Talking
Points
1. What is the DCPSMC? What is your purpose?
- The Coalition is an independent group of business owners
from all over Door County
- Our purpose is to raise funds and develop a tourism
marketing plan for the County by contracting with a tourism marketing
consultant. This is in accordance with the recommendation from the Tourism
Assessment Study commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce
2. Are you part of the Chamber of Commerce?
- No. We are an independent group of proactive business
owners working with the assistance of the Chamber, but all funds raised
will be the property of the Coalition.
3. Speaking of funds, where will they come from?
- We will be soliciting funds from local businesses,
civic organizations, governments, and individuals. Our goal is to have
the half of the funds raised by the end of March.
4. Why not just get the money from the Chamber?
- While the Chamber will be asked to contribute, It
is more important to create an independent plan representing the entire
tourism community.
5. Who is involved in this Coalition?
- The Coalition is a diverse group of business owners.
The Chairperson is David Eliot of the Peninsula Pulse. A complete membership
list can be found on this website.
6. Why have you taken this approach? Why not let local
government or the Chamber do this?
- We believe that the Tourism Assessment commissioned
by the Chamber highlighted several key issues, but most important was
the need for a marketing plan.
7. What are you going to do with the plan?
- Upon completion of the plan, the coalition will assist
in its implementation and the plan will be donated to the Community.
8. How can I be become a sponsor?
Marketing Consultant Presents Plan Outline to
Coalition
Murdaugh’s blunt in criticism but confident
in plan
By Myles Dannhausen, Jr.
A marketing consultant contracted by the Door County Peninsula Strategic
Marketing Coalition pulled no punches in assessing all parts of the county’s
tourism engine during an informal question and answer session Wednesday,
May 31 with 19 attendees at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall.
“Change is never easy,” said Marshall Murdaugh of Marshall
Murdaugh Marketing. “It’s time to look at a new paradigm here.
You all are going to have to go through some major changes.”
The coalition secured Murdaugh’s services to develop a strategic
marketing plan for the county after evaluating proposals from agencies
earlier this spring. Coalition president Murdaugh has worked in tourism
promotion and management for 36 years, including stints as president of
visitor and convention bureaus in Atlantic City, Memphis and New York
City, among others.
Murdaugh didn’t hold back in criticizing business attitudes, the
Chamber of Commerce, and statements from county government.
After being read the Chamber’s mission statement, which is in part
“to promote Door County as a single destination for sustainable
tourism,” he questioned its objective.
“Is your mission to promote, or is the mission to produce business?”
he asked. “Then if we state that we need to show it. You need to
put programs out there that actually produce business.”
To that end, Murdaugh said he would produce a “customer-focused,
market-driven and brand-oriented program with quantifiable results.”
He also called the Chamber’s marketing plan dysfunctional, saying
“it makes absolutely no sense,” and said the organization
needs to be restructured. Murdaugh said his initial impression is that
the Chamber has too many committees guilty of trying to micro-manage the
organization’s activities.
“The work of the Chamber should be staff-driven, not committee-driven,”
he said.
Chamber Marketing Director Jon Jarosh said the criticisms were blunt but
constructive.
“It may not be easy to hear that stuff,” he said. “Going
through change is difficult, but sometimes you need to change to improve.
And if people have a bad impression of us, we may need to change to gain
that respect back. “
Jarosh said Murdaugh’s presence was in itself a response to criticism,
pointing out that the destination assessment performed last summer by
Roger Brooks of Destination Development Inc. specifically recommended
developing a strategic marketing plan.
Murdaugh offered defense for the Chamber as well, particularly concerning
its budget and staff limitations.
“You have one membership director in charge of 800 people,”
he said. “How can one person interface with 800 accounts?”
Murdaugh said he was currently in the process of a generic, drive-by familiarization
with the area. This will be followed by meeting with stakeholders, Chamber
staff and focus groups. He said his plan will include a visitor profile
analysis and a stakeholder survey, both of which will be internet-based.
Murdaugh is extremely confident his plan will produce tangible results
for the area and said most of it will be doable with a staff of four.
“This will work,” he said. “You really will be surprised.”
He did say, however, that it can’t be executed for the Chamber’s
present overall budget of $600,000 a year, requiring the need for a room
tax.
“There are no viable alternatives to a room tax,” he said,
without hesitation. “Forget thinking about it. But the way you have
gone about it is all wrong. What you need to do is go to the stakeholders
and say, ‘This is the performance-based program we have in place.
