Request for Proposal
CITY OF FORT BRAGG
STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES
FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG
SUBMITTED: June 26, 2024
ATTENTION: Diana Sanchez, City Clerk
THE NEW BUSINESS
41 Heman Street
Toronto, ON M8V 1X4
Matthew Thomas, CSO
416 871 2342
Table of Contents
Statement of Interest
Firm Description
Relevant Experience
Experience Working with Other Partners
Key Personnel Qualifications
Scope of Work
Budget
Work Schedule
1 2
4 13
14 20
32 33
PG 1 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Statement of Interest
Dear Fort Bragg Team,
Our team has a soft spot for rural destinations, and Fort Bragg is no exception. We’re excited about the possibility of working with you!
In today’s noisy tourism marketing world, it’s crucial to stand out. I’m sure you’ve experienced the hubbub clamoring for attention. Most marketing just adds to the din.
We specialize in building cohesive marketing assets that create a powerful gravitational pull, ensuring smaller destinations like Fort Bragg achieve an outsized return on investment.
Our team is thrilled to craft a campaign that honors your history as a gritty lumber town. We’ve helped put Northern Ontario on the map — a very similar rural destination — and delivered impressive returns on their investment.
We fully understand the challenges and opportunities you face as a municipal DMO, balancing the roles of destination marketer and manager, particularly with the challenges of the Transient Occupancy Tax and showing ROI to stakeholders. Our Destination Design approach has helped similar destinations navigate these waters.
Your authentic and unpretentious vibe aligns perfectly with our team’s culture. As our DMO clients will tell you, we deliver outstanding results through a down-to-earth approach. They'd be more than happy to tell you about our work.
With over 10 years of experience in rural destination marketing, our team is well-equipped to handle all the items in your Scope of Work seamlessly as one integrated team.
Fort Bragg is an incredible destination that more travelers in California—and locations beyond— need to discover. We look forward to the chance to work together.
Warm regards,
Matthew Thomas
CSO, The New Business
PG 2 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Firm Description
The New Business (TNB) is a full-service tourism marketing agency with over a decade of experience working with Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs).
Our diverse team includes 20 full-time employees, three part-time staff, and three long-term contractors across North America. With our head office in Toronto, our team spans New York, Montreal, Vancouver, Portland, and LA. We work from offices, shared workspaces, and remotely, collaborating to ensure every line of copy and code provides measurable ROI for our destination clients.
Rural Destination Experts
TNB specializes in working with rural and remote destinations. For twelve years, we’ve partnered with Destination Northern Ontario (DNO), Destination Ontario, and other regional leaders, driving editorial and website services for Northern Ontario’s online magazine. Northern Ontario is twice the size of Texas but, like Fort Bragg, it’s off the beaten path from large urban areas to the south. We put the destination on the map with integrated marketing campaigns. This year we hit 4.7 million page views with a 20% clickthrough rate, sending droves of leads to local businesses.
Creative Marketing Services
Our creative team has a proven track record of delivering breakthrough tourism marketing campaigns. Our content strategist is a NYT best-seller, and the team has over 20 destination marketing campaigns under their belt. From billboards to social media campaigns, we bring tourism stories to life.
Public Relations Services
For the PR portion of this project, we partner with Outside PR, a trusted leader in outdoor adventure and leisure PR based in Marin County, California. Outside PR, renowned for its expertise in active lifestyles, and outdoor recreation, collaborates with us to provide exceptional public relations services for Fort Bragg in conjunction with TNB. Outside PR has an impressive portfolio, serving core outdoor brands like Fjallraven, Teva, Gore-Tex, Cotopaxi, and CamelBak, as well as larger consumer goods brands like Epson, Red Bull, Strava, and Athletic Brewing. They also bring extensive travel and tourism experience, having been the agency of record for Sun Valley, ID, MT Sobek, The Hotel Zags, and others.
Tourism Marketing Strategy
TNB developed the Destination Design approach to engage tourism stakeholders and craft the perfect marketing mix for our clients. Our team is made up of seasoned tourism professionals and marketing experts who understand what it takes to make destination managers successful in their communities.
Matthew Thomas, your account manager, brings the insider perspective of a former manager of a municipal DMO and globally-recognised marketing expert. Leni Brem, your project manager, bridges the gap between tourism businesses and government with a decade of experience. TNB has managed milliondollar marketing campaigns that delivered measurable ROI for our clients. Last year TNB’s marketing strategy resulted in a 58% increase in traffic year-over-year for our new client, with over 10K leads to their business partners.
PG 3 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Digital Marketing Expertise
Our experience with DMOs showed the need for software solutions specifically to help destination managers.
So we built them. Now, these solutions are helping more than 14 destinations across North America:
• Whereabouts: A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform designed to treat your members like partners, not customers. At its heart, Whereabouts is a central hub for all your stakeholders, consolidating member records into a single, accessible location. It’s not just a list; it powers event listings, directories, itineraries, and bookings. The platform’s intuitive and user-friendly design ensures a smooth transition for your team. Feedback from DMOs using Whereabouts has been overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting its ease of use and positive impact on operations.
• Booker: A booking referral system that makes your destination’s tourism products easy to purchase and track.
Booker is your lodging solution, designed to capture the bookings that your marketing efforts deserve, keeping the benefits—and the tax revenue—close to home.
• Tripper: An interactive itinerary system with dynamic mapping. It has a serious “wow” factor that makes your itineraries pop. From downtown shopping trips to RV adventures and road trips, Tripper brings your tourism offerings to life. It’s designed to move prospective travelers from discovering to planning their stay in your destination.
What a Ride
Getting travelers on the road to your destination is our specialty. Our media brand, What a Ride, guarantees website traffic to your DMO and tourism operators. We create content about the best road adventures, using the website whataride.world and a 26,000-strong Facebook following of adventure enthusiasts. We drive traffic and bookings through influencer campaigns, group tours, content packages, and curated itineraries.
Memberships & Industry Partnerships
Our team stays on the pulse of the industry. We’re active participants in organizations like Destinations International and the Travel & Tourism Research Association (TTRA). Our leadership team is often invited to give talks on rural destination marketing. Our team Slack channel buzzes with the latest industry news and trends, and we regularly attend seminars and events to stay ahead. Our extensive network across North America keeps us well-informed and connected, so we can help our clients navigate the ever-changing tourism industry landscape.
The TNB Commitment
Our goal is straightforward: to elevate your destination with better creative marketing and technology and achieve measurable results for your community.
As a tightly-knit team with a shared vision, we're committed to bringing the best marketing and technology solutions to the world of DMOs.
That's how we're making a difference, one destination at a time.
PG 4 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Relevant Experience
TNB can provide you with numerous case studies that
showcase our tourism marketing expertise. Highlighted
in this doc are three of our favorite examples. They
demonstrate our ability to provide end-to-end solutions for Fort Bragg that check off the requirements in your RFP — including creative storytelling, media buying, public relations, and digital solutions.
We invite you to click on the images on our digital version or visit the urls to experience our work firsthand.
PG 5 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Northeastern Ontario had a problem. The rural destination, just a four-hour drive from Toronto, struggled to attract the city’s 3 million residents and tourists to their small towns and outdoor recreation experiences. Adding to the challenge was the world-renowned destination of Muskoka, which stood in the way.
Muskoka, the go-to retreat for wealthy travelers, is famously frequented by celebrities. How could Northeastern Ontario compete against Victoria and David Beckham’s favorite outdoor destination? The DMO turned to our team for help.
