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Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio    | 1



Table of Contents

Introduction, Hudson Valley Media                                               Page 1
Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast
         Background, Objective, Strategy, Timing, Budget                              2
         Target Audience, Psychographic Profile                                       3
         Media Plan                                                                3, 4
         Tactics                                                                      4
         Metrics                                                                   4, 5
         Assessment                                                                   6

Exhibits                                                                           7, 8




INTRODUCTION

Hudson Valley Media

Hudson Valley Media (HVM) is a burgeoning media firm offering market research and integrated
marketing strategies that build brand equity. As CEO, my extensive advertising experience with
packaged goods is applied to serve clients’ marketing needs. Expertise in research developed from
my graduate work is drawn upon to develop sound media strategies. HVM often contracts out
independent freelance agents who live and work in the Metro New York area.
Mobile technology and global market forces are re-shaping traditional boundaries. As the barriers are
broken, demographics are changing. Transparency and social integration are impacting how
organizations communicate internally and externally.
Hudson Valley Media emphasizes the value of research, strategic media planning and smart tactics to
help meet and exceed client goals. Social media, print, video, podcasts, traditional media and a
multitude of channels are utilized to develop targeted, optimized, memorable campaigns, exciting
events and lasting relationships with stakeholders. Expectations must be clearly defined, campaigns
constantly monitored and measured. We listen to what people are saying, we respond quickly to
internal and external crises. We do not react.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio             | 2



HILLTOP HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST

Background
Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast is a true historic inn that has been in operation for over thirty years,
located in the Berkshires. The inn is situated in the Harlem Valley atop a hill, thus the name. This
rambling asymmetrical shingle style home was built in 1909.
The bed and breakfast was sold in late November 2009 to West and Sandy Johnson who moved up to
the country from Brooklyn. Sandy runs the bed and breakfast and makes all business decisions.
Sandy relies on my marketing expertise and trusts my professional assessments on media. I have an
excellent working relationship with my client, it’s an absolute pleasure to help Sandy realize her
business goals.

Critical Points
    •    The immediacy and ease of booking online is a feature that many competitors in the bed and
         breakfast category do not offer. Online reservation systems are radically changing the way
         people plan their vacations.
    •    Hotel bookings over the past few years continue to increase through the internet. And now
         mobile bookings are beginning to take off as consumer’s embrace the internet, social media
         and ecommerce mobile technologies.
         Source: Benson, P. (April 4,2011) . Reservation System: Latest Trends in Reservation Systems. http://www.hotel-
                   industry.co.uk/2011/04/reservation-system/
    •    The internet a critical medium for the travel industry.
         ComScore Research predicts one third of global travel will be booked online by 2012.
         Source: Kooistra, T. (June 10, 2011). Travel Analytics: comScore Tips and Tricks to maximize online customer value.
                    comScore 2011, eCommerce eTravel Report.
    •    Hilltop House rates are comparable with nearby hotels and inn, therefore the bed and
         breakfast does not advertise price promotions. Incentives are offered on a case-by-case basis
         given any week’s room vacancies and profitability goals.
    •    The prior owners did not aggressively market the inn, this created an opportunity to define
         and improve the market strategy.

Objective
Dramatically improve bookings year round positioning Hilltop House as a five star inn located in the
Hudson Valley.

Strategy
Generate bookings online capitalizing on consumers embracing online reservations and the growing
acceptance of making purchases over the internet. Traditional media is integrated into the media plan
on an opportunistic basis.

Timing
The hospitality industry generates significant revenue from holidays and special occasions. Ongoing
seasonal promotions are an important element of the overall market strategy. Late fourth and early
first quarter are historically slow months for the bed and breakfast. In order to attain year round
bookings, additional market support is needed to improve business.

