Destination On The Left

Aileen Ramos is the Director at the Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau in the heart of South Texas. With a decade of experience in the hospitality industry and a long career in Marketing and Sales, she leads the CVB team in promoting the best of the city she calls home. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Aileen Ramos discusses the unique bicultural community of her city. She explains how it ties into her marketing efforts and shares some of the projects they've done to reach a diverse audience. Click here to listen to the episode: What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Aileen leverages the visitor's perspective to create powerful marketing for Laredo How CVB approaches marketing Laredo's bicultural experiences The challenges Aileen's organization has faced with marketing in Mexico Aileen's strategy for celebrating Laredo's 265 year anniversary The role of the Laredo community in CVBs marketing efforts How Aileen collaborates with her sister cities and other destinations Visit Laredo Aileen Ramos has spent most of her career in sales and marketing roles, but hospitality has always been her passion. She was initially inspired by her grandfather, who worked for a travel magazine and traversed the globe, bringing amazing destinations into the spotlight. Now, Aileen carries the torch, and she is giving Laredo the same magic touch. Aileen has made many trips to Laredo throughout her lifetime, so she brings a unique visitor's perspective to the table for every project. A Bicultural Experience One of Laredo's most powerful traits is its bicultural community. Laredo is a border town, so it has two distinct markets, two marketing opportunities, and two campaigns. It is a major advantage because Aileen's team can double-dip with the marketing budget. They are targeting U.S. citizens who are seeking a "true Mexican experience," and Mexican citizens who are looking for a taste of the states. In the form of restaurants, shopping, and events, both audiences can experience the rich culture of Laredo in totally different ways. Happy Anniversary Laredo! Founded in 1755, Laredo is older than the United States. It was a part of the Republic of Rio Grande which turns 180 years old next year, and Laredo will turn 265. It is grounds for a celebration, and Aileen has orchestrated a year-long tribute to the one-of-a-kind destination. As a salute to the rich history, Aileen decided she didn't need to reinvent the wheel. The staples of the celebration are designed to amplify Laredo's existing holidays and get the whole community involved! From the university to agricultural businesses, everyone is taking part. There is a collective effort to grow the city—not just for tourism, but for the residents as well. Twitter: @visitlaredotx Website: https://www.visitlaredo.com

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad's car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and I began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester. In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host "Destination on the Left", a highly successful tourism marketing podcast. As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success. In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, we look at the highlights from day one of our Destination on the Left Virtual Summit. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The highlights from day one of the Destination on the Left Virtual Summit The latest study from JLL and the World Tourism Council Generational perceptions of the impact travel has on the environment Why destination marketing should be a shared community value How to use integrated campaigns How to use Facebook advertising for campaigns Destination on the Left Virtual Summit: Day 1 By now, you've probably heard all about the exciting virtual summit we held to close out 2019. Many familiar faces turned out to hear some of the show's previous guests discuss insights, strategies, and tactics—really everything destination marketing. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback and I could not be more thrilled about the amount of value each one of you brought to the event. But if you were not able to attend, don't worry! Over the course of the next three solocasts, I will be covering each day of the event, with a detailed analysis of the key talking points. Destination 2030: Readiness for Tourism Growth: Dan Fenton joined us to discuss a study that JLL and the World Tourism Council published. It produced a framework and 5 typologies that can be used to determine a community's readiness for tourism growth. The Future of Travel as a Brand: Emerging Sentiments Posing Challenges: Erin Francis-Cummings' presentation urges us to look five years into the future of our destination in regards to the green energy movement that is sweeping the globe. She focuses on examining the contrast of generations' perceptions around the impact of travel on the environment. Becoming a Shared Community Value: Bill Geist of DMO Pros talks about elevating the importance of tourism in our communities. He explains why it should be a shared value like any other municipal services. Tracking Results From Integrated Campaigns: Julie Gilbert of Destination Niagra uses their 2019 campaigns as an example for how you can measure impressions, clicks, and even hotel bookings as a result of integrated campaigns. She also talks about leveraging this strategy with local events to create a powerful synergy. Understanding Facebook Advertising for Destination Marketing: Camille Zess and Jess Reilly of Break the Ice Media took audience members behind the scenes to see how they run successful campaigns for their clients. If you weren't able to take part in the amazing Destination on the Left Virtual Summit, don't fret! You can still watch all of the presentations on our website. Just purchase an all-access pass by visiting www.destinationontheleft.com/summit and enjoy! Otherwise, keep an eye out for an upcoming announcement for our next summit in Spring 2020. We hope you can join us. Resources: Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