We delivered a creative marketing campaign that instantly resonated with audiences looking to escape. The results exceeded our client’s expectations.
The Marketing Strategy
Using our Destination Design approach, we conducted market research into Millennial and Gen Z audiences and surveyed their travel preferences. These insights turned into new target visitor personas and profiles. From there, TNB’s marketing team developed a winning strategy: an integrated marketing campaign that tackled the issue head-on.
1. Focus on Authenticity: Sure the rich and famous head to Muskoka. But where do real people go? In an era of “quiet-quitting” and rising inflation, our research revealed a genuine desire to escape hustle culture and seek authentic experiences.
2.Focus on Nostalgia: Nostalgia was trending, with shows like Stranger Things bringing the 80s back. Smartphones were out. Polaroid cameras and cassette Walkmans were in. Our campaign tapped into the yearning for the good old days.
3.Differentiate from Muskoka: Position Northeastern Ontario as Canada’s true rural experience — a frontier beyond Muskoka.
The Big Creative Idea
Toronto’s iconic advocate, Drake, famously dubbed the city “The Six.” This simple insight was all our creative team needed to build a winning marketing campaign for our client.
To get people traveling from “The Six” we would turn Northeastern Ontario into “The Seven.” The idea instantly resonated with Torontonians and global travelers, inviting them to explore a new destination just a bit further north.
Our Creative team, led by Creative Director Kinnon Elliott, embraced the authenticity of Northeastern Ontario. No false promises here. Marketing copy promised “splinters and sunburns and bug bites” and rainy camping trips that still ended up being the best ever.
Rebranding Rural: How TNB Turned Northeastern
Ontario into a Must-Visit Destination
REFERENCE:
Trevor Beard, Executive Director, | 647-217-5467 | [email protected] PG 6 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected]
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PG 7 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] The campaign used a classic family vacation aesthetic with postcards, grainy photos, and VHS-style influencer videos. All carefully designed to differentiate “The Seven” from Muskoka and position “The Seven” as Canada’s authentic outdoor hot-spot.
The Integrated Campaign
With “The Seven” creative assets in place, our media team transformed it into a fully integrated campaign, stretching every dollar to maximize ROI.
Influencer Content: Social media specialist Jessie Stones led the influencer campaign. Influencers who embodied the brand values of The Seven brought fresh perspectives to the destination and captured the true experience. Road trips with hotdog stand pitstops, reeling in the comically small fish from a boat, and small-town shopping trips were captured using the influencers' authentic voice to match the new brand.
Billboards: Billboards throughout Toronto sprung up in strategic areas. Messages like “We’re Outside” and “The Six could never” spread the word about Canada's refreshing new rural destination.
Print Media: We placed full page print ads in a popular summer travel magazine that was distributed through two national newspapers to addresses in the Greater Toronto Area.
SEO and Editorial: Our SEO-driven editorial calendar captured search traffic for outdoor recreation and natural getaways near Toronto.
Trip Planning: Our Tripper software offered stop-by-stop trip ideas to bypass Muskoka and explore “The Seven.”
Digital Marketing: The campaign included increased social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, with email marketing to keep “The Seven” top of mind. • Website Traffic: A 58% year-over-year increase and 2,000 virtual guidebook downloads. • Bookings: Over 10,000 referrals to businesses.
• Social Media Engagement: A 300%+ increase in engagement across our platforms. • Traditional Media: The rebrand made headlines, featured in national news outlets. • Stakeholders: Northeastern Ontario stakeholders praised the campaign for giving them a renewed sense of pride in their destination.
PG 8 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Aww, shucks. Watch Trevor
speak about our work
on CTV News.
What this Means for Visit Fort Bragg
The success of this campaign shows how our
integrated marketing services will draw visitors
from the San Francisco Bay Area to Fort Bragg.
TNB will deliver a creative campaign that gets
attention in a noisy world. Our team is eager
to draw California tourists up the coast, past
wine country, to your destination.
• Increase volume of first-time visitors ✔
• Increase overall visitor engagement
throughout all outreach channels ✔
TNB delivered the following
in-house services:
• Branding identity, tagline, and
key messages
• Brand positioning and story
• Marketing strategy for target
visitor personas and profiles
• Social media and influencer
marketing
• Public relations
• Advertising strategy and
implementation
• Website design and
development
• Content strategy (SEO)
• Booking engine and referral
tracking software using Booker
• Customer relationship
management with Whereabouts
• Trip itinerary builder
using Tripper
The Results
Feedback from the client and tourism stakeholders was immediate and overwhelmingly positive.
They took our ideas and
turned them into a beautiful
marketing campaign. The
results speak for themselves.
All our numbers are up.
— Trevor Beard
PG 9 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Northern Ontario Travel: How TNB
Transitioned the Destination from
Struggle to Success
Background
Northern California and Northern Ontario have a lot in common.
Like California, Ontario is the largest tourism destination in its country, with 35% of all Canadian tourism spending occurring in the province. Northern Ontario, twice the size of Texas, is the largest tourism region in Ontario. The rural destination is known for its outdoor recreation, including hiking, fishing, horseback riding, kayaking, and small-town events and festivals. Both destinations offer similar bookable products, including hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds. Just as Fort Bragg attracts tourists from urban centers like California’s Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area, Northern Ontario draws visitors from major cities to the south such as the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa, as well as cross-border traffic from the United States.
A Decade-Long Collaboration with
Destination Northern Ontario
For the past twelve years, The New Business (TNB) has partnered with Destination Northern Ontario (DNO), Destination Ontario, and thirteen regional DMOs. We have managed everything from building and maintaining their network of DMO websites to developing content strategies, managing social media campaigns, email marketing, paid ad campaigns, and reporting results to all key stakeholders. Our marketing strategy is "consumer-first," focusing on high-quality content, consistent social media engagement, strategic advertising, and a user-friendly website redesign.
Content, SEO, and Editorial Expertise
Before TNB’s involvement, travelers struggled to find information about Northern Ontario’s tourism products and experiences.
This changed with the creation of the industry-leading website, Northern Ontario Travel. This magazine-style website, led by our content strategist Jennifer McCartney, has attracted over 20 million visitors. Our content team manages hundreds of articles annually with photos and videos, strategically covering all areas of the destination’s tourism activities.
REFERENCE:
Stephanie Hopkin, Senior Coordinator, Marketing and Communications 705-297-2400 | [email protected]
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PG 10 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Now, the website is a trusted source of tourism information, with over 300 articles in Google's first-page ranking and nearly 3,600 organic keywords appearing in Google's top 3 search results. With over 122,000 organic visits per month, DNO enjoys a steady increase in traffic, supported by a massive repository of content powering its social media engine.
Last year, traffic to the website reached an all-time high of 4.7 million visitors, with a 20% click-through rate, driving hundreds of thousands of leads to qualified businesses across the region.
High-Performance Email Marketing
TNB is responsible for DNO’s consumer email marketing campaigns.
Research into Northern Ontario travelers revealed that nearly 75% of first-time visitors are very likely to return. We used this insight to craft a newsletter strategy that keeps travelers connected by highlighting new opportunities to plan their next trip.
In fiscal year 2023-24, we added over 3,000 new subscribers through social media and the website, achieving a growth rate of 10% per month. Our data-driven approach segments email newsletters to provide highly engaging information based on previous behavior or interests, such as fishing, motorcycling, and family adventures. Our emails achieve an open rate of 51.6%—far above the industry average of 20.44%—and an impressive click rate of 5%.
