Friday, September 7, 2007

5 Web Tips - En Route to Thunder Hole

Went to Bar Harbor to run through the "avoid last minute surprise" pre-convention questions with resort manager (e.g., where does wireless work and not work, what are room service hours, if anything closes - what time are they closed, which sleeping rooms are impacted if dance music too loud, where to move breakfast if it rains, etc.) One question caused a different reaction - "Why are there tables instead of desks in the guest rooms"? Her response: "Our typical customer is the leisure traveler, not a business traveler."

OHHHH -- so attendees at a convention in Bar Harbor should go to Acadia National Park (entrance less than a quarter mile away) and not sit at a desk in their hotel room working?

The Acadia National Park web site has really good examples associations could consider:

1. Call video and audio-casts "multimedia presentations". RSS feed them too. Length is very short -- and topics of general public interest.
2. Have a "Support Your Park" button -- for donations, bookstore purchase, volunteering, etc. -- How many associations have a "Support Your (Whatever)" button on their main page encouraging contributions, volunteerism and social responsibility (i.e., not just dues payment options or online stores)
3. A "For Teachers" button with curriculum and field trip information. Do we make it easy for teachers to find materials to teach about our industries?
4. Pictures show people enjoying various activities. Do associations give the impression something fun happens with membership or involvement?
5. Highlight their own commitment to environment and social responsibility - and clearly encourages it from others, with specific ideas how.

And if that isn't inspiration enough, there's always Cadillac Mountain and Thunder Hole (pic) in the Park to help.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great ideas for web site links.