Budget
Hilltop House room rates vary from $175 to $275 with five rooms available year round. In order to
deliver value the annual marketing budget is $10,000 for a three year campaign. This budget is
appropriate and will be phased down as the occupancy becomes self sustaining.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio          | 3



Target Audience
    1. Proprietary data indicates that rooms are booked predominantly by the women. The target
       audience is W25-54 with a HH Income of $250,000+. The Metro Tri-State Region and New
       England area are the primary geo-targets.


                                            Gender & Age Breakdown
                                     Source: HubSpot, Facebook and TripAdvisor Analytics.
                               18 - 24      25 - 34       35 - 44       45 - 54         55+
                                 %            %             %             %              %

           Male                   -           9.1           3.6           8.2           7.3          28%
           Female                6.4          15.0          12.0          23.0          12.0         68%


    2. A secondary audience of W25-40 with a college degree or higher are targeted given the
       market potential of romantic getaways. The median age for first marriages is 28 for men and
       26 for women. Most marriages are susceptible to divorce within the first five years. About
       half of all marriages last. Of those that fail, marriages last on average eight years. The
       median age of those who remarry are in their mid-thirties.
        Source: (May, 2011). Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009 Household Economic Studies.
             US Census. http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf.


Psychographic Profile
Hilltop House is located 10 miles from Sharon, Connecticut and 20 miles from Great Barrington.
People who frequent this area are interested in activities that involve horseback riding, equestrian
events and outdoor gaming. Guests at the inn typically vacation without their children.
Brand Loyalty is achieved by a rewards program targeted at frequent visitors to the valley who may
also be business travelers.

Media Plan
An integrated campaign using social media, direct mail, email marketing, SEO and link building drive
marketing efforts. Traditional media is used opportunistically given budget constraints based on
profitability. The social media plan is comprised of blogs, micro-blogging and link building to drive
awareness and sales.
A new website with an online reservation system (1) and a Facebook Business Page were developed to
support the social media campaign. The website, Facebook page, marketing materials and event
promotions all needed to actionable by the time renovations to the inn where completed.
SEO optimization and link building play an important role in providing prominent visibility for online
searches for accommodations and planned vacations.
To improve the website’s page ranking:
     • Additional domain names were acquired to improve the overall online presence.
     • Keywords researched and integrated into the website.
     • Third party reservation agents are used to aide in booking rooms during the slow months of
       the season.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio    | 4



Content created from the (blog page) is micro-blogged via social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn) to generate:
     • new fans;
     • build relationships (cross promotions);
     • and convert leads into reservations.
Pages and links to local business are constantly developed to build relationships with businesses that
support tourism and hospitality.
Ongoing special events planned for maximum exposure with the business community and media. A
brochures and rack card were designed for events, marketing promotions and offered at local support
services.

Tactics
A grand opening gala was staged after the renovations had been completed in early May of 2010. The
event was developed to generate awareness within the local business community, travel industry
insiders and the media.
    o Grand Opening May, 2010 Direct Mail Post Card (2), Press Release (3), eBlast, Brochure (4),
       Social Media.
Several “free download” incentives are integrated into the website to capture leads.
   o The Outdoor Guide (5) provides details on summer outdoor activities nearby Hilltop House.
   o Hilltop’s Winter Guide (5) lists many snow sport destinations in the area.
Optimized blog pages were added to build relationships with like minded businesses.
   o The Berkshires blog (5) creates content about events and local businesses that are destinations
      near the inn.
   o A Intimate Getaway (6) page lists several settings and support services for those interested in
      having a romantic weekend or wedding.
   o Support services such as a private massage therapist (6) and a makeup artist have links and
      pages on the Intimate Getaway page to cross promote their offerings.
Joint mixer with local Chamber of Commerce April, 2011 Social Media, Chamber Newsletter, eBlast,
Brochure.
Print ad campaign in April, May and June 2011 in Resident Magazine (7). The publication is
distributed in Manhattan with editorial devoted to travel and profiles of successful New Yorker’s. The
target audience is affluent and considered appropriate for Hilltop House. Opportunities that are
consistent with the inn’s strategy are evaluated based on profitability and media value.