Increasing Revenue from Bookings
Destination Northern Ontario faced challenges in supporting online bookings. Their DMO website attracted millions of visitors but lacked direct online booking capabilities, redirecting travelers to outdated business websites. Our research revealed significant technological gaps: 50% of the destination’s lodge, cottage, and resort websites were not mobile-friendly, and only a small fraction offered online booking, contributing to low accommodation occupancy rates.
To bridge this gap, we created Booker, a comprehensive booking system designed for DMOs and their members. With Booker, DMOs can increase the impact of their marketing spend by offering all of their operators a powerful booking engine, tracking referrals, delivering exceptional booking experiences to tourists, and accessing valuable data to improve their destination marketing strategies.
Booker supports a wide range of products, including lodging and optional experiences like canoe rentals and boat tours. For example, the business Among The Trees fully booked its summer season using just Booker, generating bookings from DNO’s website and their own social media.
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PG 11 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Innovative Trip Planning Tools
Seeing the need to support travelers in planning their trips, TNB assisted DNO by delivering a library of interactive itineraries through Tripper, our modular mapping system. Tripper transformed DNO’s traditional itineraries into interactive, stop-by-stop trips of all kinds.
Tripper transformed DNO’s itineraries into engaging experiences, achieving 78% more engagement than traditional webpages.
Showcasing Results & ROI
Reporting on the value of our work is essential for
destination managers. We made it easier with a series
of industry-leading reports clarifying the value of DNO’s work to stakeholders. This reporting approach is now
included in our CRM software, Whereabouts.
DNO receives comprehensive data reports monthly,
quarterly, and annually, focusing on key performance
indicators (KPIs). With Whereabouts, their team gets instant access to important KPIs, including social media metrics, website traffic, SEO performance, and booking referrals.
TNB has been our indispensable,
trusted tourism marketing partner.
They’ve moved mountains
to create world-class tourism
solutions for our destination.
They make my job much easier.
— Stephanie Hopkin, Senior Coordinator,
Marketing and Communications
TNB delivers the following
in-house services:
• Marketing strategy for target visitor
personas and profiles
• Social media and influencer
marketing
• Advertising strategy and
implementation
• Website design and development
• Content strategy, writing, and
managing content producers
• Booking engine and referral
tracking software using Booker
• Trip itinerary builder using Tripper
• Long weekend road trips from the big city
• Motorcycle tours to attract new visitors
• RV trips for families to support local businesses
• Hiking trails to keep travels on the right path
What this Means for Visit Fort Bragg
Based on the needs expressed in your RFP,
this case study proves our ability to achieve
the following Fort Bragg goals:
1. Increased tourism spending ✔
2. Increased gross lodging tax revenues ✔
3. Increased gross sales tax revenues ✔
6. Increased website and social traffic ✔
PG 12 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Breathing New Life into a True Blue,
Classic Destination: The County
Background
Prince Edward County, known affectionately as “The County,” sought to redefine its appeal and attract high-value visitors—those who contribute economically and align with values of inclusivity and sustainability. Similar to how Fort Bragg draws visitors from California's Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area, VTC aimed to attract tourists from Toronto and Montreal, especially during the shoulder seasons.
Challenge
As a newly established DMO, Visit The County (VTC) faced the challenge of engaging with local tourism businesses and managing hundreds of event and business listings. The goal was to introduce a new brand and evergreen marketing campaign that resonates with both visitors and the local community, emphasizing authenticity and sustainability.
Destination Design Approach
To create a comprehensive and authentic marketing strategy, we employed our Destination Design approach, engaging stakeholders across the region to capture the true essence of Prince Edward County. • In-Depth Field Research: Visited 8 diverse businesses to understand the region’s offerings.
• Stakeholder Interviews: Conducted 14 detailed interviews with key stakeholders.
• Comprehensive Online Survey: Launched an online
survey with 70 responses to gather broad community insights.
Using these insights, our team identified four key traveler types:
1.Families from nearby urban centers
(Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, NY)
2.International tourists visiting nearby urban centers
3.Luxury & wellness tourists
4.Couples from nearby urban centers
REFERENCE:
Eleanor Cook, Executive Director, | 613-242-8112 | [email protected]
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PG 13 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Positioning Prince Edward County
Unlike any destination in the region, The County is a hub for trailblazing entrepreneurs, world-class chefs, brewers, winemakers, and creatives, making it a unique and appealing destination for those seeking innovative experiences.
Using our research, we positioned Prince Edward County as a destination for "groundbreakers."
The approach tied all the elements together — the farming history, food culture, winemaking, and new wave of hip, contemporary travelers.
“Groundbreakers Welcome” became the slogan, embraced by locals and target audiences.
The Integrated Marketing Campaign
Our team then brought this idea to life, with a creative campaign highlighting the duality of The County — combining rural charm with sophisticated offerings. This was communicated through short, catchy word pairs and image combinations, reinforcing the unique and unexpected nature of The County.
Media Platforms
• Out-of-Home Billboards: Strategic placements with catchy messages.
• Print Media: Guides and advertisements in prominent
publications.
• Digital Marketing: Increased presence on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, along with targeted email marketing campaigns.
Local-Led Itineraries
VTC’s digital strategy included interactive, stop-by-stop itineraries curated by local champions. These itineraries not only build trust but also personalize the travel experience, significantly influencing travel decisions and boosting bookings.
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TRY
TRIPPER
PG 14 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Enhancing Online Presence
The new VTC website prioritizes tourism businesses. Listings from Whereabouts CRM are automatically updated and categorized, providing visitors with easy navigation and up-to-date information. • Business Listings Integration: Onboarded 700 business listings into Whereabouts. • Automated Updates: Event, business directories, and booking information are automatically updated, reducing administrative tasks.
• Enhanced User Experience: Visitors can sort listings by category and region, with nearby attractions and accommodations highlighted to encourage bookings.
Results
Our strategic approach and creative marketing campaign have led to significant results:
• Website Traffic: 340% in just the first quarter since the website launch. • Booking Referrals: Over 3,000 referrals to businesses through our booking system, Booker • Stakeholder Feedback: Positive response and increased local pride in the destination.
Prince Edward County now stands out as a premier destination, offering a blend of authentic rural experiences and sophisticated offerings, perfectly positioned to attract high-value visitors. • Marketing strategy tailored to both
domestic
and international audiences.
• Website design and development with
an emphasis on user experience and
bookable experiences
• Trip itinerary builder using Tripper
• Integration of storytelling elements,
featuring
local voices and experiences.
• Content strategy, writing, and managing
content producers
• Booking engine and referral tracking
software using Booker
• Customer relationship management
with Whereabouts
What this Means for Visit Fort Bragg
Based on the needs expressed in your RFP,
this case study proves our ability to achieve
the following Fort Bragg goals:
1. Increased tourism spending ✔
2. Increased gross lodging tax revenues ✔
3. Increased gross sales tax revenues ✔
6. Increased website and social traffic ✔
TNB delivered the following in-house services:
PG 15 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Experience Working with other Partners
Our success in working with partners is evident in our collaborations with Destination Ontario, Destination Northern Ontario, thirteen sector organizations, various Francophone and Indigenous communities, and numerous cities and regions.
TNB's expertise in fostering and managing these partnerships is exemplified by our Centralized Ad Spend initiative. In 2019, we recognized the potential for enhanced advertising outcomes.
