Wales Coast Path Marketing Toolkit February 2019 | Version 1.0

Wales Coast Path Toolkit About the Toolkit...... 5 Promoting the Wales Coast Path Marketing Materials...... 35 February 2019 How to reach your customers...... 9 General...... 36 Version 1.0 Why you should use Databases...... 10 Walkers Welcome message in key the Toolkit...... 5 Newsletters...... 10 foreign languages...... 37 Social media...... 10 Health benefits of walking the The Wales Coast Path Feedback...... 11 Wales Coast Path...... 37 opportunity...... 6 Keep up to date...... 11 Health and safety...... 38 Year of Discovery 2019...... 11 Maps & walks...... 39 Wales Coast Path Explore a virtual Welsh coast Wales Coast Path images, photos in facts & figures...... 7 with NEW augmented reality ap...... 12 and videos...... 39 Ramblers Wales...... 13 Accessibility/disabled information...39 Wales Coast Path Creating special offers...... 14 Tide timetables ...... 39 diary of events...... 7 Using the ...... 14 Hidden gems ...... 39 Refill Cymru...... 40 How to Develop a Keep Wales Tidy...... 40 Marketing Campaign...... 15 Best practice examples...... 42 How to Write a Press Release...... 18 Web sites ...... 42 Newsletter ...... 42 Getting the Best from Press release example ...... 43 your Website...... 20

Using Video...... 23

Developing FAM Visits...... 26

Capitalising on the Seasons...... 29

Getting Staff Involved...... 31

Working Together...... 33

3 Wales Coast Path About the Toolkit

Wales About the Toolkit Coast Path Welcome to the Wales Coast Path marketing Toolkit – a free-on-line resource for all coastal businesses. About the It is designed to be easy to use, giving you the ability to access a wide range of material and information, much of which you can download. Using the Toolkit will help you successfully market your business by Toolkit using the pulling-power of the 870-mile long Wales Coast Path - the longest continuous coastal path around a country.

The Path already successfully attracts You will find everything within the Toolkit thousands of visitors every year and by from walks and Coast Path photographs, making use of the ideas within this Toolkit to advice on writing media releases, Did you know? you can share in that success – attracting improving your website, being a whizz at • Wales Coast Path visitors put new customers to use your products and social media and much more. £84 million a year into the services. Information on walks and photographs Welsh economy. With help from this Toolkit you will be of the Coast Path are geographically • The Wales Coast Path helps able to put together a range of marketing indexed so you can quickly find items that support more than 1,000 jobs. and promotional plans and ideas. It is like are relevant to your needs. having your own marketing team on-line. • In 2014 there were over of By using the Toolkit you will be able to 43 million visits to the It also provides useful safety information identify new opportunities to market Welsh coast line. to help you promote the Wales Coast your business to walkers by creating new Path responsibly and encourage the safe offers and products attractive for them, • People visit the Wales Coast enjoyment of the Welsh coastline. such as: Path for its fantastic natural scenery, wildlife and great • joint marketing initiatives Why you should use the Toolkit walks – everything from a • media campaigns Marketing and promoting your business gentle stroll to a full-on hike. is not easy – it takes time, effort and • social media activity not inconsiderable funds. So, we have • special offers & promotions • The Welsh coastline and its inland rivers were of significant created this on-line resource just for you. All of which will help you: importance in the ancient • reach new customers Make use of it and you have instant history of Britain when the • build new business access to marketing, PR and media region was known as Prydein – experts, enabling you to create bespoke And best of all – it’s all FREE! a name thought to have been marketing plans with all the pulling power confused in the translation of the stunning Wales Coast Path. of original documents as GO BACK meaning the whole of Britain. TO CONTENTS 5 Wales The Wales Coast Path opportunity Coast Path The Wales Coast Path is 870 miles of business opportunity. This scenic route around the coast of Wales enables About the you to market your business to the thousands who walk the coast every year.

Toolkit From young families, to retired couples, • Free drinks and snacks for dogs singles to adventure seekers – use the Take a look at this Visit Wales toolkit to discover ways in which you can • Free dog poo bags web site more ideas and free advice:

ensure that they become your customers. Visit Wales The Coast Path is an iconic, international • Collection of luggage Cyclists & Walkers Welcome Scheme brand and as such connects you and your business to a wide and varied consumer LUGGAGE market. • Provide packed lunches So, what can you offer your customers that will appeal to Coast Path walkers? • Offer local knowledge – best coastal Check out these ideas and take a look walks, great places to go for a at the WALES COAST PATH web links drink/lunch for more information. WALKS SHORT | LONG Wales Coast Path in facts • Offer a clothes drying facility & figures • Lend walking sticks • Collection from bus or train stops Wales is the only country in the • Provide a secure bicycle park world to have a continuous coastal • Provide bus & train timetables path stretching its entire length. • Provide safety information TIME TABLES including tide timetables From cliff top walks and secluded beaches through to exploring the • Offer contact details for useful SAFETY exciting Bay redevelopment - local businesses, such as taxis, the 870-miles long Wales Coast bike hire, car hire etc Path offers visitors a wide range TIDE TABLES of scenic walks. To enjoy the Coast • Offer maps and walks downloadable Path you don’t even need to be an from your website + information ardent walker as there are short easy on walks stretches for a quick and easy walk as well as longer, more challenging GO BACK PLAN YOUR VISIT hikes. TO CONTENTS 6

Take a look at the websites of the Official Here are just a few facts that you may not have known about the Welsh coast: Wales Wales Coast Path partners. • Over 43 million visits are made to the Wales Coast Path every year Coast Path Here you will find a feast of information • Walkers along the Coast Path are estimated to spend nearly £550 million a year about activities in your area: • Wales has more Blue Flag beaches per mile than anywhere else in the UK About the • 47 beaches in Wales were awarded Blue Flag status in 2018 • Visit Wales • There are more than 100 beaches dotted along the Coast Path Toolkit • European Regional Development Fund • The Barrage is part of the Wales Coast Path • The Coast Path offers glimpses of blue whales, dolphins, puffins, and Atlantic seals • • There are over 30 shipwrecks in Llandudno Bay • County Council • You can walk dogs on a lead on the Coast Path & some sections are open • County Council to horse riders • It would take about two & a half weeks to walk the 186 miles of • County Borough Council coastline • Isle of County Council • Rhossili Bay in the Gower has been voted among the top 10 beaches in the world • Council • Merthyr Mawr, near Porthcawl, has some of the largest sand dunes in Europe • Playing Nefyn’s headland golf course has been likened to teeing off the deck • National Park Authority of an aircraft carrier • County Council • Alice Liddell, born in 1852, who often visited Llandudno with her family, was the • County Council inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland • There are 30 RNLI lifeboat stations in Wales/40 RNLI lifeguarded beaches in Wales • Pembrokeshire County Council • South East Wales has the second highest tidal range in the world • Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority • County Council And for more surprising facts and figures Wales Coast Path diary of events go to the Wales Coast Path Hall of Fame Give your customers another • City & County of reason to visit you by including • County details on your web site and in Borough Council your marketing literature about • Council events in your area. • Council You can check out what is happening • Cardiff Council along the Wales Coast Path at the • Newport City Council Wales Coast Path web site. • County Council EVENTS • Ramblers Cymru GO BACK TO CONTENTS 7 Wales Coast Path Promoting the Wales Coast Path

