Request for Proposals: Marketing, Communications, Website Management, and Social Media Services
Proposal Submittal Deadline: May 13, 2022
Introduction
The City is seeking professional, full-service, integrated marketing, advertising, communications, social media, and website maintenance services for their tourism brand, Visit Arroyo Grande, and is requesting proposals from qualified firms.
Firms should have the capability and experience required to provide comprehensive, strategic, and innovative services on designated projects. The goal of the marketing program is to attract tourists to the area to increase occupancy and average daily room rates at Arroyo Grande lodging properties.
Visit Arroyo Grande’s brand (logo, color palette, tagline, etc.) is established. The City wishes to build upon this identity in its future marketing efforts with the selected firm.
Qualified firms shall make recommendations for the coming fiscal year (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023); the contract will be for one year with the option to extend for a second year.
Background
In 2011, the City of Arroyo Grande formed a Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID). The TBID Board of Directors operates as a destination marketing organization under the name of Visit Arroyo Grande.
Spearheaded by Arroyo Grande lodging businesses, Visit Arroyo Grande is comprised of seven (7) hotels and at least sixty-one (61) vacation rental/home stays. It is governed by a Board of Directors representing lodging partners and businesses in the tourism/hospitality industry. The purpose of the TBID is to promote scenic, recreational, cultural, and other attractions in the district (the City of Arroyo Grande) as a tourist destination for the benefit of lodging operators.
Proposal guidelines
Firms are expected to prepare beyond the one-year mark (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023) to implement certain projects; however, projects beyond June 30, 2023 are dependent on the annual approved budget. The successful firm will coordinate all services under an Agreement with the City of Arroyo Grande or their designee(s). Firms may provide additional creative/innovative suggestions for deliverables identified in the proposal as “optional deliverables.”
Firms may submit proposals for one or more components of this Scope of Work.
Budget
Marketing agency contract including media buys: not to exceed $166,500 with a possibility of the contract increasing up to $200,000. The 2% lodging assessment from July 2021 to December 2021 brought in $157,000 for tourism marketing funds.
Term
This RFP is for a one-year agreement with the option to extend for a second and third year.
Marketing and Communications
Develop and implement a variety of promotional, publicity and advertising programs, and informational materials consistent with specifications provided.
Develop a comprehensive strategic marketing and advertising plan that addresses the following:
• Propose new or expand current marketing programs to promote the District (City of Arroyo Grande) and submit timelines for development/implementation. Campaign may include but not be limited to, digital, print, video, radio, outdoor, online media, and direct marketing;
• Identify strategies that increase overnight stays, especially during off-peak seasons;
• Propose creative tactics such as advertising campaigns and events and packages; and
• Develop and propose a system of measurable results and outcomes.
Online Strategy
• Complete reports to coincide with monthly meetings of the committee – show metrics and report implications and suggested adjustments and report monthly to lodging operators, TBID and Arroyo Grande City Council;
• Explain what tools your agency has available for online media monitoring, reporting and analysis, and brand/reputation monitoring; and
• Generate all images/creative assets to be paired with posts. Photographs and branding guidelines will be provided by Visit Arroyo Grande from internal marketing database.
Firms should also provide the following information:
• Examples of copy created for online platforms;
• Examples of graphic content to be paired with editorial copy;
• Sample of monitoring report format;
• Best practices report, example of online data analysis and action items; and
• A description of how agency stays at the forefront of technology and emerging media.
Website
The firm will take responsibility for all aspects of the Visit Arroyo Grande website, content management system (CMS), and related hosting. The scope of services should include, but is not limited to, all software, hardware, administrator and end user training, hosting, SEO programming, and other services required to implement and support the website and should:
• Be consistent with current and future Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines and any other applicable state and federal accessibility requirements;
• Include a privacy policy;
• Be capable of capturing email addresses; and
• Include a blog
• A website redesign may be included in this contract
City/Chamber Involvement
The City and South County Chambers of Commerce will make every effort to provide demographic information, photos, existing information on economic development tools, reports, etc. The firm should strive to be self-sufficient to the extent possible.
Deadline for Submittal – The filing deadline for the submittal of the above proposal is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2022. The City reserves the right to extend the deadline date. All documents should be emailed to ceo@southcountychambers.com or sent in a sealed package, clearly marked “RFP AGTBID” to Nicole Moore, South County Chambers of Commerce, PO Box 672, Arroyo Grande, CA 93421.