Our Advertising Manager, Ian Russell, initiated collaborations with each of Destination Northern Ontario’s stakeholders to synergize their digital media advertising budgets and creative campaigns. This strategy proved to be more effective than the sum of its parts. By 2023, the Centralized Ad Spend yielded impressive results: 426,000 website sessions for a $60,000 investment (equating to $0.14 per visit) and 17,000 outbound clicks (costing just $3.53 per lead). These figures significantly surpassed the individual achievements of any partner.
Additionally, this collaboration fostered agility in our advertising approaches. For example, when the New York Times featured the Lake Superior Ice Caves, we promptly launched targeted ads showcasing relevant archival content to NYT readers.
Further enhancing this partnership, our team devised a comprehensive editorial and SEO content strategy. Our Content Strategist, Jennifer McCartney, oversees editorial collaborations across the regions. By managing a centralized editorial calendar and maintaining regular group and individual consultations, she collaborates with regional representatives to create a blend of SEO-driven and in-depth editorial content. This initiative has led to the production of thousands of articles spanning the full spectrum of tourism activities.
The impact is evident: over 122,000 monthly organic visits, more than 10,000 articles ranked on Google's first page, and nearly 3,600 organic keywords in Google's top three search results.
Thanks to this innovative partnership, travelers now have access to a rich array of articles covering Northern Ontario's key attractions across all four regions and the five urban centers.
These partnerships are our most successful initiatives to date, not only overcoming the challenge of aligning diverse goals but also inspiring participants to reconsider the notion of competition among local destinations.
PG 16 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Key Personnel Qualifications
Creative Services
Kinnon Elliott
Chief Creative Officer
Kinnon leads the creative team at The New Business, and is the principal designer for all branding and web design projects. An award-winning illustrator and designer, she has worked with TNB for over a decade on print, web, video and creative ad campaigns that showcase the distinct natural beauty and rich experiences of our partner travel destinations. She has developed visually compelling brands for clients such as The Seven— Northeastern Ontario, CION Cultural Industries Ontario North, and Visit the County. She also worked with Ontario’s Highlands to rebrand and modernize their consumer and industry-facing websites, improve the UX and visual interface, and develop a visual treatment that communicated the region’s personality and values.
Jennifer McCartney
Content Strategist
Jennifer McCartney, a New York Times best-selling author and seasoned content strategist, excels in delivering exceptional content and compelling messaging.
With nearly two decades of experience in writing and editing, Jennifer will lead the content work for your campaign, leveraging her expertise to optimize your brand's visibility and engagement.
Jennifer's role as the Senior Content Specialist for Destination Northern Ontario has demonstrated her ability to drive impressive results. Her strategic approach has led to over 122,000 monthly organic visits and positioned more than 10,000 articles on Google's first page. Currently, her content strategy has achieved top 3 search rankings for over 3,600 organic keywords on Google.
As a writer, Jennifer has published more than a dozen books, translated into 25+ languages.
Her notable works include The Joy of Series (W.W. Norton) and The Animal Philosophy Series (HarperCollins UK), along with the humorous guide So You Want to Move to Canada, Eh? (Running Press) and The Rodent Not Taken: And Other Poems by Cats (Countryman Press). Her writing spans diverse topics from utopias to train travel, featured in outlets such as BBC Radio 4, The Atlantic, Architectural Digest, Vice Magazine, Teen Vogue, Curbed, and CBC.
PG 17 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Jessie Stones
Social Media Strategist
Jessie Stones is an accomplished content strategist specializing in influencer and social media marketing. Since the inception of TNB, she has been at the forefront of running social media and influencer campaigns, adapting and evolving strategy with the dynamic digital landscape.
Jessie has led influencer campaigns for prominent clients such as The Seven—Northeastern Ontario and Destination Northern Ontario. These campaigns were not just about broadening reach; they were meticulously crafted to resonate with each destination's unique character. Jessie's approach is strategic and results-oriented. She focuses on delivering campaigns that align with specific measurable goals, closely tied to the objectives and KPIs of the client. Her expertise lies in creating content strategies that not only engage audiences but also drive tangible results in terms of brand awareness, engagement, and conversion.
Her work reflects a deep understanding of how to leverage social media trends and influencer partnerships effectively. This skill is invaluable in creating impactful marketing strategies that resonate with today's digital-savvy travelers. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, and ten years working with tourism destinations, Jessie's role at TNB is pivotal, ensuring that each campaign is not only creative and engaging but also aligned with the strategic goals of the clients—to captivate and inspire their target audience.
Sierra Spinler
Video & Photography Specialist
We work with Sierra for multimedia creative on the west coast. She specializes in capturing the beauty of the scenic West Coast. With five-years experience in showcasing international and highly traveled destinations on the rural Oregon Coast, specifically Cannon Beach, Sierra has the experience of working with locals to create and execute media and campaigns that feel authentic to the destination. Sierra will deliver photo and video assets of Fort Bragg for your creative marketing campaign, influencer itineraries, and content for our media brand What a Ride.
PG 18 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Account Management
Matthew Thomas
Partner, Chief Strategy Officer
Matthew Thomas will be your Account Manager and primary point of contact. As Senior Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at TNB, he ensures our creative, content, data, and technology efforts align with and exceed your goals. His extensive experience in destination marketing and stakeholder relationship management makes him a perfect fit for your project. His leadership has driven innovative solutions in DMOs and destination marketing, bringing a wealth of expertise to the table.
Recognized for his excellence in digital marketing, Matthew received the International Google Online Marketing Challenge's Social Impact Award in 2014. This accolade reflects his knack for crafting impactful digital strategies.
As the founder of a successful tourism business, he has earned numerous five-star reviews, highlighting a deep connection with tourism operators and ability to deliver outstanding results. Notably, he led the development of the outdoor Dining District in Guelph, showcasing his ability to unite stakeholders and manage significant funding.
Matthew's blend of strategic foresight, marketing acumen, and hands-on experience positions him as an invaluable asset for driving Visit Fort Bragg's marketing initiatives.
Leni Brem
Project Manager
Leni Brem is a seasoned Project Manager at TNB, known for her meticulous attention to detail and exceptional project management skills. With extensive experience across various sectors, including restaurants, hotels, events, sales, and operations, Leni will ensure seamless project execution and detailed financial management for the City of Fort Bragg.
As a recognized authority in the tourism industry, Leni currently holds positions on the boards of Central Counties Tourism (RTO 6) and the York Region Arts Council. In addition, she recently completed a term as a member of the DEI Advisory Committee for the Culinary Tourism Alliance. Her expertise remains highly sought after by provincial organisations responsible for representing the interests of tourism and hospitality stakeholders.
Leni's exceptional performance extends beyond the boundaries of her designated roles. Regardless of the setting, she consistently seeks out opportunities to innovate and enhance operations. Her meticulous attention to detail is a testament to her commitment to excellence.
Having honed her skills in both small and large-scale operations, including multinational chains, family-run single-unit businesses, billion-dollar corporations, and regional non-profit organisations, it comes as no surprise that Leni is now embracing the natural progression of sharing her acquired knowledge as an act of service. Leni's wealth of experience, coupled with her strategic approach to project management and commitment to inclusive practices, make her an invaluable asset for the City of Fort Bragg’s marketing and strategic initiatives.
PG 19 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Pete Jacobs
Finance Officer
Pete Jacobs is a seasoned finance executive with an impressive career spanning over 30 years. His extensive experience includes more than two decades as a CEO of various professional, trade, and common-cause associations at both national and provincial levels. This breadth of experience has given Pete with an exceptional understanding of financial management in diverse organizational contexts.