Wales How to reach your customers You can use the Wales Coast Coast Path Path images: Those who walk or visit areas of the Coast Path all require a range of • On your website, in brochures or Promoting products and services and as a coastal business you are ideally placed via social media such as Twitter the Wales to provide them. and Instagram You know how good you are: how your comfortable rooms offer a warm welcome; how • To illustrate hotel and B&B Coast Path the food in your restaurant is too good to miss or perhaps you run a tourist attraction bedroom browsers that’s exciting and which offers unique experiences to those visiting the Coast Path. But do those thousands of visitors who walk the Coast Path every year know? Stand • To make information you send to back and put yourself in the place of your customer. What is obvious to you may not customers more interesting be so to those who have never visited - so tell them. When looking to build custom Be clear about what you are offering. Look around and you will see plenty of examples always remember how important of the hotel web site that fails to mention or make clear its full range of services; the it is to retain existing custom. So, adventure park that doesn’t list its hours of opening or the restaurant that doesn’t don’t ignore those whom you display sample menus on its website. already serve.

All these omissions are barriers to business. You are in effect turning away customers, So, make sure: for very few people will spend time searching your website for information that isn’t • You build and maintain a at first obvious. customer database So, make sure: • You keep customers informed, • that all marketing materials – web site, • You use good quality photographs to perhaps via a newsletter and brochure etc – clearly and simply state illustrate your products and services. social media what you are offering by identifying The Toolkit contains links to a huge the key selling points of your free, photographic library – stunning • Use Wales Coast Path events to business that are attractive to walkers. shots of the Coast Path and surrounding help you create special packages areas. So, make use of them – show your and offers. • you make it easy for customers to customers that your businesse is based contact you and have a two-way near breath-taking coastline. Look out for the “slightly different” - conversation with you - so include for example, Canolfan Gerdd William phone numbers, email addresses WCP IMAGE GALLERY Mathias in is a charity etc which are easily accessible. Password: WCP2019! which holds concerts in locations close to the Coast Path such as • You don’t tell customers to contact Visit Wales also has a library of St Mary’s Caernarfon Church, you at [email protected] images – all free to use. Go to St Hywyn’s Church, , and GO BACK Personalise your relationship and use TO CONTENTS www.walesonview.com or email Plas Glyn y Weddw, Llanbedrog. a name in contact details. [email protected] 9

Databases Wales Make sure you capture your visitors’ Social media contact details and get their permission Social media offer great ways of interacting with potential customers, posting Coast Path to keep them updated with news of information and comments and responding to what others are posting. what you and your business is doing. Promoting Facebook: You can easily do this by posing a A great platform to show off your specialist offer or subjects that the Wales question on your web site such as: business with plenty of pictures of the interest those who walk the Path – “Would you like to receive our newsletter” Wales Coast Path or have your visitors rambling, food and drink, local Coast Path or “Click here to be updated on special give video recommendations of your history and ancestry, photography, offers”. business tying in with their experience painting etc. of the Wales Coast Path. You can also Instagram: use the Facebook Events sections Newsletters Because it’s all about images, use to link up with Wales Coast Path A simple emailed newsletter is an easy it to showcase your business with Facebook events section. way to keep in touch with customers the Wales Coast Path or the Welsh and need not cost a great deal. WALES COAST PATH coastline clearly in the image, inviting Get a simple template designed or use people to come and enjoy the path and one of the free, on-line tools. Send it stay with you, eat with you or visit you. to your database no more than two or WCP COMMUNITY WALES COAST PATH three times a year with information about what is new at the business or what is Twitter: changing, and details on forthcoming A great way of connecting with other Pinterest: events. Include information about the coastal businesses and for putting Pin the ideas that are valuable to you Coast Path, such as “Why spring is a good out your special offers to your followers. and Wales Coast Path – places to time to visit”, “Walking the Coast Path in Remember to find and follow visit along the path, places to enjoy autumn”, and such useful details as bus @walescoastpath on Twitter. Tag us the view, places to take a break for times and routes. on your posts and engage with us, we’ll refreshment. do our best to reciprocate. Look at who Perhaps you have added new services or we’re following to see whether there WALES COAST PATH

facilities, employed a new front of house are opportunities for engagement, even Use hashtags: manager, or changed your opening if it’s just a retweet or a share, and see Key Visit Wales hashtags relevant to hours. And don’t forget to include a how you can weave Wales Coast Path the Coast Path are #FindYourEpic special offer for your special customers. in your social media work. and #gwladgwlad, but you can There is a separate section WALES COAST PATH also use generic ones such as on Creating Special Offers #walescoastpath #coastofwales

in the Toolkit. #walescoast #coast #coastal You could also follow Visit Wales #walking #Welshcoast etc [for Take a look at Best Practice Examples @visitwales @croesocymru, Welsh version #llwybrarfordircymru at the end of the Toolkit for a template and any organisations you can GO BACK #arfordircymru]. TO CONTENTS e-newsletter layout which you can use. find that link to your business’ 10

Feedback Wales Encourage feedback from your customers – it can provide you with invaluable Year of Discovery 2019 information about your business, helping you to fine tune the products and 2019 will be Wales’ Year of Discovery, Coast Path services you offer. when visitors will be encouraged to not only discover Wales but also themselves Promoting You can encourage feedback in several ways. You can provide a Twitter feed through the wealth of attractions, on your website, post customer reviews and provide those who visit with a adventures and experiences the Wales simple questionnaire that seeks their views and comments.Whatever method(s) the country has to offer. This umbrella you use make sure that seeking feedback becomes a regular part of your marketing campaign offers coastal Coast Path promotional activity and not something you just do every now and then. businesses great promotional opportunities. Keep up to date Good marketing of your business brings you closer to your customers and Visit Wales marketing activity can help strengthen the relationship you have with them, building customer will focus on four seasonal loyalty. themes throughout 2019:

Creating this two-way conversation with your customers means you must keep • AUTUMN - MARCH: promotional channels up to date. So regularly look at your web site and make Journeys of Discovery subtle changes. You don’t need to go to the expense of renewing your site on a regular basis, but you must keep it up-to-date. • MARCH - MAY: Discover Adventure So, why not try: • Having a “What’s on” section • Draw up a promotional plan – • JUNE - AUGUST: or panel on your web site detailing what you are going to do Discover Culture with details of the latest events – and when. If you set aside just an things happening in your business hour or two a week you will be able • SEPT - DECEMBER: and along the Wales Coast Path; to keep everything up-todate and Discover Landscape a “News” page where you post reap the benefits, because you will information on the business; and be a business whose key message You can engage with Visit Wales post regular Tweets. to its customers and potential on @VisitWalesBiz and @VisitWales and customers is: “We care about what share your news and content throughout • Provide links on your website we do, and we want your visit to us the year using #FindYourEpic. to partners’ sites and don’t to be special!”. forget to link to the Find out more about how your businesses Wales Coast Path Whatever you do – do it regularly. It can benefit from the Year of Discovery will take up some of your time but keeping everything fresh will mean YEAR OF DISCOVERY that you can limit the amount of time spent on the task. The rewards will be GO BACK well worth it. TO CONTENTS 11