In 12 months we will produce these quantifiable, achievable dollar numbers.’
You need to show them what the campaign is going to be. We can’t
get financial funding until we can show the community we can do it.”
When an attendee said many in the lodging industry were against the room
tax despite being told of its benefits, Murdaugh was incredulous in his
response.
“The program has never been offered to them,” he stated. “What
could they possibly think? That you’re going to give them a bigger
version of the program that’s not working.”
Murdaugh has seen Brooks’ 2005 assessment and said it has value
if it’s used. He said it appears to him the Chamber has responded
to some of the recommendations, but the municipalities and businesses
have done little.
“It’s probably sitting on some shelf somewhere,” he
said. “You can’t allow that to happen with the report I’m
going to give you. It will require that the Chamber stay on top of the
program long-term.”
He suggested coming back to it with a facilitator at regular intervals
to find out who has achieved its goals and recommendations. He cautioned,
however, that the report will not be all things to all people. For instance,
it won’t address in detail labor issues or the manufacturing industry.
Murdaugh said if the tourism industry is unwilling to alter its approach,
the equation for the peninsula is simple.
“If changes are not made, and you’re losing market share,
you will continue to lose market share.”
Door
County Peninsula Strategic Marketing Coalition
Request For Proposal download
pdf
The Door County Peninsula Strategic Marketing Coalition is seeking proposals
for the creation of a Door County Strategic Destination Marketing and
Management Plan based on the principals of a Hospitality and Travel Marketing
System.
Background
The Door County Peninsula and surrounding islands are located in Northeast
Wisconsin about an hour’s drive north of Green Bay. The area is
well known for its natural beauty and arts community, and enjoys over
2 million visitors per year due to its proximity to major Midwest urban
areas such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Madison, and the
Fox Cities. Due to a lack of airport facilities most visitors drive. Our
primary customers live within a 6 hour drive of the area and enjoy high
quality roads on their trip.
The Peninsula consists of several communities and villages, but is marketed
to the traveling public as a single destination. Unfortunately, the lack
of a cohesive funding approach has resulted in these marketing efforts
(conducted primarily by the Chamber of Commerce) being significantly under
funded versus our competitors. This has resulted in a declining share
of travel spending and an overall decline across all business segments
in the County.
In an effort to better quantify and understand this business decline,
the Board of Directors of the Door County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor
& Convention Bureau engaged Destination Development, Inc. to conduct
a Destination Assessment in 2004. The Assessment was completed in July
2005 and presented to the Community. A key learning from the Assessment
was the need for a Door County Strategic Destination Marketing and Management
Plan, and the desire to develop this plan forms the basis for this RFP.
The Destination Assessment is available at http://www.doorcountychamber.org/Destination
Assessment.htm.
A successful Strategic Destination Marketing and Management Plan will
define actionable marketing initiatives and sources of funding to assist
us in reversing these business trends, as well as identifying the causes
of these trends. The plan must recognize the various communities and organizations
within the County and address issues that will increase acceptance at
the various doorsteps of these organizations and governmental units. The
plan will address all business segments of the community, but will particularly
focus on increasing the volume of overnight visitors, who are our key
customers.
Proposal Expectations
Successful proposals will contain the method and timeline for addressing
the following in a Door County Strategic Marketing and Management Plan:
Where Are We Now?
Where Would We Like To Be?
Where Don’t We Want To Be?
How Do We Get There?
How Do We Make Sure We Get There?
How Do We Know If We Got There?
Cost Estimate
The proposed cost to create the Door County Strategic Marketing and Management
Plan should be detailed according to the function; market research, visitor
research, stakeholder research, composing the Plan, additional presentations
by your firm of the Plan to stakeholders in Door County (it is assumed
that the proposed cost will include a minimum of one presentation of the
Plan) and any other costs associated with the creation of the Plan.
Timeline and Responsible Parties
The proposal should provide a detailed timeline for each component of
the creation of the Plan and define the responsible parties for specific
tasks.
Deadlines
A letter of intention to respond to this RFP is due by end of business
January 27, 2006. Proposals are due by end of business February 17, 2006.
Proposals may be delivered electronically to Dave Eliot – dsteliot@ppulse.com
or by mail to Door County Peninsula Strategic Marketing Coalition c/o
Dave Eliot at P.O. 452, Wi. 54234 (for USPS delivery); 10331 Water St.
