Friday, March 8, 2013

Promoting Fort Payne and DeKalb County by John Dersham




One of the most effective ways we promote and at a relatively low cost are press releases. DeKalb Tourism sends out press releases for all the major events in DeKalb County that will attract out of town visitors, especially if it is an event or attraction that is likely to keep our guests here overnight or better yet for several days. During the course of the year we will send out press releases for festivals, like Boom Days, Colorfest, Rhododendron festival, Sand Mountain Potato festival, Ider Mule Day, Collinsville Turkey Trot and Fyffe UFO Days. We also send out generic press releases to promote attractions, lodging, restaurants, parks & recreation, and museums, etc. We have a press release going out next week that will promote this area as a great place to come for spring break. Here is an excerpt from that press release.
“For the more adventure-seekers, visitors can explore the underground world at Sequoyah Caverns or take in miles of hiking and biking trails, sheer rock cliffs, kayak a raging river and fish from several streams and lakes available at Little River Falls, DeSoto State Park, High Falls Park, Buck’s Pocket State Park, and Little River Canyon National Preserve. Local outfitters can provide all the necessary equipment and knowledge for a truly adventurous spring break trip.

Situated atop Lookout Mountain among the many scenic waterfalls and majestic overlooks are a variety of accommodations from charming bed and breakfasts to rustic cabins. The Mountain Laurel Inn Bed and Breakfast offers a wonderful retreat from the hectic pace of everyday life. The March Madness package is available at $258 and includes two nights, morning coffee delivered to the room, full breakfast, a keepsake ornament, bottled water and snacks for two people. The historic village of Mentone is home to the oldest operating hotel in the state – the Mentone Springs Hotel. Listed in the New York Times bestselling book “100 Places to See before You Die” and on the National Register of Historic Places, it is known as the Grande Dame of Lookout Mountain.”

It is our job as a Destination Marketing Organization to entice people who do not live here to come visit us on their vacations, weekends or school breaks. We advertise with language that is inviting to the potential visitor. Text about our scenic mountains and valleys with waterfalls, state parks and a national preserve, along with  great lodging in hotels, B&B’s, campgrounds and rental cabins in the woods all give our potential visitor the urge to visit. We have to sell the things we are best at and those things are a low cost place to visit with friendly helpful people, low traffic, great scenic drives, a very relaxed environment with lots of places to eat, shop, hike and sight see. We promote our towns and villages and we promote our rich history.

In order of doing this the most effective way possible we use a professional press release writing and distribution company. The company we use is Beasley Marketing Company, it is owned by Karen Beasley in Huntsville. She understands the press release format and keeps updated distribution files. We can ask her to send the release to all newspapers, Blogs, magazines, and TV and radio stations in North Alabama or to the entire state. We can add parts, or all, of Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana or any other state we want to target. These press releases almost always are picked up by multiple newspapers and we often get requests for TV appearances to discuss.
For more information about our press releases contact DeKalb Tourism at 256-845-3957.


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