Metrics
Customer engagement and campaign effectiveness are evaluated based on data from HubSpot,
Facebook and TripAdvisor. Insights from inquires and reviews are applied to ongoing promotional
efforts from the data obtained from the reservation system and website analytics. Industry trends are
continually evaluated as are innovative ways of marketing.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio   | 5



                                       Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast
                                       Guests Booked Versus Year Ago

                                           2010      2011         Index

                        January              -         13           -
                        February             -         17           -
                        March                -          2           -
                        April                3         34         1133
                        May                 10         47          470
                        June                24         53         220.8
                        July                21         65         309.5
                        August              22         53         240.9
                        September           20         22     *
                        October             49         17     *
                        November            10                      -
                        December             4

Insights & Next Steps
The website redesign and launch of Hilltop’s marketing plan did not begin until May 2010. Actual
stays have increased significantly from the 2010, as has reservations from the prior owners.
Cross promotional programs are being developed to increase fall and winter business. Facebook is
being used to build Hilltop’s fan base by promoting a free stays with other local destinations. Valuable
leads will be obtained from these promotions.

                                                 TripAdvisor
                                        Area Bed & Breakfast Reviews

                                     Proximity        Reviews             Rating
                                      (miles)           (#)                (%)

                  Hilltop House          -               34                97
                  Starbuck Inn          9.5              41                92
                  Cornwall Inn          10.9             13                75


TripAdvisor Insights & Next Steps
There are three other bed and breakfasts within a 30 mile radius, however given their limited sample
size the data was not reported. Directionally the guest reviews about Hilltop House thus far are
excellent. Ongoing promotions target these leads for repeat visits marketing loyalty incentives.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio     | 6



Assessment
Several articles have been written as a result of the ongoing public relations efforts:
• Daniels, L. The Lost Art of the Bed & Breakfast Resurfaces in Upstate New York. Westchester
    Herald, August 14, 2010. (8)
• Leba, J., Levine, D., Olear, G., Sparling, P. Peace and quiet: Hiding out in northeastern Dutchess
    County. Hudson Valley Magazine | Fall Getaways 2010. August 17, 2010. (9)
• Cline, E. The Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan-. New York Magazine | Travel. October 1, 2010. (10)
The value of the stories written about Hilltop House can be measured based on circulation and
readers per copy. No correlation to sales was identified, but there is certainly indirect media value.
Realistically, other variables must be considered:
    • The placement and importance of the article placement.
    •    Additional or incremental sales directly attributed to the stories.
The print campaign with Resident Magazine was a disappointment. Hilltop House queries all guests
how they heard about the inn. There have been no reservations attributed to the ads that ran from the
three months of advertising. The editorial adjacencies and placement in the publication were
favorable. The editorial staff at the magazine felt the bed and breakfast ad was interesting and
consistent with their readership. The magazine’s production depart failed to remedy a typo found in
the first insertion prior to going to print. An additional insertion ran to compensate for the error. Ad
recall was nonexistent, consequently the contract was not renewed.
Hilltop House’s strategy is sound, threats and opportunities continue to be assessed. The first year
has been very successful, reservations continue to improve from the year prior. SEO, blogging and
link building powered by social media continue to drive sales.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio     | 7



Exhibits

   (1) Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast Website, http://hilltophousebb.com
       The primary objective of the website is to convey a clean open air feeling. The blue header is
       sky-like with an Edwardian style font for an old world feel. Ease of navigation was also a goal.
       The tabs are whenever appropriate keywords to help with page ranking. Pages link back to
       each other to move the potential guest to book a room with our online reservation system. A
       mobile site was also created, mobile marketing is projected to be embraced rapidly over the
       next few years.

   (2) Tulip Post Card
       The simplicity of the design was create a visual that would be placed on a mantle or
       refrigerator as a reminder of the grand opening.. Hilltop House uses “pure and simple” as a
       tagline which is subtly messaged in the tulip visual for this post card. A spring poem was also
       used to conger thoughts of spring.
       The direct mailing went out to prior guests who have stayed at the inn as well as the greater
       Dutchess County community and media. The mailings were sent out three weeks prior to the
       event followed by an email, then reminders sent out via social media over Facebook.