Notably, Pete has served in leadership roles, such as President or Executive Director, for prominent organizations including the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada, Real Estate Institute of Canada, Association of Ontario Land Surveyors, and Ontario Restaurant Association. These roles have honed his skills in strategic financial planning, budgeting, and fiscal oversight, making him an expert in managing complex financial structures. His professional credentials are further solidified by his certification as a CAE (Certified Association Executive), a testament to his commitment to excellence in association management and leadership.
Pete is instrumental in ensuring all teams adhere strictly to their budgets. His expertise is not just in enforcing financial discipline; it's about optimizing resource allocation to maximize impact while maintaining financial prudence. His approach to financial management is both strategic and practical, ensuring that projects are financially viable and successful. Pete's extensive experience and proven track record in financial leadership make him an invaluable asset to the team, especially in roles that require meticulous budget management and strategic financial oversight.
Media Planning
Ian Russell
Paid Media Manager
Ian Russell is our longtime paid media manager, with expertise in PPC, paid search, paid social, and outdoor media buys. His more than ten years of experience at TNB have shaped him into a master of optimizing digital ad spends. This expertise is further enhanced by his impressive array of certifications in digital marketing, including Google Ads, Facebook Blueprint, and an advanced specialization in SEO.
What sets Ian apart is his ability to extend his skills beyond mere ad management. He excels in creating custom interactive itineraries, aligning perfectly with the destination’s unique needs. Ian’s readiness to assist with ongoing projects or other services underscores his commitment to client success. With Ian on your team, you can be confident that your marketing efforts will be both innovative and successful, driven by his blend of technical expertise and creativity.
PG 20 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Technology Services
Adam Rosadiuk
Senior Partner, Chief Operations Officer
Adam is a leader in technological innovation within the tourism sector, driving progress through expertise and vision. His leadership of the development and data teams at TNB showcases his profound knowledge and ability to steer complex projects.
With a PhD and degree in Computer Science, Adam's academic background complements over a decade of experience in the tourism industry. This unique combination makes him exceptionally adept at addressing the intricate technology needs of today's dynamic market. Under Adam's guidance, TNB's team of skilled in-house website and software developers thrives. His deep understanding of the technical requirements for DMOs of all sizes is evident in the wide range of solutions he has spearheaded. These include sophisticated databases, customer relationship management systems (CRMs), learning management systems (LMSs), and comprehensive e-commerce solutions. Adam's capacity to deliver innovative and scalable solutions is key to meeting the evolving demands of the tourism sector.
Adam ensures that our clients receive continuous software enhancements and rapid technical support. His active participation in regular client meetings highlights his dedication to collaborative success, ensuring that For Bragg’s technology needs are not only met but are continually evolving to stay ahead in the ever-changing landscape of the tourism industry.
Anthony Bradshaw
Lead Developer
Anthony is a talented full-stack developer with a proven track record in leading DMO website projects over the last three years, including Come Wander for Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization. He specializes in database development, software testing, and optimization.
Melissa Picazo
Web Developer
Melissa excels at turning design into functional code. Highly skilled in Drupal development, she ensures your site is lightning fast, reliable, search-friendly, and responsive. Recently, Melissa completed a project for Chata, a Calgary startup specializing in conversational AI technology for business solutions. She will ensure that your new website maintains database functionality, integrates with the events calendar, and works seamlessly with existing e-commerce infrastructure.
Caeli Callaghan
Customer Success Specialist
Caeli brings her expertise in e-commerce from her experience as a former support specialist for Shopify, the largest e-commerce platform in the United States, where she helped thousands of businesses set up their online store.
PG 21 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Partner Agency
Public Relations & Travel Trade
Jess Fiaschetti
President, OutsidePR
Jess is a seasoned communications and PR professional with a global perspective, hailing from Australia and with roots in Scotland and Canada. Following her university education, she embarked on a transformative yearlong journey spanning over 20 countries, enriching her understanding of diverse cultures and landscapes.
Over the past decade, Jess has ascended through the ranks at OutsidePR, channeling her expertise into the outdoor, lifestyle, and travel industries. Her leadership prowess and dedication to both clients and team members led to her appointment as President in 2021.
Deeply committed to fostering growth and success, Jess cultivates a vibrant company culture at OutsidePR that prioritizes connection, communication, support, empathy, and balance. Through her strategic vision and unwavering dedication, she continues to shape the company's trajectory in the dynamic world of public relations. When she’s not working, you can find Jess running trails or skiing runs in beautiful Sun Valley, ID, where she lives with her husband, daughter and rescue pup Kosci (named for Mt Kosciuszko in Australia).
Alice Baker
Account Director
Alice is a consummate mountain girl, living with her husband and son atop the Donner Pass. A Division One runner at the University of San Francisco, Alice is an aficionado of running and outdoor adventures. She has led the PR strategy and execution of many clients in her nine-year PR career, including HOKA, Tracksmith, CamelBak and The Hotel Zags in Portland, Oregon.
Spencer Moore
Account Executive
Spencer is yet another D1 runner inhabiting the roster of OutsidePR staff. Growing up in Oakland, California, Spencer was a phenom in track and ran for UNLV. After graduating, she completed her MBA from Holy Names College, and got her start in PR serving wine and vineyard brands in Northern California. Today, she is a specialist in media relations for OPR, serving clients like Injinji, Red Bull and KOO Optics.
PG 22 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Scope of Work
Your RFP outlines a comprehensive overview for marketing Fort Bragg as a premier destination. The Transient Occupancy Tax provides the resources needed for impactful marketing and promotions. As your DMO grows, establishing a strong foundation in 2024 is crucial for boosting that fund in the future.
Our team is ready to tackle all the items listed in your Scope of Work. To successfully increase year-round visitation, drive more business to your tourism partners, and strengthen stakeholder relationships, we suggest focusing on the essentials for one year to build traction with stakeholders and set the stage for more aggressive ad campaigns in 2025 and beyond.
Here's our one-year plan to achieve it.
Creative Services
Just like TNB positioned “The Seven” as a nature getaway for Toronto audiences, we’ll craft a campaign that positions Fort Bragg as a premier destination on California’s North Coast. Our strategy will center around a compelling brand message that guides all marketing and PR efforts.
Using our proven Destination Design approach, we’ll develop breakthrough creative that boosts off-season travel and drives bookings.
Step 1: Empathize & Define Needs
We’ll meet with you and your stakeholders to understand your unique challenges and opportunities. Reviewing data like website analytics will help us gather insights into the overlapping goals of your stakeholders and the areas where tourism marketing can meet those needs.
Step 2: Choose a Strategy
From these insights, we’ll develop a marketing strategy that includes selecting target markets, crafting a media plan, and identifying opportunities to boost year-round visitation. We’ll implement ROI programs to track progress and measure effectiveness, aiming to:
• Drive increased traffic to the website to inspire visitation to Fort Bragg • Encourage visitation year-round, particularly during shoulder seasons Step 3: Discover Creative Solutions
Think of how “groundbreakers welcome” captured the DIY spirit of Prince Edward County. Our creative team will develop innovative marketing tactics that resonate with your target audience. This includes digital marketing campaigns, travel-trade partnerships, and public relations.
PG 23 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Step 4: Implement
With a clear strategy and creative solutions, we move towards execution. We’ll roll out marketing campaigns and collaborate with stakeholders and industry partners for effective delivery.
Our ads manager, Ian Russel, will create an effective media mix, recommending appropriate media to maximize your budget. Content strategist, Jennifer McCartney, will craft the copy for all media, including creative audio and video scripts. Creative Director, Kinnon Elliott, will produce fresh content for each campaign, fully aligned with your brand, to increase awareness of Fort Bragg and drive traffic to the website to inspire visitors.
