19 June, 2021

Emily Mumford is a copywriter and digital marketing expert who runs Inkpot and Press, a consultancy designed to help people with their copywriting and digital marketing needs. She runs digital mentoring courses and workshops and offers bespoke copywriting packages and one to one advice for business owners. Visit inkpotandpress.co.uk for details.

How to create your brand, tell your story and connect with your audience

Us humans love a good story. For centuries, we’ve used story-telling to communicate with each other, to relate to one another, to provide information. We may not be drawing on cave walls anymore, but social media and websites are the modern-day equivalent.

Creating a story around your tourism business is one of the most successful ways to market it to people. It is so relevant today, when competition is fierce and you need to stand out from the crowd. If you can create a story that is genuine, authentic and relatable, then there’s more chance that people will notice you and begin to engage with you.

There are many marketing tools available that can help you to bring your story to life. One of the most obvious places to start is with your brand.

What is a brand?

Your brand is anything and everything that is public-facing, according to Emily Mumford, who runs the online digital marketing and copywriter business, Inkpot and Press. It’s what people might see and recognise as yours. So, this means the logo and the brand colours you choose, the typeface for all your marketing materials, the photography – everything needs to be consistent across all your marketing channels so that people can remember you and find you again in the future. Remember, it’s not just big companies who can have instantly recognisable brands – you could run a small self-catering cottage on the Isle of Man and still present a professional-looking brand identity to the public.

How to tell your story

One of the most common worries I hear is ‘I don’t know what my story it!’ ‘I have nothing interesting to tell people!’ But, as human beings, we all have stories to tell and everyone’s story is different. It’s about letting people in, enticing them with your story. So, it could be that you run a family business on the Isle of Man, that you stumbled upon your B&B business and are making a go of it, or that you simply love what you do, offering walking tours on the island. At the end of the day, story-telling is about your passion – the why and how of your business.

But what do I write about?

Start off by asking yourself what people are looking for when they book a holiday on the Isle of Man. It might be things to do in the area, attractions that are open for children, or places where adults can enjoy some alone time. You could tell people about the stunning beaches on the Isle of Man, the sea views, the walks, the special wildlife or the cycle rides. What things are you passionate about on the island that you could tell people about? Let the public in – after all, people always love to feel like a local rather than a tourist!

So, where do I start?

The first thing to do is to create a website. It doesn’t have to be all singing and all dancing, but this will be your own site where you own the content and photography. Make sure that you stick to your brand guidelines and include pictures and content that tell your story. Then use social media as your shop window to send people to your website where they can find out more information or get in touch with you. On your website, you can post blogs which you can use to tell stories about anything and everything on the Isle of Man. These are great for driving traffic to your website, but also for showing the human element of your business. Include plenty of imagery and consider using video which offers a real-time glimpse into you and your business.

Can I ask for back-up?

Absolutely! There’s a saying, ‘community over content’, so, if you can, work together with other organisations on the Isle of Man to promote the island and attract people over in the first place. We need the people on the Isle of man to tell their stories, to let visitors in by telling them what is so special about the place. You may worry about competition, but this is where your brand comes in – if you have a confident brand, then you will stand out and look inviting. In return for publicity on your website and other marketing materials, you might ask to work with other attractions on the island to run a competition or offer a discount for your guests. This is particularly good in shoulder season or at quieter times of the year.

Show Notes

If you have a tourism business on the Isle of Man, you have a story to tell. And, with social media and the internet, it’s never been easier to communicate. Start connecting today and bring your story to life!

What Emily talks about:
  • How creating a story gives people something to relate to

  • Why having a strong brand will help people to remember you

  • The best way to collaborate with other businesses to attract visitors

What you will learn:
  • Where to find your personal story

  • What to do with your story once you have it

  • How to use your story to market your business effectively

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