Cherokee Nation Businesses Issues Marketing RFP
CNB is seeking an agency that has the capabilities to evaluate the current marketing strategy for its tourism department, Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism (CNCT); including marketing mix, brand use/positioning, media-purchase strategy, digital tools etc. and author a move-forward marketing plan for CNCT to increase brand awareness and visitation. The recommended marketing strategy would need to include future marketing mix, brand positioning, multiple campaign level concept pieces for each recommended marketing channel and messaging strategy across all recommended channels, along with costs required to implement plan.
Background:
Cherokee Nation Businesses, L.L.C. (CNB), is wholly owned by Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the U.S. CNB, the economic engine of Cherokee Nation, owns companies in the gaming, hospitality, personnel services, distribution, aerospace, manufacturing, telecommunications, technology services, medical equipment, security and defense services, construction and environmental services industries.
CNB currently employs more than 6,500 people. Cherokee Nation and its businesses employ more than 11,000 people in all, making it one of the area’s largest employers. CNB operates Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism (CNCT), which is responsible for Cherokee historical preservation, cultural education and tourism efforts within CNB and Cherokee Nation.
CNCT is in the final stages of completing renovations on the Cherokee National Capitol building in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and will be opening this world-class museum during the spring of 2019. Once open, the Cherokee National Capitol will be the largest museum the CNCT operates and will showcase the entirety of the Cherokee story. The Cherokee National Capitol will attract regional visitors and will serve as the hub for all other CNCT museums. CNCT currently operates 4 museums, 3 in the Tahlequah area and a forth museum in Sallisaw, Oklahoma (approximately a 1 hour drive from Tahlequah).
Current CNCT operated museums:
- Cherokee National Prison Museum – Tahlequah, Oklahoma
- Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum – Tahlequah, Oklahoma
- John Ross Museum – Park Hill, Oklahoma
- Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum – Sallisaw, Oklahoma
- Cherokee National Capitol – Tahlequah, Oklahoma (Museum coming soon)
In addition to these locations, CNCT is tasked with promoting tourism to multiple locations not operated by the group throughout Cherokee Nation (14-county jurisdictional service area in northeast Oklahoma), including the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill, Oklahoma. Agency would need to research/understand these resources, including natural scenic, historic and business partners (restaurants/shopping) and integrate into CNCT marketing strategy to provide a better sense of volume as a tourist destination.
Scope of Work:
The proposed marketing strategy should address the following requirements:
- Current Marketing strategy:
- Analysis of current marketing materials.
- Analysis of current marketing mix.
- Research on current tourism trends in Oklahoma and across the U.S.
- Research on current Native American tourism trends.
- Evaluate Osiyo brand and messaging effectiveness.
- Evaluate current Osiyo marketing channels.
- Proposed Marketing Strategy:
- Recommend/author new marketing plan.
- Recommend optimal media purchases (CNB to place).
- Provide multiple campaign level concepts (3-4) per recommended marketing channel.
- Create messaging strategy across all recommended marketing channels.
- All costs associated with implementing proposed marketing strategy.
CNB owns 3 websites that are controlled by CNCT, each of which would benefit from re-design efforts. CNCT’s website, VisitCheorkeeNation.com, should stand out from its competitors with a new and innovative design and format based on the company’s recommended marketing strategy. Each of the websites should remain consistent with proposed CNCT marketing strategy but with content designed for each of website purposes in mind.
Current CNCT websites:
- VisitCherokeeNation.com – Tourism website
- CherokeeArtMarket.com – Website for the Cherokee Art Market
- CherokeeGiftShop.com – Web store for the Cherokee Gift Shop
VisitCherokeeNation.com will need to integrate with the e-commerce point of sale system and be compatible to marketing-friendly CMS systems (Magento, WordPress, JUMLA, Wix, SquareSpace, etc). The CherokeeArtMarket.com website is currently an independent website that needs to be moved within the VisitCherokeeNation.com website but maintain its vanity URL, redirected to the VisitCherokeeNation.com URL. Cherokee Art Market’s page will have a unique look from the main website, it will continue to maintain its own brand. Visit Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Gift Shop should have the same branding elements.
The scope of this RFP is to evaluate firms’ ability to provide best possible marketing strategy for CNCT along with website design and development systems against the requirements contained in this document, then select and implement the solution that best fits CNCT’s requirements. This RFP may be awarded as all-in-one or piece-meal:
Project Components
o Analysis/Research of current marketing strategy
o Recommendation of new marketing strategy
o Marketing concept creation (to include: photography, copy, etc.)
o Analysis of current websites
o Website (Design included)
o CMS build/configuration
o Implementation of solution (in whole or in part)
Bid responses should list the effort, cost and timelines for each of the above components separately. Bids should use February 2019 as a “go live” target.
Website Design Requirements
The design should address the following requirements:
- Cloud-based CMS function.
- SEO strategy. Detail both your in-house services that may be contracted, as well as tools which may be used should this function be assumed by CNB staff.
- Must be a fully responsive and fluid design, compatible with all operating systems, browsers and mobile devices.
- As part of the bid, the vendor must provide a sample mock-up of the home page with multiple recommendations for site layout.
- Vendor must be able to work with Adobe InDesign files for site implementation.
- Feature dynamic font and text elements (approved brand font is ITC New Baskerville).
- CNB must have the ability to make changes to site content, layout and code in a way that is easy to access and quick to execute.
- Website Must be ADA and 508 compliant.
- Should have the ability to easily add multimedia features such as video content.
- Needs to connect with Visit Cherokee Nation’s and Cherokee Gift Shop’s social media sites and allow for the ability to display social news feeds if desired. Please describe your suggested strategy for social media integration.
- The website will also feature prominent pages on the main site navigation, including:
o Attractions
o Events
o History & Culture
o Contact Us
o Cherokee Gift Shop
o Cherokee Art Market
- The website needs to address layout options on the pages for the group tour, travel guide, and Cherokee Passport options for consumers to download or purchase.
- The vendor must be able to provide suggested layout templates for the aforementioned pages with their sub-pages that highlights dynamic content and rich media.
Due Date:
October 26th
Address:
Cherokee Nation Businesses, L.L.C.
Attn: Talia Myres
777 W. Cherokee Street
Catoosa, Oklahoma 74015
Kwittken PR and Makovsky PR could be a fit.