Brook grew up in Norfolk, NE and moved to Casper in 2015. During her time here she has fallen in love with the people of Casper and the sense of community. Brook is the CEO at Visit Casper and her favorite part about her position is continually forming strategic partnerships with fellow community members and working together to come up with creative solutions for impossible problems. When she's not at work you can find her out for a run, reading at the beach, or planning her next adventure. Brook is also a big fan and attendee of many of the events that go on throughout downtown, and says her favorites are the 5150 Feast and 5150 Festival, which take place every year in August. In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Brook Kaufman, CEO of Visit Casper. Brook shares her story and discusses the role of DMOs in the community. She explains the challenges Visit Casper has faced, and how her team overcame them with creativity. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Brook Kaufman's story and her role as CEO of Visit Casper What Brook is doing to set Casper apart from other destinations "The One-and-Only" campaign and the inspiration behind it How Brook uses creativity to solve impossible problems The lessons Brook took away from Visit Casper's role in preparing the town for an influx of visitors due to the eclipse How Brook overcame the challenge of building credibility and authority for her organization How Visit Casper collaborates with its competitors Visit Casper When Brook Kaufman joined the team at Visit Casper, she was already an accomplished entrepreneur and a strong leader. But, sometimes we stumble upon the greatest opportunities by pure chance. Brook fell into the travel and tourism industry and her career turned into a burning passion. She quickly grew into her role embedded herself in the community, taking a holistic approach to destination marketing and making every move with the big picture in mind. Now, she is tackling some of our industry's most difficult challenges with creativity, passion, and a collaborative spirit. The One-and-Only Brook approaches destination management with greater goals than heads in beds. Everything that comes out of Visit Casper is created with the best interest of its residents and visitors at heart. It is the reason Brook and her team have spent the last four years building credibility and authority, earning them an equal seat at the table in local government. The DMO is playing a much larger role in the community, which is reflected in its work. Campaigns like "The One-and-only" are industry-recognized and best-in-class. Visit Casper's creative work has stabilized the brand and brought consistency to all channels. Brook is doing everything in her power to help set Casper apart. You're Only Less-Than Until You're Not Brook says she uses creativity to solve impossible problems and creativity, which is often the best approach in our industry. When you look at her accomplishments like tackling the influx of visitors for the eclipse, it becomes apparent that we all need to have more pride in what we get to do. We are not party planners for second-rate agencies that waste taxpayers' dollars; we are an integral part of every community. You're only lesser-than until you're not, so acknowledge your value! If you are interested in hearing the insights and stories from Brook's role as CEO of Visit Casper, check out my podcast episode, The One-and-Only Casper, with Brook Kaufman. Twitter: @VisitCasper Website: www.visitcasper.com Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

As the U.S. managing director for China's largest independent advertising agency, Humphrey Ho helps American brands reach their ever-growing base of Chinese consumers. Spearheading the opening of Hylink's American headquarters in Santa Monica, where he resides, Ho has scaled the operation up to 40 employees and secured the company's key spots with industry leaders like Brand USA and Hawaiian Airlines. In September of 2018, Ho successfully launched Hylink's subsidiary, Hylink Travel, a Shorty Awards-winning agency specializing in social and digital campaigns for travel brands. Mr. Ho has been featured in various publications, with recent examples like The Drum, Digiday, AdWeek, Buzzfeed, and Ad Age. Mr. Ho was named a finalist for Digidays 2019 Future Leader award and was also tapped by Forbes magazine as one of the top 8 Asian-Americans Shaping the Travel Industry. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Humphrey Ho is back to give us a detailed look at the data and tracking methods used to target the Chinese market. He explains data-driven marketing and how it differs in each segment of the travel and tourism industry. He describes the difference between branded and performance campaigns, and how to measure their effectiveness with new tools. