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Home My WebLink About03-15-2018 AgendaC: [- - f -, " M — J 4WA�S.1M' I N is TO N Auburn Tourism Board Meeting March 15, 2018 —10:00 AM Auburn City Hall Council Chambers AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1) Roll Call II. APPROVE FEBRUARY MEETING MINUTES III. OLD BUSINESS 1) Smarthouse Creative ■ Tourism Map ■ Marketing Update 2) Tourism Updates • Budget Update • POS Tourism Development Grant Programs ■ Highway Signage and City Requirements • SHCA Hospitality Tradeshow IV. NEW BUSINESS ■ Social Mixer with ADA, BIA, LTAC V. NEXT MEETING Thursday, April 19th at 10AM in Council Chambers VI. ADJOURNMENT i 100 South King Street STE 100 #722 1 Seattle, WA 98104 hevvouguvsftstnarthousecreative.com I smarthousecreative.com @teamsmarthouse AUBURN TOURISM WEBSITE SUGGESTED REVISIONS ExploreAuburnxom - Change "Events" tab to "Calendar" - Add social media icons next to phone number. - Add email icon next to phone number. - "Stories" tab might confuse visitors. What about making it "News" instead? - Hyperlink boldface attractions in "Auburn is home to..." copy. - None of the "XXXXX Big" except for "Party Big" are hyperlinked. These images should all be linked to something. - Reduce size of primary slider images so that a portion of the next section is visible (or at least the arrow indicating that there is more to see below). (As is, a visitor could easily be fooled into thinking all of the nav options are contained in the header.) - Suggest replacing hyperlinked "attraction" tiles with hyperlinked image tiles for upcoming events. - Consider integrating elements of footer text with existing text that appears just below the fold. 100 South King Street STE 100 #722 1 Seattle, WA 98104 hevvoupuvs(cDsmarthousecreative.com I smarthousecreative.com @teamsmarthouse AUBURN TOURISM LOGO REVIEW 4y+ * WASHINGTON FEEDBACK - Somewhat dated feel - Echoes City logo, but uses cleaner Montserrat font instead of the serif font for Auburn in official logo - Montserrat is an effective modern and readable choice - Green color is pleasing, but not exciting - Blue stars and green waves are distracting. Consider removing them (especially the stars) - "Explore" could be difficult to read on phones or smaller printed materials - Stars seem to echo style sometimes used in motel signage - Do you need to spell out "Washington"? Could "WA" be just as effective? - "Explore" gives sense of motion and/or progress/movement i 100 South King Street STE 100 #722 1 Seattle, WA 98104 hevvouguvsCa)smarthousecreative.com I smarthousecreative.com @teamsmarthouse "EXPLORE AUBURN" VIDEO REVIEW -Reduce number of shots in one particular setting, cutting them from 3-4 down to 1-2, which will not diminish any of the impact, but will help tighten the pacing -Is music local? If so, put music credit on the bottom at the start -"Auburn" on the golf ball is a nice touch -Overall, we suggest tighter, shorter clips which will help quicken the pace of the piece -Perhaps identify where the clips were shot so people know that it's Auburn (and not, say, stock footage). This would also give viewers an action to take -- if they see a clip of a lovely park, they know its name and can then go themselves. The Gosanko sign and Outlet Collection shots work well for this, but it could also be a brief graphical overlay -The additional sound effects (i.e. laughing, clinking glasses) are not necessary -Place downtown identifying clips at the top of the video to to help establish place -No clear brand of the city or call to action -Because the video runs for the entire length of the song, I think it would be worth considering a new cut featuring purely instrumental music that runs about 90 seconds. The song is pretty generic and doesn't feel very "young -urban -progressive." Rather, it positions Auburn as "Puyallup's cousin" (down-home country/folk) instead of a stand-alone alternative to Seattle or Tacoma (modern classical, uplifting strings, etc.). [smarthouse creative] CITY OF AUBURN Tourism Marketing Strategy (DRAFT) Objectives: 1) Build awareness of vacation and business opportunities offered by the City of Auburn; 2) Position City of Auburn as a top -of -mind destination for residents of the greater Pacific Northwest region (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia); 3) Drive City of Auburn hotel occupancy rates; 4) Generate national interest in visiting Auburn via targeted ads on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Google. 