For more ideas about marketing your Wales business take a look at these web www.newport.gov.uk/en/ www.visitpembrokeshire.com Leisure-Tourism/Visit-Newport/ sites listed. www.discoverceredigion.co.uk Coast Path www.visitcardiff.com/ Visitor sites – these web pages provide www.visitsnowdonia.info/discover_ Promoting information for visitors to your area. www.visitthevale.com/ gwynedd-107.aspx www.southernwales.com/ www.visitanglesey.co.uk/en the Wales Many will have specific pages on walking holidays. It will also be a good www.visitnpt.co.uk/ www.discoverdenbighshire.wales/ Coast Path idea for you to link your web site to www.visitswanseabay.com http://discoverflintshire.co.uk/ some of these addresses – that can improve the visibility of your site and www.visitllandudno.org.uk/ www.northeastwales.wales/?lang=cy help in Google rankings. www.discovercarmarthenshire.com

Tourism trade – these sites are aimed specifically at those in the tourism and leisure business and will have ideas on promotions and how you can work in partnership with professional marketeers. So speak with your local authority tourism officer and check out the tourism trade site for your area. Here is just one example:www.swansea.gov.uk/tourismtrade

Explore a virtual Welsh coast with NEW augmented reality app

A NEW augmented reality app has been designed with your customers in mind. Encourage them to download when possible.

The Wales Coast Path will launch a Another key feature will be a 3D model new augmented reality app to enhance of life beneath the sands. Visitors will walkers’ experience along the 870 be able to explore beneath the surface mile path. The digital app, which will and learn about the creatures that live launch in April 2019, aims to encourage unseen beneath the beautiful clean more people to get outdoors with sand. The app will also cover a wide engaging visuals, informative stories and range of topics such as local myths interactive games along the path’s most and legends, flora and fauna, wildlife, noteworthy points of interest. Visitors local history, mysterious shipwrecks will be able to step back in time through and surprising facts. GO BACK the new app, with highlights to include TO CONTENTS watching the land speed record on www.walescoastpath.gov.uk Pendine sands take place. 12

Ramblers Wales Ramblers Wales Itinerary Wales Wales Coast Path celebrates its seventh anniversary in May 2019 with a walking Coast Path festival along the coast from North to . Ramblers Cymru, in partnership with many other local walking groups, will be putting on a programme of seven Promoting walks in seven locations over seven days. It offers fantastic opportunities for you to NORTH WALES promote your business by linking with the anniversary programme. 4th May - Great Orme the Wales The festival will move along the coast The festival will be widely publicised 5th May - Anglesey Coast Path from North East to South East Wales with help from Ramblers Cymru and with three locations in the north over Keep Wales Tidy (who are able to 6th May - Porthmadog the 4th-6th May bank holiday, followed promote the festival through their by Newquay and Saundersfoot the network of schools and volunteers). following weekend and ending with WEST WALES and Cardiff/Penarth on the Most of the walks will start and end in 11th May - New-Quay/Cwmtydu 19th May. each of the locations to enable local organisations and businesses to get 12th May - Saundersfoot Harbour The festival aims to raise awareness of involved – for example a local café or bar the coastal path and promote Wales as could offer a discount to all participants a walking destination, bringing visitors or host some live entertainment to SOUTH WALES to towns and villages along the coast encourage walkers to stay in the area. 18th May - Burry Port outside of the main holiday season. 19th May - Llantwit Major The walks will be in line with Visit Wales RAMBLERS WALES ‘Year of Discovery’ and will have an EVENTS element of surprise – maybe a hidden If you’d like to find out more or get gem or breath-taking view, or the walk involved, please contact: may have a guide with knowledge of WALES COAST PATH wildlife, pirate tales, industrial heritage EVENTS Catherine Morgan on or geology! [email protected] or mob: 07477 901657 or An additional attraction in some tel: 02920 646890 or visit of the coastal areas is the installation of www.ramblers.org.uk ‘Augmented Reality’ where visitors can download an app and see marine life or history appear where they point their phones. GO BACK TO CONTENTS 13

Creating special offers Wales As part of any marketing initiative, special offers are a good way of attracting and Coast Path maintaining customer interest in your products and services. Carefully thought out they need not always present you with a significant cost and Promoting when set against the extra business they bring in they can be a most cost-effective the Wales method of increasing sales. Once again, the Coast Path can be of assistance. There are many events organised Coast Path around the coast, from gentle strolls and Ramblers’ walks to festivals and celebrations. All of these give you an opportunity to promote your business.

So, why not: Using the Welsh language • Run a competition on your web site to Our unique language is a tremendous link with a Coast Path event asset. Using the Welsh language is a great way to make your business • Offer walkers discount on your distinctive. products & services The Office of the Welsh Language • Provide a special “Walker’s breakfast” Commissioner offers a range of showcasing fresh, Welsh produce guidance and suggestions on how to introduce the language into the • Provide free maps, lifts to a walk everyday workings of your business. starting point, contact numbers Go to for taxis

Using the Welsh language on social media: • Advertise the fact that your hotel A practical guide for or B&B has special facilities for businesses and charities walkers – such as a room for 1 drying wet walking gear

• Create a loyalty card to reward repeat custom from Coast Path walkers

• Provide guests with free maps

• Put up tide timetables for GO BACK guests to read TO CONTENTS 14 Wales Coast Path How to Develop a Marketing Campaign

The best way to promote your business at minimal cost to walkers Send your information out to Wales using the Coast Path is to use a wide range of media and get a range of outlets, including: Coast Path information out regularly to build up knowledge and awareness. Social media All successful marketing is planned in advance – identifying perhaps three or four How to You may already have a presence main opportunities to communicate over the year to create a basic campaign. on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram Develop in particular – they are key On each of these occasions, use What’s your story? platforms for interacting with information which will appeal to the Everything you do in marketing needs a Marketing potential customers, posting interests of typical Coast Path walkers, to remind people of your Unique information and comments and of which there are four key groups: Selling Point (USP) – the thing which Campaign responding to what others are makes you different and better than posting. But you can also use it • Older couples others, and relevant to Coast Path in a structured way, planning a Those on a higher income who walkers. concentration of activity around particularly enjoy the historical your planned marketing activity. attractions they can see during Once you’ve decided what that is, you Make sure you use hashtags to their walks need reasons, or “hooks”, that you can widen your audience. Key Visit use to communicate that USP regularly Wales hashtags relevant to the • Scenic explorer couples over time. Coast Path are #FindYourEpic Those in the 40+ age groups and #WalesAdventure, but who are married, but have no Think about your business, what’s you can also use generic ones young children living with them, happened recently and what’s coming such as #walescoastpath and who enjoy beautiful scenery up on the horizon. Check to see what #coastofwales #coast #coastal and unspoilt countryside main events are happening around the #walking #Welshcoast. attractions Coast Path and decide how you can Hashtags encouraging safe link to those to create a story. Are you enjoyment of the coastline • Families making a new investment, hiring new include #RespectTheWater and Those with parents aged under staff? Are you launching a new product #BeAdventureSmart 50 and children aged under 15. or initiative aimed at walkers? Have you They take frequent holidays, are attracted visitors who are walking the Remember to find and follow adventurous and like to learn Path from the other side of the world? @walescoastpath on social media. about local heritage Is this year an anniversary for you? Tag us on your posts and engage with us, we’ll do our best to • Pre-family explorers This is the kind of information you can reciprocate. Look up at who we’re People and couples who are aged turn into marketing opportunities and following to see whether there are under 35 and who take frequent use to promote your USP. opportunities for engagement even holidays, and are especially if it’s just a retweet or a share and interested in sightseeing GO BACK see how you weave Wales Coast TO CONTENTS Path in your social media work. 16

Wales Coast Path How to Develop a Marketing Campaign

Specialist networks You can target specialist organisations and associations involved in walking, outdoor activities, food and drink, local history – anything which ties into the business you are running and the offer you can make to Coast Path walkers.