Ephraim, Wi. 54211 (for UPS and Fed X deliveries) Questions regarding
this Request For Proposal should be directed to Dave Eliot via the above
email address. A preliminary draft of the plan must be delivered via one
of the above addresses by August 1, 2006
| IN
THE PRESS |
| Peninsula Pulse - Friday January 13th |
Chamber
Endorses Marketing Coalition
By
Myles Dannhausen, Jr. |
In what is seen
as a pivotal juncture for the organization, the Door
County Chamber of Commerce took a step toward what many members
hope will be a revitalization of it by approving the formation of
the Door County Strategic Marketing Coalition at its board of directors
meeting January 5th.
The coalition was an idea that came out of the meetings of the Alternative
Funding Ad Hoc Committee, formed in October to research alternative
methods of funding the Chamber after a consultant recommended the
Chamber be funded through a room tax rather than membership dues.
Though formed as a Chamber committee, the coalition is considered
unique because it is not exclusive to Chamber members.
"A standard Chamber Committee does not usually involve non-member
influence," said Chamber board member Jim Robinson, owner of
the Shoreline Resort in Gills Rock and chair of the AF Committee.
"But I envision this coalition having as many, and possibly more,
non-members as members all working toward a common goal."
At a joint meeting of the Chamber's Research Task Force and the AF
Committee January 3rd, members of both groups said they felt the coalition
would be vital to garnering community-wide support for a new marketing
program and any new funding source for tourism promotion.
"The only way to convince people is not from the Chamber board
on down, but from the community on up," Robinson said. "We've
got to get everybody involved."
Fellow board member Amy McClelland echoed the sentiment.
"These aren't Chamber problems, these are county problems,"
said McClelland, owner of Tranquil Timbers Camping Retreat (formerly
Quiet Woods North) in Sturgeon Bay. "These issues are bigger
than the Chamber. It's important the Chamber be willing and able to
hear not just member input, but anybody's input."
The DCSMC combines the former AF Committee with the Research Task
Force formed Dec 1st. It's charged with carrying out research and
gathering information within the community and among its visitors,
raising funds to pay for a marketing plan, and evaluating marketing
proposals.
Initially, it was felt these tasks would be carried out in separate
steps, but after several attendees voiced a need for urgency, it was
agreed the coalition would pursue all tasks simultaneously.
"We all share in an economy that is in serious trouble, and we've
got to do something in a relatively short time period," McClelland
said.
"We're already 3-5 years behind the competition," John Lowry
said. "We can't afford to waste any more time."
Alternative Funding Committee members said they had received enthusiastic
initial response from the community about fundraising, especially
if the coalition wasn't chamber exclusive or controlled. Several AF
Committee members said they could get considerable pledges toward
funding a marketing plan within 30 days.
Chamber executive director Karen Raymore said consultant Roger Brooks,
who performed a Destination
Assessment last July, told the board such a marketing plan would
cost between $60,000 and $150,000. He said Door County would probably
need closer to $60,000 because it already has a strong base, product
and name recognition.
The DCSMC will also continue to pursue funding alternatives to a room
tax.
At the Jan. 5 board meeting, a motion was made to endorse the implementation
of a room tax, but this was tabled until the Feb. 23 meeting. Robinson
was disappointed the motion came immediately after the approval of
the coalition, but was pleased it was postponed.
"I hate to see a harsh deadline placed on the coalition right
away," he said. "But I still feel very positive about where
we're heading. We have a long list of reasons why we shouldn't have
a room tax, and we have a number of possible alternatives. We may
end up going down that road, but I want us to put everything on the
table first."
"Once a new tax is put in place, it's not going away," McClelland
said. "So if we do end up with a room tax, I want to look back
and say we looked into all the possibilities."
The DCSMC was approved only after considerable discussion and dispute
throughout December and the first week of the New Year. At the Jan.
3 meeting, those pushing for the creation of the coalition were emphatic
that it be independent of the Chamber in order to receive support,
a notion some board members disputed. Then McClelland, also a member
of the AF Committee, appeared to break the impasse.
"There is a difference between leadership and control,"
she said. "To lead this, we feel the Chamber needs to give up
some control and be more open to other opinions. A separate organization
is not a threat; in fact, I think this idea will bring people in."
Robinson said the motion to approve the DCSMC met with detractors
at the board meeting Jan. 5th.
"After a considerable amount of discussion the coalition was
approved unanimously," he said. "That's a positive step.
Of course the Chamber wants to have control, but they seem to understand
the need to get more people involved, and that includes non-members,
as well as county, village, and town governments. This is intended
to be a broad-based coalition independent of the Chamber."
