Marketing to Cultural Heritage Tourists
Time Required
It will take approximately 4 hours to read the material and complete the activities.

Education as a Sales Tool
This course uses the information about cultural heritage tourists presented in Cultural Heritage Tourists: Who are They? What do They Want? and makes suggestions for developing marketing materials and strategies to attract this type of tourist to your business, service, or site.

YOU WILL…
• be provided with marketing ideas designed to reach cultural heritage tourists
• complete activities that will customize these marketing ideas to your business.

YOU WILL LEARN TO…
• *view education as a powerful sales tool
• *develop your unique story to share with tourists.
• *understand principles of effective storytelling
• *develop marketing materials that tells your story effectively
• *find resources to help you develop your marketing plan.

Education as a Sales Tool
Oftentimes, business owners shy away from “sales” because of the stereotypes attached to pushy salespeople, such as car salespeople and telemarketers. Instead, when communicating with potential customers of your products, services, or site, think of “sales” as an “educational opportunity”. It is a chance to share your unique story with interested people. Of course, you want to ask for the sale, but by sharing the personal side of your business, the selling will be done easily and comfortably. Cultural heritage tourists are very interested in hearing stories, so this “sales” strategy fits nicely with your target market.

The advantage of purchasing a handmade craft as a gift or staying in a unique bed and breakfast lies in the customer’s ability to not only share something physical, but also a heart-warming story of how it was created and who created it. When cultural heritage tourists return home, they will have much to tell about the people they met during their travels.

Buyers are especially attracted to gifts or experiences that have emotional appeal. Hearing about how a product was created or what led a business owner to that particular business or what happened at a historical site appeals to consumer’s emotions. By telling a story, you are drawing your customer into the creative process or the historical landscape surrounding your business. This makes them want to purchase items and it gives them something to share with their friends and family when returning home. Remember, word-of-mouth advertising is VERY important to cultural heritage tourists!

A story is grounded in reality—I am not asking you to make up something that isn’t true. Oftentimes, people say to me, “I don’t have a story to tell!” That is not so! Each of us has a unique story about our background, our passion, our traditions, or our craft that others are happy to hear.

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