A small splash with big waves
There are three different types of media you can use to promote your business: Owned, Earned, and Paid. Owned media is content that is created and controlled by you, such as your website, copy, and graphics. Earned media is content that is created and shared by others, like reviews or social media posts made about your business by another person. This is the ultimate goal of every business, since it’s considerably more trustworthy when it comes from an external source. The last type of media, paid, can help you earn some of that earned media. Simply put, it’s content that’s paid to be placed in front of an audience, such as ads and sponsorships.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money in paid media to gain a lot of earned media. You should always pick outlets and events that mean the most to your audience, because that’s where you’ll make the biggest impact. Check out how I helped the Landmark Resort reach thousands of people, not just in Wisconsin, but around the entire world, with just a few bucks and some powerful words!
WHLA 2024 Lodging Directory Cover Contest
In 2023, I submitted this photo for the Landmark Resort in WHLA’s (Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association) 2024 Lodging Directory Cover Contest. The cost to enter the contest was less than $600, and our resort and photo were broadcast throughout the entire state of Wisconsin via social media, email marketing, and press releases over a 3-month period, at no extra cost.
We came in 2nd place in the contest, prolonging our exposure and building awareness with travelers in Wisconsin. This opportunity saved the Landmark Resort hundreds, if not thousands, of advertising dollars in exposure to a wider traveling audience.
We were on the TODAY Show!
Destination Door County connected with the TODAY Show to be featured as an affordable summer getaway destination. Because the Landmark Resort had B-roll footage from putting together our own brand videos, we were able to submit our video to be featured on the segment—at NO cost to us! This allowed us the opportunity to share the resort with hundreds of thousands of people across the United States!
Maximizing Our Potential
-
![]()
Sponsorships
Being part of your community and supporting other local businesses is integral to expanding your brand’s influence. At the Landmark Resort, I helped spearhead our support for the arts, sponsoring shows by purchasing playbill ads for local theaters and concert venues. We also became Gold Sponsors for Egg Harbor’s Independence Day Celebration and Pumpkin Patch Festival, two of the largest events of the year that promote tourism and community in the village.
-
![]()
Publicity
Since 2009, Destination Door County has worked with Geiger & Associates to bring travel writers to Door County to experience our best-in-class hospitality. These travel writers create content for both national and international blogs, magazines, and websites. The Landmark Resort has participated in this program since its inception, at no extra cost. In 2023, the Landmark was mentioned in eight articles written by these travel journalists, the most since the program’s beginning.