Local community partnerships Locally you will find tourism Newspapers, radio, magazines & TV Bloggers associations and business groupings From community websites to regional Tap into the vast online community of working to promote your local area – and national publications and people who write about walking, travel valuable to tap into and keep informed specialist magazines, there are a huge and holidays, or about Wales as a about your story and your offer so range of outlets which might carry place to visit. If you offer a family, child they can pass details on. They will information about your business. or dog-friendly product, you will find also offer contacts for developing joint bloggers writing for these and many promotional activities with businesses To learn more about how to contact other specialist markets too. Whatever complimentary to yours. For more them and present your story, go to your speciality, a bit of online research details on this go to will soon bring up a list of bloggers Approaching to contact with your information. Try Working GO BACK the Media putting “walking bloggers” into your Together TO CONTENTS search engine. 17 Wales Coast Path How to Write a Press Release

Wales How to write a press release Approaching the media Essentially a press release needs to answer six basic A bit of web research will soon tell you what local papers Coast Path questions: who, what, where, when, why and how. operate in your target area, what specialist titles cover areas of interest relevant to your business, and how to How to • Your story needs a news “angle” – you have to be contact them. able to express what you want to tell the media about Write a as the first, the newest, the biggest, the smallest, or Decide what kind of media your stories will appeal to. This is be a milestone, a record, an anniversary etc - or just really a matter of how “new” something is. You can be doing Press downright unusual. something that has never been done in your local area, and that will be of interest to local media, even if it’s already Release • Your press release should be written in an email – been done elsewhere in the country. It’s not going to appeal don’t attach it to an email as a separate document - to a London-based national newspaper, though, because it takes time to open and may not even get through they know it’s already happened somewhere else. But if a media outlet’s firewall to start with. what you’re doing has never been done in the UK before – aim for the UK nationals. • Write a short attention-grabbing headline for the email subject line which reflects your“angle” – i.e. Don’t forget to take timings into consideration when you’re first, the newest, the biggest, the smallest, etc. In the approaching the media. If you’ve got an event coming up, for email itself, start with the words NEWS RELEASE and example, you’ll need to let media outlets know in good time repeat the headline from the Subject line. – for magazines that can be several months in advance.

• All the most important information has to come high Making contact up the release. A journalist won’t read further than Make your approach in good time. Try to make initial contact that to decide whether the story is worth considering. by phone with the news desk to introduce your story – you can follow up the conversation by sending through a press • While you should not write advertising copy about release. Sometimes, you’ll need to email a press release your business, you still need to give it a plug! But first, which may be followed by a phone call if it sparks don’t overegg it. Generally, keep details about your interest. Don’t forget Twitter too as a way of making contact business in the second or third paragraphs, and with the media – it’s often used nowadays as the first place express them factually and without comment. a journalist looks for information, and the first place they publish their own stories. • Make sure you include your contact details at the end of the release – and make sure you are available if they call! For example, write at the bottom of the release: Further information from Tom Smith, manager [email protected] 0234 456375

Take a look at Best Practice Examples at the GO BACK end of the toolkit for a sample media release. TO CONTENTS 19 Wales Coast Path Getting the Best from your Website

Wales Getting the best from your website Coast Path People browsing websites to decide where to visit, stay or eat are notoriously fickle; if they don’t like the look Getting of your site compared to others or can’t find the information they want within a matter of seconds, they will go elsewhere. the Best Get to the point Access from all devices The secret to a website that performs While it might be tempting to fill a If you are looking at the content of this from your well is one that can be found in the website with huge amounts of detailed Toolkit in your office on a computer, first place, is clean, simple, and user- text, that is rarely what a visitor is you are probably in the minority. Huge Website friendly, and enables the visitor to get looking for. Attention spans are short, numbers of people now browse the the information they need quickly and and they want information presented web and make purchasing decisions on take the action you want them to. to them in bite-sized chunks. their smart phones and tablets. Ensure that your website can be viewed on all If your budget runs to it, a professional Remember to use key words on your devices. web design company is a good way to website that reflect what the Wales get your site up and running. Equally, Coast Path is all about - walking, coast Link with your social media you can build one yourself with one and Wales. This will help your site get Link your website closely to your of the many excellent easy-to-use picked up when people search using social media activity, updating these packages now available online. these words. platforms with links highlighting new content on your site. The more tweets Either way, there are a few key pointers Keep it clean, keep it simple or Facebook likes your site gets the you need to bear in mind when you’re Make sure your text is readable and higher your website will rank in the developing your site – or when you’re not obscured by background images search engines. briefing your web company to do the or distracting animated elements. job. White is often the best background Images – words on top of photos or coloured Competition is fierce, and web visitors Link with us backgrounds can be difficult for some will expect good quality images as a Add the Wales Coast Path logo to your to read. minimum nowadays before looking at website (you can download it from the a website with any serious intent. High Resources section of this Toolkit) to If you want a user to click on a link to quality photographs and video of the make it immediately obvious that your another part of your site, make sure Wales Coast Path are included within business is a coastal one. that link is obvious with colour or an this Toolkit for you to use free underline. Don’t leave them guessing of charge – go to.

You can also link to the Wales where they need to click.

Coast Path websites: to add WCP IMAGE GALLERY value to your website. GO BACK Password: WCP2019! TO CONTENTS 21

Wales Coast Path Getting the Best from your Website

Make it easy to buy Update regularly If you’re selling via an online shop or taking bookings Good content will engage your visitors and encourage online, make it easy. Invest in a good shopping cart and them to come back. offer facilities such as credit card and other online payment options, for example, PayPal. If you do use a third-party Provide value-added content booking site, make sure the link to them is clearly displayed. People want to know about you, yes, but provide additional The fewer “clicks” to get to the payment part, the fewer useful information to hold their attention and show them customers you’ll lose. they are valued – how to get to and from the Coast Path, local bus timetables, local taxi services, drive times, public Make it easy for people to get hold of you or private toilets available for walkers in your area, free Too many websites nowadays don’t give names and water refill points locally and recommended routes to get contact numbers and hide behind the impersonal to you, other attractions nearby, safety information etc. “Complete the form below to contact us”. It’s very unfriendly and unwelcoming. You’re in the hospitality Take a look at the Marketing Materials section of this Toolkit business! Give them your name, phone number and for ideas and downloadable materials that you can use on email address and feature them prominently. your site.

