Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 486 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • FOGHORN FOGHORNFOCUS: SALES & MARKETING B y now, social media has become a mainstay for mainstream marketing. Nearly every tour operator around the world has a Facebook page designed to attract and excite would-be customers to their operation. Passenger vessel operators are no different, of course, and everyone from small, one-vessel opera- tions to operations with large fleets in multiple sites having a strong Facebook presence. But, the social media world is swiftly changing and other applications have arisen that are gaining popularity. Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are rapidly becoming go-to apps for many consumers, which means that savvy travel/transportation operators need to be on those apps as well. For the most part, social media is a handy resource for sending short messages and photos to promote the business and inform users of news, schedule changes, and announce- ments. It’s fast, widespread, and easy. But, is it enough to tell the story of you? Storytelling is the oldest form of communication. Long before the written word was possible, stories were the only way to share information from one group or generation to the next. Telling stories is an ancient, but still highly relevant, medium for the human race. So, who is telling your story? Back in 1994 an enterprising young student at Swarthmore College created what he called his “personal homepage” which he used to tell stories about himself and shared it online with others. As these homepages quickly gained popularity, someone decided to rename his page, thereby coining the term “weblog,” which was soon shortened to blog. Today, blogs have become a versatile means for storytelling. It took a while before the corporate world took notice, but eventually it realized that telling stories is important for more than just recounting personal experiences. Businesses also significantly benefit from a blog. “Business blogging is a marketing tactic that uses blogging to get your business more online visibility,” Corey Wainwright, a content marketer, wrote in August 2013 on Hubspot.com. “Storytelling is the new way of telling customers, both active and prospects, about your company and all that you offer,” said Kayla Setters, Marketing Coordinator at Blount Small Ship Adventures, Warren, RI. “Our blog is perfect for engaging an audience and helping to turn them into buyers.” Some PVAVessel members do have regular blogs that are posted on their company website. But, many do not. This, according to Setters, is a mistake. “Blogs are now mainstream and with so many software applications on the market, it’s easy to start one and have it look it professional,” Setters explained. Some of the software applications are available at low cost, or even no cost, which makes it a marketing bargain. Setters recommends doing an online search of the most popular blog creation sites, reading reviews, and trying a few before deciding which one works best for your organization. Why Blog? “Blogging allows a more personal touch than a press release about your operation does,” explained Setters. Blogs are more candid and are often written in a first- person narrative that invites the audience to not read a single blog post, but to follow it and receive new ones as they are posted. Thus, a reader becomes invested and engaged in the story…and the business. For the much-touted Millennial generation, blogs are an important component for making decisions about where to spend their money. Why? In the January/February 2016 issue of FOGHORN, Dawn Rainbolt wrote about this highly influential generation in an article titled, “Here Come the Millennials.” In it she wrote, “Millennials differ in wanting experiences, not souvenirs. Gone are travelers who fill their bags with knickknacks; instead, they want unique experi- ences, amazing photos, and cool stories to share on social media.” In other words, Millennials are blog people: those who write them and those who read them. “Authenticity is essential,” Setter cautioned. “The stories The Marketing Power of Storytelling By Karen Rainbolt, FOGHORN Managing Editor Islands of New England.