While many businesses and board members would like to endorse the
pursuit of a room tax immediately, Robinson said the coalition's work
must come first.
"We need a program first," he said. "We need to find
out what we're going to do and where we're going to go before we decide
on how we're going to get the funding. We may find out we need $1.5
million to get where we want to go, or it may be $500,000. But we
need a marketing plan first."
Implementing a county-wide room tax is expected to be a tough battle
because it can't be done at the county level. Each of the peninsula's
16 municipalities would have to approve the tax separately, and if
any opt not to, it could break down the entire effort. Currently,
Sturgeon Bay is the only municipality with such a tax, set at four
percent.
Action on whether to endorse a room tax is expected at the February
23rd meeting. The DCSMC's first meeting was held January 12th at the
Bill Bertchinger Center in Egg Harbor. All interested parties are
welcome and invited to participate whether or not they are members
of the Chamber.
Though McClelland has reservations about the coalition's independence,
she said it is progress.
"I don't think this coalition will solve all our problems by
any means," she said. "But I think it is a step in the right
direction." |
|
>Contact
the Coalition Members
>Contributors
to the Fund Thus Far
A Decorator's
Gallery
Al Johnson's
Alpine Resort
Ann W. Egan
Ann Williams
Annonymous
Ashbrooke Suites
Associated Bank
Azure Menswear
Baileys Harbor Community Association
Baileys Harbor Yacht Club
Bay Breeze Resort
Bay Point Inn
Bay Shore Outdoor Store
Baylake Bank
Blacksmith Inn
Blue Dolphin House
Blue Horse Bistro
Boettcher Communications
Boudoir
Brian Kelsey & Phil Berndt
Bridgeport Resort
Carlsville Business Association
Cathy Hoke-Gonzales
Celeste Wegman Interiors
Chelsea Antiques/Blue Willow
Cinnamon Windmill
City Farmer
Cliffhanger
Coachlite Inn
Colonial Gardens
Cookery Restaurant
Country House Resort
County of Door
D & P Enterprises
Dairy View Country Store
DC Trolley
Digger's Restaurant
Door County Advocate
Door County Coffee & Tea Company
Door County Economic Development Corp
Door County Living Magazine
Door County Navigator
Door County Trolley
Door Peninsula Winery/Shipwrecked
Door Reminder
Eagle Harbor In
Egg Harbor Business Assoc.
Ekholm Studio/Gallery
Ephraim Business Association
Ephraim Shores
Euphoria Salon
Fish Creek Civic Assoc
FLS Banners
Foremost Management
Francis Hardy Center for the Arts
Fred & Co - Trost
Fred & Fuzzy's and Little Sister Resort
Fun Stuff
Gallery of Gold
George Burr Gallery
Gibraltar Grill
Gills Rock Advancement Association
Gills Rock Stoneware
Gina Ward-Schmelzer
Glidden Lodge
Going Garbage
Good Eggs
Hammersmith TV Sales
Hands On Art Studio
Hillside Inn of Ephraim
Horseshoe Bay Farms Realty
J Jeffrey Taylor LTD
Jacksonport Area Business Assoc
Jacksonport Craft Cottage
Jeff Davis
Jerry's Flowers
Jim Robinson, Shoreline Resort and Charters
John & Doris Zimmerman
John & Nancy Sargent
Jon & Natalie Jarosh
Kaye Christman - American Folklore Theatre
Lautenbach's Orchard Country
Lloyd Dorner
Lull-Abi
Made in Britain
McKeefry Yeomans
Melissa Ripp
Michael & Judith Brodd
Midsummer Music
Miller Art Center
Nancy Fisher Paulin
Newport Resort
Nordic Lodge
Northshore Bank
O'Meara's Irish House
On Deck
Open Hearth
Orchard Country
Passtimes Books
Patricia Bahl-Elliott
Patti Podgers
Paul & Karen Raymore
Peninsula Art School
Peninsula Bookman
Peninsula Pulse
Pet Expressions
Pets at Home
Pheasant Park
Pinkert Law Firm
PIP Printing
Potters Wheel Gallery
Properties of Door County
Reinhard Plumbing Inc.