Take a look at Best Practice Examples section GO BACK of the Toolkit for more web ideas. TO CONTENTS 22 Wales Coast Path Using Video

Planning a video Wales • What makes your business different to any other? What’s the key piece of Using video information you want the viewer to go way with? What particular offer can you Coast Path make to get people walking the Coast Path to step off for a while and visit you? Why use video? Using Video • What’s the personality of your Top tips for shooting your own videos: We all love watching videos. business – calm and relaxing, • Realistically what time can They are one of the best ways traditional, quirky or adrenalin you commit to it? Like your of accessing information quickly fuelled? The video needs to other marketing responsibilities, and in an entertaining way. reflect that it’s another commitment you have to schedule. You may also As you’ve probably got a smart • Is your business weather / have to schedule very specific phone or tablet, you’re already on season dependent? You will want timeslots too – if you want to film the way to being able to create filming to take place at the point people undertaking an activity, your own videos about what your in the season when it looks at its they will be there on a particular business can offer to people who best – ideally it won’t be raining, day and time – and you will have walk the Wales Coast Path! A trees will have leaves on them, to be too! video gives you your best chance everything will look fresh and of showing the personality or clean, and it will look busy, with • Plan how your video will run atmosphere of your businesses, happy people enjoying what you from start to finish. This is the giving a viewer a much fuller offer, so you will need to pick the “storyboard” - a list of contents impression of what’s on offer for best time of the year to achieve and scenes in the order they walkers using the Wales Coast all that. will appear Path. You can use them on your website, send out links to them • What action do you want • Think about the type of video you on social media or in a mailing to your viewer to take? Phone you? want – just images of places, your customers, or show them at Email you? Go online for more with a music track? Images events and exhibitions you may be information? Make sure you with a “voice over”? People being attending. include a “call to action” filmed about what they’re doing, talking to the camera, or talking The best results are always going to • Keep the video short. Up to three to someone “off camera”, like be obtained by using a professional minutes long is ample – no one’s a TV news interview? company to make a video, although attention span holds for longer that won’t be within everyone’s than that. You want to excite the Beware – the first of these budget. But that’s not to say you viewer with a taste of what’s on options can lack interest if you’re can’t create your own distinctive offer, not cover everything in not careful – whereas people videos with just a little investment great detail – that’s the job of the speaking animatedly about the and a bit of time. website or brochure. experience they’ve had with you is much more entertaining and GO BACK gives a better insight into TO CONTENTS your business 24

• Equipment – just your mobile What to film Editing Wales is fine! A video camera is more • Your customers, telling you how • Try not to stay on one shot/ versatile if you can get access to great their experience has been angle – remember when filming Coast Path one. But it’s content that’s the to get several different most important thing • You as the owner explaining your viewpoints on the same thing Using Video business and welcoming people and edit them into a series of • Consider investing in an external to it, or talking about a special shots which change regularly to microphone for your mobile. One offer. Get someone to interview maintain interest of the hallmarks of “self-shot” you – it’s easier than talking to video is that you can hardly camera • Keep your video short. Anything hear what people are saying. from 30 seconds to 3 minutes A good quality microphone will • Staff interviews –“I’m the chef here max. The shorter the clip, the immediately raise the quality and and my favourite dish to cook is …… better for social media professionalism of your video and here it is on the hob….” • Better to have half a dozen short • You need to edit rather than just • Facilities – show customers what clips on your website, available press “record” and hope for the you’ve got to view separately, than a single best. Unedited video does not very long video. More people will look professional. There are • A special event you’ve had, watch to the end of a short video plenty of low-cost, easy to use showing the action and including and pick up on the call to action. video editing packages available comments from customers online. They require some • Use low-cost copyright free investment of time to get used to • Invite customers to send you music, available on-line, as a operating them, but results in their videos of fun times at your background to your videos terms of the quality of image and business, and edit them into sound that you can achieve will short compilations make them well worth it. • You don’t have to film the Coast Path itself – stock imagery is available to download from Wales Coast Path as part of this Toolkit

WCP IMAGE GALLERY

Password: WCP2019!

• Consider how the content of your video will influence viewers – think about your responsibility GO BACK in encouraging safe enjoyment of TO CONTENTS the Wales Coast Path 25 Wales Coast Path Developing FAM Visits

Wales Developing FAM Visits Coast Path Media familiarisation visits, or FAM visits, when you invite selected members of the media to visit your business, Developing often over a couple of days, are a great way to promote your company.

FAM Visits Visit Wales, your local authority tourism team and the Wales Coast Path all organise media FAM visits – so get in touch to see if your business can take part. Working with such partners takes care of much of the worry of organising a FAM visit and you can be assured that great thought will have been given to devising an interesting and varied programme for the visitors.

However, if you think you have a good That’s why linking with the Wales Coast For example, most FAM visits will enough story to tell then you might Path can be so useful since it provides cover accommodation and food and consider organising your own media FAM lots of reasons to visit your area, giving the cost of any visits or experiences, trip by inviting a journalist, blogger or you extra reasons for promoting your but not necessarily extras such as travel writer to come and experience at businesses. additional drinks incurred back at the first hand all you have to offer. With some accommodation. Decide in advance careful planning you will find that it is not Also ensure that you provide some what you are paying for and make it that difficult. downtime in your programme – allowing clear to your visitors. journalists to explore on their own. Make a list about what is interesting about Don’t think you have to fill every single Finally stay in touch. Don’t forget about your business – how does it differ from that minute with activity. Most importantly your media contacts the moment they of your competitors? What plans have you make sure you feed them. Easy if you leave. Email them to thank them for for the future and what investments have are a restaurant or an hotel, but what visiting and ask if there is any more you already made? Thinking in this way will if you are a visitor attraction? A good information they need. Be ready help you to see what is newsworthy about way of solving the problem is to work to follow up with photographs and your business – that information that will with a local restaurant that has a good additional facts and figures if requested. make a journalist say: “That’s interesting reputation and devise a joint FAM visit. Links in this Toolkit will provide you with – I want to write about that”. stunning photography of the Wales When deciding when to organise Coast Path and coastline. Make sure you provide plenty of a FAM visit remember that the lead opportunity for anyone you invite to in times for most publications can be It is important to recognise that a FAM experience all aspects of your business, several weeks. For some magazines it visit should be part of an adopted media but also experience events and services is likely to be a few months - so plan strategy – just one of the ways in which that are complementary to what you do. ahead. you build and maintain relationships with After all no-one books a weekend break key journalists. in an hotel, just to spend two days indoors. Agree with your visitors exactly what you Most visitors will want to use the hotel as will be providing and whether there is their base while they experience events anything that they need to pay for. This GO BACK and services in the immediate area. will avoid any misunderstanding and TO CONTENTS unpleasantness later. 27