5) Build prestige, awareness, and usable quotes from earned media placements Key Results: 1) Build awareness of vacation and business opportunities offered by the City of Auburn: a. Increase total fan engagements (likes, shares, comments, RTs) across City of Auburn's social media channels; b. Create sub -set of 25 key business and lifestyle influencers in the greater Puget Sound area that will share updates and take ownership of promoting exciting opportunities in the City of Auburn; 2) Position City of Auburn as a top -of -mind destination for residents of the greater Pacific Northwest region (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia): a. Integrate hashtags (#TBD1, #TBD2) and tag City of Auburn partner accounts in social content posts across all channels; b. Engage online influencers in surrounding local markets; c. Promote photo/video content, infographics, and other related resources. 3) Drive City of Auburn hotel occupancy rates; a. Launch Facebook ad campaign to generate booking inquiries; b. Launch Google AdWords campaign to generate booking inquiries. 4) Generate national interest in visiting Auburn via targeted ads on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Google: a. Plan and execute two pre-release ad campaigns and one post -release ad campaign on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Google; b. A/B test content and revise creative, as needed. i [smarthouse creative] 5.) Media placements that position Auburn as an exciting and practical option for business and personal travel a. Reach out to PNW regional media and target DMAs, with a focus on travel and business outlets b. Make best use of events and stories inspired by local organizations and businesses c. Research and target special issues that focus on travel, conferences, etc. Primary hashtags: #AuburnWA H #ExploreAuburn Secondary hashtags: #AuburnCYOA H #AubumFTW H #VisitAuburn H #AuburnAdventures Audience segmentation The primary audience segments for the City of Auburn (with regards to tourism, commerce, business travel, and recreation) include the following: 1) City of Auburn residents; 2) Residents of the greater Puget Sound region; 3) National business travelers; 4) Residents of the greater Pacific Northwest region. Media verticals The primary segments for target media include the following: 1) Seattle, South King County, Puget Sound and Washington State lifestyle magazines 2) Regional business magazines 3) Travel and business magazines in larger PNW region 4) Travel and business magazines in target DMAs 5) Regional bloggers and influencers Talking points The following messages should be conveyed in media outreach and marketing: 1) Auburn is perfectly poised as a practical and exciting choice for business and personal travel. a) It has a wide variety of affordable and higher -end accommodations, and entertainment options for all budgets and time availability b) It is close to the Sounder train, making access to Seattle simple and efficient [smarthouse creative] c) Auburn has a charming downtown, as well as modern amenities and access to all businesses and services to make your travel and stay smooth and comfortable d) Auburn has many natural attractions, for exercise and enjoyment, ranging from city parks to nearby Mount Rainier e) Auburn is a hidden gem, with many great restaurants and entertainment options waiting to be discovered! Voice City of Auburn's formal voice should maintain a conversational tone akin to a trusted friend or family member offering their best travel, lodging, and recreation tips. Audience members should feel like they are engaging with a person (not a brand or organization) who speaks their language, understands their needs, and is enthusiastic about offering the best tips for enjoying the City of Auburn and all it has to offer. Suggested campaigns & audience engagement tactics (in development) 1) Choose Your Own Adventure Auburn's Choose Your Own Adventure campaign will highlight the natural beauty that makes Auburn, Washington, a can't -miss Pacific Northwest destination. From our gorgeous city parks (and our annual geocache tournament) to our one -of -a -kind bike trails and our easy access to mountains, lakes, and more, this campaign will position the City of Auburn as a "base camp" for the adventurous traveler arriving at SeaTac International Airport. Utilizing vivid creative that spotlights the intersection of physical, cultural, and natural tourism opportunities that exist in Auburn, our Choose Your Own Adventure campaign will empower newly arrived visitors to make a bold choice with their leisure time (and money) by spending both in Auburn, Washington. Working