   (3) Hilltop House Grand Opening Press Release
       The release’s primary goal was to generate awareness about recent renovations to the inn
       and that it is “private, intimate and elegant”. The release was distributed primarily to the
       travel magazines and local newspapers in Dutchess County.

   (4) Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast, Three-fold Brochure
       The brochure aides in ongoing marketing promotions and is distributed at nearby local
       attractions to generate awareness and reservations. Local destinations, select photos of the
       interior and a brief narrative of the inn congers the feeling of a historic, romantic bed and
       breakfast.

   (5) Berkshires, Blog Page http://www.hilltophousebb.com/berkshires-/
       Blogs are micro-blogged, posted and shared via social media sites such as Twitter and
       Facebook. Fans and page ranking are the primary goal. Cross promotional partners and
       articles are picked up from the additional exposure from blogging.

   (6) Hilltop House Intimate Getaway Page
       http://www.hilltophousebb.com/our-blog/special-packages/intimate-getaway-/
       Romantic getaways is an area that Hilltop House plans on generating significant revenue
       from. This past summer we participated in a wedding event at a local winery to network with
       support services for weddings. As a result a cross promotional page was developed with a
       local massage therapist and makeup artist to attract this market.
   (7) Resident Magazine, NYC (Print and Digital Media Campaign) http://resident.com/
       Occasionally I present media opportunities to clients that I feel are on strategy and deliver
       real value. This magazine’s editorial has considerable travel features, perfect to reach our
       target audience based in the Metro New York area.
Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio     | 8



Several articles were written as a result of ongoing publicity effort for Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast:

    (8) The Lost Art of the Bed & Breakfast Resurfaces in Upstate New York, (8/14/2010).
        Westchester Herald.
    http://whytmedia.typepad.com/westchester_herald/2010/08/the-lost-art-of-the-bed-breakfast-
    revival-resurfaces-in-upstate-new-york-by-lee-daniels.html#more%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%8F

    (9) Peace and quiet, Hiding out in northeastern Dutchess County. (September, 2010). Hudson
        Valley Magazine
    http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/September-2010/Fall-Getaways-
    2010/index.php?cparticle=5&siarticle=4#artanc

    (10) The Five Point Weekend Escape Plan. (October 1, 2010) New York Magazine | Travel.
    http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/poughkeepsie/

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IABC Portfolio Hilltop House B&B

