Showcasing Rural Arizona: Fall Fest Style
Don’t wait for customers to come to you, go to them … and then they’ll come. This marketing strategy paid off for #RuralAZ businesses, and their home communities, that got in on the 2022 Arizona Fall Fest action. You see, by expanding their outreach beyond their own cities and towns, local businesses’ efforts also benefit the broader community.
Arizona Fall Fest brought thousands of potential customers to the pop-up thresholds of rural businesses that participated. It’s likely most of that exact foot traffic would not otherwise have crossed by these businesses’ actual brick-and-mortar locations. So the chance to reach them all in one place at one time accelerated and scaled up the marketing impact for each rural Fall Fest vendor, but also of their home community. The marketing rewards include:
Visibility & Awareness – A young family new to the Phoenix area from out of state may not know which Arizona destinations to visit or what to do when they get there. Finding that fun activity like Verde Canyon Railroad could shoot the Verde Valley to the top of the list, bringing with that family overnight stays, dining out, shopping and, of course, the train ride! And then they’ll tell their network back home and new friends here in Arizona all about it – expanding on Fall Fest’s “seed planting.”
Lead Generation – Most rural vendors had a sign-up sheet to join their email list for promotions of special offers and new activities. Arizona Zipline Adventures did just that, making another savvy move to build their contact list of “warm leads” – people who engaged and are likely easiest to convert to customers. When these visitors come to Oracle to experience the Sonoran Desert from atop a zipline, they’ll also bring a hankering to eat, drink, and refuel, spreading their “tourist love” to other businesses.
Telling Your Story on Your Terms – The Town of Miami brought lots of energy to Fall Fest, ready to share the many events, activities, and history-rich locations throughout the community. Sadly, some at Fall Fest might not have known that Florida isn’t the only state with a Miami or never realized it’s not a place you just pass through, but a destination in its own right. When you can talk with people face-to-face, expand on what they are most interested in, and humanize your town beyond a pin on a map, you’ve made a lasting impression and reframed perceptions. Chances to do that don’t come along every day – find them and use them to your full advantage.
Sales! – Some #RuralAZ vendors were selling products from their Fall Fest booths. Bringing your goods and wares for folks to purchase on the spot not only generates revenue, but ensures customers from outside your community experience your product and can tell others about it … and buy more! Giving them more reasons to make the trip to your business (“if you liked that, wait till you see all we have on our full menu in our restaurant back home”) helps foster repeat customers and, again, spreads their tourism enthusiasm within your broader business community.
