Walton County, Florida Issues Marketing RFP
Walton County, Board of County Commissioners is seeking to hire a marketing research firm for the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC). The selected firm will additionally design, conduct, analyze and report specific marketing research projects to fulfill the information needs of the TDC and its consultants, to aid in the successful marketing of Visit South Walton.
Scope of Work:
The TDC seeks a firm with the expertise to provide the following tasks:
A. Visitor Tracking Study – continue quarterly study cycle
• Seasonally tracks the experience that visitors have in South Walton
• Monitors delivery of brand promise
• Uncovers, as early as possible, any perceptions that need to alter to maintain and grow loyalty
• Provides impact measurement for advertising, the website, and public relations
• Captures visitor spending in a spread of categories
B. Product Definition Study – continue quarterly study cycle
• Seasonally catalogs the current lodging inventory in terms of:Available units
o Average daily rates
o Average occupancy
o Average length of stay
o Average party size
• Provides basis for calculating overnight visitor counts
C. Conversion Study
• Annually measures the conversion of requesting information to visiting Beaches of South Walton
• Calculates the ROI for media modes used to motivate visitation to Beaches of South Walton
D. Travel and Tourism Impact Study
• Annually profiles and explores the dynamic of tourism business (Leisure, Seasonal and Group)
• Quantifies the total impact for Walton County
E. Brand Advertising Study
• Ad message testing on potential visitors
• Measure interest levels and rate of positioning of themes
• Survey aided and unaided recall of advertising among
• Measure effectiveness of advertising, public relations and digital/social marketing efforts
F. Market Perception Study
• Annually measures awareness and perceptions among the destination’s target prospects
• Assesses the competitive leisure travel market in the minds of VSW target prospects to provide strategic guidance to defend and cultivate market share
• Measures specific market demand and brand growth
• Provides market by market communications guidance
• Survey perception of tourism and TDC among locals and partners (bed tax collectors/BTC).
G. Marketing Alignment Study
• Annually measures and tracks the marketing efforts of destination brand partners so as to align efforts between the TDC and these partners
• Identifies the support that partners need and want
• Extracts co-op opportunities that fit with the marketing needs of the brand partners
H. Potential Visitor Study
• Survey travel population trends
• Identify behavioral differences between visitors selecting VSW and those loyal to other regions
• Examine current trends for decision making and methods
I. PRIZM/Lifestyle Profile Analysis – every three years (2017)
• Profiles South Walton visitors in great detail (psychographics)
• Identifies target groups with the highest potential
• Determines which markets offer the most potential
• Uncovers which media options offer unique potential
J. Ad Hoc Studies, if needed, such as:
• Website Usability Testing
• Beach Program Surveys
• Behavioral Consumer Study
K. Situational Studies, if needed, such as:
• Post-Hurricane Study
• Gulf Oil / Natural Disaster Perception Study
• Lapsed Visitor Study
L. Additional Services:
• Ongoing Consultation to staff, agencies and partners on decisions that need research backing.
• Review of materials for internal marketing research efforts
• Monthly agency coordination calls
• 4-6 annual presentations to council and staff, to committees and individual partners
• 1-3 strategy meetings per year
• Workshop VSW team about internal research tactics, concepts and research process
Due Date:
Proposal is due on June 10 to:
Office of Central Purchasing
176 Montgomery Circle
DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435
Florida located PR firms include Finn Partners and Edelman PR.