Step 5: Evaluate
We assess the impact of our strategies by analyzing the results against key performance indicators and gathering stakeholder and customer feedback. Your account manager, Matthew, will meet with your team monthly to review the insights and discuss their impact on future strategies, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation to market dynamics.
Achieving Your Goals
This plan will accomplish all the creative services goals outlined in your RFP:
• Provide creative assistance with audio and video scripts ✔ • Provide creative assistance on attaining strategic goals ✔ • Drive increased traffic to the website to inspire visitation to Fort Bragg ✔
• Encourage visitation year-round, but specifically
in shoulder seasons ✔
• Inspire people to extend their length of stay in Fort Bragg ✔ • Determine efficient and effective media mix, recommending appropriate media ✔
PG 24 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Public Relations Objectives
We partner with Outside PR, a leader in outdoor adventure and leisure PR, to deliver exceptional public relations services for Fort Bragg in collaboration with TNB. Since its founding, Outside PR has consistently operated at the highest levels of public relations, specializing in active lifestyles, outdoor, and endurance sports.
They serve core outdoor brands like Fjallraven, Teva, Gore-Tex, Cotopaxi, and CamelBak, as well as larger consumer goods brands needing access to these communities, such as Epson, Red Bull, Strava, and Athletic Brewing.
Crucially, OutsidePR also boasts a deep background of travel and tourism expertise, including serving as the agency of record for Sun Valley, ID, MT Sobek, The Hotel Zags and others. They are based in Marin County, California.
We are confident that our strategic partnership with Outside PR and their industry knowledge will significantly enhance Fort Bragg’s presence as a premier destination on the coast of California.
Expertise and Influencer Network
Outside PR’s team at Outside PR consists of active participants and influencers in various outdoor activities, including cycling, trail and ultra-running, skiing, and backpacking. This expertise and credibility ensure authentic and impactful PR campaigns for Fort Bragg.
How We Work
• Briefings: Working with TNB’s account team, we meet with Visit Fort Bragg’s team through bi-weekly meetings, quarterly in-person visits, and seasonal initiatives.
• Campaign Planning: We work in six-month increments,
documented in our Implementation Plans. Additional
campaigns or initiatives are outlined in campaign memos and integrated into revised plans.
• Flexible Meetings: We prefer quarterly, in-person meetings but are flexible to meet your needs.
• Reporting: We provide customized reporting consistent with your needs and budget, including weekly or monthly reports and on-demand analysis.
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PG 25 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Deliverables
Media Outreach and Partnerships
• Media Engagement: Target editors and producers in print, broadcast, and online media to generate feature articles, event listings, and related publicity.
• VIP Travel Opinion Leaders: Engage influential travel opinion leaders to enhance Fort Bragg's visibility. • Out-of-County Marketing Partners: Collaborate with partners to reach a global broader audience, including international markets where possible.
Collaboration Opportunities
• Visit Mendocino, North Coast Tourism Council, Visit California: Work with these organizations for co-marketing and PR opportunities.
• Brand and Storytelling: Create authentic and on-brand media moments that resonate with target audiences. • Special Events: Plan and execute special events designed for public outreach and media relations.
Media Activations
• Virtual and In-Person Events: Conduct media activations to promote Fort Bragg. • Community Focus: Highlight tourism attractions and seasonal campaigns to drive engagement. • Product Seeding: Distribute products seasonally and ongoing to a wide range of media. • Amplify Earned Media: Work closely with the PR team to amplify and syndicate earned media coverage Monitoring and Reporting
We provide reporting consistent with your needs and budget; monthly reporting and on demand analysis. • Media Monitoring: Track, collect, catalog, and report media results to measure the impact. • Press Kit Development: Create an official press kit and supporting materials for media outreach. • KPIs Monitoring: Indicators such as clicks, revenue, total bookings, conversion rates, and active partners.
For media inquiries:
Jeff Dengate:
Deputy Editor, Runner’s World
[email protected]
Steve Mazzucchi
Outdoor Editor, Gear Patrol
[email protected]
Heather Balogh
CNN Underscored
[email protected]
For client references:
Cindy Gronberg Moldin
VP Communications, Cotopaxi
[email protected]
Miranda Young
PR Manager, HOKA
[email protected]
Massimo Alpian, Global Director,
Brand Communications, Tracksmith
Contact and References
PG 26 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Social Media
To deliver on your social media goals outlined in your RFP, we recommend two approaches: Always On and Influencer Campaigns.
Always On Approach
To continuously grow your social media presence, we propose dedicating 20 hours per month of Jessie Stones' time to develop content for Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Our focus will be on creating and posting short-form video content that encourages engagement and highlights the latest trends, ensuring Fort Bragg remains top of mind for potential visitors.
The content will represent all area attractions and activities, showcasing the wider Fort Bragg area. Photography and video will be captured by content specialist Sierra Spinler, who will craft a compelling narrative of Fort Bragg to attract the traveling public.
Influencer Campaigns
Success in today’s destination marketing hinges on aligning your brand with influencers trusted by your target audience. Jessie Stones will lead four influencer marketing campaigns, pairing influencers with a genuine passion and visual style that resonates with your brand. This includes checking references, analyzing online presence, and ensuring adherence to our content standards. Once selected, Jessie handles all logistics, drafting contracts detailing the required content across various platforms and ensuring all businesses involved are properly credited.
Influencer Campaigns
A unique blend of personality, perspective, and high engagement that can significantly boost social media metrics. We collaborate with content creators from across North America, organizing FAM tours and integrating influencer activities into our campaigns.
We’ll conduct a review of your target audience and engage with influencers and locals who reflect your audience’s values. This includes:
• Crafting blog posts
• Interactive itineraries using Tripper
• Social media videos
• Photo assets
Locals Influencer Campaigns
Travelers crave authentic experiences and want to see Fort Bragg through the eyes of those who
know it best. TNB will work closely with your team to select locals who reflect your audience's values.
We will craft two campaigns, each including:
• Blog post
• Interactive itineraries using Tripper,
featuring Fort Bragg businesses
• Social media videos to show the local perspective
Achieving Your Goals
Our social media approach will
accomplish all the goals outlined in
your RFP:
• Continuing optimization of social
media accounts through brandbuilding ✔
• Continuing to develop followers ✔
• Inspiring people to visit and spend
their precious time and money
in Fort Bragg ✔
• Encouraging people to engage
with Fort Bragg through
promotions and posts ✔
• Inspiring people to extend their
length of stay in Fort Bragg ✔
• Inspiring and assisting visitors to
reach out to friends and family to
share their Fort Bragg experience ✔
PG 27 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Website Functionalities
If there’s one thing we know better than anyone else, it’s how to harness the power of DMO websites to engage travelers and boost bookings. Your current website has the fundamentals in place: blog content, listings, and email newsletter sign-ups. Building on this will be key to achieving your goals: increasing visitation, specifically during the shoulder seasons, Increase length of stay per visit, and increase visitor spending per day. Here’s how we’ll do it:
Website Content
Our Content Strategist, Jennifer McCartney, is renowned for transforming DMO websites into dynamic travel resources brimming with indispensable content. Your RFP highlights the need for dynamic blog feeds throughout the website. Our content strategy is centered on two pillars: Authority and Relevance.