Wales Coast Path Developing FAM Visits

Working with tour operators and attracting international visitors To get involved: • Register your product on the • Visit Britain has a wide range of If you are looking to reach globally promoted website tools to support you in marketing international customers via the your business internationally. Go to travel trade, you can get help from VISIT WALES Visit Wales to support and grow VISIT BRITAIN your business. • Keep Visit Wales posted for more information. with your news and The benefits of thinking developments by emailing internationally are: Remember to follow: [email protected] @VisitWalesBiz • Helps you counter seasonality • Sign up to newsletters at @VisitWalesTrade @MeetinWales • International visitors, on average, @VisitWales spend more NEWSLETTER @VisitBritainBiz @VisitBritainPR • Longer lead-in times for • Become a member of UKinbound @VisitBritain international visits gives you and European Tour Operators the ability to plan ahead Association (ETOA) to access B2B workshops, seminars and GO BACK networking events. TO CONTENTS 28 Wales Coast Path Capitalising on the Seasons

Wales Capitalising on the Seasons Coast Path The Wales Coast Path provides you with a great opportunity to extend the visitor season. For example, Capitalising early spring and late autumn are great times for walking the Coast Path, offering dramatic natural on the scenery changes and wild seas. By giving customers a real reason And for those businesses along parts Why not create a diary page on your Seasons to visit you off-peak means you can of the Coast Path that celebrate website which highlights all of the create new opportunities to extend industrial heritage alongside striking main activities in your area. You could your business. Why not contact those scenery, off-peak breaks enable you persuade those who walk the path to customers who visit you in the summer to promote the Coast Path alongside a send you photos of their trip to add to with a special offer for a“Refreshing range of other activities, such as festive your promotional material. spring break walking the Coast Path” or celebrations. “Winter walks along the Coast Path”? Or how about offering“Storm Watching If you are based in south-east Wales Holidays” in the winter months? Wales why not tell customers how they can has plenty of exciting weather which take a bracing stroll along the Cardiff will appeal to photographers and Bay Barrage before taking in the fun artists. of the Christmas Market and Winter Wonderland? Other main towns You can link to walking festivals along the coast also stage Christmas or coastal celebrations - take markets, Easter celebrations and a look at the section on autumn fairs. So check out details Ramblers Cymru in this with the tourism office at your local toolkit and their plans authority to see what’s happening in for 2019 and check out the support your area. you can get from Visit Wales and their Year of Discovery. All of these activities will appeal to walkers and by telling them exactly YEAR OF DISCOVERY what is on offer in your area you are For more ideas take a look at increasing the reasons for them to pay Piers and Promenades you a visit. PIERS & PROMENADES

GO BACK TO CONTENTS 30 Wales Coast Path Getting Staff Involved

Wales Getting staff Coast Path Getting Staff involved Ensuring your staff share your business values Involved is really important, so spend time informing them about the business, what your business ambitions and goals are and how they can play their part. For example, when marketing your product and services to Wales Coast Path walkers make sure your staff are well briefed on what the Coast Path has to offer, where customers can find further information, such as detail on walks, or bus and tide timetables.

Make sure your staff help you to promote your business by offering exemplary customer care. You will find that not only will you be able to offer a better service, but staff will feel motivated by being more involved in the promotion of the business.

Why not encourage staff to take photos of their favourite coastal walk and post them onto your website? In this way they can become not just business ambassadors, but Wales Coast Path ambassadors – knowledgeable and customer friendly. A huge asset to any business.

GO BACK TO CONTENTS 32 Wales Coast Path Working Together

Wales Working Together Coast Path It is worth speaking to other business owners along the Wales Coast Path to see how you can take a joint Working approach to marketing your services. Joint marketing initiatives will help you reach a larger audience by combining your customer database with those of your chosen business partners. They can also extend your Together product and service range.

Joint marketing with suitable business partners enables you to put more and interesting information on your website and in your marketing materials, by featuring the products and services of your business partners alongside yours. It makes your offer far more appealing.

For example, West Wales Holiday Cottages westwalesholidaycottages.co.uk offers discount vouchers from attractions and businesses around Wales to holidaymakers who book through them. If you can offer a special deal via a voucher, the system is free to join and you will get a free So, why not try: • Creating joint promotions – for listing in the ‘Things to Do’ area of example, an hotel and a visitor their website. For details contact • Choosing complementary attraction could jointly promote a Amy Williams Marketing Manager, business partners to work with walking weekend break at West Wales Holiday Cottages special rates with discounted admin@westwalesholiday • Developing seasonal offers entry to the near-by attraction cottages.co.uk • Providing links from your web • Providing links from your website site to those of selected partners to other useful sites – for example, linking to the Wales Coast Path “Things to do”

GO BACK THINGS TO DO TO CONTENTS 34 Wales Coast Path Marketing Materials

Wales Marketing Materials Coast Path Cut and paste or download these resources for your website, social media activity, leaflets and bedroom Marketing browsers to give your customers valuable information which will enhance their visit.

Materials General E-Newsletter The best way to judge that is to ask

HAPPY HOLIDAY PARK We have produced for you a special NEWSLETTER Creating yourself: “If I knew nothing about this

“Welcoming Walkers” logo, which can ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2019 your own business would I be interested in reading

NEW FOR 2019 be downloaded and used on your web We’ve opened a new e-newsletters this story?” If your answer is yes, you drying room so that you can keep all your kit warm and dry after site or in your marketing literature. a hard day’s walking! There are many are on the right track.

GO DISCOVER ways to create 2019 is Wales’ Year of Discovery – so come and discover our wealth of attractions, adventures and your own • Create a name for your newsletter, experiences!

WALKERS ARE WELCOME IN WALES! https://www.visitwales. com/discovery

newsletters that accurately reflects the nature of

From the Welsh border in the north opportunity to explore the great IT’S A FACT to in the south east, the outdoors and the natural environment Wales Coast Path offers 870 miles and potentially discover new Half an hour’s stroll of coastline to choose from, for activities to take part in. burns 75 calories. which you can your business. people of all abilities to embark on walking their way to health. Walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, Half an hour’s walk five days a week is one way of burns 99 – and half an Brisk walking can benefit mental meeting medical experts’ hour’s fast walk burns and physical health and well- recommendations for adult physical 150 calories. send to your • Don’t be too specific with the date being, and provides people of all activity. ages and abilities with a fantastic No excuse not to Here at Happy Holiday Park, we are opportunity to form positive come walking in right on the doorstep of miles of exercise habits. As well as reaping Wales! the health and wellbeing benefits, magnificent wallks. So get in touch now! www.hhp.com customers of the newsletter – Spring 2019 is the Wales Coast Path offers the and suppliers. sufficient. If you have the budget, you can • Select good quality photographs,

CROESO I GERDDWYR have your newsletters designed and that either tell their own story, or help WELCOMING WALKERS use marketing platforms such as to illustrate copy you have written. Mailchimp. • Write about things that customers care about – new products or If, however, if you want to keep costs services, special offers, the opening down then Microsoft Word offers you of a new health spa or the extension a range of newsletter templates which of opening hours etc. with a little practice you can create • Make it personal – people like attractive newsletters which you can reading about people. send out by email or even print hard • Put contact details for your business Beth am ddarganfod copies. Using Microsoft Word, you – name, phone, email and web site, in Llwybr Arfordir Cymru can also produce a range of other a prominent position. Discover your marketing material, such as posters. • Send newsletters regularly, but not Wales Coast Path

Cymru yw’r wlad gyntaf yn y byd i greu llwybr cerdded too frequently – three a year is ideal. penodol sy’n ymestyn o amgylch ei holl arfordir – 870 milltir / 1,400 km o amrywiaeth ysblennydd!

