A lot of small communities like Main Street organizations and rural tourism offices have a new infusion of ARPA funds available. Many of them are working with PPR Strategies to make sure this infusion of marketing dollars makes the biggest impact.
In the past few years, the tourism and hospitality industry was significantly impacted by the pandemic, which caused major disruptions in hotel stays. We’re working with organizations looking to attract visitors and get people to feel comfortable traveling again.
So, how can you best leverage a one-time infusion of funds?
It’s important to look at whatever you do as a “one-and-done” project that won’t need another infusion of funds later.
Content creation, whether that’s through the written word, video, or images (or preferably all three!), is a great way to use funds. For example, you could do a one-time project like filming testimonials of local business owners or creating a teaser video of sites in your community. Then, the video could be shared and repurposed on your website and social media channels.
Strategic advertising to grow your audience is another smart use of one-time funds. Using your advertising dollars effectively is tricky in a competitive market where organizations are constantly vying for consumer eyeballs and attention. This is why it’s important to start with the right customized strategy for your organization. Some of the questions you can ask to dive deep into the strategy are:
- Who is the target audience? Are they families? Retirees? Are there children or teenagers? Best friends going on a girlfriend weekend?
- Where do they live?
- How far are they traveling to come to you?
- What are they doing once they get there? Are they coming for an outdoor adventure or historic travel?
- How does the campaign align with their goals and desires as tourists and travelers?
Another important place to put ARPA funds is into website enhancements. After all, there’s no use driving traffic to your website if it isn’t telling the story you want to tell. Focus on fixing the base first and utilizing the one-time federal or state funding to get it done.
Again, make sure that whatever it is that you implement, you’re able to sustain it and you aren’t relying on getting these funds again a year later.
Putting your ARPA funds in the right place can elevate your other marketing and advertising efforts and help you reach your goals.
If you’d like some support to figure out the best way to put your ARPA funds to use, contact us for a free 15-minute consultation.
‘Til next time,
Sandy