Roadhouse of Carlsville
Rugged Basics
SBVCB
Shallows Resort
Sister Bay Advancement
Sister Bay Bowl
Sister Bay Pharmacy
Sister Bay Pottery & Ephraim Clayworks
Sister Bay Trading
Spielman's Kidworks & Woodworks
Tannenbaum Holiday Shop
The Alpine
The Cook Book
The Ephraim Inn
The Gardening Angel
The Imported
The Inn At Kristofer's
Thomas Pfiefer Insurance
Town of Gibraltar
Town of Liberty Grove
TR Pottery
Tranquil Timbers
Tunes to Go
Village Green Enterprises
Village of Egg Harbor
Village of Ephraim
Village of Sister Bay
Waterbury Inn
Westwood Shore Resort
White Gull Inn
White Lace Inn
Wilkins & Olander
Wilson's Restaurant
Wilson-Shaffer, Inc
Woodwalk Gallery
>Relevant Links
>Press
Release
DOOR COUNTY CHAMBER ENDORSES
STRATEGIC MARKETING COALITION
The Door County Chamber of Commerce & VCB is pleased to announce
its endorsement and participation in the Door County Peninsula Strategic
Marketing Coalition, an independent group of proactive business owners
and community leaders that are funding the creation of a Door County
Peninsula Strategic Marketing Plan.
The Door County Chamber of Commerce & VCB commissioned a Destination
Assessment in 2005. The Assessment led area business owners and other
concerned individuals to pursue a strategic marketing plan for the peninsula's
tourism industry.
Jim Robinson, Chamber Board member and owner of the Shoreline Resort
in Gills Rock stated "We need a program first. We need to find
out what we're going to do and where we're going to go..."
According to Karen Raymore, Executive Director of the Door County Chamber
of Commerce & VCB, "Door County's travel and hospitality industry
is critical to the quality of life as well as economic health of the
county. A sustainable collaborative strategic marketing plan is vital
to the economic future of our county. By going to the community for
financial support everyone becomes a stakeholder and has a voice in
that future."
The mission of the Door County Peninsula Strategic Marketing Coalition
includes raising the funds necessary to pay for the Plan. Coalition
members
are soliciting sponsorships throughout the county and encourage everyone
to make a pledge.
Amy McClelland, Chamber Board member and owner of Tranquil Timbers Camping
Retreat, stressed the importance of tourism to the Door County economy.
"We're talking about people's lives here, tourism is not a hobby.
It is a $400
million industry in Door County and represents 2/3rd's of total annual
retail spending in the county."
The Coalition has issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to national tourism
marketing consultants. The RFP requires that a draft of the plan be
available by August 1st. The consultant will work with the Coalition
in conducting research within the community and with current and potentialvisitors.
"It is a very positive step toward uniting Door County's entire
travel and hospitality industry into a cohesive voice for the future
of the economic health of the county" observed Raymore.
All consultants are required to deliver their proposals by February
21, 2006. The Coalition will review and make the selection immediately
following receipt of the proposals.
For additional information about the Coalition and how to participate,
visit
their web site at http://www.doorcountymarketing.com
For Immediate Release - Feb. 9, 2006
Contact: Karen Raymore, Executive Director
Door County Chamber of Commerce & VCB
(920) 493-4673
(920) 743-4456 x 811
kraymore@dcwis.com
COALITION
FORMED TO DEVELOP DOOR COUNTY MARKETING PLAN
DOOR COUNTY WI, FEBRUARY 1, 2006: An independent
group of Door County business owners has formed a coalition to develop
a Door County Tourism Marketing Plan. “The Door County Peninsula
Strategic Marketing Coalition has been formed to raise funds for the
purpose of developing a Tourism Marketing Plan” said David Eliot
of the Peninsula Pulse, who was elected chairperson at the group’s
meeting January 12th. The Coalition was developed in response to the
Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Assessment, which defined creation
of a marketing plan as a key issue facing the County’s tourism
businesses.
The Coalition is an independent group of business people from around
the County. While many members belong to the Chamber of Commerce, the
Coalition is independent of the Chamber and will rely on the Chamber
for assistance and research. The Coalition will be contacting local
businesses, governments, and civic associations for pledges and donations
to create the Tourism Plan.
Jim Robinson of the Shoreline resort stated “We need a program
first. We need to find out what we’re going to do and where we’re
going to go before we decide on how we’re going to get the funding.”
Amy McLelland of Tranquil Timbers stressed the importance of tourism
to the Door County economy. “We’re talking about peoples
lives here, tourism is not a hobby. Tourism represents $400 million,
or 2/3 of total retail spending in Door County”
Coalition members will begin soliciting funds for the plan development
immediately. At the conclusion of the project the Tourism Marketing
Plan will be donated to the Community.
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