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.