CREATING A VISION

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CREATING A VISION NORTH YORKSHIRE TOWNS ALIVE
SEMINAR
Presented by  
Rob Edwards - Director   e
rob_at_bluerepublic.co.uk w www.bluerepublic.co.uk
t 0845 3295974 m 07981 052217
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Creating A Vision Introduction
Vision, goal, statement of intent, brand,
personality, voice, USPs etc. This presentation
will include some marketing jargon and some
concepts which need to be understood. However,
what I am hoping to show you, is how to create an
identity for your towns which is - Clear - Define
d - Defendable
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Creating A Vision Introduction

• Through our recommended processes, you will be
  able to develop
• - Cohesive thinking
• - Bring various stakeholders together to develop
  a shared vision
• - Create a set of agreed USPs
• Create a tourism action plan which shows how to
  deliver your vision through tangible projects and
  results
• Your identity is already there the task is to
  get everyone to agree it and promote it.

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Creating A Vision USPs

• Unique Selling Points
• Use physical assets and non-physical selling
  points
• You are only allowed up to ten! Marketing is
  differentiation and focus
• One USP might be enough
• Ludlow Food
• Hay on Wye - Literature
• Newquay - Surfing
• However, it is more likely that your town will
  have a collection of attributes which may
  individually be quite common, but collectively
  can create a unique package.

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Creating A Vision A model for engagement
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Creating A Vision A model for engagement

• A checklist of tasks
• Desk research Accommodation stock, occupancy
  levels, the number of built and natural
  attractions, location of tourism assets,
  competitors, visitor numbers, review of strategic
  priorities
• Primary research Visitor surveys, satisfaction
  levels, perceptions of your town, strengths and
  weaknesses, visitor types, demographics
• Consultation Local business workshops,
  strengths and weaknesses, project ideas,
  perceptions of the town
• Going through these tasks, will ensure your USPs
  are accurate and defendable.

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Creating A Vision Delivering a brand
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Creating A Vision Delivering a brand

• Your aims are to identify
• The SWOT of your town
• The perception of your town
• The attributes which make your town special
  (USP)
• The underlying feel and ambition of your
  town
• This is a staged process to ensure that all
  results and created visions can be defended.

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Creating A Vision A model for engagement
Visitor Survey Data Focus Groups
Workshops Business consultation
Strategic Fit
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Creating A Vision Case Study 1

• Blue Republic were commissioned by the Waveney
  Valley Local Action Group
• to
• Identify a core set of underlying principles and
  characteristics (USPs) to define the
  personality of the Waveney Valley, its
  products, its people and its heritage
• Create a pathway to enhance and develop existing
  USPs
• Identify potential and new USPs
• Provide framework guidance for the development of
  a graphic identity.

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Creating A Vision Case Study 1

• Using our model we carried out 
• 5 workshops with businesses and organisation
  representatives in five market towns Diss,
  Harleston, Bungay, Beccles, Halesworth
• 4 consumer focus groups Norwich (X2), Bungay,
  Beccles
• Desk research completed inc. Resident profiling
  and business mapping, recent visitor survey data,
  footfall etc.
• Consultation with stakeholders (January)
• Following our processes, we were able to develop
  a vision for
• development which we knew was deliverable and
  defendable.

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Creating A Vision Case Study 1

• By 2013, The Waveney Valley will be recognised
  as an area of thriving market towns, populated by
  independent shops and embedded in its heritage
  landscape. Sustainable communities advertise
  their health through flourishing rural
  businesses. The message of the valley will
  travel the meandering River Waveney, unspoilt
  beauty, expansive skies and a place where you can
  still see the stars. "
•  
• Waveney Valley Personality Traits
•  
• Friendly where communities matter
• Traditional strong values, committed to the area
  and its heritage
• Independent
• In tune with the land
• Everything in the vision, can be linked to a
  specific area of investigation and
• result.

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Creating A Vision Case Study 2
As part of the Better Welcome programme, we were
asked to create an Action Plan Template to put
all of the process results in one document and
show a logical pathway to the vision. The Better
Welcome programme also went a step further and
through it we identified actual, specific
projects which would deliver the vision in a
practical way. Action Plan Template Key Action
plan data includes Vision, identified and agreed
USPs, SWOT, visitor profiles, visitor behaviour
data, visitor spend patterns, satisfaction
and importance ratings, local business
consultation results, strategic fit,
defined projects with associated costs, a
timescale for delivery.
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Creating A Vision

• Summary
• Use survey data to inform your vision
  concentrate on perception of the town, likes and
  dislikes and where you score highly with visitors
• Engage local businesses early on in the process
  these are the advocates and the people who
  ultimately deliver your vision. Balance their
  desires and perceptions with the visitor data.
• Investigate how your towns products and future
  vision can plug into wider, regional marketing
  effort.
• Develop programmes and projects which deliver
  your decided vision.
• Concentrate on your three guidelines
• - Clear
• - Defined
• - Defendable

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CREATING A VISION NORTH YORKSHIRE TOWNS ALIVE
SEMINAR
Presented by  
Rob Edwards - Director   e
rob_at_bluerepublic.co.uk w www.bluerepublic.co.uk
t 0845 3295974 m 07981 052217