Enhanced programme: Launch a B2C marketing campaign
Introduction
The next step in the process is to promote the enhanced accessible tourism offering your destination has, both by updating and refreshing the accessibility information on your LVEP website, and by launching a B2C marketing campaign which links to the objectives within your Destination Management Plan.
Central to this is the development of a bank of relevant content including relatable imagery, videography and written material. Ensuring that you reflect the diversity of your potential visitors will help everyone to feel welcome. Remember to factor in lead time which allows for relevant content creation, to help to ensure that you are able to undertake a photo or video shoot at the right time of year.
Commission inclusive photography and videography
Commissioning a photo or video shoot will provide you with assets that you can utilise to market your accessible tourism offer. With the necessary permissions they can be used across owned, earned and paid marketing channels.
As part of your marketing campaign, you could create a video showcasing your region’s accessibility. The videos outlined on the links below offer a range of examples to provide inspiration:
When commissioning a photo or video shoot for your website or any campaigns, the following guidance may be helpful:
- ensure that imagery reflects the broad range of impairments and accessibility requirements: although a wheelchair is the international symbol of disability, only around 7% of disabled people use a wheelchair. However, some images featuring wheelchair users are required, so consider utilising an ‘original take’;
- include auxiliary aids in photographs. Around 80% of impairments are non-visible/non-apparent, which can make it hard to represent in imagery: auxiliary aids provide a ‘visual cue’ for some impairments e.g. hearing aid, assistance dog, walking stick/frame, cane;
- ensure that representation is authentic – never cast a non-disabled person in the role of a disabled person;
- reach out to disabled talent agencies such as VisAble and Zebedee;
- use realistic models – don’t just use what you believe to be ‘picture perfect’ models: they won’t be relatable to the average disabled person;
- show ‘integration’: disabled people interacting with non-disabled people in a non-disabled-specific context;
- limit hero and celebrity images - constant depictions of disabled high achievers have the capacity to further ‘disable’ the disabled community;
- think twice about showing disabled people on their own or isolated: this could imply a separation of disabled people from the rest of society;
- choose locations/backdrops that challenge any expectations of low capability e.g. a disabled person on a zip-wire or abseiling;
- reflect everyday situations where you would expect to find a family or group of friends, including a disabled person, enjoying a meal or drink together
- don’t forget to obtain relevant signed model release forms confirming that you can use the images commercially.
Once these assets are created, you can utilise them to market your accessible tourism offer.
Launch a B2C marketing campaign
When you have suitable assets developed and have updated the ‘Accessibility’ section on your website, you are able to run a targeted marketing campaign.
“My overarching message is: when planning marketing activities ask all the usual questions to design, plan, buy media and implement a campaign, but do so through a lens of customers’ accessibility requirements and considerations”.
Project Manager, VisitEngland North York Moors Accessibility Project and VisitEngland Regional Development Lead
Plan your campaign
Consider whether you will run a dedicated standalone marketing campaign, or incorporate your accessible products within a wider destination campaign, taking into account the objectives of your Enhanced programme.
- determine what you are trying to achieve, such as raising awareness of accessibility in your destination and/or driving bookings.
- allocate an appropriate budget for marketing within your project plan. This will depend upon:
- your target market;
- the channels you intend to use;
- how effective your owned and earned channels already are at reaching your target audience.
- consider the fact that disabled travellers may take longer to book their trip. They may therefore need a longer lead-in time at the decision stage e.g. in order to check information and seek necessary reassurances.
Determine your target market
Focus on the domestic market to grow your accessible tourism offer as a first step. Broaden your campaign once your businesses are accessible and international-ready.
Select your marketing channels
Depending on your budget, you may be focusing your campaign on your owned/earned channels, paid advertising or a combination of both.
Owned channels
- maximise use of your owned channels - destination websites and are heavily relied on as a source of key information regarding barrier-free travel and for booking.
- ensure that all owned channels include relatable content as a universal principle.
- ensure that your LVEP website has easily visible access information.
- create destination guides that feature accessibility alongside non-disabled destination guides.
Earned channels
- get to know media titles, journalists and influencers working in the accessibility space.
- create press releases and press trips to pique their interest, as well as attracting mainstream media.
- consider a campaign with a disabled influencer to connect more directly with a community following disabled travel content online. This may also help to overcome any lack of relatable images, as they will create their own content, including own images and videos.
Paid Channels
Consider paid marketing activity and whether you need to involve a media buying agency to include your content in paid media advertising, from specialist print magazines to mainstream social media channels. You could also appoint a specialist marketing agency like Purple Goat, which engaged influencers to support the North York Moors Accessibility project.
Create relevant content
You may wish to consider curating and using accessible itineraries as the focus of your campaign. This could also help to extend your campaign reach, for example, an itinerary focused on food and drink could reach a more general audience interested in these experiences.
- lead with what is inspiring about your destination: motivations are generally consistent regardless of accessibility requirements.
- ensure a strong focus on accessible images and venues. This will help to give both emotional and practical reassurance to potential visitors.
- aim to reach out to people with a range of accessibility requirements e.g. mobility / sensory / cognitive in your communications.
- check out feedback from previous visitors on Euan’s Guide and TripAdvisor for reviews (and encourage more listings locally too).
- consider how you can weave in positive messages that will tackle issues highlighted by any negative reviews about your destination.
- if you are creating a website landing page specifically for your campaign, include direct links to businesses, Detailed Access Guides and other practical information about the destination (e.g. accessible toilets, car parking etc).
Here are a few examples demonstrating some of the points above:
- Campaign landing page on destination website (with bookability) – Discover Yorkshire Coast – Accessible North York Moors
- VisitEngland - Accessible England
- VisitBritain’s Accessible Britain Guide. You can flag accessible businesses for consideration in this resource, which is aimed at international visitors, by emailing [email protected]
- Days Out Guides
- Sample listicle – 7 Amazing accessible experiences in the North York Moors
- Including accessibility into a wider campaign such as #EscapeTheEveryDay - Rosie Jones Mission Accessible series for Channel 4
