TUNE TOWN

Another e-mail newsletter, Branson Buzz, targets 6,000 tour-group operators and travel agents six times a year, and a 10,000-piece postcard drop goes to the internal list twice a year.

Branson also maintains a database of 2,000 high school and college music directors, who receive a full package about the city annually encouraging them to bring their classes for a trip. While there, students not only get the chance to visit shows and theme parks, but to perform on a professional stage as well.

On the “reactive” marketing side, Branson mails 10,000 or so sales kits and vacation guides every year in response to requests.

Public relations is part of the city's promotional plan as well. Branson reaches out to a database of 850 journalists four to six times annually with information about the city. A select segment of 50 reporters are contacted once a month. They receive things like CDs, local craft items and food.

“As the World Turns” featured Branson for five episodes last year, a real PR coup. This was great, Lennon says, considering that the soap opera's viewers — women age 35 and up — are the city's core target market. To capitalize on this exposure, pricey packets including an iPod loaded with video showcasing the best of Branson were sent to travel editors and journalists at entertainment publications and TV channels such as E! and Variety.

Branson is working with Dallas-based Camelot Communications on media buying, and to expand its Web program and social media use. Currently, the city has a MySpace page (myspace.com/bestvacationdestination) and a blog (explorebranson.com/blog), but isn't doing much in the way of podcasts or online video.

A continual challenge for any convention and visitors' bureau is tracking whether information requesters eventually went on to visit. Lennon says that for years Branson did conversion studies and the rates were high, but such research hasn't been done for at least two years.

“We do know that about 80% of visitors have been here before, and many ask for the vacation planner every year,” he says.

As for meetings and conventions, Branson is working with Hilton, which operates the new convention center, to fulfill proposal and information requests. “We are able to track that somewhat,” Lennon says. “As people communicate better, we're getting a [good] sense of who is booking Branson.”

Population: 6,500 city residents; 40,000 in region

Annual marketing budget: $7.5 million

Marketing media: 77% television; the rest is a mix of Web, radio, print and some direct mail, mostly to meeting and group planners

Local theaters: 52, presenting about 115 shows

Annual visitors: Approximately 8 million

How they get there: 85% visit by car, driving from a 500-mile radius

Projected 2008 tourism growth: 3% to 5%

The Welk Resort and Champagne Theater was one of the first places to open in Branson when the city's entertainment venues started to expand in the early 1990s. Among the initial performers was a signature act from Lawrence Welk's television program — The Lennon Sisters.

Yep, that's right. Dan Lennon is a Lennon Brother.

Lennon and his family grew up in California, where he was involved in various aspects of the entertainment and marketing business. In 1992, Larry Welk Jr., president of Sugar Hill Records (Dolly Parton's label) wanted to continue his father's legacy in Branson. The 60-plus member Lennon clan had a family meeting and about 30 decided to pack and move to Missouri.

Dan and his brothers had a swing quartet which performed some 2,000 shows in Branson over a 10-year period. He also served as director of marketing for the Welk Resort, moving over to the Branson Chamber about five years ago.

When this writer mentions remembering personalities such as the dance team Bobby and Cissy, from watching the show with her parents every Saturday night, Lennon laughs.

“I grew up with all those people!” he says. “With my sisters on the show, they would come to my house occasionally and we'd have Wiffle Ball games and picnics. I grew up with those characters in my life. Lawrence Welk was almost like my fairy godfather.”
— Beth Negus Viveiros