While the season was beginning to wind down, and the pace in the Wise office began to slow just a bit, things in my world of marketing were as heated as ever. Conferences and events in the months of March and April kept my mind sharp, my focus clear, and, at times, my brain overloaded with new information waiting to be infused into our Wise marketing plans.

Towards the end of March I headed to New York for the annual Search Engine Strategies Conference. This amazing event draws thousands of attendees and is the leading global conference & expo series that educates delegates on search engine marketing (SEM), including optimization (SEO) and advertising strategies, tactics and best practices. It was my first time attending the conference and to say that I “learned a lot” is an understatement. Among the hundreds of sessions offered and the twenty or so that I attended over the 4 day event, the most compelling to me were the sessions focused on social media marketing.

Social media marketing is the lastest buzz word among marketers across all industries that relate with customers. Blogs, RSS, wikis, video sharing, social networks, social news, bookmarking, photo sharing, podcasting, video sharing, etc are all examples of social media. These new and different arenas are where our customers are. People mention brands every day in these online communities and about 80% of those come with personal recommendations- good or bad. Being an active participant in these various arenas is not just for your kids. Companies are also getting into the game, and Wise should be no different.

It was easy to relate the session content directly to my marketing goals and tasks here at Wise. We will be launching our own Wise Vacations MySpace and Facebook pages soon (When I heard Brian Williams urging his listeners to visit the MSNBC MySpace page, I knew it was time!). Podcasts, videos, and other interactive tools will not only become part of our website, but these features will be optimized for search engines. I am actively seeking out and searching for reviews of Wise on many of the popular reviews and ratings websites out there. Managing Wise’s online reputation will become a priority moving forward. Social media marketing is not the only focus in our marketing mix, however it is just one more tool that keeps Wise on the cutting edge of new marketing ideas and keeps us one step ahead of the competition. Other powerful and information packed sessions included those specific to small business and those focused on customers. 

Taking a complete 180 degree turn, in April I attended the Discover New England Summit in New Haven, CT. This much smaller conference is held in a different New England state each year and I’ve attended in many previous years. It is primarily focused on the European travel market, specifically the UK and Germany, and bringing these travelers to New England. Since the dollar is so weak against the Pound and the Euro, there’s never been a better time to drum up international business and cultivate the relationships we already have with UK travel agents. Unlike in the US, travel agents and tour operators are the main source of information and travel planning for Europeans.

At the conference, there are general sessions and keynote speakers, but the main meat of the conference is one on one meetings with the 40 + tour operators and travel agents that attend. Each travel agent/tour operator has a description in the conference booklet, so I was able to mark off those companies that I wanted to speak with. In addition, there is a special session where tour operators and travel agents specifically request to speak with certain suppliers- Wise was among that group and I met with 2 companies that had requested us. These “International Marketplaces”, as they are called, are 9 minute face to face meetings where we have a chance to showcase what Wise has to offer. Think of it as speed dating! Seriously, there is a large room set up with little cocktail tables and each travel agent/tour operator is at a table, and the suppliers (hotels, vacation rental companies, and attractions) funnel through and briefly speak with whatever company they have their eye on. I made some great initial contacts with several companies that were looking to add a selection of private homes to their portfolio. Obviously the key here is follow up follow up follow up.

So as the spring and early summer here in Killington can be seen as the slower months, for me, they are the time where I begin planning and implementing new marketing initiatives as well as further develop and evaluate the ones we already have in place.