20.01.2024
TOP 10 TIPS FOR MARKETING A VISITOR ATTRACTION OR VENUE
Are you struggling to get customers through the door of your visitor attraction or venue? Or maybe you have a problem filling off-peak periods? It’s not always easy to capture the attention of potential customers and get them to act, but with the right marketing strategies in place, you can increase footfall and improve profitability.
At Oyster, we have worked with some of the best-loved names in the leisure industry, including Go Ape, Jump In Trampoline & Adventure Parks, Go Paintball London and Go Laser Tag London, with great success. Here are our top 10 tips for marketing your visitor attraction or venue:
1. Promote the unique experience your venue offers
Your business is centred around delivering a memorable experience, so it’s important to focus on the key benefits and features of your venue or attraction. Think about how people will feel when they are at your venue and communicate this through your marketing messages. Highlight the unique elements that set your attraction apart and emphasise the experience visitors will receive. Depending on your venue, video can be a particularly effective way to capture the visitor experience.
2. Leverage online reviews
Online reviews can be a powerful tool for attracting new visitors. Encourage your happy customers to leave positive reviews on sites like TripAdvisor and Google My Business. Respond to any negative reviews in a professional and helpful manner to show that you care about your customers’ experiences. Positive reviews are an invaluable way to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
3. Use social media
Social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram can be an extremely effective way of promoting your visitor attraction or venue. Share photos and videos of your attraction in action, along with behind-the-scenes glimpses and user-generated content from happy visitors. Use hashtags and location tags to reach a wider audience and engage with your followers to build relationships.
4. Invest in paid social media and Google advertising
While organic social media can be effective, investing in paid social media and Google ads can help you reach even more potential customers. Use targeted ads to reach people who are most likely to be interested in your attraction, especially people located near your venue who are most likely to become repeat customers. Pay careful attention to audience targeting and consider using lookalike audiences and retargeting techniques to maximise your return on ad spend. And don’t scrimp on the content – always use eye-catching images or videos coupled with attention-grabbing headlines to encourage people to visit.
5. Capitalise on PR opportunities
Engaging with the media can be a great way to get your venue or visitor attraction in front of a wider audience. Consider approaching relevant media to promote your venue or offer exclusive access to journalists. Use press releases to launch new attractions, announce special events, highlight any unique features of your venue and promote new menus. And don’t forget to engage with organisations such as your local tourist board, Visit England and Visit Britain to ensure they are aware of everything you offer.
6. Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for driving footfall to your visitor attraction or venue. Collaborating with influencers who align with your brand and target audience can help you reach a wider audience and build credibility with potential customers. Consider partnering with influencers who have a significant following on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for maximum effect.
7. Consider using press, radio, TV and outdoor advertising
Don’t forget about the power of above-the-line advertising. Consider placing ads in local publications or tourist guides to reach people who are interested in going to visitor attractions. Or consider using outdoor poster sites and local radio to boost awareness of your venue in the local area – and remember to use eye-catching images and messaging to capture attention and encourage people to visit your attraction. You could also consider introducing a special or added-value offer to encourage customers to visit off-peak. For larger venues, TV advertising often proves to be worthwhile.
8. Loyalty schemes
Successful venues often have a loyal band of customers who return time and time again and recommend the venue to others. To harness this support, consider introducing a loyalty scheme to encourage customers to return and to reward them for their custom. You could also consider introducing a member-get-member scheme to incentivise customers to encourage friends and family to visit your venue.
9. Email marketing
Email marketing can be a highly effective way to drive footfall to your visitor attraction or venue. By collecting email addresses from visitors and potential customers, you can keep them informed about upcoming events, special promotions and new attractions. By tailoring your email campaigns to the interests and preferences of your subscribers, you can increase the chance of them being motivated to visit your venue. Effective email marketing campaigns should include eye-catching visuals, clear and concise messaging and strong calls-to-action. By leveraging the power of email marketing, you can build stronger relationships with your customers and encourage them to visit your venue time and time again.
10. Sales promotion & affinity marketing
Affinity marketing and sales promotion can be an extremely cost-effective way to reach new clients. By identifying non-competing businesses that have completely different products or services to yours, but a very similar audience demographic, you could use them to promote your venue to their customers and you can return the favour. By building the right partnerships in the right way, you may even be able to share tools, resources and marketing spend to maximise return and lower the cost of sales acquisition. You can also consider offering their customers an extra incentive or special offer to visit your venue.
These tips for marketing a visitor attraction or venue will help you increase footfall and keep your customers coming back for more.
To arrange a free review of your current marketing activities with one of our leisure marketing specialists, contact us today on +44 (0)1582 761212 or email info@oysterstudios.com.
Click the links to find out how we have helped Go Ape, Jump In and Go Paintball drive footfall to their leisure attractions.
