2011/08/09

A fam tour for locals - Small Biz Survival

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 05:54 AM PDT

I've lived around here for ages. The last time I climbed to the top of the Glass Mountains, I was probably 10 or 12 years old. I only went back this year because I had friends in from out of town. I wonder, how many people live here, but don't even know you can hike to the top?

We climbed to the top of the Glass Mountains

Climbing the Glass Mountains
with Jon and Nancy Swanson.

Which leads me to my next question:
What if you did a fam tour for your residents of your local attractions?

Put together a fam or press tour of your best local attractions and a few hidden gems. Plan it as though you were planning for the biggest, most important travel writers.

Invite your local bloggers, Twitter and Facebook users, and Flickr photographers. Include a few former locals who are also online writing, blogging, etc. Today, these people are your biggest, most important travel writers.

Comment on the resulting posts. Ask permission to reuse photos, videos and stories to promote your place. You'll collect all sorts of new materials to use.

And if you're lucky, you'll also eliminate a few cases of "never been there" among your locals.

For more ideas on working with locals, check out the latest Tourism Currents newsletter on online champions and earned online media.

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