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How different segments in travel and tourism look at data and rationalize their performance How data-driven marketing is used with U.S. brands in the Chinese market The new ways DMOs are accessing and leveraging data to reach Chinese travelers Why DMOs are putting a lot more effort into brand love as they target China The challenges DMOs face when targeting multi-cultural audiences Hylink Radix and why you should be using it Leveraging Data to Reach the Chinese Market Back in episode #151, Humphrey Ho took us on a deep dive into the evolving Chinese travel market. He discussed the drastic shift in Chinese travel behavior, the opportunities amidst political turmoil between the U.S. and China, and the multi-destination collaborations that have successfully targeted the Chinese market. In this episode, Humphrey gives us a detailed look at the other side of the coin. He explains data-driven marketing and how it differs by segment. He describes the difference between branded and performance campaigns, and how to measure their effectiveness. Measuring Effectiveness in China For DMOs, the user demographic is changing and visibility is becoming more of a challenge in the Chinese market. When a DMO runs a campaign targeting Chinese travelers, it directly affects their partners too. As a result, DMOs are using data like traditional brand marketers to forecast all of the implications and the campaign's overall effectiveness. DMOs have a responsibility to figure out what their brand means to the Chinese and it is more important than ever before to remain in-market. By accessing and leveraging data in new ways, DMOs are becoming more effective in doing so. Twitter: @hylinkdigital Website: https://hylinkgroup.com/ Hylink Radix? Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Ben conceives and carries out the strategic direction for the overall brand positioning, messaging and marketing platforms. Ben is the brainchild of Catch Des Moines' new the "S's are Silent" brand campaign. In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Ben Handfelt, Director of Creative and Communications at Catch Des Moines. We discuss the tactics and strategies Ben and his team are using to increase tourism in the Greater Des Moines area. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Ben's background in marketing and PR How Ben leveraged his experience as a transplant to create a new marketing strategy for Des Moines How Ben differentiates Iowa from other destinations The importance of intentional video content Proper use of humor in a destination marketing campaign The S's are Silent campaign and what inspired it The effects of tourism on the community as a whole Destination Iowa Tourism is more than a collection of intermittent events that draw weekend traffic—it impacts the quality of life for every resident in the area. It is the reason why Catch Des Moines brought Ben Handfelt onto the team. Ben spearheads the destination marketing efforts in Des Moines, IA, combining a background in entertainment and corporate PR with a passion for powerful creative. Living Amongst Your Target Audience Ben was a Chicago transplant for twelve years. He knows exactly what is going through the minds of jaded city dwellers when they hear the name 'Des Moines.' But as an Iowa native, he also knows what brought him back in spite of everything Chicago has to offer. That was the feeling Ben strove to capture as he built new campaigns and reshaped their brand voice. The Greater Des Moines area has seen significant results from the efforts of Ben and his team. S's are Silent In any city, quality of life directly correlates to the attraction and retention of talent. So, Ben and his team are playing the long game. They created a significant amount of humorous video content and developed Catch Des Moines' new the "S's are Silent" brand campaign in an effort to draw more visitors. The campaign has an oddly specific hook, but there has been an immense payoff in leisure travel, sales, and new residents. Ben and his team are the voice of destination Iowa and they have only begun to scratch the surface. Twitter: @Botner0104 Website: catchdesmoines.com Video: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/visitor-info/videos/ Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Darienne Mobley is a personal coach, professional development trainer, motivational speaker and team building facilitator who brings a world of experience and wealth of wisdom to her clients. As an industry trailblazer, Darienne works with individuals, helping them embrace life and leadership. She also partners with organizations, leading them to greater long-term success by developing effective and dynamic teams, and giving them the tools to create a clear and impactful vision. As a passionate public speaker, Darienne is a true storyteller who connects with her audience by sharing authentic experiences and real-life solutions. Her presentations inspire, entertain, educate and elevate groups to new heights. Darienne offers keynotes, one-on-one coaching, workshops, group coaching, online programs and more. Over the past decade, Darienne has successfully collaborated with more than 100 organizations from around the country. She began her career in the tourism industry and has held the distinct honor of serving as the Director of Tourism for both Mississippi and Louisiana. Darienne taps into her specialized knowledge and vast experience to offer thoughtful guidance and leadership to current and future leaders in tourism and hospitality, as well as other industries. In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Darienne Mobley, Founder, and President of Darienne Inc. We discuss the journey of personal development through coaching and mentorship, and why it leads to sustainable happiness. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Darienne's journey into coaching and professional speaking in the travel and tourism industry Darienne's personal experience with mentorship and coaching What it means to achieve a "sense of flow," and how to get there How you know it is time to leave your job The four pillars of Darienne's process: clarity, intuition, priority, and truth Why you need to prioritize personal rocks like health and spirituality Leadership strategies for expanding roles in the travel and tourism industry What you should be thinking about as you look for a personal development coach How to use the Living Inside Out Virtual Program to start your own personal development journey at your own pace Where You Want to Be Darienne Mobley served as the Director of Tourism for both Mississippi and Louisiana, but her time in Louisiana was life-changing. There, Darienne held her position from 2004-2006, which means