with a locally -based marketing agency, this campaign, combined with our market research and audience segmentation, will focus on attracting new visitors to the PNW, using Auburn as an entry point to all the natural beauty and amenities the region has to offer. Our digital marketing campaign will cover regional as well as large national DMA media outlets that focus on adventure and travel. Additionally, we will work to motivate and entice travelers to come to our city by showcasing seasonal activities paired with local attractions and creating hotel packages for several traveler personas within the leisure travel market identified during the initial research phase. [smarthouse creative] i- Key results/metrics dashboard: In order to best measure the effectiveness of this campaign, consider including the following metrics in a weekly report (internal): 1) Total Explore Auburn unique website visits; 2) Total book sales; 3) Total reach (by social channel); 4) Engagement rate (by social channel) 5) Press placements (valued by overall reach and prestige) WSDOT Motorist Information Sign Program Motorist Information Signs (MIS) are placed along state highways to alert travelers about the services available at an interchange or intersection. MIS are blue or brown panels with individual business logo signs attached. Travelers searching for gas, food, lodging, camping, recreation, or tourist activities, are eligible to promote their logo sign. Cost WSDOT installs and maintains the sign panel, the business provides the logo. The annual permit fees are based by location of the highway. For both SR 18 and SR167, we are in Zone 1. Zone 1: Freeways and expressways with more than 80,000 vehicle $910 $455* per day *A business cannot opt for one direction, rather if space is not available for signage for both sides of the road and signage is available for one direction, this is what the cost would be. Sign Manufacturer Estimates Approximate figures are: ■ 24" x 12" signs may cost between $84 and $530 ■ 36" x 12" signs may cost between $160 and $530 • 60" x 36" signs may cost between $330 and $530 Criteria New signage can only be placed 800 feet between major signs. Combo boards are a possibility if space permits. Business must be up and running for their application to be considered. Application An online application must be submitted via http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Operations/Traffic/Sins/mis.htm for the research of availability of existing signage or the research the possibility for new signs to take place. Offer of placement is available on a first come, first serve basis. It is encouraged to submit application to be placed on waidist even though space might not available. Observations ■ SR 167 North appears to have one extra space for an addition to the Recreation sign of which Auburn Golf currently is advertised. ■ While SR 167 North has a sign indicating lodging once on the 15"' Street NW exit, there is no existing signage prior to the exit indicating to motorists of lodging options. ■ SR 18 Westbound has no existing signage for lodging except once on exit ramp, city signage with direction of Best Western. ■ SR Eastbound has a combo sign on the exit ramp with food and one lodging option (La Quinta) that appears to be full. " _ i Approved HOTEL/MOTEL TAX FUND 2018 BUDGET YTD YTD as of Comparison 1 / 31 / 2018 1/31/2017 Revenues: Hotel/Motel Excise Tax Investment, Income Total Revenues Expenditures: Administration Tourism Manager Salary Marketing Consultant Travel Dues Conference Fees Meetings Printing/ Promo Supplies Subtotal Marketing Media Buy,Trade Shows, Digital Web Site Multi Media Subtotal Community Support - Grants Grant Program Subtotal Total Expenditures YTD YTD Budgeted Ending Fund Balance as of January 2018* YTD Actual Ending Fund Balance January 2018 Year End Budgeted Ending Fund Balance Restricted Reserves Unrestricted Reserves January 2018 Actual Ending Fund Balance Restricted Reserves 2018 $7,753 $8,026 $113,300 $95 $247 $400 $7,848 $8,2731 $113,700 $4,820 $46,125 $0 $10,300 $0 $1,030 $0 $515 $0 $515 $30 $515 $0 $2,800 $4,850 $61,800 $0 $37,995 $75 $2,575 $0 $1,030 $75 $41,600 $0 1 $10,300 $4,9251 $113,700 $4,925 $147,895 $203,720 2018 $144, 546 $22,740 $121,806 $203,720 $40,744 E:\Economic Development\Tourism\Budget\2018\JAN 2018\Budget Snapshot as of 1.31.18.xlsx (Unrestricted Reserves j *Budgeted Amount - Actuals Available by July 2018 once state has completed audit **Restricted reserves should equal 20% of budgeted annual expenditures. ***Pending Approval from Finance est. Spring 2018 $1 i2,976