In today’s digital landscape, global destinations looking to attract North American corporate meetings and events can no longer solely rely on traditional marketing tactics such as advertising to influence destination selection, according to a new white paper released by Marketing Challenges International (MCIntl). The report, “The Business of Storytelling,” explains how the rise of the international Knowledge Economy and the influx of digitally savvy Millennials into the industry have changed the way corporate meeting planners evaluate destinations, and how content marketing provides a prime opportunity to target and build relationships with these specific planners.
“The Business of Storytelling” features interviews with key thought leaders, including executives from organizations such as Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Cvent, BCD M&I, and Crowdcentric, along with a featured case study on Tourisme Montréal highlighting its strategies and successes using content marketing.
“What we found in our research is that today’s meeting planners don’t want a sales pitch,” says Michel Couturier, President of MCIntl. “They want useful, interesting, and thought-provoking information that will help them professionally. Global convention bureaus can use content marketing to start that conversation with them.”
The report lays out a framework for content creation and distribution that global convention bureaus can use to develop an effective content marketing plan. Key elements to consider are types of content and potential topics, as well as the various ways to deliver and share content with a target audience.
The research concludes that effective content marketing is a “long-term investment in establishing your destination’s brand and building a trusted connection with your audience.” To navigate the nuances of the North American meetings industry, the report recommends working with a partner that is well-versed in the lingo and style of local media and can assist in outreach and distribution of content to a target audience.
“The Business of Storytelling” is part of a series of reports by MCIntl designed to provide global destinations with the latest research and trends on the North American meetings and conventions market. Last year the company released an analysis of social media marketing for business event destinations.
