BOSTON AMERICA'S WALKING CITY/ROCKPORT SHOE PROMOTION
OBJECTIVE: Generate leads for short term meeting business to hotels and convention center during slow years.
PROGRAM: Direct mail, fulfillment and supporting print campaign.
The first piece was a 3-D pop-up mailer which was sent to a database of corporate meeting planners. This piece was designed to generate qualified leads by promising a pair of Rockport shoes to those who sent back a business reply card and were qualified by sales staff.
The second piece was a reminder mailer which served to create a sense of urgency to the offer.
A fulfillment piece was designed to be used as an incentive in sales follow-up. This piece featured a number of discounts and value-added offers from area hotels, airlines and the convention center.
Finally, an aggressive print media campaign was launched, primarily targeting the corporate site selection influencers. The ads revealed Boston as a city filled with history, attractions, activities, sporting events, shops and restaurants all within walking distance – a perfect place to hold a meeting.
RESULTS: At the completion of the campaign, leads consisting of 3,665 room nights were generated, representing nearly $4 million in economic impact. There were 251 prospects deemed “good” future leads from the sales staff and there was an 8% response rate, considered very high for a direct mail campaign.