Wales is the first country in the world to have a dedicated footpath that hugs the entire coastline – all 870 miles / 1,400 km of glorious diversity! To get started simply open Word on • If you are using email, ensure you

llwybrarfordircymru.gov.uk walescoastpath.gov.uk your computer and select a newsletter are compliant with General Data template. You will find instructions Protection rules (GDPR). For more on how to create your newsletter by information on GDPR click here dropping in photographs and stories. GO BACK We also have a poster that you can Make sure that what you put into your GDPR TO CONTENTS display that you can download here newsletter is interesting and relevant. 36

Walkers Welcome message in key Brisk walking can benefit mental As well as a boost to physical health, Wales foreign languages and physical health and well-being, putting your best foot forward on the and provides people of all ages and Wales Coast Path can do wonders Coast Path Welsh: Croeso i gerddwyr abilities with a fantastic opportunity to for mental health. A survey by mental form positive exercise habits. As well health charity, MIND, found that: Marketing French: Marcheurs bienvenus as reaping the health and wellbeing benefits, the Wales Coast Path offers • 90% of people who took part Materials German: Wanderer willkommen the opportunity to explore the great in green exercise activities said outdoors and the natural environment that the combination of nature Italian: Camminatori benvenuti and potentially discover new activities and exercise is most important to take part in. in determining how they feel. Dutch: Wandelaars welkom Walking briskly for 30 minutes • 94% of people commented that Spanish: Caminantes bienvenidos a day, five days a week is one green exercise improves their way of meeting medical experts’ mental health. Health benefits of walking recommendations for adult the Wales Coast Path physical activity. • 90% of people commented For some people, getting into the great that taking part in green exercise outdoors can be a life-saver. Groups Little wonder, then, that the Wales activities benefits their physical which promote walking as a means Coast Path’s stunning coastal health. of improving health are an increasing landscape offers the perfect phenomenon along the Wales Coast stomping ground for a variety of To find a walk visit Explore the path Path. groups such as the Pembrokeshire -based Walkability Project From the Welsh border in the north Walking Fact Panel to Chepstow in the south east, the PEMBROKESHIRE COAST How many calories can I burn? Wales Coast Path offers 870 miles of coastline to choose from, for people of • Half an hour strolling – Established by the Pembrokeshire all abilities to embark on walking their burns 75 calories Coast National Park Authority and way to health. Sport Wales, it helps people take • Half an hour’s walk – up walking and make the most of burns 99 calories the walking opportunities on offer to

them. • Half and hour’s fast walk burns 150 calories

Source: At least five a week, Department of Health, 2004, for an average person, weighing 9.5 stone. GO BACK TO CONTENTS 37

Wales Top tips for dog walkers Health and safety • Keep dogs on a lead especially Coast Path Take the opportunity to remind your customers of the importance of staying when close to cliff edges or fast safe and being adventure smart when walking the Wales Coast Path. Showing flowing rivers Marketing that you care about the safety of your customers is important. Include these Top 10 Tips on your website, in your marketing leaflets, or in your bedroom • If your dog goes into the water or Materials browser. gets stuck in mud, don’t go in after them. Move to a place the dog 1. Know where you are going – and stumbles. can get to safely and call them – check maps and websites, look 6. Carry sunscreen with you – they’ll probably get out by out for any warning signs and remember strong winds can themselves ask about local risks cause sunburn too • If you’re worried about your dog, call 2. Check the weather and tides 7. Take care not to slip, trip or 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard just before you leave fall. Stay away from edges and overhangs along the Coast 3. Plan your route and let people Path - do not climb cliffs or sit know when to expect you back. under them. Make sure your mobile is charged. 8. Take care when walking along roads or crossing roads and 4. Keep your energy levels up by railways taking food and water with you 9. You can find a new world of 5. Make sure you have the right wildlife on beaches. Remember gear. Wear good quality, dry, to look and not touch. waterproof clothing – take spare socks and tops, even 10. Know how and when to get help if the weather looks good. It – in an emergency call 999 or can change quickly! Wear 112 and ask for the Coastguard. shoes/boots designed for walking. The wrong footwear is bad for your feet and leads to trips

GO BACK TO CONTENTS 38

Respect The Water: Accessibility information Tide timetables Wales If you fall unexpectedly into cold water, Give your customers information on If you want to provide your customers fight your instinct to thrash around or how accessible the Wales Coast Path with details of tide times then the Coast Path swim hard. It’s best to relax and float is for those with disabilities. Depending information is available here on your back to catch your breath. on the level of disability, not all of the Marketing Once the cold water shock has Coast Path is easy to navigate. But TIDE TABLES passed, call for help, find something check out suitable walks at Materials buoyant to hold on to, or swim for safety if you’re able to WALKING RESPECT WATER For more information about how Hidden gems to enjoy your walk safely, visit: Do you have a favourite spot on the Path near you? Then share it with your guests – in your brochure, your bedroom browser, on your website or in your RNLI SAFETY social media activity. Here’s a few suggestions to get • The views of Goultrop and towards PLAN YOUR TRIP you started: from the Path south of Little Haven • The old mine workings, ironworks WAYMARKERS and lime kilns at Stepaside, • The view north from The Pembrokeshire Sheepfields, above The Point, Get in touch with your local RNLI Little Haven lifeboat station or RNLI lifeguard team • The views from Bryn Eisteddfod #RespectTheWater in Clynnogfawr, Gwynedd • The Boathouse Gallery, St. Bride’s Road, Little Haven Adventure Smart Wales • The end of the walk refreshments at Business Toolkit: Café, St Dogmael’s, • The café open to the public #BeAdventureSmart Pembrokeshire on Mynydd Mawr Caravan and Camping site at near • The section of the Path between Maps & walks on the Lleyn Peninsula and Listed for each of the section of the with views over Bardsey Island path on the Wales Coast Path website – one of the least walked on stretches Wales Coast Path images, photos Check out: and videos - all downloadable • Dipping your feet in the sea at Listed for each of the section of the Wallog beach, between Clarach BEAUTIFUL WALKS path on the Wales Coast Path website and Borth, Ceredigion