  • 1. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 1 Table of Contents Introduction, Hudson Valley Media Page 1 Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast Background, Objective, Strategy, Timing, Budget 2 Target Audience, Psychographic Profile 3 Media Plan 3, 4 Tactics 4 Metrics 4, 5 Assessment 6 Exhibits 7, 8 INTRODUCTION Hudson Valley Media Hudson Valley Media (HVM) is a burgeoning media firm offering market research and integrated marketing strategies that build brand equity. As CEO, my extensive advertising experience with packaged goods is applied to serve clients’ marketing needs. Expertise in research developed from my graduate work is drawn upon to develop sound media strategies. HVM often contracts out independent freelance agents who live and work in the Metro New York area. Mobile technology and global market forces are re-shaping traditional boundaries. As the barriers are broken, demographics are changing. Transparency and social integration are impacting how organizations communicate internally and externally. Hudson Valley Media emphasizes the value of research, strategic media planning and smart tactics to help meet and exceed client goals. Social media, print, video, podcasts, traditional media and a multitude of channels are utilized to develop targeted, optimized, memorable campaigns, exciting events and lasting relationships with stakeholders. Expectations must be clearly defined, campaigns constantly monitored and measured. We listen to what people are saying, we respond quickly to internal and external crises. We do not react.
  • 2. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 2 HILLTOP HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST Background Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast is a true historic inn that has been in operation for over thirty years, located in the Berkshires. The inn is situated in the Harlem Valley atop a hill, thus the name. This rambling asymmetrical shingle style home was built in 1909. The bed and breakfast was sold in late November 2009 to West and Sandy Johnson who moved up to the country from Brooklyn. Sandy runs the bed and breakfast and makes all business decisions. Sandy relies on my marketing expertise and trusts my professional assessments on media. I have an excellent working relationship with my client, it’s an absolute pleasure to help Sandy realize her business goals. Critical Points • The immediacy and ease of booking online is a feature that many competitors in the bed and breakfast category do not offer. Online reservation systems are radically changing the way people plan their vacations. • Hotel bookings over the past few years continue to increase through the internet. And now mobile bookings are beginning to take off as consumer’s embrace the internet, social media and ecommerce mobile technologies. Source: Benson, P. (April 4,2011) . Reservation System: Latest Trends in Reservation Systems. http://www.hotel- industry.co.uk/2011/04/reservation-system/ • The internet a critical medium for the travel industry. ComScore Research predicts one third of global travel will be booked online by 2012. Source: Kooistra, T. (June 10, 2011). Travel Analytics: comScore Tips and Tricks to maximize online customer value. comScore 2011, eCommerce eTravel Report. • Hilltop House rates are comparable with nearby hotels and inn, therefore the bed and breakfast does not advertise price promotions. Incentives are offered on a case-by-case basis given any week’s room vacancies and profitability goals. • The prior owners did not aggressively market the inn, this created an opportunity to define and improve the market strategy. Objective Dramatically improve bookings year round positioning Hilltop House as a five star inn located in the Hudson Valley. Strategy Generate bookings online capitalizing on consumers embracing online reservations and the growing acceptance of making purchases over the internet. Traditional media is integrated into the media plan on an opportunistic basis. Timing The hospitality industry generates significant revenue from holidays and special occasions. Ongoing seasonal promotions are an important element of the overall market strategy. Late fourth and early first quarter are historically slow months for the bed and breakfast. In order to attain year round bookings, additional market support is needed to improve business. Budget Hilltop House room rates vary from $175 to $275 with five rooms available year round. In order to deliver value the annual marketing budget is $10,000 for a three year campaign. This budget is appropriate and will be phased down as the occupancy becomes self sustaining.
  • 3. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 3 Target Audience 1. Proprietary data indicates that rooms are booked predominantly by the women. The target audience is W25-54 with a HH Income of $250,000+. The Metro Tri-State Region and New England area are the primary geo-targets. Gender & Age Breakdown Source: HubSpot, Facebook and TripAdvisor Analytics. 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+ % % % % % Male - 9.1 3.6 8.2 7.3 28% Female 6.4 15.0 12.0 23.0 12.0 68% 2. A secondary audience of W25-40 with a college degree or higher are targeted given the market potential of romantic getaways. The median age for first marriages is 28 for men and 26 for women. Most marriages are susceptible to divorce within the first five years. About half of all marriages last. Of those that fail, marriages last on average eight years. The median age of those who remarry are in their mid-thirties. Source: (May, 2011). Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009 Household Economic Studies. US Census. http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf. Psychographic Profile Hilltop House is located 10 miles from Sharon, Connecticut and 20 miles from Great Barrington. People who frequent this area are interested in activities that involve horseback riding, equestrian events and outdoor gaming. Guests at the inn typically vacation without their children. Brand Loyalty is achieved by a rewards program targeted at frequent visitors to the valley who may also be business travelers. Media Plan An integrated campaign using social media, direct mail, email marketing, SEO and link building drive marketing efforts. Traditional media is used opportunistically given budget constraints based on profitability. The social media plan is comprised of blogs, micro-blogging and link building to drive awareness and sales. A new website with an online reservation system (1) and a Facebook Business Page were developed to support the social media campaign. The website, Facebook page, marketing materials and event promotions all needed to actionable by the time renovations to the inn where completed. SEO optimization and link building play an important role in providing prominent visibility for online searches for accommodations and planned vacations. To improve the website’s page ranking: • Additional domain names were acquired to improve the overall online presence. • Keywords researched and integrated into the website. • Third party reservation agents are used to aide in booking rooms during the slow months of the season.
  • 4. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 4 Content created from the (blog page) is micro-blogged via social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) to generate: • new fans; • build relationships (cross promotions); • and convert leads into reservations. Pages and links to local business are constantly developed to build relationships with businesses that support tourism and hospitality. Ongoing special events planned for maximum exposure with the business community and media. A brochures and rack card were designed for events, marketing promotions and offered at local support services. Tactics A grand opening gala was staged after the renovations had been completed in early May of 2010. The event was developed to generate awareness within the local business community, travel industry insiders and the media. o Grand Opening May, 2010 Direct Mail Post Card (2), Press Release (3), eBlast, Brochure (4), Social Media. Several “free download” incentives are integrated into the website to capture leads. o The Outdoor Guide (5) provides details on summer outdoor activities nearby Hilltop House. o Hilltop’s Winter Guide (5) lists many snow sport destinations in the area. Optimized blog pages were added to build relationships with like minded businesses. o The Berkshires blog (5) creates content about events and local businesses that are destinations near the inn. o A Intimate Getaway (6) page lists several settings and support services for those interested in having a romantic weekend or wedding. o Support services such as a private massage therapist (6) and a makeup artist have links and pages on the Intimate Getaway page to cross promote their offerings. Joint mixer with local Chamber of Commerce April, 2011 Social Media, Chamber Newsletter, eBlast, Brochure. Print ad campaign in April, May and June 2011 in Resident Magazine (7). The publication is distributed in Manhattan with editorial devoted to travel and profiles of successful New Yorker’s. The target audience is affluent and considered appropriate for Hilltop House. Opportunities that are consistent with the inn’s strategy are evaluated based on profitability and media value. Metrics Customer engagement and campaign effectiveness are evaluated based on data from HubSpot, Facebook and TripAdvisor. Insights from inquires and reviews are applied to ongoing promotional efforts from the data obtained from the reservation system and website analytics. Industry trends are continually evaluated as are innovative ways of marketing.
  • 5. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 5 Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast Guests Booked Versus Year Ago 2010 2011 Index January - 13 - February - 17 - March - 2 - April 3 34 1133 May 10 47 470 June 24 53 220.8 July 21 65 309.5 August 22 53 240.9 September 20 22 * October 49 17 * November 10 - December 4 Insights & Next Steps The website redesign and launch of Hilltop’s marketing plan did not begin until May 2010. Actual stays have increased significantly from the 2010, as has reservations from the prior owners. Cross promotional programs are being developed to increase fall and winter business. Facebook is being used to build Hilltop’s fan base by promoting a free stays with other local destinations. Valuable leads will be obtained from these promotions. TripAdvisor Area Bed & Breakfast Reviews Proximity Reviews Rating (miles) (#) (%) Hilltop House - 34 97 Starbuck Inn 9.5 41 92 Cornwall Inn 10.9 13 75 TripAdvisor Insights & Next Steps There are three other bed and breakfasts within a 30 mile radius, however given their limited sample size the data was not reported. Directionally the guest reviews about Hilltop House thus far are excellent. Ongoing promotions target these leads for repeat visits marketing loyalty incentives.