she was the Director of Tourism during Hurricane Katrina. There is no book on how to approach that scenario and the experience changed Darienne's perspective on her career. At that time, she realized that she wasn't interested in politics, finances, or budgets. Marketing was the place she wanted to be. Darienne's affinity for marketing and personal development led to the creation of her business, which enabled her to stay passionately involved with the tourism industry in a different capacity. She did a lot of tourism consulting in the beginning and eventually managed the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association on contract for ten years. That experience resulted in the final evolution of her business–coaching, professional development, and motivational speaking was her new focus. The Effects of Coaching and Mentorship Darienne hired a coach and experienced the impact first-hand. Her coach asked a lot of difficult questions that she could not answer. It helped her realize that she was not putting herself first, a trap that many of us fall into as women leaders and entrepreneurs. Darienne was pushed to pursue her untapped potential in public speaking and instantly built momentum. She got to do what she was best at in an industry she loved. Darienne was already getting clients before her year-long personal development program was over, and she finally found a sense of flow. Darienne made that transition late in her career, but there is no deadline; there is no substitute for the feeling that you are doing what you're supposed to be doing. Getting it Done With Grace and Ease The theme of her program is "getting it all done with grace and ease. Most of us can handle getting it all done, but we often fail to do it with kindness, compassion, and peace of mind. Grace and ease represent the "flow" part, and it is important for you to realize that life shouldn't always be hard. If you are doing what you love with grace and ease, even the difficult parts of your day will seem easier because you are approaching them with a different frame of mind. The travel and tourism industry is Darienne's sweet spot because that is what she knows best. She helps her clients determine if they are in the best place, and if not, how they can expand to do more of what they enjoy. Her process is built around 4 main pillars: clarity, intuition, priority, and truth. Those pillars are measured against your personal rocks to help you achieve sustainable happiness and success. When you are clear about what's important to you and what your values are, you carry yourself differently. Coaching and mentorship is the best way to identify them. Resources: Twitter: @daremobley Website: www.darienneinc.com

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad's car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and I began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester. In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host "Destination on the Left", a highly successful tourism marketing podcast. As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success. In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, I wanted to take the opportunity to share my gratitude with you. I discuss the insights I've gathered over the course of ten years in business and give you a look into a new project we are working on for Destination on the Left. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How to help us hit our goal of 100 reviews What I am grateful for right now The celebrations and events surrounding my company's ten-year anniversary My experience receiving the Small Business Person of the Year Award from the Small Business Council in Rochester, NY. The insights I've gathered over the course of ten years in business A sneak peek at a new project we're working on for Destination on the Left What it means to employ cathedral thinking Ten Years Worth of Gratitude As Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season approaches, I thought it would be appropriate to make 'gratitude' the theme of this week's solocast. It is especially timely for me since my company, Break the Ice Media, celebrated its ten-year anniversary last month and I was honored with receiving the Small Business Person of the Year Award from the Small Business Council in Rochester, NY! With this episode, I want to share my gratitude with you. Celebrate Every Milestone I am grateful for you, our listeners, as we round off the podcast's third year with overwhelming support. For our anniversary, we wanted to put together something that celebrates our team, clients, and everyone else who has been an important part of our journey. But with most of those people spread out across the continent, we had to plan something different for each group. I hope this will give you some new ideas and inspire you to do something special for your next big celebration! Our process started by selecting an anniversary planning committee. It should come as no surprise that most of the ideas for our team celebration revolved around food and wine. But we wanted to get everyone involved. Our internal survey revealed that all of our team members wanted to do something unique and special. After some research, we booked the chef's table at Good Luck in the Village Gate Square neighborhood of Rochester! With that settled, we moved on to brainstorming a client celebration. A Toast to Our Clients It didn't take long for the light bulb to go off and we decided to hold a virtual toast for our scattered clients on October 14th (our birthday). To incentivize them a little bit, we shipped out fifty-six bottles of sparkling wine with custom labels to make the virtual event more sentimental and immersive. I am grateful for everyone that was involved and our team members who made it possible. The Small Business Person of the Year Award was another momentous occasion. But when I was nominated for this award, I was hesitant