Developing a Site Visit Lead Generation Campaign for Richmond Region Tourism to Drive Meetings Interest Post-Pandemic
Richmond Region Tourism hired Digital Edge coming out of the pandemic using grant funds to develop a site visit lead generation digital marketing campaign to drive interest for citywide conventions.
Author: Melanie Schultz
THE NEED
Richmond Region Tourism (RRT) was looking for a meeting-focused agency to help market Richmond, VA, as an ideal destination for citywide conventions post-pandemic and create awareness for the meetings product — which included utilizing two downtown hotels and the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
THE APPROACH
Working within the team’s one-year grant, Digital Edge developed a lead generation digital marketing strategy with an experiential and customized site visit component to drive interest in citywide conventions and develop soft leads for the business development team to build into opportunities — all while adapting to changing priorities and needs of our client (incurred understandably, as many DMOs faced an industry-shifting pandemic).
THE WORK
Digital Edge collaborated with the RRT team to create a meetings marketing campaign that included the following:
- Site visit incentives categorized for an interactive, easy-to-navigate process and a lead capture that customized the site visit experience
- An eye-catching design package that included creative banners, email template, and a new UX-friendly landing page with punchy call-to-actions to encourage site visit sign-ups
- Compelling website content and digital media efforts to promote the destination and its citywide meetings offerings
All backed by on-brand email marketing, content marketing, paid media, and trade media to showcase how to “meet your way in RVA.”
2021 - 2022 Deliverables & Metrics
Assets & Deliverables
- Email Database Evaluation
- Creative Design Package
- Digital & Media Campaigns
- 11 Emails
- 9 Email List Rentals
- 5 Pieces of Meetings Web Content
Meetings Marketing Recovery Plan (Two-Phased Awareness Campaign During & Post-COVID-19)
Phase 1: Support + Reengagement
With an optimistic approach, Digital Edge curated relevant and supportive messaging in email marketing, social media distribution and website content — helping the destination maintain a presence.
We focused on re-engaging planners through VisitColumbusGA’s key communication channels to cost-effectively reach goals while building momentum for Phase 2.
Phase 2: Expanded Reach + New Normal
Digital Edge launched this awareness-based campaign to focus on “new hotels and new meeting possibilities.”
It was all about driving interest to the new hotel product available in the downtown area (known as the Uptown District) — concentrating on planners who were turned away in the past due to lack of rooms, planners who fit new product criteria to generate bookings, and regional drive-in markets — all while communicating health and safety measures for groups to meet with confidence.
Campaign Metrics
40 Leads (Up to 2,500 Rooms on Peak)
Digital Media Ads
2,869,297
Impressions
14,431
Clicks
0.60%
Avg. CTR
Social Distribution
985,271
Impressions
11,313
Clicks
1.04%
Avg. CTR
Monthly Marketing Emails
3,536
Total Sends
18%
Avg. Open Rate
2.6%
Avg. CTR
Meetings Marketing With an Edge
Interested in working with a leading B2B-focused agency that understands and specializes in meetings marketing for the DMO world focused on group sales?