WCP IMAGE GALLERY GO BACK Password: WCP2019! TO CONTENTS 39

Refill Cymru Wales Here is a great opportunity for coastal The average person in the UK will use Keep Wales Tidy businesses to offer walkers free 150 plastic water bottles every year. Details on Blue Flag scheme – Coast Path drinking water and be part of a great If just one in ten Brits refilled once promotional scheme. a week, we’d have 340 million less The Blue Flag Toolkit Marketing plastic bottles a year in circulation. Here is another resource to assist you Refill is an award-winning campaign Currently, less than 30% of people in in your marketing activity. Materials to prevent plastic pollution at source the UK drink tap water in a reusable by making it easier to reuse and refill bottle, despite the fact that we are The Blue Flag is a world-renowned your bottle instead of buying a new lucky to have some of the best eco-label trusted by millions around one. drinking water in the world. the globe, with more than 4,500 award-winning sites in nearly 50 We want to disrupt the social norm If you’re a business with a publicly countries. that we need to buy bottle water accessible tap, then all you need to when ‘drinking on the go’ and make do is fill in a few details on the Refill Keep Wales Tidy’s Blue Flag Toolkit it easy for people to carry a reusable App to create your free profile on the is a free online resource, giving bottle and refill for free when out and map. Once your station is live, you’ll be you access to a range of materials about. ready to welcome thirsty Refillers and to download and use in your own benefit from increased exposure and promotional activities. City to Sea, a not-for-profit footfall as a result. Refill Stations don’t organisation headed by entrepreneur just have to be Cafés or Restaurants. In a national survey, businesses said Natalie Fee, launched the Refill There are Libraries, Estate Agents, they overwhelmingly consider Blue Scheme in 2015. Now being rolled out Hair Dressers, Butchers, Village Shops, Flag to have a positive impact on nationwide with full support of Welsh Museums all found on the App as their business, with 82% saying it Government and water companies Refill Stations. helps bring more visitors to the area. Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy, Refill will substantially increase the Our blue window stickers are Wales has some of the most beautiful availability of high-quality drinking displayed with pride by local business and well-managed beaches in the water. It has never been easier to owners to show their commitment to world – it’s time to make the most swap a single use plastic bottle for helping us reduce single-use plastics, of our outstanding coastline and a free taste of the rolling Welsh and to act as a ‘welcome!’ to people use Blue Flag to reach national and mountains. More widely Refill Cymru who may be unsure or afraid to ask for international audiences. will involve businesses, charities, a free water refill. organisations and major events. You will find the Blue Flag Toolkit and Refill Cymru is on Facebook and other information about the Blue Flag Twitter. The Refill Cymru Coordinator programme at: is Hannah Osman. If you would like to set up a Refill Scheme in your www.keepwalestidy.cymru/ community, please get in touch with GO BACK her on [email protected] TO CONTENTS 40 Wales Coast Path Best Practice Examples

Wales Best practice examples Coast Path Web sites Take a look at these sites for more • Create a name for your newsletter, Best Practice ideas. HAPPY HOLIDAY PARK that accurately reflects the nature of Examples your business. NEWSLETTER • Don’t be too specific with the date

LLIGWY BEACH CAFE ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2019 of the newsletter – Spring 2019 is

NEW FOR 2019 sufficient.

We’ve opened a new drying room so that • Select good quality photographs, LLIGWY BEACH CAFE you can keep all your kit warm and dry after that either tell their own story, or a hard day’s walking! help to illustrate copy you have

ABERPORTH COASTAL GO DISCOVER written. 2019 is Wales’ Year of Discovery – so come • Write about things that customers and discover our wealth of attractions, adventures and care about – new products or experiences! services, special offers, the opening COASTAL WALKERS ARE WELCOME IN WALES! https://www.visitwales. com/discovery of a new health spa or the extension

From the Welsh border in the north opportunity to explore the great IT’S A FACT to Chepstow in the south east, the outdoors and the natural environment of opening hours etc. Wales Coast Path offers 870 miles and potentially discover new Half an hour’s stroll Creating your own e-newsletters of coastline to choose from, for activities to take part in. burns 75 calories. Make it personal – people like people of all abilities to embark on • walking their way to health. Walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, Half an hour’s walk There are many ways to create your five days a week is one way of burns 99 – and half an reading about people. Brisk walking can benefit mental meeting medical experts’ hour’s fast walk burns and physical health and well- recommendations for adult physical 150 calories. own newsletters which you can send being, and provides people of all activity. • Put contact details for your business ages and abilities with a fantastic No excuse not to Here at Happy Holiday Park, we are opportunity to form positive come walking in right on the doorstep of miles of to your customers and suppliers. If exercise habits. As well as reaping Wales! – name, phone, email and web site, the health and wellbeing benefits, magnificent wallks. So get in touch you have the budget, you can have the Wales Coast Path offers the now! www.hhp.com in a prominent position. your newsletters designed and • Send newsletters regularly, but not use marketing platforms such as too frequently – three a year is ideal. Mailchimp. To get started simply open Word on • If you are using email, ensure you your computer and select a newsletter are compliant with General Data If, however, if you want to keep costs template. You will find instructions Protection rules (GDPR). For more down then Microsoft Word offers you on how to create your newsletter by information on GDPR click here a range of newsletter templates which dropping in photographs and stories. with a little practice you can create GDPR attractive newsletters which you can Make sure that what you put into your send out by email or even print hard newsletter is interesting and relevant. copies. Using Microsoft Word, you The best way to judge that is to ask can also produce a range of other yourself: “If I knew nothing about marketing material, such as posters. this business would I be interested in reading this story?” If your answer GO BACK is yes, you are on the right track. TO CONTENTS 42

Press release example Wales Remember the rule – [HEADLINE TO CATCH REPORTERS’ ATTENTION] Coast Path always explain WEST WALES CAFÉ BAR TO GET Best Practice Who, WALKERS BACK ON THEIR FEET Examples A West Wales café bar [who] is launching a new service [what] next week [when] to What, get weary walkers back on their feet [why] after enjoying a long day out and about on When, the Wales Coast Path. Tom’s Café Bar [where] in Main Street, St David’s, is bringing in a team of foot masseurs and pedicurists as well as three fish-filled foot spas[how] which Why, customers can enjoy free of charge with a drink as they unwind at the end of the day.

Where, [Additional detail] Owner Tom Smith [Information from the Toolkit] and How said the idea came to him as he talked to The 870-mile long Wales Coast Path customers who said that had enjoyed their passes through some of Britain’s most day walking parts of the 186-mile Wales spectacular and breathtaking scenery, Coast Path through Pembrokeshire, but including 58 beaches and 14 harbours that they couldn’t wait to get their socks in Pembrokeshire alone, and the UK’s and boots off and relax their aching feet. smallest city - St Davids. Now he has brought together his team of It is one of the country’s greatest assets, foot-reviving experts, and will be launching attracting over 43 million visits a year with the service this Saturday, 12 May. its natural scenery, wildlife and great walks – everything from a gentle stroll to a [Quote to give interest and colour] full-on hike. Coast Path visitors put £84 “I wanted to give walkers of the Coast Path million a year into the Welsh economy, the opportunity to put their feet up while and help support more than 1,000 jobs. they were enjoying a drink or an evening [ENDS] meal with us,” he said. “So, every Saturday evening until September, we will have a Further information from Tom Smith, team of trained and qualified professionals manager [email protected] set up there ready to give walkers a free foot 0234 456375 treatment while they relax. “I just wanted to find a way of showing [Make it clear that you will help the media visitors that we appreciate them coming get interviews and photos on the day] to this part of Wales, and I hope it will get Reporters and photographers welcome walkers back on their feet ready for another at the launch event at 5.30pm. Saturday, day spent walking round the fabulous West 12 May. GO BACK Wales coastline.” TO CONTENTS 43

February 2019 | Version 1.0