to actually submit my application. The nomination came at a very busy time and our team was overextended. My leadership team pushed me to commit and I wouldn't have done it without them. I made the top five of fifty finalists and it was a great honor to be recognized alongside nine other Rochester community business leaders. Cathedral Thinking As I prepared for the launch event, I drew inspiration from this podcast and reflected on all of the moments that molded me into a leader. The experience is best described by the concept of cathedral thinking, a mindset derived from manual laborers who began construction projects knowing they would not be completed in their lifetime. We are all cathedral thinkers, building our businesses for future generations, making impacts with our time to build better communities, supporting our families, and laying the foundation for our children and grandchildren for the next generation. I challenge all of us to keep having those big visions that will have far-reaching impact and to work towards that vision today, even if we do so. Resources: Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Brian Bossuyt has been marketing the Pocono Mountains for the past 20 years. He was the Sales and Marketing Director for Camelback Mountain Resort for 18 years, and now serves as the EVP, and CMO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. Developing marketing campaigns that target two of the country's largest DMA's, New York Metro and Philadelphia Metro, has kept Brian on top of his game by forcing him to learn and evolve. Both markets are on the cutting edge of technology and have a lot of competition for their attention. With limited budgets and marketing resources, he learned to adapt quickly. Brian's use of analytical data has helped him thrive when planning strategies and developing partnerships. He incorporates fun, engaging creative and is not afraid to make a mistake. Those are the key factors that drive successful campaigns. Brian loves family, being a husband, a dad, and playing in the outdoors as much as possible. He likes to keep things simple and to the point because he gets more done that way! Brian is pretty laid back and tries to look at everything with as much optimism as possible! In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Brian Bossuyt, Executive Vice President and CMO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. We discuss the benefits of building an in-house marketing team, their new approach to creative, and how they are leveraging data to break into new markets. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Brian Bossuyt's journey into the role of EVP and CMO of Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau How Bossuyt adapts his marketing strategy to unexpected change What Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is doing to set themselves apart How Bossuyt is using data to increase the effectiveness of their marketing How he built out an in-house marketing team The launch of their own television program How Bossuyt overcame the challenges associated with litter in the Poconos How DMOs collaborate and work with the local communities Bossuyt's future plans for the organization Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau Brian Bossuyt started skiing at three years old, developing a passion for the mountains at a very early age. But growing up in the Poconos provided Bossuyt with more inspiration than hobbies. For him, it was a home, not a destination. And when you combine that notion with his background in hospitality, it is no surprise that he now serves as Executive Vice President and CMO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. Bossuyt paid his dues. And in college, he broke into the world of marketing as an intern for Hunter Mountain's marketing team. During his internship, Bossuyt was immersed in the ski culture and was given significant responsibilities that involved him most of the resort's daily operations. It was an opportunity that combined his passion for the mountains and experience in hospitality, laying the framework for his post-graduate career at Camelback and beyond. Adaptive Marketing in Travel and Tourism Weather and seasonality control the travel and tourism industry, so as a marketer you have to be innovative. Bossuyt's first year as the Director of Marketing for Camelback posed the warmest winter they'd seen in decades. It created a myriad of new challenges and their initial strategy was pushed back to January. But, nonetheless, Bossuyt was able to adapt and redesigned his marketing program in real-time. Growing into a leadership role in marketing is a difficult task. However, by developing your versatility and managerial skills, your marketing efforts will start to yield impressive results no matter what is thrown your way. New Creative, New Team, New Tools In the last few years, Bossuyt and his team have focused on delivering top-notch creative. And a lot of their work starts with broadcast and stems into different mediums from there. By focusing on longer-form content for broadcast, they have more content to pull from. That enables them to create more impactful social media content and add depth as they repurpose it for a variety of other platforms. Bossuyt is determined to maintain the same message, but deliver it in a more strategic way by bringing all of their marketing efforts in-house. Because they brought all facets of their marketing process in-house, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is able to use data to increase the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. Bossuyt analyzes data to determine what markets are the strongest, where they can grow in new markets, and what's the best way to retarget those markets. Since they manage all of their own digital assets, they have access to metrics and analytics that will help them determine next steps. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is largely responsible for the growth of their resort in recent years. And with a team of nine full-time marketing and PR professionals, the brand will continue to transform. Brian Bossuyt has done outstanding work at the helm of the marketing team and he is constantly re-evaluating their strategy. Even with the competitive nature of the travel and tourism industry, Bossuyt continues to drive traffic and find different ways to set their brand apart. Resources: Twitter: @poconotourism Website: https://www.poconomountains.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbossuyt/

