Solvang Visitor Center Proposal, April 26, 2021

Central Coast

MARKETING

PROPOSAL ~Professional Services VISITOR CENTER MANAGEMENT

Central Coast Marketing, LLC BRENDA K. BALL

PO Box 594, Solvang, CA 93464 brenda.k.ball@gmail.com 805-714-0359

THE CITY’S PURPOSE

Today, visitor servicing means enhancing the visitor experience in the destination. Better experiences lead to better word of mouth, which leads to better success for our tourism industry.

MISSION STATEMENT

We strengthen the awareness of Solvang’s myriad of things to do, as a visitor destination, attracting people, from around the world to increase revenue and stimulate economic development and growth for the community.

OUR PLAN

SOLVANG VISITOR CENTER PLAN

Central Coast

MARKETING

Our progressive plan includes: regularly gathering local businesses and organizations contact information.

Staffing the visitor center with trained personnel. Seven days a week, 10 AM - 5 PM.

MEASURE

MONITOR

We measure verbally and digitally tourist information: acquiring information from the visitor manually; such as, where they came from, and how long do they plan to stay in the Solvang area.

Comparing past metrics and quarterly reporting to the city the numbers of visitors to the visitor center, and number of maps/ visitor guides distributed, plus demographics.

Central Coast

MARKETING

Management of the Visitor Center information

Staffing and Phones We train staff to represent the interests of the City of Solvang and all tourism related businesses in Solvang.

We take our staff to Elverhoj Museum regularly reviewing the history and culture of Solvang to share with visitors. Using our specialized customer service training we make everyone who enters feel welcome to Solvang.

INFORMATION GATHERING

Outreach and Information Maintenance While operating the Visitor Center we actively gather information from the TRC businesses to share with visitors and we would continue to be responsible for all outreach and communication with local businesses to collect information - via email, in person, and by phone and on-line.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Collaboration with High School & College We are planning to begin talks this week with the high school to establish a community service project where high school students can serve their community while learning hands-on customer service skills while developing their communication skills and meeting people from other states and countries.

RECOMMENDATION: Mobile Phones

We also recommend mobile phones be used in the visitor center as points of check-in and to gather visitor information.

CREATIVE IDEAS

FUTURE PLANS Inspiring Visitors Information Content The Solvang Visitor Center exists to inspire visitors to experience the history, the culture and the amenities of Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley; to encourage return visits and longer stays. Therefore, content and up-to date information about the local museums, attractions, and business community remains vital to Solvang.

POSSIBILITIES

The sky is the limit, and of course, the pocketbook has some say. The visitor center can become a unifying entity by involving locals in many of the aspects of what happens there.

• Remove the static ad boards and replace them with digital information for local organizations and business ads.

• Provide art contests for local students to paint the fence behind the Visitor Center and make it a photo op for visitors.

• Use stand alone kiosks when there are too many people to efficiently serve in the Visitor Center.

• Collect data from visitors to make every email blast and SMS be more effective directly to the target audience.

Central Coast

MARKETING

COST PROPOSAL Service

Description management, hiring, payroll,

People Cost training, staffing, answering

COST:

$145,200.00

phone - SVC 7 days p/wk, information gathering, etc.

Insurance

Liability Insurance, Worker’s Comp.

$8,000.00

Janitorial

maintain building cleanliness standards & seasonal decor

$3,600.00

Printed material

design, development and printing of flyers, as needed.

$2,200.00

TOTAL ANNUALLY

$159,000.00

Costs Do Not include:

• any COVID-19 supplies, posters, stickers or other amenities • entries or updates to city of Solvang tourism website or website pages • installation of, or updates to digital display adboards that would replace static adboards • cloud software to gather contact survey information from visitors • answering email inquiries at solvangvisitorcenter.com or solvangusa.com