesses wishing to Trunk-or-Treat kids this year
will be able to go to City Hall to set up near there. The date
will be set at the next tourism meeting.
The board approved sending Wallick to her first Illinois
Conventions and Tourism Council Conference. In her options, she
asked approval to attend an Illinois Sports Tourism and a
Finance and Administration breakout sessions.
Plans were also discussed to possibly nominate Lincoln for the
America's Best Communities sponsored by Frontier and Dish
Network.
The next Tourism Bureau meeting was set to take place on
Thursday, October 9th at 5 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express. The
company doing the market plan, DCC, would be present and provide
a view of the new website design.
The bureau would also meet on Thursday, Oct. 21.
In November, it would meet on Tuesday the 18th, and in December,
the meeting would be on Tuesday the 16th.
The December meeting could be the last meeting of this board.
Then it would become a council for volunteers under the
authority of a larger board yet to be named representing the
united organizations. Darlene Begolka said that she would be
interested in volunteering for the Tourism Council.
Bureau directors attending the meeting included Andy Anderson,
Darlene Begolka, Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder, Tom O'Donohue and
Andi Hake, and new director Sarah Wallick was present also.
[Jan Youngquist]
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