To boost bookings, travelers need to trust the source of the information. Your website offers the unique advantage of providing travelers with trusted information about your destination that they can’t find anywhere else. To solidify this trust, we produce high-quality, human-written content, managed by Jennifer McCartney. Jennifer will work with writers and content producers in your destination to craft this information. We will conduct an SEO audit to uncover the best SEO terms, ensuring that when travelers search for relevant information, your site ranks at the top. Once on the site and engaging with trusted content, we’ll boost bookings for your businesses using our booking system, Booker.
Advanced SEO
Authority and Relevance extend into SEO. Google evaluates the authority and trustworthiness of the content provider, which is enhanced through backlinks from other reputable websites. Our simple 3-Step SEO system transforms your DMO's website into a powerful asset that attracts qualified leads eager to book and explore your destination daily.
1. SEO Keyword Strategy: We’ll enhance your relevance with an SEO audit and keyword strategy, understanding how your content is performing and where we can improve. This involves detailed keyword research and integrating these keywords across the site to improve rankings.
2. Link Building: In a world of AI content, authority and reputation matter more than ever. We focus on high-quality backlinks to boost your authority score. We build links for your website every month, positioning your DMO website as an authority in the eyes of Google and travelers.
3. High-Quality Content: Content is the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. We produce highquality, human-written content that establishes your website as a reliable source. Relevance is about understanding what our audience is searching for and providing the highest quality content, making it a no-brainer for Google to serve it up to them. This is achieved through SEO-optimized articles that provide the information your target audience is searching for.
4. Conversion Optimization: We focus on conversion-rate optimization, ensuring each piece of content converts to increased tourism spending.
PG 28 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Editorial Calendar
Jennifer will ensure you have a steady flow of relevant, high-quality content for your blog. She will create and manage an editorial calendar that balances SEO-driven content with in-depth articles.
We recommend that Visit Fort Bragg invest in one authoritative, long-form article per month, or three per season. These stories, written by Jennifer or one of our trusted travel writers, will include magazine-worthy photography and video, which will also be used in the social media strategy outlined in this document. Repurposing content for social media is key, as engaging written content also makes for engaging video content.
Recommended SEO Package for Fort Bragg
DMO Pro Package:
• 4 Backlinks Delivered Monthly
• 1000 Words Monthly
• SEO Strategy
• Conversion Optimization
By implementing our comprehensive content and SEO strategies, we ensure that your website becomes a trusted and authoritative resource, ultimately driving increased bookings and tourism spending.
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PG 29 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Interactive Trip Itineraries with Trippers
You're looking for interactive trip itineraries. Our team will incorporate Tripper, our interactive itinerary tool, into your website and marketing strategy. Tripper has proven to significantly boost web page engagement, increasing it by up to 78%. It gives travelers a mobile-first guide to and around your destination.
We recommend deploying 8 Trippers as part of this marketing strategy, focusing on trips for specific audiences. These will align with the experience types on your website (The Adventurist, Local, Naturalist, etc.). Tripper will provide an interactive map of the city, highlighting businesses and helping travelers plan their trips.
Embed Tripper Everywhere
Let’s face it, the App Store is a digital cemetery for outdated trip planning apps. Travelers don't want to download another app to enjoy their trip. Tripper works directly in their browser, allowing them to discover hidden gems, visualize their trips, and book. Whether it's on your DMO website or a partner's site, Tripper is flexible:
• Tourism Businesses: Any business featured in a Tripper itinerary can embed it on their own site, providing a cohesive visitor experience.
• Destination Organizations: Partner with Visit Mendocino and Visit California by sharing Tripper itineraries, boosting regional tourism collaboration.
• Media Websites: Integrate Tripper into media partners' sites. Track all referral traffic through Whereabouts, even from external sites, and showcase the value of your marketing efforts to stakeholders.
We're confident Tripper is the trip planning solution you need to attract more visitors and convert them into guests.
TRY
TRIPPER
PG 30 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Listing Lodging Partners with
Whereabouts
Your RFP highlights the need for increased stakeholder engagement and guidance on including lodging partners and directories for shopping and dining. Fort Bragg has a golden opportunity to connect with tourism businesses and set the stage for successful marketing campaigns using our member management solution, Whereabouts.
Built from the ground up for a new generation of destination managers, it gives your team meaningful ways to collaborate with the businesses and stakeholders that make your destination unique.
Simplify Your Stakeholder Engagement
Whereabouts is more than just a CRM; it’s a member management system with powerful engagement and reporting tools. It simplifies stakeholder engagement, making it easy to maintain business listings and directories. It’s a simple way to access important info on your members. Your team will have instant access to a live data dashboard, providing real-time updates on important KPIs. The ability to track and highlight everywhere your members are being promoted online. So when a stakeholder asks "what have you done for me?" you can show them the value of your work.
Listing Your Lodging Partners & Shopping Directory
Whereabouts seamlessly integrates with your website to populate your directory and listings. Our smart tagging system is a game-changer, allowing your team to easily sort and organize your members. This system also helps travelers find businesses in your destination. For instance, when travelers find an accommodation, they also see nearby things to do.
Likewise, when they discover a tourism experience, they’re encouraged to book with nearby accommodation providers.
We made this simple for your team to manage. No more manually updating listings on your website — when businesses change their information, such as hours of operation, it’s automatically updated across your site.
Event Calendar
Your RFP highlights the need for a city event calendar. Whereabouts includes a built-in community calendar function to manage and display event listings. Your team can approve and sort listings, which will then seamlessly appear on your website for travelers to see. Additionally, you can curate lists of events tailored to different audiences or special occasions, ensuring that the right events reach the right people.
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PG 31 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Boost Your Lodging Bookings
with Booker
Your RFP notes that you're looking for recommendations on how to approach booking lodging. We recommend Booker, our tailored DMO booking system designed to streamline the booking process for all your businesses.
Booker provides two solutions in one:
1.Booking Referral System: This allows your businesses to list on your website and tracks leads that you send to them.
2.Modern Booking Engine: This can be used by operators needing a booking engine or wanting to switch to a more powerful option.
As a referral system, Booker tracks the leads generated by your marketing efforts, regardless of the existing booking systems in place.
Unlike other systems that often display incorrect date ranges and guest numbers, Booker ensures accuracy by integrating with Whereabouts.
This keeps business listings on your website up-to-date and accurate, providing travelers with the best possible experience and giving your businesses reliable booking management.
Real Benefits for Your Businesses
Booker offers a versatile booking solution for all types of businesses in your community—ranging from motels and short-term rentals to unique tourism experiences. This user-friendly platform ensures even the least tech-savvy members can efficiently manage their operations.
Our booking system boasts the industry's lowest fee, with TNB charging just 4% per transaction. This fee can be shared between the tourism business and the customer, ensuring fairness and transparency.
Fort Bragg has the option to collect a fee from these transactions, creating a new revenue stream for your DMO. This additional income can be reinvested in destination marketing campaigns to further support these businesses. Due to the existing TOT, this may be an option for your tourism experience providers but not for accommodation providers.
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PG 32 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Embed Booker Everywhere
With Booker, your business can receive bookings from anywhere online. The booking module can be embedded wherever your members are mentioned. Our system instantly syncs inventory and calendars. For Visit Fort Bragg, this means businesses can have their bookable listings on your website as well as on partner sites. For tourists, it means they can easily book accommodations or experiences wherever they find them:
Booker has consistently driven more bookings for tourism operators, strengthening their relationship with their DMO and benefiting the entire destination.