Cyndi Bartley is the Operations and Marketing Director at Visit Lake Norman. Throughout her entire professional career, she has been devoted to the hospitality and tourism industry. She began her role there in 2007 as a marketing intern and continued elevating her position and responsibilities to her current role today. During her time with Visit Lake Norman, she continues to enhance their ambassador and internship programs. Bartley enjoys continued education and networking through conferences and learning sessions. Currently, she is in the process of undergoing Destinations International's CDME program. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Cyndi Bartley, Operations and Marketing Director at Visit Lake Norman. She delves into the marketing tactics and strategies that have been successful in drawing traffic to a small destination. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Cyndi Bartley's journey to Operations and Marketing Director at Visit Lake Norman The multi-functional nature of Bartley's position, and how she prepared for it How Bartley and her team maintain a competitive edge in the travel and tourism industry What enables Visit Lake Norman to continuously improve their marketing processes The challenges that Visit Lake Norman is currently facing, and how they plan to overcome them How Visit Lake Norman's internship program is impacting their capacity Different roles that Bartley's interns assume How interns are selected, and the responsibilities that they have Why Visit Lake Norman is collaborating with other organizations in the area What is in store for the future of Visit Lake Norman Visit Lake Norman After a lot of moving around, Cyndi Bartley's family finally settled down in the Charlotte area of North Carolina. When Bartley transitioned into high school, she gained a better sense of direction for what she wanted to do in her career. Business seemed like a field that aligned with her aspirations, and Bartley was drawn to the specific niche of marketing. She received her bachelor's from UNC, but her passion for marketing developed well before that point. Bartley is now the Operations and Marketing Director at Visit Lake Norman, and she has been with them for thirteen years. However, she started as just an intern. Bartley never could have predicted that she would end up in a leadership role, but hindsight is twenty-twenty. Looking back on her career, Bartley's early professional development with Visit Lake Norman is one of the main reasons she is a successful marketing leader. She had the opportunity to dive deep into every facet of the organization, which prepared her to wear a number of different hats in the future. Maintaining a Competitive Edge Travel and Tourism is an extremely competitive industry, so to win foot traffic for Lake Norman, Cyndi Bartley and her team had to go above and beyond. Being with the organization for over a decade is a huge advantage for Bartley. She has seen everything that has worked and everything that hasn't. She has also seen all of the tactics of surrounding tourism boards which builds a distinct profile of their competition. Visit Lake Norman works hard to constantly refine their efforts and create a polished appearance that portrays them as a larger destination than they actually are. With Cyndi Bartley at the helm, Visit Lake Norman has experienced a lot of success. But with new successes come new challenges. As their organization grows, they struggle to maintain enough manpower to meet demands. It is difficult to consistently produce high-quality content and marketing collateral when they don't have enough resources to do so. That means new creative is the first to get cut. But Bartley is combatting that deficiency with a robust internship program, providing Visit Lake Norman with bodies in the form of marketing, product design, and sports marketing interns. Increased Manpower Through Internships Every year they bring more bright minds on board, creating meaningful content and increasing Visit Lake Norman's capacity in the busiest season of the year. Bartley worked hard to augment the program, which now gets upwards of 30-40 resumes a year and continues to grow. The interns are able to provide dire resources to Visit Lake Norman because they follow a stringent plan from day one. But that is not to say they aren't given some degree of free rein over their work. Each student is placed in a role where they can contribute to the big picture and exercise their strengths. So, Bartley's team always wins together because they are always on the same page. What's in Store? Visit Lake Norman has some big things on the horizon and their team is working diligently to promote their message in new ways. That means producing new video content, creating innovative marketing initiatives and campaigns, and exploring different platforms that they aren't currently leveraging. Bartley is also making a greater effort to collaborate with other organizations in the area to reach a larger audience and they have already experienced great success with that. Visit Lake Norman is taking major strides in the travel and tourism industry, and they are a model organization for marketing small destinations. If you want to learn more about their internship program and their plans for the future, make sure to listen to our