  • 6. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 6 Assessment Several articles have been written as a result of the ongoing public relations efforts: • Daniels, L. The Lost Art of the Bed & Breakfast Resurfaces in Upstate New York. Westchester Herald, August 14, 2010. (8) • Leba, J., Levine, D., Olear, G., Sparling, P. Peace and quiet: Hiding out in northeastern Dutchess County. Hudson Valley Magazine | Fall Getaways 2010. August 17, 2010. (9) • Cline, E. The Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan-. New York Magazine | Travel. October 1, 2010. (10) The value of the stories written about Hilltop House can be measured based on circulation and readers per copy. No correlation to sales was identified, but there is certainly indirect media value. Realistically, other variables must be considered: • The placement and importance of the article placement. • Additional or incremental sales directly attributed to the stories. The print campaign with Resident Magazine was a disappointment. Hilltop House queries all guests how they heard about the inn. There have been no reservations attributed to the ads that ran from the three months of advertising. The editorial adjacencies and placement in the publication were favorable. The editorial staff at the magazine felt the bed and breakfast ad was interesting and consistent with their readership. The magazine’s production depart failed to remedy a typo found in the first insertion prior to going to print. An additional insertion ran to compensate for the error. Ad recall was nonexistent, consequently the contract was not renewed. Hilltop House’s strategy is sound, threats and opportunities continue to be assessed. The first year has been very successful, reservations continue to improve from the year prior. SEO, blogging and link building powered by social media continue to drive sales.
  • 7. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 7 Exhibits (1) Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast Website, http://hilltophousebb.com The primary objective of the website is to convey a clean open air feeling. The blue header is sky-like with an Edwardian style font for an old world feel. Ease of navigation was also a goal. The tabs are whenever appropriate keywords to help with page ranking. Pages link back to each other to move the potential guest to book a room with our online reservation system. A mobile site was also created, mobile marketing is projected to be embraced rapidly over the next few years. (2) Tulip Post Card The simplicity of the design was create a visual that would be placed on a mantle or refrigerator as a reminder of the grand opening.. Hilltop House uses “pure and simple” as a tagline which is subtly messaged in the tulip visual for this post card. A spring poem was also used to conger thoughts of spring. The direct mailing went out to prior guests who have stayed at the inn as well as the greater Dutchess County community and media. The mailings were sent out three weeks prior to the event followed by an email, then reminders sent out via social media over Facebook. (3) Hilltop House Grand Opening Press Release The release’s primary goal was to generate awareness about recent renovations to the inn and that it is “private, intimate and elegant”. The release was distributed primarily to the travel magazines and local newspapers in Dutchess County. (4) Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast, Three-fold Brochure The brochure aides in ongoing marketing promotions and is distributed at nearby local attractions to generate awareness and reservations. Local destinations, select photos of the interior and a brief narrative of the inn congers the feeling of a historic, romantic bed and breakfast. (5) Berkshires, Blog Page http://www.hilltophousebb.com/berkshires-/ Blogs are micro-blogged, posted and shared via social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Fans and page ranking are the primary goal. Cross promotional partners and articles are picked up from the additional exposure from blogging. (6) Hilltop House Intimate Getaway Page http://www.hilltophousebb.com/our-blog/special-packages/intimate-getaway-/ Romantic getaways is an area that Hilltop House plans on generating significant revenue from. This past summer we participated in a wedding event at a local winery to network with support services for weddings. As a result a cross promotional page was developed with a local massage therapist and makeup artist to attract this market. (7) Resident Magazine, NYC (Print and Digital Media Campaign) http://resident.com/ Occasionally I present media opportunities to clients that I feel are on strategy and deliver real value. This magazine’s editorial has considerable travel features, perfect to reach our target audience based in the Metro New York area.
  • 8. Andrew Ciccone, IABC Portfolio | 8 Several articles were written as a result of ongoing publicity effort for Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast: (8) The Lost Art of the Bed & Breakfast Resurfaces in Upstate New York, (8/14/2010). Westchester Herald. http://whytmedia.typepad.com/westchester_herald/2010/08/the-lost-art-of-the-bed-breakfast- revival-resurfaces-in-upstate-new-york-by-lee-daniels.html#more%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%8F (9) Peace and quiet, Hiding out in northeastern Dutchess County. (September, 2010). Hudson Valley Magazine http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/September-2010/Fall-Getaways- 2010/index.php?cparticle=5&siarticle=4#artanc (10) The Five Point Weekend Escape Plan. (October 1, 2010) New York Magazine | Travel. http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/poughkeepsie/