With Booker, Fort Bragg will:
• Transform your website and social media into powerful conversion tools for businesses. • Track and share referral and booking data with your tourism businesses, demonstrating the value of your work. • Provide exceptional booking experiences to travelers and a modern solution for tourism operators. • Your DMO website’s "Where to Stay" page
• Blog posts
• Business directories
• Event listings
• Itineraries
• The business’ own website
Achieving Your Website Goals
This plan will accomplish all the website goals
outlined in your RFP:
• Dynamic blog feeds throughout the website ✔
• Interactive map of the City ✔
• Advanced SEO work✔
• Interactive or static trip itineraries ✔
• A calendar of City events ✔
• Advice on whether to list lodging partners and/or
a shopping and dining directory ✔
• Recommendations on how to approach booking
lodging ✔
PG 33 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Dedicated Account Manager
Matthew Thomas will be your go-to person, ensuring
seamless communication with the City Manager’s
office. He'll host bi-weekly online meetings to review
progress and tackle any issues. Matthew is available
for in-person or virtual meetings with staff and
stakeholders as needed during the 12-month plan, with
travel costs listed in our budget.
Dedicated Project Manager
Leni Brem, our project manager, will oversee the TNB
team, ensuring we hit milestones on time and within
budget. Leni and Matthew have a track record of
delivering impressive results efficiently.
Onboarding Survey
At the project's outset, we’ll distribute a 20-minute
online survey to gather insights about key stakeholders, decision-makers, and desired outcomes. Our
consulting team will review this information before our first joint meeting.
Inaugural Meeting
We kick off with a 90-minute video conference led
by Matthew, aimed at establishing relationships and
clearly defining team roles and objectives.
Ongoing Meetings
Bi-weekly meetings between our project team and
yours will keep everything on track and within budget.
We'll decide together on the best meeting frequency,
with meetings recorded and transcribed using Otter.ai.
Action items will be documented on our shared project
page. We suggest weekly meetings to review results,
adjust plans, and discuss new strategies. You'll benefit from the collective expertise of our entire team
Coordination of Project Activities
Leni Brem will ensure all tasks are completed on
schedule and within budget, managing schedules,
timelines, and deliverables meticulously.
Monthly, In-Person Progress Reports and
Budget Tracking
Our team provided regular, in-person updates,
providing updates on activities, outcomes, and
budget status. Depending on the project phase, Leni,
Jennifer, or Kinnon will accompany Matthew during the
12-month plan, with travel costs listed in our budget.
Quarterly Reports
We’ll provide quarterly reports to the VFBC team,
breaking down data against defined goals and
recapping seasonal campaign metrics. This information
will also be accessible via our online dashboard,
Whereabouts, ensuring you have easy access when
needed.
Cost Management
Cost controls are built into our workflow. At every
stage, we reconcile project costs with budgets, ensuring transparency and accountability. Pete Jacobs, our
finance overseer with 30+ years of experience, meets
with our account and project managers weekly to
maintain cost control.
Access to Shared Resources
We value transparency. Post-meeting, you'll get access
to our shared documents, providing real-time insights
into communications, deadlines, and deliverables.
Meeting recordings will be password-protected and
accessible only to your project team members.
Meetings and Presentations to Key Stakeholders
At TNB, we excel in destination marketing and managing stakeholder relationships. Our team, led by Matthew and Leni, will partner with the City Manager's office and the VFBC to drive your project forward.
PG 34 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] ROI and Investment
Here is why many DMOs hire us for their website:
Higher Value — We deliver tourism-focused results that surpass those of an internal team or competing generalist marketing firms. Our expertise ensures that every effort is tailored specifically to the needs of the tourism sector.
Outcomes, not Effort — We don’t report on vanity metrics like traffic or impressions. Our goal is to drive more bookings and attract more travelers to your destination, ensuring a measurable impact on your bottom line.
Specialized Experience — Our clients view us as part of their team. After 10 years in tourism marketing, we’ve already made the mistakes. You can benefit from our wisdom by steering clear of what not to do.
Item Unit Cost Quantity Total Cost
Creative Services Multimedia Marketing Plan $95/hour 100 hours $9,500 Production of Creative Content (audio, video, graphic design) Including Always On Social Media $90/hour 240 hours $21,600 Media & Ad Spend $40,000
SEO - DMO Pro Package $1,900/month 10 $19,000
Project and Account Management
including Monthly Reports $90/hour 140 hours $12,600
Public Relations $6,000/month 12 months $72,000
Trippers for Website Itineraries Included w/
Whereabouts
8 Included
Influencer Campaigns & Trippers $2,200 each 4 $16,000
Travel Costs $400/day 3 trips
(2 days min) $3,200
Whereabouts Member Management System
Booker and Event App $8,200/year 1 year $8,200
Total Estimated Cost $202,100
Budget
PG 35 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Work Schedule
This is our proposed schedule for completion of work.
Month Activity Details Reports
August
2024 Planning Phase
• Kickoff meeting with stakeholders;
• Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables;
• Develop detailed project plan and timeline;
• Distribute onboarding survey
September
Research
and Strategy
Development
• Conduct market research and stakeholder interviews;
• Analyze website analytics;
• Develop marketing strategy and creative brief;
• Begin SEO audit and keyword research
Destination Design Findings
and Recommendations
October
Creative
Development &
Campaign Planning
• Develop initial creative concepts and messaging;
• Plan fall and early winter marketing and PR campaigns; • Start developing two influencer campaigns for November; • Bi-weekly meetings and monthly stakeholder meeting;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
• Quarterly report, monthly
stakeholder meeting;
• SEO Audit Results;
• Marketing Campaign &
Fall/Winter Campaign Pan
November Campaign Launch &
Implementation
• Launch 2 influencer campaigns;
• Implement Always-On social media strategy;
• Launch fall and early winter marketing campaigns;
• Launch fall and early winter PR campaigns;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly progress report
December
Holiday Season
Campaigns &
Optimization
• Monitor and optimize campaigns;
• Continue social media and content efforts;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly stakeholder meeting
and progress report
January
2025
Winter Campaign
Analysis & Spring
Preparation
• Review fall and early winter campaign performance;
• Plan spring marketing and PR campaign;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly stakeholder meeting
and progress report
February
Content Creation
& Campaign
Development
• Develop creative assets for spring marketing and PR campaign; • Plan two new influencer campaigns for April;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly stakeholder meeting
and progress report
March
Spring Campaign
Development &
Preparation
• Finalize creative assets for spring campaign;
• Develop two new influencer campaigns;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly stakeholder meeting
and progress report
April Spring Campaign
Launch
• Launch spring marketing and PR campaign;
• Implement and monitor campaigns;
• Launch two new influencer campaigns
Quarterly report and monthly
stakeholder meeting
May
Campaign
Optimization &
Ongoing Efforts
• Optimize campaigns based on performance;
• Continue social media, SEO, and content marketing;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly stakeholder meeting
and progress report
June
Campaign
Optimization &
Remarketing
• Review spring campaign performance;
• Begin remarketing campaigns to engage visitors;
• Make final adjustments to strategy;
• Continue SEO and content marketing
Monthly stakeholder meeting
and progress report
July Project Conclusion &
Final Reporting
• Compile and analyze performance data;
• Prepare and deliver report;
• Final stakeholder meeting to discuss outcomes and next steps Stakeholder meeting and
quarterly report
PG 36 | RFP | STRATEGIC AND CREATIVE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VISIT FORT BRAGG CONTACT: MATTHEW THOMAS | CSO | THE NEW BUSINESS | 416-871-2342 | [email protected] Thank you.
THE NEW BUSINESS
41 Heman Street
Toronto, ON M8V 1X4
Canada