podcast episode, Visit Lake Norman, with Cyndi Bartley. Resources: Twitter: @visitlakenorman Website: www.visitlakenorman.org Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Episode 152: Brian Zerges is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and sole owner of Finger Lakes Premier Properties (FLPP) for the last 25 years. After earning a BA from The Rochester Institute of Technology, Brian spent over seven valuable years as a Licensed Real Estate Broker in California specializing in commercial sales, syndication and property management. These experiences positioned him well to return to upstate New York and become the owner-operator of the largest lakeside real estate firm in the Finger Lakes. Brian is certified by the National Association of Realtors as a Resort and Second Home Specialist and an active member of the Vacation Rental Managers Association. With over 60 full-time year-round employees, FLPP maintains offices in Canandaigua and Penn Yan and specializes in property management and real estate sales. FLPP currently manages over 300 privately-owned single-family lakeside vacation rentals along with over 50 single-family homes. Its portfolio of commercial accounts has grown to include Keuka College and Best Western's Vineyard Inn & Suites, Penn Yan. Many investors rely on Brian and his team to locate, purchase and manage lakeside investment properties with maximum rental income. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Brian Zerges about his special niche of selling real estate in the lakeside hospitality industry and the challenges that go along with it. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The special aspects and systems of selling real estate in the hospitality industry Similarities between hotels and house rentals in terms of visitor experience Creative solutions and features FLPP uses to stand out in the industry Why Brian's niche is so challenging and how he and his team rise to the challenge Data Brian's team gathers from its properties and customers and how that data is used What FLPP does to remain flexible and accommodate clients What "co-opetition" does for Brian's team Lakeside Real Estate Brian Zerges is the sole owner of Finger Lakes Premier Properties, the largest lakeside real estate firm in the Finger Lakes. Brian's experience in California real estate has made him a perfect fit for the competitive industry of real estate hospitality. He and his team of 60 full-time employees have discovered the ins and outs of operating in this unique niche, the required systems, and how to deliver the best visitor experience. Finger Lakes Premier Properties runs over 300 properties along hundreds of miles of shoreline. Each building is different due to topography, distance, client profile, and so much more. As the largest growing section of the lodging industry, vacation rentals require marketers and owners to keep up by implementing systems that go above and beyond. FLPP has a large, commercial laundry service that is constantly ensuring its properties have clean linens and other laundry supplies. This is just one of the many moving parts of making sure that all of those properties have maintenance and housekeeping 24/7, just like a hotel would. Brian's team goes the extra mile to make their customers confident in the visitor experience. Finger Lakes tourists can rest easy knowing that the FLPP staff will be there to meet their every need, no matter the time. FLPP accomplishes this by thoroughly vetting its high-performing staff, evaluating metrics, and constantly searching for feedback from guests. Data about timing, costs, efficiency, quality, and numerous other things are gathered from the renters and taken into account when FLPP develops its systems, trains its staff, and updates its fees and policies. Innovation and Flexibility In a niche as hot as lakeside rentals, FLPP has to constantly adapt to meet the shifting needs and demands of the competitive industry. As always, this requires creativity! Brian and FLPP have leaned heavily into the lakeside aspect of their real estate properties, highlighting and optimizing a lake experience for their guests. Brian grew up on the lake, so he knows all about what lakeside living really means. This is where the team's creativity comes forward, whether it's having houses along Lake Street or having the word lake in their phone number. Alongside creativity, flexibility is incredibly important. With lots of clients at lots of different properties, FLPP has to be able to change plans at the drop of a hat to accommodate customers. One way they do this is through scattered check-in and check-out dates. While some of the property owners were resistant, Brian and FLPP have successfully made it so guests can successfully check in and out based on their needs without having to commit to a full Saturday to Saturday stay. This makes it easier for guests with hectic schedules and prevents FLPP from having to clean and prepare 300 houses on a given Saturday. One of the biggest ways FLPP continues to learn and grow is through collaboration and even competition. FLPP is always in touch with property owners to make sure they're delivering the best experiences for guests and has helped form the Finger Lakes Vacation Rental Managers Association, a lakeside association helping to handle issues around the lake ranging from problem guests to pollution. They also collaborate with the Vacation Rental Exchange, a coalition of 13 vacation rental companies in the Northeast that come together to exchange ideas and have great discussions. Brian Zerges and FLPP are another fine example of creativity, innovation, and "co-opetition", and I'm so glad I get to share some of their knowledge with you. Resources: Phone: (315) 694-1297 Website: https://www.fingerlakespremierproperties.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flpplake/?hl=en Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/